Gotham Review – S01E12 – What The Little Bird Told Him

Tonight’s Gotham episode, What the Little Bird Told Him, contained multiple flaws on every level.  With predictable plot outcomes and strange deviations from the story, What the Little Bird Told Him seemed almost cartoonish in nature.

Spoilerific Recap

Escaped Arkham Asylum inmate Jack Gruber, with his mind-controlled sidekick Aaron Helzinger, visits Irwin’s Electronics.  He quickly electrocutes an employee at the door.  Gruber then asks Irwin, the owner of the store, where he stored his “stuff.”

At GCPD, James Gordon shows up unexpectedly during Captain Sarah Essen’s briefing on Gruber and Helzinger.  Gordon wants in on the case.  Harvey Bullock tries to usher him out before Commissioner Loeb enters.  Too late.  After a brief confrontation, Loeb commands both Gordon and Bullock into a private meeting.

Irwin takes Gruber to the object he’s been looking for — an archaic-looking generator.  It’s not long before Gruber uses the generator on a screaming Irwin.

In an argument, Gordon knows that Loeb’s image depends on the capture of Gruber and Helzinger.  Claiming he knows where to find them, Gordon refuses to reveal any more information until he’s reinstated.  Loeb gives both Gordon and Bullock twenty-four hours to capture the escapees or else both will be demoted to being guards at Arkham Asylum.  Outside, Bullock finds out that Gordon has no information on Gruber’s whereabouts, and used a lie to temporarily gain his badge back.

In a flashback, Carmine Falcone is seen sitting on his mother’s lap (who’s the spitting image of Liza) while family members mourn the death of a loved one.  In the present day, a man, supposedly a family member, begs for his life.  Falcone walks away while his henchmen perform the execution.

Walking with Liza, Falcone offers to help her get a start on an independent life.  Refusing, Liza tells him that she’s content being at his side.

Edward Nygma presents his findings on Gruber to Gordon and Bullock: the name “Jack Gruber” is a fictional identity.  His real identity is Jack Buchinsky — a career criminal.  Nygma quickly spots Ms. Kringle and runs off to speak to her.  Ms. Kringle is unimpressed with Nygma’s attempts at flirting, as she firmly returns his strange riddle-inspired gift — a red cupcake with a live bullet in it.  Gordon and Bullock suddenly get a break in the case when they’re handed the location of the abandoned asylum van Gruber used.

Arriving at the location, Bullock quickly notices Irwin’s Electronics.  Entering the store, Gordon and Bullock find Irwin brainwashed and scrawling the same sentence repeatedly on the wall.

Shopping for groceries, Liza is kidnapped by masked gunmen.  She later finds out that the kidnapping was staged by Fish Mooney, who’s now ready to make her move on Falcone.

Falcone receives a call from a voice-altered Mooney threatening the life of Liza.  Mooney tells him to wait for an intermediary who will list out the demands.

At GCPD, Nygma has taken a liking to Buchinsky’s new nickname — the Electrocutioner — which was given to him through a newspaper headline.  Nygma then presents the two detectives galoshes — to protect them from Buchinsky’s mode of attack.  Taking Gordon by surprise, Leslie Thompkins shows up to offer assistance with the case.  Presenting Gordon with a doll made by Gruber, Thompkins explains that most of Arkham’s inmates made dolls to give to a “sorcerer” to curse.  Looking at the doll’s likeness, Gordon deduces who Buchinsky’s next target will be.

At Maroni’s restaurant, while having lunch with everyone, Oswald Cobblepot receives a call from Falcone for help with Liza’s situation.  As Cobblepot is about to leave, he receives a giant electrical shock that renders him unconscious.  One of Maroni’s men then enter, dazed, with an electrical grenade in his hand.  As it explodes, Maroni and his men stumble out of the restaurant.

While receiving medical attention, Maroni is confronted by Gordon’s findings.  Years ago, Buchinsky and his partners robbed a number of banks.  One of the partners double-crossed Buchinsky, took his share, and got Buchinsky incarcerated.  That partner was Maroni.  Gordon wants to use Maroni as bait to catch Buchinsky.  Cobblepot suddenly comes to consciousness, but is still dazed from the electrocution.  Accidentally, he starts to talk about urgent business with Falcone.  Hearing this, Maroni grows suspicious.

Barbara Kean arrives at her parents’ home.  In an awkward conversation with her cold and distant parents, Barbara requests to stay for a few days.  The discussion then leads to her relationship with Gordon of which Barbara pretends is going well.

At GCPD, Cobblepot fully comes back to consciousness.  Still requesting to leave and using his mother’s health as an excuse, Cobblepot is questioned by Maroni as to what he meant by “urgent business with Falcone.”

Pretending to be the chosen intermediary, Mooney calls Falcone.  However, Falcone tells her that he has already figured out that she’s the one behind Liza’s kidnapping.  Pointless to keep the ruse going, Mooney immediately voices her demand — she wants Falcone to leave Gotham.  As Mooney hangs up the phone, Butch Gilzean goes into a celebratory mood.  Mooney, surprisingly depressed with her win, tells Gilzean that she’s forcing Falcone out to save him from being killed.  It’s something she owes to Falcone.

