Gotham
Season 1 Episode 8: “The Mask”
Written by Bruno Heller
Starring Ben McKenzie, Donal Logue, Jada Pinkett Smith, Sean Pertwee, Robin Lord Taylor, David Mazouz, Camren Bicondova, Erin Richards, Zabryna Guevara, Andrew Stewart-Jones, David Zayas, John Doman, and Victoria Cartegena
FOX
Air Date: Monday, November 10, 2014, 8pm

Spoiler alert! Turn away now if you don’t want to read the Gotham 1.7 “Penguin’s Umbrella” recap or the Gotham 1.8 “The Mask” review that follows!

Poor Jim! Everybody wants him dead or jailed. Penguin’s (Robin Lord Taylor) waddle into the station revealed that Jim (Ben McKenzie) morally lied about killing Penguin. Now, Harvey (Donal Logue) wants to kill him (but comes around). Fish Mooney (Jada Pinkett Smith) wants Penguin dead and Jim brought in. Falcone (John Doman) is gunning for him, and Montoya and Allen (Victoria Cartagena and Andrew Stewart-Jones) find themselves on the wrong end, but redeem themselves. Seems they just discovered that perfect hostage Barbara (Erin Richards) was right all along about Jim. But we knew that already.

Gotham
Season 1 Episode 7: “Penguin’s Umbrella”
Written by Bruno Heller
Starring Ben McKenzie, Donal Logue, Jada Pinkett Smith, Sean Pertwee, Robin Lord Taylor, David Mazouz, Camren Bicondova, Erin Richards, Zabryna Guevara, Andrew Stewart-Jones, and Victoria Cartegena
FOX
Air Date: Monday, November 3, 2014, 8pm

Gotham’s golden rule: No heroes! And…spoiler alert!

So who was the villain du jour on last week’s Gotham? Bullock (Donal Logue) thought he killed him ten years ago. Is this “Spirit of the Goat” a copycat? Milky rising from the grave? Gotham’s firstborn one percenters are being strung up and displayed surrounded by candles in tribute. Bullock’s layers are showing. He is more and more enjoyable this week. Nygma (Cory Michael Smith) cannot stop being awkward–first by telling Bullock bad riddles and then harassing his crush. Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor) is comforted by his mom (Carol Kane), and seems like they would be comfortable as members of the Bates family. The best moment of the episode was Gordon (Ben McKenzie) and Harvey’s old partner commiserating that Bullock always thinks he’s right. Montoya thinks she has enough to arrest Gordon. Ah, the dramatic irony! Who else LOVED the last second nose-to-nose moment of the episode?

Gotham
Season 1 Episode 6: “Spirit of the Goat”
Directed by T.J. Scott
Written by Ben Edlund
Created by Bruno Heller
Starring Ben McKenzie, Donal Logue, Jada Pinkett Smith, Sean Pertwee, Robin Lord Taylor, David Mazouz, Camren Bicondova, Erin Richards, Zabryna Guevara, Andrew Stewart-Jones, and Victoria Cartegena
FOX
Air Date: Monday, October 27, 2014, 8pm

Before we get to the Gotham 1.6 “Spirit of the Goat” review, let’s recap, shall we?

Spoilers ahead!!

Previously on Gotham: Is Jim Gordon (Ben McKenzie) a good guy or a bad one? He starts out with all these ideals. He didn’t have to choose Gotham, he wanted to make a difference. Poor Jim! Saddled with morally ambiguous partner, Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue), Jim got more than he bargained for. He’s been hung upside-down from a meat hook, while investigating Bruce Wayne’s (David Mazouz) parents’ murder, befriending the boy in the process. He fake killed Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor), who is back causing complications galore. His girl Barbara (Erin Richards) is being warned about him by her ex-lesbian lover, Montoya (Victoria Cartagena), with whom he works. He saved future Catwoman (Camryn Bicondova) from a child trafficking ring. Jim and Harvey stop a balloon vigilante and a deadly bone-crumbling drug on the street.

Gotham
Season 1 Episode 3: “The Balloonman”
Directed by Dermot Downs
Written by Bruno Heller
Starring Ben McKenzie, Donal Logue, Jada Pinkett Smith, Sean Pertwee, Robin Lord Taylor, David Mazouz, Camren Bicondova, Erin Richards, Zabryna Guevara, Andrew Stewart-Jones, and Victoria Cartegena
FOX
Air Date: Monday, October 6, 2014, 8pm

Gotham 1.3 “The Balloonman” will be reviewed in just a moment. But first, let’s recap last week’s episode, “Selina Kyle.”

Be warned that there will be spoilers included below, so continue only if you’re caught up or don’t mind knowing what’s going on.

Gotham
Season 1 Episode 2: “Selina Kyle”
Directed by Danny Cannon
Written by Bruno Heller
Starring Ben McKenzie, Donal Logue, Jada Pinkett Smith, Sean Pertwee, Robin Taylor, David Mazouz, Camren Bicondova, Cory Michael Smith, Erin Richards, Andrew Stewart-Jones, and Victoria Cartegena
FOX
Air Date: Monday, September 29, 2014, 8pm

Gotham 1.2 “Selina Kyle” review coming right up after these Gotham 1.1 “Pilot” messages (recap):

Major Spoilers!!

Gotham is a pre-origins story focusing on Jim Gordon’s (Ben McKenzie) battle with the many criminals of Gotham, when there were no superheroes, yet the supervillains were beginning to flourish. His blossoming friendship with young Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz) starts here. Jim’s first case is the murder of Bruce’s parents, a robbery gone wrong, or so it seems. Idealist Jim is saddled with crooked partner Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue), and is forced to make questionable choices in order to keep his loved ones safe. They kill the guy that was set up as the murderer (future Poison Ivy’s dad), and almost lose their lives themselves, thanks to new villain Fish Mooney (Jada Pinkett Smith) and Carmine Falcone (John Doman), the real power of the town. Jim bonds with Bruce and makes the lifelong secret vow (secret between them and Sean Pertwee‘s Alfred) to find the real killers.