Television Review – Gotham – Arkham

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Spoiler alerts Gripping episode, especially for Batman fans who know the importance of the Arkham Asylum to the comic, movie and computer game mythos. In these decades before Bruce Wayne grew up enough to become Batman times, the derelict old asylum is in the middle of the slum district of Gotham known as Arkham, is seen as a stretch of prime real estate focused on by the mayor, his political opponents and rival crime families alike for lucrative redevelopment deals. The very young millionaire Bruce Wayne has an interest in it too, as it was an important project to his murdered parents. Some of those seeking control of the district are killers, including a deadly assassin with a complex flick-blade. Officer Gordon is on his tail, but only with evidence gained from The Penguin, who is supposed to be dead. If the scheming treacherous Penguin does appear in public again, Gordon’s own life could be in jeopardy – worse, his deceptions now drive his wife to leave him, amidst admissions to an earlier lesbian affair in her life. Cobblepot/Penguin’s rise is in progress here, dangerously so, and some scenes have proved incredibly tense as well as violent, as in the politician burnt to death in a barrel – this is a far cry from the old Adam West Batman stories – if punched, there is no Kapow! Card raised – we just see blood and bone. Photo – My TV set, taken by me. Arthur Chappell