Sam Salama Cohén" />
Psycho Drive-In logo
Search
  • PDI Press
    Featured
    • BETTY WHITE VS THE STUPID WORLD: The Movie

      Sam Salama Cohén
      January 17, 2022
      Fiction, PDI Press, PDI Press Writers
    Recent
    • BETTY WHITE VS THE STUPID WORLD: The Movie

      John E. Meredith
      January 17, 2022
    • Betty White Vs the Stupid World (Chapter Seven)

      John E. Meredith
      January 16, 2022
    • Betty White Vs the Stupid World (Chapter Six)

      John E. Meredith
      January 15, 2022
    • PDI Press Catalog
    • PDI Press Writers
      • Fiction
  • Columns A-D
    • A Fistful of Dollar Comics
    • ABCs of Horror
    • All Binge… No Purge
    • Anything Joes
    • Beautiful Creatures
    • Big Eyes Smart Mouth
    • Big Sleeps and Long Goodbyes
    • Cahiers du Horror
    • Dispatches From the Field
    • Drive-In Saturday
    • Dungeons & D-Listers
  • Columns F-P
    • The Final Girl
    • First Looks… Second Thoughts
    • The Flesh is Weak
    • Innocence and Experience
    • Lost in Translation
    • Page to Screen
    • Popcorn Cinema
    • Psycho Essentials: The ’80s!
  • Columns S-Z
    • Schlock & Awe
    • Shakespeare on Film
    • Shot for Shot
    • Sick Flix
    • Unnatural Selections
    • Versus
    • Video Word Made Flesh
    • We Got Lists
    • Women in Horror
    • The Xeno File
    • Zombies 101
  • Reviews
    Featured
    • Skinamarink (2023) - Take Two

      Sam Salama Cohén
      January 30, 2023
      Movies, Reviews
    Recent
    • Skinamarink (2023) – Take Two

      John E. Meredith
      January 30, 2023
    • Skinamarink (2023)

      Nate Zoebl
      January 24, 2023
    • Christmas Picks: Black Christmas (1974)

      Paul Brian McCoy
      December 24, 2022
    • Books
    • Comics
    • DVD/Blu-ray
    • Movies
    • TV
    • Series
  • Interviews
    Featured
    • Interview with Indie Horror Master, Chris Bickel

      Sam Salama Cohén
      July 13, 2018
      Interviews
    Recent
    • Interview with Indie Horror Master, Chris Bickel

      The Final Girl
      July 13, 2018
    • David Black: Carnies, Carnage, and the Creative Chaos of Darkness Visible

      Dan Lee
      March 7, 2017
    • Jaiden Kaine joins the Marvel Universe as new Luke Cage baddie, Zip

      Andre Lamar
      September 29, 2016
    • SDCC 2016 Interviews: The Cast and Creators of Batman: The Killing Joke

      Jason Sacks
      July 28, 2016
    • SDCC 2016 Interviews: The Cast and Creators of Syfy’s Van Helsing

      Dave Hearn, Paul Brian McCoy
      July 27, 2016
    • Wondercon Interview: The Cast of Damien

      Gary Richardson, Laura Akers
      April 16, 2016
  • News
    Featured
    • Breaking Down The Upcoming DC Studios Slate

      Sam Salama Cohén
      February 1, 2023
      News, Shot for Shot
    Recent
    • Breaking Down The Upcoming DC Studios Slate

      Paul Brian McCoy
      February 1, 2023
    • John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum arrives on Digital 8/23 and 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD and On Demand 9/10

      psychodr
      July 30, 2019
    • X-Men: Dark Phoenix arrives on Digital 9/3 and 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD 9/17

