A Legion of Horribles

Last updated
"A Legion of Horribles"
Gotham episode
Wrath of the Villains, A Legion of Horribles screen shot.jpeg
Title shot
Episode no.Season 2
Episode 21
Directed by Rob Bailey
Written byJordan Harper
Cinematography byCrescenzo Notarile
Production code4X6221
Original air dateMay 16, 2016 (2016-05-16)
Running time42 minutes
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
← Previous
"Unleashed"		Next →
"Transference"
Gotham season 2
List of episodes

"A Legion of Horribles" is the twenty-first and penultimate episode of the second season, and 43rd episode overall from the Fox series Gotham . The episode was written by supervising producer Jordan Harper and directed by Rob Bailey. It was first broadcast on May 16, 2016. In the episode, after Azrael's death, Professor Strange resurrects Fish Mooney. Meanwhile, Bruce sets out to save Selina, who has been attacked by Bridgit Pike, now calling herself "Firefly". This episode marks the return of Jada Pinkett Smith to the series, after her character was killed off in the first-season finale. On January 29, 2016, she announced her return to the series. [1] She previously stated that she wouldn't return for the second season. [2] This episode also marks the debut of Clayface. [3] The title is a reference to a passage from the 1985 novel Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy.

Contents

The episode received generally positive reviews, with critics praising the character development for most characters but some criticizing Fish Mooney's return.

Plot

Selina (Camren Bicondova) is now hiding inside the room while Bridgit (Michelle Veintimilla) is using her flamethrower to try to kill her. Selina manages to knock Bridgit out. Meanwhile, on the balcony, Bruce (David Mazouz) waits for Selina, only to be visited by Ivy (Clare Foley). He then decides to save Selina from Arkham and goes with Gordon (Ben McKenzie) for help. In the GCPD, Bullock (Donal Logue) announces to the media Azrael's death caused by "unknown perpetrator(s)". In an unknown location, a woman calls someone to state that Strange is losing control and they need to "gather the court".

In Arkham Asylum, Professor Strange (B. D. Wong) along with Peabody (Tonya Pinkins), are now performing a test on a patient, Basil Karlo (Brian McManamon), who can now stretch his skin. Mrs. Peabody tells Strange that "they" are now questioning his methods and may shut it off, but Strange shrugs it off, stating that he has resurrected dead people. He then decides to perform a resurrection test on "Subject 13": Fish Mooney (Jada Pinkett Smith).

In Wayne Manor, Alfred (Sean Pertwee) is furious upon finding out that Bruce sent Selina to Arkham. Gordon talks with Lucius (Chris Chalk) about infiltrating Arkham Asylum to find the secret lab and they, along with Bruce, decide to go. Strange successfully resurrects Mooney, and she's given a new suit. But unlike the others that Strange brought back, Mooney fully remembers her past life.

While Bruce talks with Strange, Lucius uses a device to find the passage to Indian Hill, leaving a mark for Gordon to find. When Bruce confronts Strange about his parents' death, he orders his orderlies to lock up Bruce, Gordon and Lucius. He and Mrs. Peabody are then confronted by the mysterious woman for not bringing back a dead person with his past memories. When Strange states that he did it for Mooney and can do it again, the woman states that when he's done, he needs to destroy Indian Hill labs. Meanwhile, Mooney realizes she has the power of manipulation with a touch of her hand.

Selina tries to use the flamethrower to open the door but fails. Bridgit regains consciousness and takes another flamethrower. Selina manages to restore some of Bridgit's memories but she is still planning on killing her. Selina is forced to harm her with the flamethrower but to her shock, Bridgit is now immune to the fire as her fire-proof suit was fused to her. Lucius and Bruce are locked in the chair room while Nygma (Cory Michael Smith) taunts them over a microphone. He tells them they need to tell him everything they know or they will be killed by a lethal gas in five minutes.

Gordon is taken to Strange who places an artifact on his head. Moments later, they take off the artifact and he comes face to face with Basil. Basil then puts the artifact on his own head, which begins to mutate. Meanwhile, Bullock orders the police to lead a raid into Arkham Asylum, Selina and Bridgit are now working to escape the room, and Mooney plans her escape. The artifact is taken off Basil's head to reveal that Basil's face is now identical to Gordon. Basil is given a wig to complete his look, while the real Gordon stares in shock.

