Welcome Back, Jim Gordon

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"Welcome Back, Jim Gordon"
Gotham episode
Episode no.Season 1
Episode 13
Directed by Wendey Stanzler
Written byMegan Mostyn-Brown
Production code4X6663
Original air dateJanuary 26, 2015 (2015-01-26)
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
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"Welcome Back, Jim Gordon" is the thirteenth episode of the television series Gotham . It premiered on FOX on January 26, 2015, and was written by Megan Mostyn-Brown, and directed by Wendey Stanzler. In this episode, Gordon (Ben McKenzie) and Bullock (Donal Logue) investigate the murder of a witness in a public homicide. Meanwhile, Mooney (Jada Pinkett Smith) suffers the consequences of her failed plan against Falcone.

Contents

The episode was watched by 6.04 million viewers and received generally positive reviews, praising character development but criticizing the pace.

Plot

Fish Mooney (Jada Pinkett Smith) is being tortured by Falcone's interrogator, Bob (Michael Eklund). Gordon (Ben McKenzie) and Bullock (Donal Logue) work with narcotics detective Arnold Flass (Dash Mihok) in a public homicide. They interrogate Leon Winkler (Willie C. Carpenter), who witnessed the homicide. While waiting for an interrogation, Winkler is killed with an icepick by an unknown man.

Butch (Drew Powell) manages to free himself and Mooney from her captors. Gordon interrogates Narcotics Officer Derek Delaware (Niko Nicotera) about his role in the guard duty. He arrests him when he finds drugs in his car, the same type as in the victim's shoe. Essen (Zabryna Guevara) removes Gordon and Bullock from the case. In the file room, Flass mocks a letter Nygma (Cory Michael Smith) wrote for Miss Kringle (Chelsea Spack). She later apologizes to Ed for Flass' behavior.

Cobblepot (Robin Lord Taylor) surprises his mother (Carol Kane) with the nightclub and makes her a singer in the club. Gordon visits and asks for a favor from Cobblepot to get information about Flass. After Penguin sends everybody else home, he closes the nightclub and begins to celebrate, when he's surprised by Mooney. She starts to beat him with a baseball bat when Victor Zsasz (Anthony Carrigan) and his henchmen arrive. Butch sacrifices himself so Mooney can escape.

Bruce (David Mazouz), having returned from Switzerland, runs into Ivy Pepper (Clare Foley) in the streets. He asks after Selina (Camren Bicondova) and Ivy arranges a meeting for twenty dollars. Selina visits him in Wayne Manor, where she says she lied and doesn't know who killed his parents and tells him to never contact her again.

Cobblepot has his henchman extort Delaware by threatening to kill his wife to get information about Flass. The henchman then gives Delaware's confession on tape and the murder weapon to Gordon, and Flass is arrested for the murder of both victims. Later, Bullock reunites with Mooney, who's planning to flee town and lie low. They part with a kiss. Gordon is approached by Delaware to beg Gordon not to harm his family. Gordon sees that the favor Cobblepot gave him now makes him look like he's dirty and someone to be feared.

Reception

Viewers

The episode was watched by 6.04 million viewers, with a 2.1 rating among 18-49 adults. [1] With Live+7 DVR viewing factored in, the episode had an overall rating of 9.07 million viewers, and a 3.4 in the 18–49 demographic. [2]

Critical reviews

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Rotten Tomatoes (Tomatometer)67% [3]
Rotten Tomatoes (Average Score)6.3 [3]
IGN 6.8 [4]
The A.V. Club C [5]
"GamesRadar"Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [6]
Paste Magazine6.5 [7]
TV FanaticStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [8]
New York MagazineStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [9]

"Welcome Back, Jim Gordon" received generally positive reviews. The episode received a rating of 67% with an average score of 6.3 out of 10 on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, with the site's consensus stating: "'Welcome Back, Jim Gordon' focuses on the growth of Gotham's many leading players, making it a colorful, though hectic, episode." [3]

Matt Fowler of IGN gave the episode a "okay" 6.8 out of 10 and wrote in his verdict, "Though there were interesting pieces within 'Welcome Back, Jim Gordon' (Bullock and Fish, Gordon becoming what he hates), there was just too much at work here that we've been through before. I get that the title of the episode is even meant to be tongue-in-cheek, alluding to the fact that Gordon's back and nothing's changed - but seriously, this one had a lot of the same beats we'd seen in the fall episodes. And the Fish torture scenes, which seemed to be building up to a great character moment, went nowhere." [4]

The A.V. Club's Kyle Fowle gave the episode a "C" grade and wrote, "To Gotham's credit, 'Welcome Back, Jim Gordon' actually gives the audience a solid payoff, something that was sorely lacking in the conclusion of the Electrocutioner storyline, which boasted a climax as jarring as a glass of cold water to the face–or your mechanized, chest-strapped device. At the very least, this week's episode takes its case of the week and builds to a climax that's serviceable to the storyline and to the characters within it. That's as nice as I can get though as, once again, Gotham shows a complete lack of vision while failing to make its procedural elements compelling." [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fish Mooney</span> Fictional character

Maria Mercedes "Fish" Mooney is a fictional character created by producer and screenwriter Bruno Heller for the television series Gotham, portrayed by actress Jada Pinkett Smith.

