Gotham Season 3, Episode 8 Recap And Review: “Mad City: Blood Rush”

By Steve Lam | Nov 8, 2016

Gotham’s “Mad City: Blood Rush” episode goes no holds barred with its insanity.

I’ve said it in the past, and Gotham has finally done it. Yep, the show has finally embraced its over-the-top insanity. “Mad City: Blood Rush” was a crazy ride that had some “what the?” moments, but the pacing was right on point—everything was rapid-fire and it worked.

Spoilerific Recap

Barnes spots a suspicious man driving a van, so he follows him. The tail soon leads Barnes to a secret location below the street where the man, a cleaner, is disposing bodies. After finding out that someone named “The Toad” paid the cleaner off, Barnes loses control. We’ll soon see the aftermath.

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Mario finds out from Lee that Jim has rejoined the GCPD. Yeah, not cool. She reassures him that it’ll be okay. Um, where have we heard that before? Anyways, she asks him to trust her.

At the GCPD, Jim makes his triumphant return, and Harvey … well … the man is short on formalities so he just tosses Jim’s badge back to him. And the “dynamic duo” (see what I did there) is back in action.

Ed surprises Isabella with breakfast, but completely freaks out when he sees her wearing the exact same glasses as Kristen’s. He runs to the bathroom where he hallucinates Kristen taunting him.

Jim and Harvey arrive at the scene Barnes previously visited. The victim is someone named “Paulie Pennies” and there’s not much of him left. Harvey suggests calling in Barnes because of the gory mess.

Barnes visits Jervis at Arkham—and this definitely not a friendly get-together. Barnes wants to know how to cure himself of the infection. Jervis isn’t so cooperative and is delighted to see that Alice is “inside” of the good captain. According to Jervis, it will only end when Barnes “gives in.” After that, the virus will be in control.

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Jim speaks with Lee about the current case, but the first few words are a trip down Awkward City. After that uncomfortable prologue, Lee notes that the John Doe—the guy the cleaner was disposing—had his face removed. A visit to Barnes’s office has both Jim and Harvey berated. Barnes wants to run point on this one.

At the Mayor’s mansion, Ed relays to Penguin his fear of accidentally pulling another “Kristen.” Penguin, on the other hand, listens gleefully—knowing that he’ll finally have his Ed. Ed decides to break up with Isabella to protect her. However, he wants Penguin to do the breaking up for him. Yes, very junior high.

Barnes enters a local watering hole and seeks out The Toad. When his men attack, Barnes’s rage takes over and it becomes open season. Holding a broken bottle to The Toad’s throat, Barnes learns that Paulie Pennies was hired to “clean up” after Dr. Simon McKay—a plastic surgeon who can give anyone a new face.

Penguin makes an unannounced visit to Isabella and bluntly tells her that Ed won’t be seeing her again. Isabella is a tougher sell than originally thought, as she vows to not give up on Ed because they love each other deeply.

Barnes visits Simon just as he’s cutting into his latest victim. Cocky and arrogant, Simon takes his arrest as a joke which only enrages Barnes. However, we soon learn that Barnes was able to keep his “Mr. Hyde” at bay for this one when he triumphantly brings Simon in to the GCPD for booking. Barnes vows to Jim that he’ll find the murderer of Paulie Pennies.

At the engagement party, our favorite crazy person Barbara greets Lee. How did she get in? She was someone’s plus one, but she can’t recall who it was. Before leaving, she asks if Lee misses being with someone as messed up as Jim. As Barbara makes her exit, in comes Barnes congratulating Lee. Wow, it’s just one nutcase after another.

Back at GCPD, Lucius reports that an anesthetic found at Simon’s lab is unique—and the same type was found in their John Doe. Where’s Simon now? He walked because his latest victim refused to press charges. How convenient. Knowing the guy has to be connected, Jim and Harvey head off to apprehend him … again.

Barnes runs into Carmine at the bar and you can say that the exchange is chilly. Yeah, who knew? The law doesn’t like criminals. As Carmine leaves, Barnes spots Simon. Man, they’re just letting everyone into this shindig.

Ed enters Isabella’s home and calls out to her. The music is playing and she’s in the bathroom getting ready. When she emerges, she looks exactly like Kristen. She forces Ed to confront his fears. Yep, this girl is more messed up than him. Placing his hand on her throat to simulate chocking, the two eventually lock lips and decide that they want their “glasses on.” I won’t get into the details.

Jim, Harvey, and the GCPD crash the engagement party looking for Simon. Mario interrupts them and wants a private word with Jim. When the two are alone, words are said, and Jim gets sucker-punched in the face. For the sake of Lee, Jim gives him that freebie.

Barnes finds Simon in the bathroom. The murderous surgeon just doesn’t know what’s good for him as he continues to give Barnes lip. Barnes completely loses it and ends up throwing Simon through a brick wall where he falls to his death.

When Ed returns home, Penguin learns that the break-up didn’t happen. After Ed retires for the night, Penguin sends one of his henchman to eliminate Isabella—which involves severing her brake lines and forcing her to drive into a railroad crossing with an oncoming train.

Simon is nowhere to be found at the party. I wonder why. Barnes, with deadly fervor, promises to clean up Gotham. From his point-of-view, he sees the impending death of the guilty. His smile indicates that he’s given in.

Jim exits to find Simon lying on top of car. With his dying breath, Simon gives the name “Barnes” as his murderer.

Next: Catch up with a recap of 'Mad City: Red Queen'

Best Moment(s)

When there’s crazy Barbara, there’s always a best moment. Her impromptu appearance at Lee’s engagement party was pretty hilarious.

Ed and Isabella’s relationship has to be the most twisted I’ve ever seen. Just when I thought it couldn’t get crazier, she makes him reenact the murder of his former girlfriend. And “glasses on”? Really? Wow, Gotham! Hey, at least you fully embraced your insanity.

Final Thoughts

Gotham‘s “Mad City: Blood Rush” continues Barnes’s venture to the dark side. It doesn’t pull back from the gore, which has become a mainstay for the show. However, the one thing that was a big plus for tonight’s episode was the show’s insane character interactions—especially Ed and Isabella. Though it’s implied that she’s been killed, anything can happen. Until I see a body, I’m not writing this character off just yet.