Bliss

Another beyond solid episode this week.

Oz is playing the card of Sofia Falcone while Vic is burdened by his past and mixing the people of it in this new lifestyle. Oz and Sofia are trying to push the "revolutionary" drug into Gotham and need to re kindle old connections to do it. Vic is questioning whether this life is for him or not.

Very very happy with this weeks episode. We get a lot of Oz and Sofia one on one, there is a clear tension of what Oz did to her before and that looming issue of Oz working for as opposed to working with.

We get flash backs for Vic but the perfect amount, enough to establish relationships and build more of Gotham without feeling dragged down by a flashback.

There is no dialogue wasted, a perfect blend of action and drama this episode, an incredible ending and I'm very much looking forward to next week, 8.5/10.

The writing is next level. The character development Vic got is fantastic, there are so many layers to the main characters and it makes the show absolutely fantastic.

Farrell's performance is nothing short of genius. The make up is absolutely perfect, but everything Farrell does is on point: the accent, the mannerisms, the limp, the way he delivers his lines, his emotional reactions.

This is how good tv is done. Particularly, this episode was magnificent. It's way better than the Batman movie in every way.

The plot is so well built. I can't wait to see where this goes. Best episode so far. The best part is that it doesn't need Batman at all.

Based on the first few minutes I wanted to dislike this episode because it starts with a flashback/backstory about sidekick Vic. In my ignorant opinion Vic's story was superfluous and his character could only serve the narrative through his interactions with The Penguin as a foil/mentee; so I thought this would be a wasted episode. It's nice to be wrong.

I still think Vic is best in small doses, but his rejection of redemption in a sort of truncated Michael Corleone arc is effective and affecting. Plus this episode gives Colin Farrell his best (brief) dramatic moment so far. His tense interactions with Cristin Miloti's Sofia Falcone are ratcheted up to breaking point. They're enemies; and they're also reluctant allies with a preternatural ability to finish each other's lies. Watching Farrell and Miloti spark off each other is an acting tour de force that singlehandedly carries the episode.

This episode opens with a flashback to the flood from The Batman, from the point of view of Victor. If I am to be honest, the flood in the Batman didn't really seem like all that much of a deal. The water went up to the chest, people were cold since it was November but it didn't seem al that catastrophic. Well from Victors' point of view it was very catastrophic. Won't say much more to spoil the plot but the water is depicted to be much more destructive, taking many lives. That pretty much means that The Batman himself failed pretty badly, he caught the Riddler too late and it cost many lives and left the city in turmoil. What a great setup for the next movie!

Concerning the episode and the series? The Penguin himself is still the same awesome sleazy gangster character as in the previous episodes. Still pretty great. What is new is that this episode actually made me like Victor... Is like the right word? I don't agree with his actions, but I am starting to understand him better. He is no longer the passive reactive NPC that he has been before, now he makes some decisions, an takes action. The Flashback to the flood also paints him better as a person. He is becoming more 3 dimensional, interesting, intriguing. Such a nice feeling to have a well written series to look forward to again!

P. S. This is purely my speculation about the plot, read at own peril. I fear poor Victor wont make it trough the story, simply for pragmatic reasons. He is the POV Character for the audience and once that function expires with the series, I can't really see him appearing in the Batman sequel. The most pragmatic would be to build him up, make the audience care for him and then have him die which would tie the series up nicely. Purely my speculation, just want to have it posted beforehand.

What a show. I am so invested in Victor, Sofia and of course Ozz! This show knows what it's doing, the main characters are incredible writing and acting. The pace and the excitement of the show is just amazing so far, episode 1 felt like the most expensive after credits scene to the batman ever and I loved it, they have continued the feeling of the movie so well but at the same time given Ozz the spotlight as he takes us down in to Gotham's city in the aftermath of the Riddlers bombings. Episode 2 was brilliant at continuing the tension and story and character development but now episode 3 WOW! Everything about it from start to finish was incredible!