Production

Development

In April 2016, it was announced that the twenty-first episode of the season would be titled "A Legion of Horribles", and was to be written by Jordan Harper, with Rob Bailey directing. [4]

Casting

Morena Baccarin, Robin Lord Taylor, Erin Richards, James Frain, Jessica Lucas, Drew Powell, Nicholas D'Agosto, and Michael Chiklis don't appear in the episode as their respective characters. In April 2016, it was announced that the guest cast for the episode would include Jada Pinkett Smith as Fish Mooney, B. D. Wong as Professor Hugo Strange, Tonya Pinkins as Ethel Peabody, Clare Foley as Ivy Pepper, Michelle Veintimilla as Bridgit Pike, Kit Flanagan as the White-Haired Woman, and Brian McManamon as Basil Karlo. [4]

Reception

Viewers

The episode was watched by 3.84 million viewers with a 1.3/4 share among adults aged 18 to 49. [5] This was a 4% increase in viewership from the previous episode, which was watched by 3.67 million viewers. [6] With this rating, Gotham ranked first for FOX, beating Houdini & Doyle , fourth on its timeslot and ninth for the night on the 18-49 demographics, behind Blindspot , The Odd Couple , Castle , a rerun of The Big Bang Theory , two episodes of Mike & Molly , Dancing with the Stars and The Voice .

It was also the 26th most watched of the week in the 18-49 demographics and the 53rd most watched overall in the week. [7] [8] With Live+7 DVR viewing factored in, the episode had an overall rating of 5.72 million viewers, and a 2.1 in the 18–49 demographic. [9]

Critical reviews

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Rotten Tomatoes (Tomatometer)75% [10]
Rotten Tomatoes (Average Score)6.7 [10]
IGN 7.6 [11]
The A.V. Club C− [12]
TV FanaticStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [13]
TV Overmind Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [14]

"Wrath of the Villains: A Legion of Horribles" received generally positive reviews from critics. The episode received a rating of 75% with an average score of 6.7 out of 10 on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. [10]

Matt Fowler of IGN gave the episode a "good" 7.6 out of 10 and wrote in his verdict, "'A Legion of Horribles' messily worked its butt off to get everyone into one spot. And while Clayface and the Court's debuts were fun, Fish Mooney's return felt like a curious decision given how crowded the show is now and the mixed reactions she received back in Season 1." [11]

The A.V. Club's Kyle Fowle gave the episode a "C−" grade and wrote, "Gotham consistently tosses emotional investment to the side. Or, rather, a lack of emotional investment in these characters (Gordon, Bruce Wayne, Selina Kyle, etc.) is a product of the show's style of storytelling, which is more about 'moments' than it is carefully-planned and executed arcs. 'Wrath Of The Villains: A Legion Of Horribles' certainly backs up the latter point, that Gotham's insistent focus on cramming characters and subplots into its main story (when there actually is a main story) leaves a lot to be desired. When you've finished watching 'A Legion Of Horribles' you're left with a distinct feeling that something happened, but also that none of it matters. When the most memorable and impactful moment is the return of a character everybody knew was coming back because of heavy promotion, there's a serious problem." [12]

Andy Behbakht of TV Overmind gave the series a star rating of 4 out of 5, writing "Overall, 'A Legion of Horribles' lived up to its title as it sets up what I bet will be a crazy season finale next week." [14]

Keertana Sastry of EW stated: "And thus concludes another episode of The Bad Guys Always Win. From the return of Fish to Ed's killer new gig for Hugo Strange, 'A Legion of Horribles' set up what is sure to be an explosive finale of Hugo Strange and his monsters vs. everyone else. Tonight, we also caught a glimpse of Hugo's employer (henceforth known as the Masked Lady), and what his monsters can really do." [15]

Lisa Babick from TV Fanatic, gave a 4.5 star rating out of 5.0, stating: "It's getting a little crazy at Arkham. Strange has become drunk with power and is reanimating all of Gotham's monster minds left and right. Even Ethel, aka Ms. Peabody is a little concerned. (Yes, her name is Ethel! Who knew?!) It's still unclear what Strange's overall plan is bringing people back to life, but we now know that there's someone bigger than Strange pulling the strings. The white haired lady with the weird convoluted voice is apparently a member (maybe even the leader) of the Court of Owls. I'm not a comic book buff by any means, but the Court of Owls is an organized crime group and secret society that's been in Gotham for a very, very long time." [13] Karmen Fox of The Baltimore Sun wrote positively about the episode, "Bruce's mission to find his parents' killer just got a little more complicated. 'Legion of Horribles' is a big episode. Bruce finally faces Dr. Strange, the supposed man behind his parents' murder. Or is there someone even more maniacal above him? Then, the writers neatly lay out the battleground for next week's season finale. All the villains are either brought back to life or getting into formation. The good guys, meanwhile, get trapped at Arkham's creepy laboratory while trying to save Selina." [16]

