It is the season 1 finale of Gotham and the show to me really went downhill from Pilot on but it ended on a note that perhaps might make we want to at least check out the season 2 premiere.

The show opens with Fish Mooney returning to Gotham in a row boat and pulling up to shore where she warms her hands at at garbage can fire with Selina. Fish tells Selina that a new day is coming.

Two weeks pass and we get to the heart of the episode.

The Riddler is Born

We get to Edward Nygma’s descent into the Riddler at episode’s end when Ms. Kringle confronts Nygma with the note left by “Doherty” in how the first letters of each sentence spells out his name. Nygma says it was just a coincidence. Ms. Kringle doesn’t quite believe but leaves anyways. Nygma goes through a psychotic break where he starts laughing manically and starts talking to himself. It seems that Nygma might kill Ms. Kringle but keeps on flipping based on his feelings for her. Nygma keeps on remembering all the bad things people have said about him that this truly causes him to become the Riddler.

Dr. Leslie Thompkins – Trauma Councelor

Leslie has given Barbara a clean bill of health but insists that she see a trauma counselor. Barbara says she is fine. When Gordon comes in, Barbara thanks him for rescuing her. Once again, Leslie insists that Barbara see someone to discuss what happened with her and the Ogre. Barbara says she will agree to see a trauma counselor if Leslie would be it. Leslie tries to get out of it but eventually gives in after receiving Gordon’s blessing.

At Barbara’s penthouse, Leslie tries to get Barbara to open up about her time with the Ogre. At first, Barbara isn’t as open but eventually tells Leslie how the Ogre really knew her and the talks about her first date with Gordon. Barbara then asked if Gordon ever hit Leslie during a moment of passion. Leslie is surprised at the question but says no. Leslie didn’t realize that Barbara knew that she was dating Gordon.

Over coffee, Barbara tells Leslie that it is inevitable that Gordon will profess his love for her. Barbara then tells Leslie about her ordeal with the Ogre. Barbara realized he was bringing her to her parents and how he made her confront her parents over her childhood and the verbal abuse they bestowed. Barbara then tells Leslie that she killed her parents. Leslie says it was the Ogre that did not her but Barbara corrects her and says now it was her and she stabbed her parents and slit their throats. Leslie realizes what is happening especially after Barbara unleashes a kitchen knife and starts to chase her with it.

Leslie locks herself in the bathroom, tries to call Gordon (who is otherwise preoccupied – more on that later). So Leslie smashes the mirror just as Barbara bust a whole in the bathroom door and opens it. Leslie takes the shard of mirror and charges Barbara. The two woman fight where Leslie eventually knocks Barbara out.

The Mob War Heats Up

One of Maroni’s men hits up Falcone at his chicken farm. Falcone is hurt and brought into Gotham General, where the Penguin and Butch pay him a visit. Falcone is strapped to a gurney so the Penguin uses it as an opportunity to say the mob war was his doing and that he will become the king of Gotham. The Penguin is about to stab Falcone with a scalpel when Gordon stops them and but the Penguin and Butch under arrest for attempted murder. Gordon tells Falcone that he will help him retake Gotham as he is their worst best option because Maroni would just be a bad person to lead Gotham. The Penguin tells the men that Maroni and his men are on their way to finish Falcone off. We see that Commissioner Loeb is in the pocket of Maroni and tries to tell Gordon to leave. However, we know that Gordon will not. Loeb leaves instead and a gun fight ensues that Gordon does win. Bullock arrives to help and manages to smuggle out Falcone, the Penguin and Butch. I believe Gordon releasing the Penguin is the favor owed.

The quarter make it to a Falcone safehouse that apparently no one knows about. Unfortunately, Fish knows about it and not only does Fish have a fierce new look but a whole new gang that is comprised of her peeps from Dollmaker’s prison and now Selina, sporting a similar new look.

Fish and Butch are reunited and she can see that something happened to her former right hand man. Fish has Falcone, Gordon and the Penguin strung up and threatens to kill all of them. Fish lets Bullock go. Maroni comes to the safehouse and gloats at this victory over Falcone. However, Maroni starts being sexist with Fish and pretty much says she is number 2 and will be taking his orders. Fish is fed up and kills Maroni. A fight breaks up that gives Falcone, Bullock, Gordon and the Penguin to escape.

As they hide to wait out their moment to escape, Falcone tells Gordon that he has had enough of the mob life and he is going his place down south and retire. Falcone apologizes for not being the one to take back Gotham. The three men try and hide in an empty container but Selina finds them and brings them back to Fish. Falcone shares his retirement plans with Fish but before any more conversation can happen, the Penguin opens fire on the crowd and is after Fish for revenge. Fish makes her way up a fire escape with Penguin hot on her heels. Falcone, Gordon and Bullock drive off.

When the Penguin finds Fish, the fight between them has been building up since the Pilot. The two are at the rooftop edge, each trying to throw the other off. Butch comes on the scene and is conflicted as the two try and test his loyalty. Butch ends up shooting both of them in the leg and the apologizes to Fish for doing so. Fish forgives him but Penguin knocks him out and pushes Fish off the building to her supposed death in the icy waters below. The Penguin climbs up on the ledge to declare he is the king of Gotham.

Gordon and Bullock take Falcone to Barbara’s penthouse where Gordon sees the tail end of the fight between Leslie and Barbara. Leslie tells Gordon how Barbara went all psychotic and tried to kill her.

Later on, Falcone gives Gordon the knife he had and says it was a gift from Gordon’s father, who was a honest man. Just before Falcone goes into retirement, he tells Gordon that he is the one to clean up Gotham, that is a law man to do it.

The Cliffhanger

The whole point of Bruce’s storyline tonight is to find what is his father’s secret. Bruce realizes that it has to be in the study since his father always locked himself in it and clearly remembers music playing. After searching the study, Bruce and Alfred come up empty until Alfred mentions a quote from Julius Cesar and combined with something Lucius Fox says, Bruce knows where to start looking. It is indeed in a book of Julius Cesar that Bruce finds a remote control. When Bruce presses it, the fireplace pushes back and when he and Alfred enter, the find stairs that lead down to presumably a cave, where we hear the sound of bats.

So it seems the show is implying that Thomas Wayne is the original Batman that Bruce will later take on the mantle. It is that storyline that will make me check out the season 2 premiere.

Final Thoughts

The reveal of the Batcave was meh but am interested in seeing what the show will do with that. I am glad the mob storyline is over (I hope) but it was my least favorite part of the show.

There were a lot of episode that we not necessary in particular Fish’s time with the Dollmaker. Also, what happened to Montaya and Allen? Those two totally disappeared off the Gotham canvass that I wonder if these characters would return in season 2. One character that probably won’t come back for season 2 is Barbara. At first I was all for Barbara as I was seeing her as the end game love interest for Gordon but then she was pretty much useless and had no point. When Leslie came along and had way better chemistry with Gordon the Barbara became expendable. It is too bad the writers had to make Barbara bat shit crazy in the end; Erin Richards deserved better.

Finally, I am interested in seeing how Nygma will become season 2’s main villain and how the show will manage to service that storyline but the Penguin’s too.

So what did you think of the season 1 finale? Overall it was meh. Does it make you want to see season 2? Sound off in the comments.