This week on Gotham, the show continues with the theme of corruption with the new villain of the week: Balloonman. Balloonman is a villain who kills his victims with weather ballons – he handcuffs them to the ballons and float away to their death. His victims are those who are the corrupt, which means it could be anyone in Gotham.
Gordon and Bullock investigate the death of Ronald Danzer, a con man, who was handcuffed to a weather balloon and killed by a man the media are dubbing the “Balloonman”. Corruption within Gotham rears its ugly head again as Bullock disagrees with Gordon and explains that Danzer deserved what he got for stealing all that money from people and Gordon rebutes with that all people must be treated equal or it does not matter. After Gotham Police Department Lieutenant Bill Cranston is killed by the Balloonman, the Gotham PD jumps into full gear on the search for the killer. Some unethical investigation by Bullock leads the pair to the owner of the balloons who came into the police on his own volition. He points them to Carl Smikers who sold the balloons to an unknown person. Carl explains that the balloons and bodies will eventually return to the ground after they pop and they find the Lieutenant’s body. On the body Gordon finds a piece of paper which tells him who the Balloonman is – Davis Lamond, a social service worker. Lamond explains that the Mayor’s decision to place the “unadoptable” children into prison was what drove him over the edge to kill. After a scuffle between Lamond, Bullock and Gordon happens in which Bullock “hoists Lamond on his own petard” and Gordon jumps in to save the day. Gordon then asks who was the Balloonman’s next target and he said “it didn’t matter”. Gordon speaks with his girlfriend, Barbara, and explains to her corruption is what breeds vigilantes and the city will fall unless things are fixed. There’s an incredible amount of foreshadowing in this show.
Oswald Cobblepot returns to Gotham in a swathe of fury – he gets recognized by a former colleague of the underworld only to stab and kill him and use his money to buy a tuna sandwich. Oswald then ventures into the restaurant of Don Marconi and asks to become a dishwasher – only to be refused for having the wrong shoes, he kills another dishwasher and steals his shoes so he can get the job. He falls under the attention of Don Marconi and wins his respect for being an Italian boy who loves his mother. He gains a nice tip from the Don and is told to go home and take care of his mother, only to show up on the doorstep of Jim Gordon’s apartment.
Cat’s story continues with Gordon, she explains to him that she saw who killed the Wayne’s – he accuses her of lying and she replies that she stole a man’s wallet and dropped it in the sewer nearby and that “she can see in the dark” – which is perhaps a nod to her metahuman abilities? Gordon cuffs her to a nearby fence, and then jumps down into the sewers at which point he realizes that she wasn’t lying. Cat manages to escape out of the handcuffs with the pen she stole from Bullock only for Gordon to lose her while he’s stuck in the sewers.
Bruce Wayne story continues with Alfred becoming more of a father figure to Bruce. He chastises the boy for not eating – we can see here that Bruce started his Batman training at a young age. Alfred challenges Bruce to a sword fight with canes – initially he refuses but gets very much into the battle with Alfred. During the fight they knock over some folders and Alfred picks them up to realizes that they are police case files on the death of the Waynes. Alfred scolds Bruce and tells him that he will get nightmares and Bruce explains that “I already have those.”
Mooney and Falcone are at it again with their turf war with Mooney sending out someone to mug Falcone’s lover. Falcone shows up at Mooney’s restaurant informing her that anyone associated with the mugging will face the same fate of the mugger – death!
Overall this episode, highlights the corruption that plagues Gotham – most will take advantage of it but people like Jim Gordon and Bruce Wayne vow to change it.
*Photos courtesy of FOX/Jessica Miglio uploaded by Natasha aka Natty Willy