MaryAnn Sleasman of TV.com wrote negatively about the episode, stating "No. Please no. Not this hammy nonsense again. Gotham has evolved in Fish's absence, and while it's still completely nutrageous at times—Azrael, the Maniax, Penguin's rocket launcher—Season 2 grounded Gotham in something resembling its own version of 'realism.' The craziness was dialed back. The casting has been on point. The visible and narrative tone has taken a turn for the serious, and Season 2 Gotham has forged forward with Baby Batman and Hilariously Unlikeable Jim Gordon with confidence. What once were weaknesses — Baby Batman was too Batman-y too fast; Jim Gordon was unbearably unlikable in a totally unfunny way — have been turned into strengths of their own. Bruce's story has turned genuinely interesting, with his relationship with Selina forming the foundation for all the hard decisions we know he will have to make as Batman later on in his life. Gordon is... well. Gotham has a multitude of other non-sucky characters to distract audiences. Unfortunately, Fish isn't one of them." [17]

Related Research Articles

<i>Gotham</i> (TV series) American superhero crime drama television series (2014–2019)

Gotham is an American television series developed by Bruno Heller, produced by Warner Bros. Television and based on characters from the Batman mythos in comic books published by DC Comics. The series premiered on Fox on September 22, 2014, and ended on April 25, 2019, after five seasons consisting of 100 episodes. It features an ensemble cast that includes Ben McKenzie as James "Jim" Gordon, Donal Logue as Harvey Bullock, and David Mazouz as Bruce Wayne. The show follows Gordon's early days at the Gotham City Police Department following the murder of Bruce's parents, as well as the origin stories of Batman's infamous rogues gallery.

"All Happy Families Are Alike" is the 22nd episode and finale of the first season of the FOX series Gotham. The episode was written by series developer Bruno Heller and directed by Danny Cannon. It was first broadcast on May 4, 2015 in FOX. In this episode, the mob war between Carmine Falcone and Salvatore Maroni is coming to a brutal end while Oswald Cobblepot and Fish Mooney face off in their final confrontation, putting James Gordon in the middle of both conflicts. Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne sets out to find evidence that his father had a secret life before his death.

"Lovecraft" is the tenth episode and mid-season finale of the television series Gotham. It premiered on FOX on November 24, 2014 and was written by Rebecca Dameron, and directed by Guy Ferland. In this episode, Wayne Manor is attacked, forcing Bruce and Selina to flee, while Gordon comes closer to Lovecraft.

"Rogues' Gallery" is the eleventh episode and mid-season premiere of the television series Gotham. It premiered on FOX on January 5, 2015 and was written by Sue Chung, and directed by Oz Scott. In this episode, Gordon is transferred to Arkham Asylum and tries to avoid a conflict when inmates riot with the help of Dr. Leslie Thompkins.

"The Blind Fortune Teller" is the sixteenth episode of the television series Gotham. It premiered on FOX on February 16, 2015 and was written by series developer Bruno Heller, and directed by Jeffrey Hunt. In this episode, James Gordon and Lee Thompkins go on a date to Haly's Circus, and end up investigating the murder of one of the performers. Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne sets to investigate Wayne Enterprises.

"Beasts of Prey" is the nineteenth episode of the television series Gotham. It premiered on FOX on April 13, 2015 and was written by Ken Woodruff, and directed by Eagle Egilsson. In this episode, Gordon and Bullock track down a serial killer known as "The Ogre". Meanwhile, Bruce and Selina continue to investigate Wayne Enterprises.

"Mr. Freeze" is the twelfth episode of the second season, 34th episode overall and the mid-season premiere from the FOX series Gotham. This episode is also the first episode to use the subtitle "Wrath of the Villains". The episode was written by Ken Woodruff and directed by Nick Copus. It was first broadcast on February 29, 2016 in FOX. In the episode, having just killed Galavan, Gordon returns to the GCPD, who's currently investigating a killing spree of a man who freezes people. Meanwhile, Cobblepot pays the consequences of killing Galavan.

