Gotham Round Table: Blasted from the Past

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Looks like Harvey Bullock wasn't so lackadaisical back in the day.

A glimpse into the past connected to a case from the present put Harvey front and center for Gotham Season 1 Episode 6. Plus, Oswald (after a bath, of course) looked ready to make his next move.

So join TV Fanatic staff writers Hank Otero, Robin Harry, Carla Day and Sean McKenna as they discuss "Spirit of the Goat."

What was your favorite scene?

Hank: Ed Nygma and Ms. Kringle in the Records Annex room. He is such an odd bird, but the character is becoming more interesting all the time. Cory Michael Smith is doing a fantastic job. I can't wait for his evolution into the Riddler to kick in. The "?" on the coffee mug was not subtle at all.

Robin: I loved Bullock's confrontation with the therapist. He's come across, in the words of Jim Gordon, as a slovenly, lackadaisical cynic, so it was refreshing to see him not only be engaged in a case, but solve it. Also, him calling her "100% nuthouse crazy" was pretty funny.

Carla: Oswald's perfectly timing public resurrection. It was inevitable that the truth would come out, and it was everything imagined. Harvey's reaction was spot on, though it will be interesting to see if anyone else there caught on the the betrayal.

Sean: I really liked the start of the hour flashing back to the past. It was great to see Dan Hedaya but also a much more enthusiastic Harvey. To see him act the way Jim does now was a nice parallel. I wonder if Harvey can get that kind of spark to ignite again?

Were you glad we got to see some of Harvey's past?

Hank: Absolutely! It was great to meet a much less cynical version of Harvey. This episode helped flesh out the character and make sense of the guy Jim Gordon is dealing with in the present. Donal Logue is so good, loved the subtle nuances he brought to Harvey in the flashback.

Robin: I loved it. It was good to see that at one point he was just like Jim Gordon -- gung ho, determined, heroic. It makes us wonder how he became the way he is, and it also gives us some understanding of why Jim rubs him the wrong way. Gordon reminds Bullock of his former self, a self he's given up on.

Carla: I did appreciate seeing a younger, less cynical version of Harvey, but that really didn't help explain how he became the corrupt cop he is. That's what I'd like to see. What happened to turn him?

Sean: Like I said before, getting to see a different, less jaded side of Harvey was good to further flesh out the character. There's a lot more to explore, especially in seeing how he became so corrupt, but it was good to see what he once was like.

What did you think of the Spirit of the Goat villain?

Hank: I liked the fact the therapist was hypnotizing the killers, but the "I am the spirit of the goat" thing was laugh out loud ridiculous. Harvey calling the killer a "copygoat" was fun though, I enjoyed that bit. 

Robin: It's interesting how the name of the villain and the villains themselves was so incongruent. The whole "Spirit of the Goat" kinda makes you want to laugh out loud, but the actual perpetrator was legitimately terrifying. I like that.

Carla: I didn't see the twist coming though the clues were all there. The killers were frightening. I didn't mind the "spirit of the goat" thing. It would seem hokey on a show like NCIS or SVU, but for Gotham it fit the tone of the show.

Sean: I was actually worried the "real" Spirit of the Goat was going to be Harvey's former partner, but I'm glad that wasn't the case. It was a decent twist having the hypnotist behind it all, and the people carrying out the killings were creepy. But a goat? I wonder what the other options were before the writers stuck with that one.

Should Oswald only trust his mother?

Hank: Nah, she's nuthouse crazy, too. I think Oswald's choice to trust Gordon is perfect. Mrs. Cobblepot is one of those over the top characters that makes Gotham feel terribly campy. I could do without her to be honest.

Robin: Oswald's mother is creepy and crazy -- though she seems like the kind of overbearing creepy and crazy that would probably die for her son. But who knows what her sense of right and wrong and loyalty is... She's nuts.

Carla: No. Given the right inducement I think she'd turn on her son. Oswald can trust Jim as far as "doing the right thing," though I don't think Jim would hesitate to lock Oswald up for breaking the law.

Sean: I agree with Hank about her being rather campy. Though, the whole bath scene was creepy as well. But Oswald shouldn't trust her, I've got a feeling she's going to be jealous when he looks to other people besides her for help or advice.

What does Oswald's appearance at the end mean for Jim? For the GCPD?

Hank: Well it's definitely going to be a setback as far as the Gordon-Bullock relationship goes. Obviously Falcone is going to retaliate at some point. I'm not sure what it means for the GCPD, but this should keep Montoya and Allen off Gordon's back. Those two characters need to go, they're irritating as hell. Let's face it, this series is all about the villains. Let them start taking out characters such as Montoya and Allen soon.

Robin: Well it's hit the fan now, hasn't it? The GCPD might actually come out looking good though, because they have the golden cop who didn't go corrupt. However, no cop is going to trust Jim because he's "not with the program," Bullock's going to resent him, Falcone's gonna come after him. Jim's in a world of trouble.

Carla: I agree with Hank. The biggest threat now will come from Falcone's retribution. Jim's in a dangerous place right now. I'd be interested to see if Bullock is put in the position to "take care of" his mistake. If he refuses, it could offer some redemption for him and bring him closer to Jim.

Sean: Jim's in big trouble and so is the relationship with Harvey. It'll be interesting to see how Jim manages to get out of his predicament, especially because Carmine will most likely be coming for him. Good luck with that one!

And here is your first look at Gotham Season 1 Episode 7, "Penguin's Umbrella."

Sean McKenna was a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. He retired in May of 2017. Follow him on Twitter.

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