"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.

"Pilot" is the first episode of the television series Gotham. It premiered on FOX on September 22, 2014 and was written by series developer Bruno Heller and directed by Danny Cannon. The episode, and the series as a whole, are based on characters appearing in and published by DC Comics in the Batman franchise, primarily those of James Gordon and Bruce Wayne. FOX gave the pilot a straight-to-series order with an order of 16 episodes.

"Selina Kyle" is the second episode of the television series Gotham. It premiered on FOX on September 29, 2014 and was written by series developer Bruno Heller and directed by Danny Cannon. In the episode, Gordon and Bullock investigate a child trafficking ring in Gotham City while Cobblepot begins to make his way back to Gotham, leaving victims in his path.

"The Balloonman" is the third episode of the television series Gotham. It premiered on FOX on October 6, 2014 and was written by John Stephens and directed by Dermott Downs. In the episode, detectives Gordon and Bullock track down a vigilante who is killing corrupt Gotham citizens by attaching them to weather balloons. Meanwhile, Oswald Cobblepot returns to Gotham and gets a new job close to an influential figure in the underworld.

"Arkham" is the fourth episode of the television series Gotham. It premiered on FOX on October 13, 2014, and was written by Ken Woodruff and directed by TJ Scott. In the episode, detectives Gordon and Bullock try to save the council of Gotham, which is threatened after a dispute for the known Arkham Plan is in progress. Meanwhile, Cobblepot indulges more in Maroni's mafia.

"Viper" is the fifth episode of the television series Gotham. It premiered on FOX on October 20, 2014 and was written by Rebecca Perry Cutter and directed by Tim Hunter. In the episode, detectives Gordon and Bullock are investigating a new street drug that causes euphoria and then death. Meanwhile, Cobblepot works his way deeper into Maroni’s inner circle and Fish Mooney continues to plot to take down Falcone.

"Penguin's Umbrella" is the seventh episode of the television series Gotham. It premiered on FOX on November 3, 2014 and was written by series developer Bruno Heller, and directed by Rob Bailey. In this episode, the mob war escalates while Cobblepot reveals a new component of his manipulative strategy, forcing Gordon to deal with the consequences of his decision to spare Penguin's life.

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"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.

"What the Little Bird Told Him" is the twelfth episode of the television series Gotham. It premiered on FOX on January 19, 2015, and was written by Ben Edlund, and directed by Eagle Egilsson. In this episode, Gordon looks to capture a prisoner who escaped from Arkham Asylum to get his job back. Meanwhile, Falcone struggles to hold his empire when someone beloved to him takes an unexpected turn.

"The Fearsome Dr. Crane" is the fourteenth episode of the television series Gotham. It premiered on FOX on February 2, 2015 and was written by John Stephens, and directed by John Behring. In this episode, Gordon and Bullock investigate homicides where the victims are killed with their greatest fear. Meanwhile, Maroni begins to question his relationship with Cobblepot after a tip.

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"Everyone Has a Cobblepot" is the eighteenth episode of the television series Gotham. It premiered on FOX on March 2, 2015 and was written by Megan Mostyn-Brown, and directed by Bill Eagles. In this episode, after Commissioner Loeb's controversial moves, Gordon looks for a solution to the problem. Meanwhile, Fish Mooney comes face to face with the prison's director.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Legion of Horribles</span> 21st episode of the 2nd season of Gotham

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References

  1. ↑ Kondolojy, Amanda (January 27, 2015). "Monday Final Ratings: 'The Bachelor' and 'Sleepy Hollow' Adjusted Up; No Adjustment for 'Jane the Virgin'". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on January 29, 2015. Retrieved January 27, 2015.
  2. ↑ Bibel, Sara (February 17, 2015). "'The Big Bang Theory' Notches Biggest Adults 18-49 & Viewership Increase, 'Hart of Dixie' Top Percentage Gainer in Live +7 Ratings for Week 18 Ending February 1". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on February 18, 2015. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 "Welcome Back, Jim Gordon". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved January 24, 2016.
  4. 1 2 Fowler, Matt (January 26, 2015). "Gotham: "Welcome Back, Jim Gordon" Review". IGN . Retrieved January 24, 2016.
  5. 1 2 Fowle, Kyle (27 January 2015). "And now, Arnold Flass and the Uptown Assassins!". The A.V. Club. Retrieved January 24, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Gotham". GamesRadar. 18 October 2022.
  7. ↑ "Gotham Review: "Welcome Back, Jim Gordon"". pastemagazine.com. 27 January 2015.
  8. ↑ "Gotham". TV Fanatic. 26 January 2015.
  9. ↑ "Gotham Recap: [Cruddy Guitar Rock Music Intensifies]". Vulture.
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