Gotham is still on winter break and our Mondays are a bit more boring right now. As you may or may not know, each week, we've been taking look at characters from this large cast and deciding what works and doesn't work on the FOX series. So far, we've covered those who work for the Gotham City Police Department and the crime syndicate of Gotham.
Like many folks that live their whole lives in New York City or Chicago, when you are born into a bustling metropolis, like Gotham, it's a place you're going to set down your roots and stay in you're whole life, so it makes sense to see so many beloved Batman characters as younger versions of themselves in this show.
This week, we're taking a look at one of the most polarizing parts of this show: the kids. Some people love how they're included in the show and other side of the coin really isn't into what's happening with how the kids are included in the show. Let's get down to business and find out about all these kids.
Bruce Wayne
Spoiler alert! This little kid is going to become Batman. A young Bruce Wayne saw his parent's murdered right before his eyes and it changed him from a stuck-up, spoiled child to a stuck-up, spoiled child with a passion for solving crimes. Jokes aside, this junior detective is in a transitional phase where he's thrusted into adulthood and almost forcing himself to grow up too quick. David Mazouz plays the role of the famed Bruce Wayne.
What's Working: David Mazouz actually does a really good job with what he has to work with. He's great in his scenes and fantastic with showing emotion. You know, that thing called acting. He comes of as natural. The moments where Bruce learns about the world are exciting to watch.
What's Not: The focus of this show went from the cops and crimes in Gotham to "what's Bruce Wayne up to this week?" The problem has nothing to do with David Mazouz and everything to deal with how unfocused the show can feel at times. His character can be an unbearable as the creative team forces the character onto the screen, week after week.
Conclusion: Sometimes, Bruce is a great edition to each episodes, but sometimes, it feels like the writers threw him on the show just to throw him on the show. The latter half of the season, before the winter break, lots of people warmed up to him.
Selina "Kat" Kyle
Selina Kyle is the girl that grows into the woman Catwoman, Batman's on-again, off-again, criminal lover. Carmen Bicondova plays the young Selina, who prefers to be called "Cat" or "Kat" by the way. Kat was the only witness, aside from Bruce, to the murder of Martha and Thomas Wayne, in that dark alley. She also spends a lot of time showing Bruce what the real Gotham city is like, which apparently isn't as scary as you'd think.
What's Working: Although I was really against Kyle being a witness to the murder, it did lead to some interesting stories for the show. Sadly, that's about it.
What's Not: She's poorly written and forced into almost every episode as to scream to the viewer "Hey! I exist." I feel bad for the young Carmen Bicondova because the character is bi-polar and all over the place, like seven different people had a hand in her dialogue. It's like they don't know what to do with her but demand she be a part of every episode.
Conclusion: I really want to like the character, but she's directionless and doesn't really offer the audience anything new. Sure, the more recent episode, where her and Bruce visited the underground, gave viewers insight into some of the underworld, but aside from that, the aren't writing the character strong enough to pull this much screentime.
Thomas Elliot
Cole Vallis has the job of playing Thomas Elliot, in one episode so far. For those who are unfamiliar with the character, in the comics, he was a friend of Bruce Wayne's who became a bit obsessed with him. Elliot ended up killing his parents, to be an orphan like Bruce, and a bit later down the road, Elliot became the villain Hush. On Gotham, Elliot is a big jerk bully that can't stop reminding Bruce his parents are dead. Eventually, Bruce confronts him and give him a couple of right hooks.
What's Working: He's only in one episode so far, and the scenes of him were more of a wink and a nudge to fans. However, we do get to see Bruce come up against adversity that he can actually handle and control.
What's Not: Some folks are not happy with the change of Thomas being a bully right off the bat. They want him to be Bruce's friend. Personally, I don't care. It works.
Conclusion: Elliot's appearance on the show was short but sweet. He was really here to move forward Bruce as a character. Technically, it could have been any character with and name, but it was cool to see Elliot. Here's to hoping we get to see him a bit more.
Ivy Pepper
Clare Foley plays Ivy Pepper, who will be in 4 episodes this first season. Ivy is the daughter of the man who was wrongfully accused of murdering Thomas and Martha Wayne. Thus far, she's appeared in two episodes and she's always are plants. Why? Well, she grows up to become Poison Ivy, we think. The Poison Ivy from the comics is named Pamela Isley, but the signs they're the same character are all there. Basically, we're just assuming they are the same character.
What's Working: Not much. It's a forced character with a decent backstory that's never worked with.
What's Not: Relatively everything. The character serves no real purpose other than a nod at the fans of the comic. Sure, because of the actions of the GCPD on the show, that gives her motivation to become Poison Ivy, but the audience will never see that fully realized. In a world where many shows don't make it past a second season, the chances of Gotham hitting season 14 and seeing Poison Ivy are 9,999,999/1.
Conclusion: Ivy Pepper, if she actually is Poison Ivy, isn't just the weakest character in the set of kid actors on the show, she's the weakest part of the whole cast, right above Selina Kyle.
There you have it! Next week, we'll be back to take a look at some of the villain of the week characters that have appeared on the show. Remember, Gotham returns from it's Winter Break to Fox on Jan. 5 at 8/7c. What do you guys think of these characters?