      Paul Brian McCoy
      July 16, 2019
    • Trailers
  • Psychos
  • Merchandise
Breaking
  • Skinamarink (2023) - Take Two
  • Skinamarink (2023)
  • Christmas Picks: Black Christmas (1974)
  • Christmas Picks: Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2 (1987)
  • Christmas Picks: Anna and the Apocalypse (2017)
  • Christmas Picks: Violent Night (2022)
  • RSS
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Tumblr
  • Who We Be
  • Contact
  • PDI Press
    • PDI Press Catalog
    • PDI Press Writers
      • Fiction
  • Columns A-D
    • A Fistful of Dollar Comics
    • ABCs of Horror
    • All Binge… No Purge
    • Anything Joes
    • Beautiful Creatures
    • Big Eyes Smart Mouth
    • Big Sleeps and Long Goodbyes
    • Cahiers du Horror
    • Dispatches From the Field
    • Drive-In Saturday
    • Dungeons & D-Listers
  • Columns F-P
    • The Final Girl
    • First Looks… Second Thoughts
    • The Flesh is Weak
    • Innocence and Experience
    • Lost in Translation
    • Page to Screen
    • Popcorn Cinema
    • Psycho Essentials: The ’80s!
  • Columns S-Z
    • Schlock & Awe
    • Shakespeare on Film
    • Shot for Shot
    • Sick Flix
    • Unnatural Selections
    • Versus
    • Video Word Made Flesh
    • We Got Lists
    • Women in Horror
    • The Xeno File
    • Zombies 101
  • Reviews
    • Books
    • Comics
    • DVD/Blu-ray
    • Movies
    • TV
    • Series
  • Interviews
  • News
    • Trailers
  • Psychos
  • Merchandise
Home
Reviews

Gotham 1.03 “The Balloonman”

Sam Salama Cohén
October 13, 2014
Reviews, TV

Warning: A non-numeric value encountered in /home/psychodr/public_html/wp/wp-content/themes/valenti/library/core.php on line 1104

Another episode, another rewarding view of the bowels and dark depths of Gotham, and the show’s crazy logic at work. More specifically, a look at how a random assassin — a vigilante who’s killing Gotham’s most notoriously corrupted figures — gets cheered by the Gothamites, who feel that a cleansing of the corrupt is indeed in order.

If Gotham’s colors, feeling, and very comic-book-y mood were clear highlights in previous episodes, this time around, from the very first scene with the “triumphant” return of Oswald Cobblepot (Robin Lord Taylor), that perfect mix of grays, petty crimes, loud noises, dirty streets and chaos all over makes you feel that what came before was no coincidence. Gotham’s writers just nail what the world of Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz) is all about, hinting at how this particular city couldn’t help but create any vigilante other than Batman, as crazy as his surroundings.

Gordon sewer

With last episode’s cliffhanger we were promised significant developments on the Selina Kyle (Camren Bicondova) and Detective Jim Gordon (Ben McKenzie) team-up to solve the murder of the Waynes, but it seems we were played a bit. Yes, there is a team-up and a return to the scene of the crime, but Detective Gordon manages to make a fool of himself as he underestimates Selina’s abilities. Cat says she briefly saw the killer’s face, though she leaves the Detective down in a sewer and with no description of the suspect. Back to square one, more or less. I’ll bet little pieces of the puzzle will be unraveling until the season finale, possibly with a heavy Carmine Falcone (John Doman) presence.

This episode, however, marks a milestone or two, which might be important for how the dynamics of the series evolve moving forward.

Balloon...

First, we’ve got Jim Gordon facing, once more, a demented Gotham; one where everyone who is crooked is a target for the Balloonman vigilante; and therefore most of the public figures stay indoors. For Gordon it has been a slow build, seeing first-hand as Detective Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue) was corrupt, violent and Mobster-friendly, then learning that those traits ran much higher up the chain of command, even to the Mayor himself. Finally, here, after an intense episode of butting heads with Captain Sarah Essen (Zabryna Guevara) and Bullock, it is from the lips of a brought down Balloonman that Gordon realizes that all of Gotham is corrupt, and how naïve he had been, playing the good cop all along, trying to overcome those who didn’t.

We will see how this revelation changes the way Gordon faces Gotham and its ways. I feel it was a necessary milestone in order to have both the character and the series evolve, while dancing around the same themes.

