Gotham
Season 3 Episode 14: “Mad City: The Gentle Art of Making Enemies”
Directed by Louis Shaw Milito
Written by Seth Boston
Created by Bruno Heller
Starring Ben McKenzie, Donal Logue, Sean Pertwee, Robin Lord Taylor, David Mazouz, Camren Bicondova, Cory Michael Smith, Erin Richards, Chris Chalk, Jessica Lucas, Drew Powell, Morena Baccharin
FOX
Air Date: Monday, January 30th, 2017, 8pm

Last week on Gotham, Jerome Valeska (Cameron Monaghan) was finally revived sans face, after the GCPD chased his face-wearing resurrector around the city. He and Lee (Morena Baccharin) had a cackling conversation about what he’s missed since his death. Barbara and Tabitha (Erin Richards, Jessica Lucas) took out the rest of the heads of the families, as they went further in their “Operation Destroy Penguin” (Robin Lord Taylor) plan. Selina’s mom betrayed her, and she and Bruce (Camren Bicondova, David Mazouz) are on the outs because he knew it. Jerome went on TV and urged everyone to commit crimes. The lights went out in Gotham, as Jim (Ben McKenzie) watched, horrified.

Beware! Spoilers below.

Gotham 3.14 “Mad City: The Gentle Art of Making Enemies” review: “Tonight, Gotham is awakened!” It’s mayhem. There is a desk on fire inside the GCPD.

Penguin goes to “rescue” Nygma, who walks out slowly and fine (of course). Nygma takes out Penguin’s goons – “I know.” Penguin is confused at what we know already. They have an intense scene which is Penguin crying and confessing his love (and the murder of Isabella), and Ed growling what love is really about. He sets him up to die via acid. A dopey cop comes along and saves him. Oh boy. Butch (Drew Powell) and Tabitha take Penguin when he gets back to his house.

The Court of Owls thinks it may have to step in, but Jim’s uncle (James Remar) wants to give him a chance to fix it.

Jim goes to Lee to find out where Jerome could possibly be. Jim is usually a little smarter than that. He should have already figured out that he is going to Bruce Wayne.

Jerome: “Attitude. Teenagers, am I right?” Love it! He wants to kill Bruce only because it’s the last thing he remembers. Bruce convinces him to do it with flair. Even though Jerome knows what’s up, he’s intrigued. He takes him leaving Alfred to die. But Alfred can’t die. Jim saves him.

Jerome takes him to the carnival, where his followers play sick and bloody games. “These people don’t want a plan, they want an excuse.” He does have a point.

“Face it kid. Gotham has no heroes.” Cue music and thoughtful look on Bruce Wayne’s face.

Time for the end of the circus. Jerome hops on top of the cannon and fills it with many sharp objects. The cavalry arrives, but Jerome lights the fuse. Bruce pulls staples (that’s right) out of his arms and escapes at the last second. Jerome follows him onto the hall of mirrors. Okay… so… gross – Jerome’s face becomes super misshapen when Bruce viciously punches him, but the worst gore is when they all come out of the hall and Jim punches his face right off.

Penguin has to help Barbara find Ed or he will regret it. He finally understands what Ed meant about love. Ed is conflicted now.

Back home, to Bruce, the idea of killing Jerome, “Felt like justice.” Exactly what a vigilante would say. He and Alfred hash this out. “I will not kill.” We see the dawn of this tenet (we won’t talk about later incarnations of Batman breaking this rule).

The Court of Owls have trained Bruce’s doppelgänger. Uncle Frank goes to suss out Jim.

“No one refuses the Court.”

The last scene between Penguin and Nygma is chilling. That moment was cinematic art.

Just wow. Jerome is definitely my favorite villain on Gotham ever (sorry Milo Ventimiglia! You always have my heart!). Not to discount Barbara, Penguin and Nygma, but they are part of the permanent landscape, rather than the villain du jour. He is so much fun and really does have “panache.”

I do want a resolution to this Court of Owls mystery, but the episodic villains are just too damn awesome. I was slightly disappointed that Selina did not swoop in to either save Bruce or witness the manliness.

Gotham returns this spring on FOX.

Synopsis:

“MAD CITY: THE GENTLE ART OF MAKING ENEMIES”
TURN THAT FROWN UPSIDE DOWN ON THE ALL-NEW WINTER FINALE OF “GOTHAM” MONDAY, JANUARY 30, ON FOX
MON JAN 30 8/7c
With Jerome (guest star Cameron Monaghan) on the loose with one target in mind, Bruce and Alfred’s safety is compromised. Meanwhile, Gordon’s uncle Frank (guest star James Remar) pays him a visit, and “ŽNygma and Penguin are forced to confront their issues face-to-face, with possible deadly consequences in the all-new “Mad City: The Gentle Art of Making Enemies” winter finale episode of GOTHAM airing Monday, Jan. 30 (8:00-9:01 PM ET/PT) on FOX.

Image Gallery

Video

Preview: Turn That Frown Upside Down | Season 3 Ep. 14 | GOTHAM

With Jerome on the loose with one target in mind, Bruce and Alfred’s safety is compromised in the winter finale of GOTHAM, this MON at 8/7c.