Did we just get a glimpse at the future Batman villain Black Mask?

That certainly seems to be the case what with the mask wearing and last name of Sionis (Roman Sionis is the character in the comics). Plus, with Oswald and Fish's escalating battle and Bruce returning to school, TV Fanatic staff writers Hank Otero, Kathleen Wiedel, Carla Day and Sean McKenna are ready to take a break from their office fight club for the Gotham Round Table.

Sound off with your own thoughts on Gotham Season 1 Episode 8!

What was your favorite scene?

Hank: I'm going to go with Fish and Penguin's meeting. The scene was electric and both performances were fantastic. When Fish stabbed Penguin with the brooch's pin his reaction was priceless. The guy took the pain like a true champ. Robin Lord Taylor impresses me more and more each week. Best casting on this series by far.

Kathleen: I absolutely loved it when Alfred drove Bruce to Tommy Elliot's house and stood by while Bruce used Thomas Wayne's watch as brass knuckles. Awesome!

Carla: The showdown between Fish and Oswald was good. They play off each other well. I hope we see more of the two of them battling.

Sean: Bruce having to go to school! I know budgetary reasons keep characters confined to certain spaces, but it becomes noticeable. So to see Bruce in that new setting, dealing with a situation that felt much more of his age, and then getting Alfred involved was a nice change of pace. Learning to fight definitely seems up Alfred's alley.

Watch Gotham Season 1 Episode 8 Online

What did you think of the case of the week/Richard Sionis?

Hank: I like Todd Stashwick as an actor, but as with most of Gotham's villains he was too over the top for my taste. Introducing the Black Mask should have been cool, and I liked the "Fight Club" theme of the episode. However, Stashwick's hamming it up made it hard to take the character seriously. I was disappointed, just another campy bad guy.

Kathleen: Sionis was an over-the-top villain, but that's the sort of thing that Gotham goes for. His posturing, smugness, and arrogance (plus those suspenders!) all made it so satisfying when Gordon was able to punch him in the face.

Carla: As has become the norm, the case of the week is the weakest part of the show so far. Office supplies? Okay, I give them credit for being original, but overall it wasn't that engaging to watch. I prefer when the focus is on the evolution of the main characters and battling the corruption of Gotham.

Sean: I liked the casting of Todd Stashwick as Richard, but if he does turn out to be Black Mask, I was hoping for some more character development rather than what felt like a one and done bad guy. The concept was cool, but the execution left much to be desired.

Will Fish live beyond Gotham Season 1?

Hank: It's highly unlikely because in order for the Penguin to ascend, Fish has to go. Since Falcone and Cobblepot are working together, I'm sure the plan is for Penguin to take her seat at the table.

Kathleen: If she does, it will be as Oswald's or Falcone's pet on a leash or in a cage. Though I suspect that Oswald would take great pleasure in torturing her to death. In short, Fish is toast.

Carla: Hmm.... Good question. I'm not really a fan of the character as it's portrayed. I'm glad there's a woman high up in the criminal organization, but I don't care for Fish, her mannerisms or her management style. It's too early to declare whether she'll be killed or utilized in a different role. I don't think she'll maintain her position within Falcone's organization though.

Sean: I agree that Fish has to be toast. Just the way everything is set up, especially because Oswald seems to be the major villain focus, there doesn't seem to be a way that Fish would survive in their battle for dominance. And I'm fine with that because Oswald is a far more entertaining and interesting character to watch.

Were you glad to see Selina again?

Hank: Not particularly to be honest. So far Selina hasn't contributed much except sneak around like a cat burglar. Even the "Selina Kyle" episode hardly featured her. I'm ready for the writers to give Selina a proper story arc.

Kathleen: It's usually pretty funny to see her outwit Gordon (dude, don't leave her handcuffed to a rail by herself!) - I'm a bit curious to see what she has in store for him this time.

Carla: Any Selina is good by me. She's one of my favorite characters and I hope we see her more. Given Bruce's return to school and his difficulty making friends, I'm more desperate to see Selina and Bruce become friendly. I really really want that to happen...

Sean: I just wish there was more purpose with her character. Yes, she does some great outwitting and it is cool to see future Catwoman, but I want more than just namesake. I want to see a real character that gets to contribute beyond just popping in here and there because she happens to be Selina Kyle.

Are you excited to see Alfred train Bruce to fight?

Hank: This version of Alfred is so different from what we're used to. I'm really enjoying the Bruce/Alfred relationship, it's one of my favorite on the show. Bruce is in desperate need of toughening up and it's fitting that Alfred be the one to train him. By the way, I loved the fact Bruce finally went back to school. I found him much more sympathetic and real this week. The kid is acting his age, we need to see more of that.

Kathleen: This isn't Elderly Butler Alfred - this is Ex-Special Forces Kicking-Butt-and-Taking-Names Alfred! It makes complete sense that this Alfred would be young Bruce's first combat instructor, and I'm loving it!

Carla: Absolutely. It's probably not a good idea for Bruce to be fighting kids at school. That said, given his parents' deaths and the potential threat to him and his wealth, it's a smart move. More importantly, it will give him an avenue to release the rage inside him. He's smart, probably too smart for his own good, so building his physical strength will be beneficial.

Sean: Gotham's Alfred is really entertaining because at times he's not so sure of how to raise Bruce, but we've seen him adapt and grow. And know that Bruce wants to learn how to fight, something Alfred seems definitely good at, I'm intrigued to see that relationship further grow. Plus, giving Bruce something new to do besides just sitting in his room by the fire is always a good thing.

Ready for Gotham Season 1 Episode 9? Take a peak at what's next...

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