"A Dead Man Feels No Cold" is the thirteenth episode of the second season, and 35th episode overall from the FOX series Gotham. It was written by new series writer Seth Boston and directed by Eagle Egilsson and first broadcast on March 7, 2016, on FOX. In the episode, Gordon and Bullock continue their quest to stop Victor Fries, now dubbed "Mr. Freeze" by the media, with the help of his wife, Nora.

<i>Gotham</i> season 2 Season of television series

The second season of the American television series Gotham, based on characters from DC Comics related to the Batman franchise, revolves around the characters of James "Jim" Gordon and Bruce Wayne. The season is produced by Primrose Hill Productions, DC Entertainment, and Warner Bros. Television, with Bruno Heller, Danny Cannon, John Stephens, and Ken Woodruff serving as executive producers.

"Mad Grey Dawn" is the fifteenth episode of the second season, and 37th episode overall from the Fox series Gotham. The episode was written by Robert Hull and directed by Nick Copus. It was first broadcast on March 21, 2016. In the episode, Gordon and Bullock investigate a pair of clues in a museum, unaware that Edward Nygma is the perpetrator. Meanwhile, Bruce continues living in the streets with Selina and Cobblepot meets a man who knew about his mother.

"Into the Woods" is the seventeenth episode of the second season, and 39th episode overall from the Fox series Gotham. The episode was written by producer Rebecca Perry Cutter and directed by Oz Scott. It was first broadcast on April 11, 2016. In the episode, Gordon tries to clear his name after having escaping from Blackgate Penitentiary with help from Nygma, not knowing Nygma is the one who set him up.

"Unleashed" is the twentieth episode of the second season, and 42nd episode overall from the Fox series Gotham. The episode was written by executive producer Danny Cannon and directed by Paul Edwards. It was first broadcast on May 9, 2016. In the episode, Azrael continues his killing spree across Gotham City while Dr. Strange tries to evade arrest for his experiments.

"Transference" is the twenty-second episode and season finale of the second season, and 44th episode overall from the Fox series Gotham. This is also the last episode in the series with the subtitle "Wrath of the Villains". The episode was written by developer and showrunner Bruno Heller and directed by Eagle Egilsson. It was first broadcast on May 23, 2016. In the episode, Lucius and Bruce are being held in a room by Nygma, ready to kill them unless they tell him information. Meanwhile, Gordon tries to stop Professor Strange once and for all while Basil Karlo begins to fake being Gordon after his experiment. The episode marked the end of the Strange story arc, which culminated with his arrest. The episode is also dedicated to the memory of Doug Kraner, production designer of the show, who died on April 4, 2016, at the age of 65 of cancer.

"Better to Reign in Hell..." is the first episode of the third season, and 45th episode overall from the Fox series Gotham. This is also the first episode in the series with the subtitle "Mad City". The episode was written by executive producer John Stephens and directed by Danny Cannon. It was first broadcast on September 19, 2016. In the episode, after seeing that Lee has been moving on with another man, Gordon leaves her. 6 months later, he has been working as a bounty hunter dedicated to catch Indian Hills' monsters. After an offer of a million dollars from Cobblepot for Fish Mooney, Gordon sets out to find her as she is leading the monsters. Meanwhile, Bruce and Alfred return after laying low and prepare to confront Wayne Enterprises about their role in Indian Hills.

"Burn the Witch" is the second episode of the third season, and 46th episode overall from the Fox series Gotham. The episode was written by executive producer Ken Woodruff and directed by Danny Cannon. It was broadcast on September 26, 2016. In the episode, Bruce comes face to face with the council that wanted him dead. Gordon teams up with Valerie Vale to find Fish Mooney, who is going on a rampage to find the place where Dr. Hugo Strange is held. Meanwhile, Ivy Pepper undergoes into a physical change after the contact with Indian Hills' monster. The episode marks the introduction of Maggie Geha to the series and is credited as a main cast member.

"Destiny Calling" is the twenty-first episode of the third season, the first part of the two-part season finale, and 65th episode overall from the Fox series Gotham. The show is based on the characters created by DC Comics set in the Batman mythology. The episode was written by executive producer Danny Cannon and directed by Nathan Hope. It was first broadcast on June 5, 2017.

