The Contenders
Gotham Season 3, Episode 1 - "Mad City: Better to Reign In Hell..."
Starring: Ben McKenzie, Donal Logue, David Mazouz, Morena Baccarin, Sean Pertwee, Robin Lord Taylor, Erin Richards, Camren Bicondova, Cory Michael Smith, Jessica Lucas, Chris Chalk, Drew Powell and Michael Chiklis.
Guest Starring: Jada Pinkett Smith, Richard Kind, Clare Foley, Tonya Pinkins, James Carpinello, Leslie Hendrix and Jamie Chung
Written by: John Stephens
Directed by: Danny Cannon
As you'd expect from a season premiere, this episode was largely a set up. I was fairly disappointed in how Gotham faded away in season 2 from its much improved start, but overall think this show gets way too much hate. Particularly once you move on from the fact that this is an alternate Gotham city, and stop waiting for Baby Bruce Wayne to become Batman Bruce Wayne.
The episode had its usual flaws and odd choices (like why was Fish Mooney back anyway? She wasn't a popular character. And I cringe every time the Bruce Wayne Doppelganger appears), but ultimately entertained me. I'm not against Jim Gordon being a bounty hounter - he seems much better at this than as a cop - but as usual Robin Lord Taylor's Penguin is the best part of the show, with his interaction with a much more confident Riddler my highlight (Penguins eat Fish).
Final Rating: 7.1
Starring: Clark Gregg, Ming-Na Wen, Chloe Bennet, Iain De Caestecker, Elizabeth Henstridge, Henry Simmons, John Hannah
Guest Starring: Gabriel Luna, Natalia Cordova-Buckley, Lorenza James Henrie, Mallory Jansen, Lilli Birdsell
Written by: Jed Whedon & Maurissa Tancharoen
Directed by: Billy Gierhart
This episode, like Gotham, was also a bit of a set-up, but also a bit of a re-pilot. The show has shown great success and consistency with its Inhuman and Hydra storylines, but it is absolutely the right choice to move to new stories. The contrast between the new technology in Life Model Decoys and the supernatural side of things with Ghost Rider serves to highlight the versatility of the MCU, and will hopefully cause some conflict going forward.
Taking the 6 remaining main characters (the show lost 4 main characters last season, though John Hannah has been added to the cast), separating them and putting them in new hierachies is a great move, and again shakes up the status quo. S.H.I.E.L.D. likes to reinvent itself, and this season seems no exception. It surprised me that the Director was kept secret this episode, and also that they'd lean into the Supernatural so quickly with the ghost-in-a-box.
If you're not a fan of Skye/Daisy/Quake, I don't think this will change your opinion. But I've always thought she was a good character. But the real highlight this week is the introduction of Ghost Rider. He was more violent than I'd expected, and leverages himself as a genuine threat. I was honestly worried that SFX capabilities of the show might struggle with Ghost Rider, but was pleasantly surprised.
Final rating: 8.4
The Winner
Only 2 shows this week, and I think it is clear that "The Ghost" from A.O.S. was the far superior episode.
What do you think? Which was the better episode of the 2? Let me know in the comments.
If I keep going with these, I think for the Netflix shows I'll do an episode or 2 a week.
The Honour Board
(Week ending)
23-Sep: "The Ghost" Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 4x01