At Falcone’s residence, Victor Zsasz is adamant in using violence to attack Mooney and free Liza.  Falcone feels that it’s his time to retire.

Nygma enters the records annex hoping to make amends with Ms. Kringle for his awkward gift.  After hearing his affectionate reasoning, Ms. Kringle seems a little more receptive.  However, one of the male staff bullies Nygma out of the room.  Leaving, Nygma hears Ms. Kringle make a comment about him being weird.

Outside of GCPD, Buchinsky preps his generator.  Inside, Cobblepot tearfully swears to Maroni that he isn’t working for Falcone.  As Maroni allows Cobblepot to leave, Buchinsky activates his generator.  Electrical bolts fire wildly inside the station, rendering everyone unconscious.

When Buchinsky enters GCPD, he’s greeted by Gordon, who was left unaffected due to his wearing of his galoshes.  Gordon fights Helzinger and overpowers him.  As Buchinsky powers up an electrical generator on his chest, Gordon throws a cup of water on it, rendering Buchinsky harmless.

As Loeb uses the arrest of Buchinsky as good press, Gordon is given his old position back.  Gordon then tells Loeb off and reassures Bullock that he’ll tread cautiously from now on, to which Bullock takes with a grain of salt.

Cobblepot meets with Falcone and tells him the truth about Liza.  Not believing Cobblepot, Falcone strikes him.  Cobblepot swears to Falcone that he speaks the truth.

Falcone meets Mooney and demands to see Liza before he proceeds with any type of transaction.  Finally able to see Liza, Falcone questions her about Mooney.  As he says his last words to her, Falcone strangles her to death.  Zsasz moves in with his assassins, and they quickly commandeer Mooney’s club.  Before Falcone takes Mooney and Gilzean away, he allows Cobblepot to gloat and say some final to words to her.

Thompkins finds Gordon in the men’s locker room.  Her excuse is the retrieval of the inmate’s doll that was used in the investigation.  After an awkward exchange of words from the both of them, they kiss.  They’re interrupted by a beat cop who comes in tell Gordon of a shootout at Mooney’s club.

Good Moments

• Fish Mooney was the most interesting character in this episode.  Her semi-complex attitude and reaction relating to the ouster of Falcone was well done.

Bat Signals (References and Giveaways)

• It seems that Jack Buchinsky is probably the “unnamed brother” of Lester Buchinsky.  Although, if Lester is going to be the same age as Bruce Wayne / Batman, he needs to be a brother who is forty years younger.  Seems like we have a strange dilemma.
• Commissioner Loeb makes his appearance tonight.  Previously mentioned on the show in name only, Loeb made his first appearance in the comics in Batman #404 (February 1987).  In The Dark Knight (2008), he was portrayed by Colin McFarlane.
• The taxi that Barbara rides in is labeled as “Gotham Central Taxi.”  Gotham Central was a comic book series that ran from December 2002 to April 2006.

Riddle Me This … (Predicting the Past)

• Since Fish Mooney is probably going to be brought somewhere to be tortured for betraying Carmine Falcone, could she later become a villain that fans are familiar with?

Final Thoughts

This was another example of an episode that started out well, but quickly went downhill.  I really wanted to like this.  However, the writers are really making it difficult.  The characters had no real challenges, and the ridiculousness was upped during the final showdown between Gordon and Buchinsky.

Like I said, they had a good start.  With Loeb giving Gordon and Bullock twenty-four hours to find Buchinsky, the tension was on.  Why did the writers have to remove it with such a convenient plot.  They just so happen to track the van right across the street from an electronics store and find Buchinsky’s former associate?

We also know that Maroni is not afraid of beating someone who he thought was betraying him.  So why did Maroni let Cobblepot go so easily?  Maroni blatantly heard Cobblepot talk about doing business with Falcone.

Also, what’s up with the Barbara Kean plot?  It was nonessential and had nothing to do with the rest of the story.  It added absolutely nothing.

Here’s the cherry on top.  Have the writers studied elementary physics?  I don’t think electricity works that way.  Gordon isn’t magically protected because he’s wearing galoshes.  Buchinsky didn’t flood the station and then put a sparking cable in the water.  Bolts of electricity were shooting down from the steel frame of GCPD.  Can someone tell me how wearing special shoes protects your head?  Also, I don’t see how or why Buchinsky used electricity to pull the gun away from Gordon.  First, if you were throwing that much current, Gordon should’ve been electrocuted — it wouldn’t just be his gun getting hot.  Second, why even aim for just the gun?  All Buchinksy needed to do was fire the bolt at any part of Gordon.

The characters were fine.  I have to give props for Christopher Heyerdahl’s and Halle Berry’s performances as Jack Buchinsky and Fish Mooney, respectively.  Mooney was subtle, but complex in this week’s episode.  She saw Falcone as a legacy and, in her own twisted way, thought that she was preserving that legacy.

What the Little Bird Told Him wasn’t just a weak episode, but a ridiculous one.  The writers really need to up their game in terms of conflict and mystery.  I’m sorry, but I’m actually surprised that Gotham was renewed for a second season.