Gotham
Season 3 Episode 16: “Heroes Rise: These Delicate and Dark Obsessions”
Directed by Ben McKenzie
Written by Robert Hull
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, May 1st, 2017, 8pm

Last week on Gotham, Nygma (Cory Michael Smith) searched for a new Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor), and killed as each genius failed. He took drugs to see a Penguin hallucination. Finally realizing he needed a nemesis, he sent a message to the GCPD to smoke out Jim Gordon (Ben McKenzie), and got Lucius Fox (Chris Chalk) instead. He held Harvey (Donal Logue) hostage, but Fox saved him. Uncle Frank (James Remar) tried to convince Jim to join the Court of Owls to take it down from the inside. The Court replaced Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz) with his doppelgänger. Poison Ivy (Maggie Geha) saved Penguin from the river, who vowed revenge.

Warning! Spoilers below.

Gotham 3.16 “Heroes Rise: These Delicate and Dark Obsessions” review: The Court of Owls meets about the downfall of Gotham, “Drastic action must be taken.” They vote on “cleansing” Gotham (even reluctant Uncle Frank puts his feather down, a yes).

The real Bruce Wayne wakes up and demands answers, which are predictably not forthcoming. Later, his door opens and he runs in circles. “Shall we begin?” Training?

Aubrey James is reinstated since they “know” Nygma killed Penguin. Jim, looking at his dad’s killer’s case file, got some interesting info from Bullock. The guy could not have been a drunk driver. His disease rendered him unable to touch a drop of alcohol. Carmine Falcone (John Doman) knows something because he paid for the lawyer. Jim meets his uncle at his father’s grave, where Frank tells him of the weapon headed to Gotham. Jim believes him and wants to help. Afterward, he sees Lee (Morena Baccharin) at Mario’s grave. She is so bitter towards him.

Penguin is a surly and ungrateful patient.

Penguin: “What’s with you and all the plants?”
Ivy: “Oh. They’re my friends.”
Penguin: “Wonderful.”

Even though Penguin is being a “jerk,” she wants to help him build his army again. She gets Gabe for him, who seems thrilled to see him. Ivy tells Penguin not to trust him, and he hurts her feelings. Gabe betrays him, “Smart girl.” He’s going to auction off the right to kill Penguin. Once Penguin starts being nice to Ivy, she uses her poisonous scent to take out the thugs, and test Gabe’s loyalty. He fails, and Penguin “freaks” and kills him. Ivy suggests an army of freaks.

Jim goes to see Falcone, who tells him that everyone “does the Court’s bidding,” and reveals that his uncle ordered the hit on his father. Jim arrests his uncle, but Frank gets the better of him. “Dock 9C… Make a choice Jim.” He shares everything with Bullock, who has his back. Jim goes to Barbara (Erin Richards) for help. She tortures a thug, but some crazy sword-wielding ninja kills everyone except her and Tabatha (Jessica Lucas), who get away. This scene was bananas.

The monk or shaman (or whatever he is) uses his acupuncture needles to take Bruce back to the night his parents died. Bruce FREAKED. It seemed so real. Gotham needs him to become… a symbol.

The Court calls Frank to the carpet for Jim’s questioning. “You know what you have to do.” Jim and Frank meet with guns drawn on each other. Frank kills himself to get Jim in with the Court. It works.

I may sound like a broken record, but the episode was great, especially for bringing my favorite bad girls back in the picture. I’m glad that we are finally getting to see the mysterious omniscient organization behind the scenes in Gotham.

Some thoughts:

– LOVED, LOVED, LOVED “Love Hurts” by Nazareth playing in the background when the Barbara scene comes. She’s funny when she’s bad.

– Great directing job by Ben McKenzie!

– “Freak” is the word.

– The moment right before Jim arrests his uncle struck me. Usually Jim Gordon growls and acts aggressively. He collected himself, and you could see him stop and think as if all of the rash decisions that he had made in the past flashed through his mind.

– I really cannot tell what side Uncle Frank is on. And I can’t tell what side the Court of Owls is on. Because why would they kidnap Bruce and then seek to enlighten and train him? This is the best part about this season. I feel like I am investigating alongside Jim.

Gotham airs Monday nights at 8:00pm ET on FOX.

FOX’s synopsis:

“HEROES RISE: THESE DELICATE AND DARK OBSESSIONS”
THE PAST COMES BACK TO HAUNT ON AN ALL-NEW “GOTHAM” MONDAY, MAY 1, ON FOX
Ben McKenzie Directs His First Episode of GOTHAM!
MON MAY 1 8/9c
The Court of Owls devises a new plan regarding the future of Gotham, as Gordon uncovers information about his father and uncle’s past, connecting him back to the organization. Meanwhile, Bruce wakes up in the temple and learns of the Shaman’s wish for him in the all-new “Heroes Rise: These Delicate and Dark Obsessions” episode of GOTHAM airing Monday, May 1 (8:00-9:01 PM ET/PT) on FOX.

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Preview: A New Weapon Has Arrived In Gotham | Season 3 Ep. 16 | GOTHAM

The Court of Owls devises a new plan regarding the future of Gotham in the all-new episode, “Heroes Rise: These Delicate and Dark Obsessions.”

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