Penguin

The other milestone is related to the first, as it has to do with Barbara (Erin Richards) trusting that Gordon has not succumbed to the GCPD’s crooked ways, despite what her former lover Officer Renee Montoya (Victoria Cartagena) might think or say.

Barbara is given some back story, and her character matters more in this episode than in previous ones, even sharing a tender scene near the end where she realizes Jim Gordon would never do all the things he’s been accused of — like killing Cobblepot, something that in time will reveal itself to be a stunt by the cop to gain the GCPD’s and Falcone’s trust.         

The Alfred Pennyworth (Sean Pertwee) that viewers get this time around is more akin to the character in the comics, as we are shown how he and little Bruce are learning to live, if only with a few scenes. This time, we get another nod to the future – Batman being the world’s greatest detective and all – as Alfred stumbles upon the police files of the Waynes murder, which the boy had been keeping, in order to perform his own investigation, and, surprised, points out the how the kid’s trying to become a detective.

Penguin 2

I’m liking the portrayal of the young Bruce, and I hope he becomes more prominent as the series evolves.

Oh, and there’s also room for more Oswald Cobblepot greatness! This guy sure is creepy, and the writing knows how to exploit the character, focusing on him being devoid of any empathy, which makes killing easy as pie for him. It’s just a way to get to the top, where he thinks he deserves to be.  On the way there he might have to work at the Italian restaurant which, funny thing, is a front to Mobster Sal Maroni (David Zayas).

With a great cliffhanger, Gotham remains strong, and that’s just the beginning, because…Arkham is coming!

(Visited 53 times, 1 visits today)
Gotham 1.03 "The Balloonman"
4.0Overall Score

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Share on Tumblr

Like this:

Like Loading...

Related

Ben McKenzieCamren BicondovaDavid MazouzDonal LogueErin RichardsGothamJohn DomanRobin Lord TaylorSean PertweeVictoria Cartagena

ABCs of Horror Day 13: H is for Hausu
ABCs of Horror Day 14: H is for Hooper

About The Author

monsterid
Sam Salama Cohén
Honest Man / Thunder God

Sam is a passionate comic lover, who since an early age, found himself into the grasp of Marvel titles such as Conan the Barbarian, Captain America, Spider-Man, and, of course, his true love (after his wife Natalia, that is), the Avengers. When he was very little he created his own comic, which thanks to having relatives on the US and other countries, travelled all over the world. Now he is a happy reader. Though looking at his Resume one would think he is the serious kind of guy-Economics degree, Auditor for several years-fun and rhythm flow through his veins, and have been that way since he can remember. Spanish and currently living in Madrid, he loves travelling around the world-and getting comics wherever he goes!!! He has experience managing comic-book related online communities, and during his time on both www.AvengersForever.org and the great, unique www.ComicsBulletin.com he has had the chance to work as reviewer/columnist/interviewer, learning the ropes as he went along. As Comics Bulletin’s Social Media Manager, he devoted a lot of his time to managing and improving the site’s presence on social networks, and on building an active and interesting Community. You can find him as @SamSalama on Twitter, and as Samuel Salama on Facebook.

Daily Top Ten

  • Misfits 2.04Misfits 2.04 by Felicity Gustafson
  • All Through the House (2016)All Through the House (2016) by Fred L. Taulbee Jr.
  • Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter DVD ReviewAbraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter DVD Review by Danny Djeljosevic
  • Wrong Turn 5: Bloodlines Blu-ray ReviewWrong Turn 5: Bloodlines Blu-ray Review by Paul Brian McCoy
  • The Final Girl: Hi, I’m Chucky. Wanna Play?The Final Girl: Hi, I’m Chucky. Wanna Play? by The Final Girl
  • Jaiden Kaine joins the Marvel Universe as new Luke Cage baddie, ZipJaiden Kaine joins the Marvel Universe as new Luke… by Andre Lamar
  • Advance Review: The Legend of Tarzan (2016) Blu-rayAdvance Review: The Legend of Tarzan (2016) Blu-ray by Paul Brian McCoy
  • Adventure Time 6.22 “The Cooler” Adventure Time 6.22 “The Cooler” by Dave Hearn
  • Polar (2019)Polar (2019) by Nate Zoebl
  • Psycho Essentials: The 80s! A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: The Dream Warriors and Friday the 13th: The Final ChapterPsycho Essentials: The 80s! A Nightmare on Elm… by Raul Reyes
400x400 GI Joe Funko Banner

