Gotham: “By Fire” — Oct. 26, 2015
Photo courtesy of FOX
Things are fast, heavy and even hotter than before on Gotham this week. Special Contributor Ralph S. takes you through the episode with this recap. – David F.
As I watched the episodes last season I couldn’t help but think that some of them were just dragging along in terms of plot and action. So far this season the episodes ain’t dragging at all. Thus far the show seems to be firing on all cylinders and this week’s episode was no exception. So without any further delay…shall we?
Penguin sent Butch to infiltrate Theo Galavan’s organization and to make it look convincing Penguin relieved Butch of his right hand. Butch manages to ace his job interview and joins Theo’s gang. While Tabitha goes on about how cute she thinks Butch is Barbara has loads of creative ideas for things to adorn Butch’s stump. Theo, ever the productive one, proves his ability to do two things at once. While talking to Butch he is also torturing a congressman to get an endorsement for his mayoral run. Talk about multi-tasking.
Since the introduction of Bridgit Pike last week she shot up to number one on Gordon’s ‘get-to-know-you better’ list, and he’s sparing no effort to find her. His overzealousness earns him a slight reprimand from Capt. Barns for being a bit too physical in questioning an informant. Setting a cop on fire is a real attention-getter in Gotham these days. Even though he’s a hard-ass on crime Barns still cautions Gordon to play by the book. Wonder how long that’s gonna last?
Selina, meanwhile, shows quite a bit of empathy for the hunted and now homeless Bridgit, not only giving her a place to stay but coming up with a plan to make some quick cash so Bridgit can hightail it outta town. They hit a human-trafficking operation that sells women to the highest bidder. Their efforts are rewarded and Bridgit makes quite the impression. After making off with a sizable bit of cash Bridgit has some reservations about not helping the young ladies still being held by the traffickers. On their way to the bus station however, Bridgit is abducted by her firebug brothers, the Pikes, in front of Selina. Selina isn’t going to let them get away with it. Gordon interrupts her as she’s ‘tooling-up’ for her attempt to rescue Bridgit. After both parties lower their weapons to talk, Selina argues that Bridgit was forced into this by her brother. Gordon promises to try to help Bridgit in return for Selina’s help in locating her.
Back at the Pike family premises the brothers busy themselves expressing their displeasure with Bridgit’s new independent streak by tossing lit firecrackers at her while she’s chained to a radiator. Such an enthusiastic display of sibling affection. After Bridgit agrees to come back into the fold her oldest brother offer reassuring words of encouragement:“You try anything like that again, I’ll kill ya. And I’ll skin that little cat bitch too. Ya hear me?” Yeah, there’s nothing like a brother’s love to help a girl through a difficult time. He then sends Bridgit off to the kitchen to make dinner.
It seems Butch is in good with the Galavans, they’ve replaced his severed hand with a huge iron mallet so he won’t have to feel so self-conscious about his stump. He reports back to Penguin on his progress but Oswald is not all that impressed. Butch still hasn’t managed to locate and free Oswald’s mommy, who Theo took prisoner many episodes ago. Penguin reminds Butch that he has been conditioned to obey Penguin no matter what and orders him to go back and finish the job. By the time Butch returns to the Galavans, Theo has figured out Penguin’s little plan and confronts Butch about it. Butch explains about the ‘conditioning’ and how he must obey Penguin’s orders. “Tabby, Tabby could you come here please,” Theo beckons. In struts Tabitha/Tigress in her little black dress carrying her whip. Theo politely explains Butch’s predicament and requests that she see what she can do to help. The therapy sessions commence immediately. Butch later returns to Penguin with info on the whereabouts of his mother. When asked why he didn’t free the old woman Butch explains that his cover was blown and he just managed to escape.
It’s mealtime at the Pikes and Brigit comes outta the kitchen ‘smoking’! Wearing her flameproof togs and sporting the matching flamethrower accessory she announces that dinner is served and proceeds to light the joint up. The main dish you ask? Well, blackened Pike of course. Later Gordon and Bullock arrive to find the leftovers. Gordon does find evidence that Selina was right about the Pike’s abuse of Bridgit however. They waste no time in going after Bridgit.
Young Bruce Wayne is definitely taking his training seriously these days. Alfred is teaching him to fight and he’s going about it very enthusiastically. Alfred then reminds Bruce about his dinner engagement later that evening with Theo Galavan and his niece, Silver St.Cloud. At dinner young Silver has eyes for nobody but Bruce and suggests that they hang out more often. After dinner Theo holds a private conversation with Bruce telling the lad that he knows of the misdeeds being done by some folks at Wayne Enterprises. Theo promises Bruce that as mayor he will help Bruce right the wrongs that are being done and restore the company’s good name.
As things continue on a socially conscious note we find Bridgit is planning her next move as Selina finds her on a rooftop. Bridgit wants to free the girls who are the victims of the trafficking ring that she and Selina robbed earlier. Selina advises against it and tells Bridgit that she needs to take it on the lam ‘cause the cops are gonna be all over her. Bridgit is touched by Selina’s concern and they share a sisterly moment. Bridgit returns to free the girls in spectacular fashion only to come out and find herself cornered by Gordon, Bullock and the Strike Force. After a failed negotiation and some damage to the flamethrower by a missed gunshot, Bridgit decides to go all Butch and Sundance. She fires up a nearby police car and the flames from the explosion ignite the fluid leaking from the tanks on her back and despite the suit she goes up in flames as well. It’s pretty brutal. Later Gordon tries to comfort a distraught Selina over the loss of her friend. He tells her that he believed Bridgit wanted it to end that way and he asks if Selina knows who hired the Pikes for the arson jobs that led to all this. Though she tries not to say Selina slips up and implicates Penguin.
Oh, and just one more thing. It seems events have been progressing quite nicely for Edward Nygma and his lady friend Kristen Kringle. It all culminates in dinner at his place in this episode, followed by their mutual decision to take the relationship ‘to the next level.’ After ending up ’tween two sheets’, their pillow talk turns to the subject of the dirty cop that Kristen was previously involved with. She fears he’ll return and cut them no end of trouble. Ed assures her that will never happen. Still she is persistent in her concerns. “You’re not a fighter, you couldn’t possibly take him on,” she tells him. Ed explains that how, late last season, he and the cop, Dougherty, had words that resulted in Ed stabbing Dougherty to death. She doesn’t believe Ed until he shows her the cop’s badge. She freaks out and in an effort to keep her calm and quiet Ed accidentally chokes her to death. Alas, love on the rocks. Ain’t no surprise — or at least I think thats how the song goes.
As this episode ends we find Penguin and his gang tooling up for an all out assault on Theo and his bunch, something I have a suspicion that Theo knows is coming; Selina mourning the loss of her friend, and Ed devastated over the turn of events that his love life has taken. Ah, but like a Ronco commercial there’s more. It seems that Wayne Enterprises is running a secret lab where they are performing what appears to be mutation experiments on human subjects and apparently Bridgit, who’s still just barely among the living, is now going to be one of them. Yet another twist on the Dark Knight mythology. Can you say Killer Croc?
Until next week children, same Bat-time, same Bat-channel.
Gotham airs Mondays at 8/7c on FOX