"Pretty Hate Machine" is the twentieth episode of the third season, and 64th episode overall from the Fox series Gotham. The show is itself based on the characters created by DC Comics set in the Batman mythology. The episode was written by co-executive producers Steven Lilien and Bryan Wynbrandt and directed by Danny Cannon. It was first broadcast on May 29, 2017. The episode is named after the 1989 studio album by American industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails of the same name.

Oswald Cobblepot (<i>Gotham</i>) Fictional character on Gotham

Oswald Cobblepot is a character and one of the main antagonists of the FOX television series Gotham, portrayed by Robin Lord Taylor. Based on the DC Comics supervillain of the same name, he was adapted by showrunner Bruno Heller for the series, which is intended to explore the origin stories of characters from the Batman mythos. Introduced in the first season, Cobblepot is depicted as an intelligent low-level criminal who aspires to rule Gotham City's criminal underworld. His character arc in the series explores his rise to power.

Selina Kyle (<i>Gotham</i> character) Fictional character on Gotham

Selina Kyle, nicknamed "Cat", is a fictional character on the Fox TV series Gotham. Based on the DC Comics character of the same name who goes on to become Catwoman, Selina is a morally ambiguous street thief who becomes an ally and later love interest to Bruce Wayne, the orphaned son of Thomas and Martha Wayne. Camren Bicondova portrays Selina Kyle for the majority of Gotham's run, but is replaced by Lili Simmons as an adult in the series finale.

References

  1. ↑ Ausiello, Michael (January 29, 2016). "Jada Pinkett Smith Sets Gotham Return". TVLine. Archived from the original on May 14, 2016. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
  2. ↑ Holub, Christian (March 6, 2015). "Jada Pinkett Smith says she's not returning to Gotham next season (Updated)". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on May 11, 2016. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
  3. ↑ Jayson, Jay (March 18, 2016). "EXCLUSIVE: Brian McManamon Cast As Basil Karlo AKA Clayface In Gotham". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on May 18, 2016. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
  4. 1 2 "Episode Title: (#221) "Wrath of the Villains: A Legion of Horribles"". The Futon Critic. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
  5. ↑ Porter, Rick (May 17, 2016). "'Mike & Molly' finale and 'The Voice' adjust up". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on May 18, 2016. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
  6. ↑ Porter, Rick (May 10, 2016). "Monday final ratings: 'Blindspot' and 'Reign' adjust down". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on May 11, 2016. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  7. ↑ Porter, Rick (May 24, 2016). "Broadcast weekly Top 25: 'Empire,' 'NCIS' finales top the week of May 16–22". TV by the Numbers . Archived from the original on May 25, 2016. Retrieved May 24, 2016.
  8. ↑ Levin, Gary (May 24, 2016). "TV ratings: 'Castle,' 'Coupled,' 'Billboard Music Awards'". USA Today . Archived from the original on May 27, 2016. Retrieved May 24, 2016.
  9. ↑ Porter, Rick (June 6, 2016). "Broadcast Live +7 ratings: 'Empire' and 'Blacklist' finales lead the week of May 16–22". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on June 7, 2016. Retrieved June 6, 2016.
  10. 1 2 3 "Wrath of the Villains: A Legion of Horribles". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
  11. 1 2 Fowler, Matt (May 16, 2016). "Gotham: "A Legion of Horribles" Review". IGN . Retrieved May 17, 2016.
  12. 1 2 ""Wrath of the Villains: A Legion of Horribles": Fish is back in Gotham, but it doesn't mean a thing". avclub.com. 17 May 2016. Archived from the original on 18 May 2016. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  13. 1 2 "Gotham Season 2 Episode 21 Review: A Legion of Horribles". TV Fanatic. 16 May 2016. Archived from the original on 18 May 2016. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  14. 1 2 Behbakht, Andy (May 16, 2016). "Gotham Season 2 Episode 21 Review: "A Legion of Horribles"". TV Overmind . Archived from the original on May 17, 2016. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
  15. ↑ "'Wrath of the Villains: A Legion of Horribles': Hugo Strange reanimates Fish Mooney while Gordon, Bruce, and Lucius are held captive by the evil doc". Entertainment Weekly . May 16, 2016. Archived from the original on May 20, 2016. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
  16. ↑ "'Gotham' recap: Dr. Strange and Mr. Wayne". May 17, 2016. Archived from the original on May 18, 2016. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
  17. ↑ "Gotham "A Legion of Horribles" Review: Curiosity Killed the Bat". May 16, 2016. Retrieved May 17, 2016.[ permanent dead link ]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.