I just started seeing the promos for this. It looks pretty solid. Two things I know: this show will be good and it will get cancelled. I know this because Donal Logue is one of the stars. The last two shows he was in that I really liked were Terriers and Life, and both got the axe.
The basic premise of the show as described on the Wil Wheaton project is Bruce Wayne as a child before he was Batman. And to paraphrase Wheaton 'Because when I watch a show about superheroes, what I really want is to forget about the superheroes and just focus on a kid who's super sad about his parents dying'... I'm interested to see if they pull somethingout of the premise that makes it watchable. I can just see so many ways for them to make it unwatchable.
The only way its going to be watchable, and I said this in another thread, is to try and cram as many Batman villain and character references into the show as quickly as possible. Once that novelty wears off, its going to die a quick death. Even that trailer had the Penguin, Catwoman, and the Riddler. Theyll probably save the Joker for some BS season finale or something or to give the show a needed bump in the ratings, but Ill be shocked if it lasts. A Batman Begins type show would be cool on like an AMC or even HBO in an anthology format. Then again, origin stories are getting really old now.
I was thinking that the show was going to essentially be treated as a crime drama, focusing on a police detective and his partner. It just so happens that that detective becomes commissioner Gordon, and some of the crimes feature villains who turn out to be Penguin, Riddler, Joker, etc. The setting is good ol' dark Gotham, and that's it. They rightly named the show "Gotham" instead of "When Bruce Wayne Was a Kid" because the main character is going to be the city. How did Gotham of Batman's day get to be what it is? I mean, my town isn't like that - filled with Penguins, Riddlers and the like. So, I think there's plenty of story ideas to mine, without it being the disaster that Will Weaton describes. Granted, there's plenty that can go wrong, too, but I'm willing to see how it shakes out.
See thats the problem with it though, i dont think the unwashed masses outside of comic fan circles are going to care about that. Just like no one really gives a shit about Superman's origin story. Hes superman, Hes got super powers and he saves the day. A disgruntled and "find himself" upbringing doesn't really work for that character. Same thing applies here. Batman stops the scum of Gotham. No one really cares about the little vignettes about how Batmans nemeses became bad guys. Christopher Nolan made this point with the Jokers ever changing story he would tell people. (And then proceeded to fuck it up by giving us a Bane origin story in the next one), but it really doesnt matter to most people. Maybe Im wrong, because I was hugely wrong about Arrow. That show rocks. So we'll see. I guess bottom line is a modern, well done Batman show would be awesome. Thats what they would want to do, and what everyone wants them to do but they cant. DC would never give up the rights for one, not when they can get $500 million for any given Batman movie. So the alternative is to dance around it as much as possible. If they really wanted to do a Gotham-centric show, there would be no references to Batman characters other than little easter eggs and winks and nods, not telling us that the villains are characters before they were villains. *Drops mic*
Yep, but it became so far removed from the comic or movies that it almost was a completely different thing.
Hmm, well that's a different thing altogether. When you said you didn't think Gotham was going to be watchable, I didn't know you meant "Batman fans won't watch it, mostly me." I think it's going to be a good show that people will watch - possibly some unwashed masses outside comic fan circles. I have no idea if Batman fans will like it. I have only read a handfull of Batman comics, and am in no way part of the core Batman audience - whatever that is - but, the trailers I've seen for Gotham so far have me really interested. In fact, where you say "see that's the problem with it" I think that's what's going to make it successful. (even if fanboi dismisses it)
Hey maybe you're right, it does look interesting and I'm going to give it a chance. I just think it wants to be a Batman TV show without being allowed to be one. The casting looks pretty interesting though. Jada Pinkett Smiths character, whatever it's supposed to be, looks cool.
Makes me think of Patton Oswalt - "I don't give a fuck where the stuff I love comes from! I just love the stuff I love!"
did anybody watch the 22 minute teaser trailer thingy yet? is it the first half of the first episode, or is it a totally different thing? http://www.hulu.com/watch/677819
if they turned "gotham central" into a show, it would be legit. imagine a crime drama set in a world where fucking batman exists and you have to deal with all the insane criminals when he's too busy. awesome! this....doesn't look like that. just like i don't want to see jesus' teenage angst, i don't want to see batman as a whiny tween with dead parents.
Looks like Netflix has already purchased the streaming rights, even though it hasn't aired yet. They must think pretty highly of it.
Thoughts? The tone was not really what I was expecting, but I liked it. I was thinking more dark, more manholes with steam coming up, more gravelly voices. But, I thought they did a good job of giving it a comic book feel, but in a different way than say the Marvel movies. The pilot didn't blow me away, but I think it has potential once the actors grow into their characters a little - maybe develop a rapport with the writers. The opening squad room scene was a little hokey, but it got better. I thought Jada Pinkett Smith was excellent. I am cautiously optimistic about the series.
Agreed. This version of Gotham feels way more Burton than Nolan. And I like how theyre doing the character introductions as well. Not a horrible pilot, but it definitely can go places. Its too bad this is on Fox and not AMC or FX where they could go into that darker territory.
I thought you were going somewhere else with the Fox comment, more along the lines of hope it isn't on Fox so they don't pull the rug out from under it for no reason.
Ben McKenzie needs a slightly better writer - his lines were a bit cliche and hokey, although delivered well. My overall complaint was on three GoPro shots where Gordon was running and the camera was pointed right up his nose. Jesus, people - just get a steadycam and a camera op and follow the guy. GoPro shots of the ceiling behind the guy running is just bullshit. Other than that, I like the way this is setting up. And I love the character who is developing into Penguin. God, does he ever nail it.