Gotham season 1 episode 16 "The Blind Fortune Teller" Review

He watches you while you sleep

Ha

So last week we capped off the Scarecrow storyline to a truly twisted conclusion. As much as I hate the writers forcing characters unnecessarily down our throats, it was pulled off rather well with a new spin on the villain. Then I see the promo to the next episode and BOY did I get angry. Not only were they planning to force the Flying Graysons into an episode, they are forcing the one villain you really can't have Batman without! This of course is the Joker! I watched the episode AND...It's actually not as bad as I was afraid it would be. Don't get me wrong, I still don't think the Joker should have been on the show, but it really wasn't bad...it was actually good.

The characters this week either a hit or a miss. The misses unfortunately were our Graysons. I understand that they are in a blood feud. I get they are kind of like the kids in school who bicker but they actually like each other. But they just flipped on that turn much too quickly and I didn't care for them. We barely knew the characters or watch them grow to care for them.  This just is another prime example of the writers forcing in characters of the original batman mythos into the mix before their time. That being said the hit was surprisingly the guy they had playing Jerome...or Joker. While I still stand by my statement that the Joker was the one character they shouldn't have touched for this prequel, Cameron Monaghan nailed the part. He seemed so innocent at the beginning, if not for the promo, I would have been actually surprised by his change. Speaking of the change, that's the part I assume you all want to hear my opinion on. The transition from sadness to madness was executed quite well then the madness-oh boy that madness. He nailed it and I'm not just the maniacal laugh, which was reminiscent to Ledger's. The way he talked to the titled blind fortune teller and to Gordon reminded me of exactly how the Joker would talk to the cops when he was first arrested in The Dark Knight. This calming tone, but pressing against the line of losing it, added with near perfect facial expressions bring a new version of the clown prince of crime.

The mystery of Jerome's murder this week was ruined in the promo unfortunately. This is depressing mainly due to the fact I saw the pieces to a very intriguing mystery, especially one that tickled at Gotham's semi-what mystical elements as well. The case however helped push along Gordon's and Thompkins relationship, which is just so much better each week than Barbara. Strangely the side stories have begun going bland since the departure of Fish Mooney. I find this strange as in the beginning I have been looking to the side stories as the more interesting as the cop stories fell flat. Our once sinister Penguin is pretty much floundering to get his club off the ground. COME ON! We have spent most of the season watching as Oswald manipulate everyone and everything to get to the top. Now that he's got it, he doesn't know what to do. Fish Mooney's storyline continues to bore me, but the end promises there will actually be SOMETHING interesting. I really hope they can pull themselves out of their funk soon, because they have some fantastic actors that need better stories.

Final Verdict
Though there was some good in this episode, mainly at the cop storyline and a new version of the Joker, there is still too much weighing on the bad side. This episode comes off as Meh at best and I truly hope that it gets better as the season comes to a close.

That was my review for this week's Gotham episode! What did you think of Cameron Monaghan's performance! leave a comment and 'll see you all next time!