Weekly Top Ten

  • Advance Review: The Legend of Tarzan (2016) Blu-rayAdvance Review: The Legend of Tarzan (2016) Blu-ray by Paul Brian McCoy
  • Skinamarink (2023) - Take TwoSkinamarink (2023) – Take Two by John E. Meredith
  • House of Wax (2005)House of Wax (2005) by The Final Girl
  • The Final Girl: I Spit on Your Grave (2010)The Final Girl: I Spit on Your Grave (2010) by The Final Girl
  • Adventure Time 6.06 “Breezy”Adventure Time 6.06 “Breezy” by Dave Hearn
  • Drive-In Saturday: Heavy Metal 2000 (2000)Drive-In Saturday: Heavy Metal 2000 (2000) by Alex Wolfe
  • Sick Flix: Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975)Sick Flix: Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975) by Corin Totin
  • The Hills Have Eyes (1977) vs The Hills Have Eyes (2006)The Hills Have Eyes (1977) vs The Hills Have Eyes (2006) by Corin Totin
  • The Watcher (2016)The Watcher (2016) by Jessica Sowards
  • Unnatural Selections: Insecticidal (2005)Unnatural Selections: Insecticidal (2005) by Brooke Brewer
400x400 UA Affiliate Banner

FACEBOOK

FACEBOOK

Latest Reviews

  • Skinamarink (2023) – Take Two

    John E. Meredith
    January 30, 2023
  • Skinamarink (2023)

    Nate Zoebl
    January 24, 2023
  • Christmas Picks: Black Christmas (1974)

    Paul Brian McCoy
    December 24, 2022

psychodrivein

Today at https://psychodrivein.com Breaking Down Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Breaking Down The Upcoming DC Studios Slate
 
Here's everything we know about the upcoming DC Studios slate straight from the mouth of James Gunn!
---
Read more of Paul's article at the link in our profile!

#DCStudios #DCU #JamesGunn #SupermanLegacy #Superman #CreatureCommandos #Waller #TheAuthority #SwampThing #Supergirl #SupergirlWomanOfTomorrow #Lanterns #GreenLantern #HalJordan #JohnStewart #BoosterGold #ParadiseLost #TheBraveAndTheBold #Batman #Robin #DamianWayne
Today at https://psychodrivein.com Anything Joes Today at https://psychodrivein.com

 Anything Joes: S01E52 - Winterfest III

Greg and Jaren discuss their trip, experiences, and acquisitions at Kentuckiana's Winterfest III!
---
Watch the @anythingjoespod boys at the link in our profile!

#AnythingJoes #GIJoe #Kentuckiana #Winterfest #CaptainMarvel #FawcettComics
Today at https://psychodrivein.com Skinamarink (2 Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Skinamarink (2023) - Take Two 

Much of what you get out of SKINAMARINK depends on what your own mind brings into it.
---
Read more of John's review at the link in our profile!

#Skinamarink #KyleEdwardBall #JaimeHill #LucasPaul #RossPaul #DaliRoseTetreault #JamieMcRae
Today at https://psychodrivein.com Lost in Transl Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Lost in Translation 430: Willow (2022)

Willow updated thirty-five years later shows how the original can grow, even with imperfections.
---
Read more of Scott's article at the link in our profile!

#Willow #DisneyPlus #ErinKellyman #TonyRevolori #EllieBamber #WarwickDavis #RubyCruz #AmarChadhaPatel #DempseyBryk #JoanneWhalley
Today at https://psychodrivein.com Skinamarink (2 Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Skinamarink (2023)

Skinamarink is the latest indie horror sensation and it’s easy for Nate to root for. But did it all add up in the end? 
---
Read more of Nate's review at the link in our profile!

#Skinamarink #KyleEdwardBall #JaimeHill #LucasPaul #RossPaul #DaliRoseTetreault #JamieMcRae
Today at https://psychodrivein.com Anything Joes: Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Anything Joes:  S01E51 - Army Surplus 

Greg and Jaren discuss GI Joe compatible toys that AREN'T created by Hasbro, the most recent news, and get caught up on recent listener mail!
---
Listen to the boys at the link in our profile!

#AnythingJoes @AnythingJoesPod #GIJoe #EagleForce #ActionForce
Today at https://psychodrivein.com Anything Joes: Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Anything Joes: S01E50 - G.I. Joe #16 / Night Attack! 

The next stage of Cobra's plan is unveiled as the Joes try to stop Dr. Venom from unleashing his deadly virus upon the population!
---
Watch and listen to @anythingjoespod at the link in our profile!

#AnythingJoes #GIJoe #MarvelComics
Today at https://psychodrivein.com Lost in Transl Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Lost in Translation 429: The Barbie Movie Teaser

Suffice to say that Barbie is probably the best known doll worldwide, recognizable on sight. 
---
Read more of Scott's article at the link in our profile!

#LostInTranslation #Barbie #BarbieMovie #MargotRobbie #RyanGosling #GretaGerwig
Today at https://psychodrivein.com Lost in Transl Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Lost in Translation: Wrapping Up 2022

With the end of the year approaching, it’s time to look back on how adaptations fared at the box office in 2022 with a brand-new LOST IN ADAPTATION!
---
Read more of Scott's article at the link in our profile!

#LostInTranslation #TheBatman #AvatarTheWayOfWater #SpiderManNoWayHome #BlackPantherWakandaForever
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Latest Columns

  • Breaking Down The Upcoming DC Studios Slate

    Paul Brian McCoy
    February 1, 2023
  • Anything Joes: S01E52 – Winterfest III

    Greg Engle
    February 1, 2023
  • Lost in Translation 430: Willow (2022)

    Scott Delahunt
    January 27, 2023

TWITTER

My Tweets

Look Who's Talking

millyleu
millyleu - 12/10/2022
Anything Joes: S01E47 – G.I. Joe #15 / Red Eye To Miami!
But he is cute as a cat though 😁 DN.M6K2M.ME/y9928YW
Kilo Magno
Kilo Magno - 12/10/2022
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
How could she forget such an important thing? a.X-LAB.FUN\h9928B
Matt The Lurker
Matt The Lurker - 12/10/2022
BETTY WHITE VS THE STUPID WORLD: The Movie
The lady in red is so beautiful tb.ZHUZHOU.INFO/F9928AN
RSSTwitterFacebookinstagramtumblr

Archives

Large_rectangle_336X280
All work on this site is Copyright © each individual writer.
  • PDI Press
    • PDI Press Catalog
    • PDI Press Writers
      • Fiction
  • Columns A-D
    • A Fistful of Dollar Comics
    • ABCs of Horror
    • All Binge… No Purge
    • Anything Joes
    • Beautiful Creatures
    • Big Eyes Smart Mouth
    • Big Sleeps and Long Goodbyes
    • Cahiers du Horror
    • Dispatches From the Field
    • Drive-In Saturday
    • Dungeons & D-Listers
  • Columns F-P
    • The Final Girl
    • First Looks… Second Thoughts
    • The Flesh is Weak
    • Innocence and Experience
    • Lost in Translation
    • Page to Screen
    • Popcorn Cinema
    • Psycho Essentials: The ’80s!
  • Columns S-Z
    • Schlock & Awe
    • Shakespeare on Film
    • Shot for Shot
    • Sick Flix
    • Unnatural Selections
    • Versus
    • Video Word Made Flesh
    • We Got Lists
    • Women in Horror
    • The Xeno File
    • Zombies 101
  • Reviews
    • Books
    • Comics
    • DVD/Blu-ray
    • Movies
    • TV
    • Series
  • Interviews
  • News
    • Trailers
  • Psychos
  • Merchandise
%d bloggers like this: