I feel that this is a show where one neatly-designed twist in the narrative isn't going to fix all that ails it. The narrative to this point hasn't really justified the use of the twist so there's the nagging suspicion that the writers are attempting to course correct. They're trying to pivot away from the mistakes thus far. Which is an admirable trait. First seasons of series rarely hit the ground running, and there are too many moving parts in Gotham for it all to play as a good mix right now. It's about finding a storytelling rhythm, seeing what works, and then running with it. 




"Spirit of the Goat" was a start, using a flashback narrative to drive the action in the present day. Here, it's the mob war comes into focus. It's the most muddled part of the show. The sides aren't clearly drawn so the various pieces struggle to fit into the bigger picture. Maroni and Falcone are the leading figures in the war, but the show wants the audience to follow along with the Penguin's actions. He's the star right now, and it feels awkward to be rooting for what is ostensibly the villain of the piece.


The main issue is that everything occurring within the Gotham City limits is stacked or stacking against the police. The police department is supposed to be the city's guardians against corruption and the evil that has penetrated it. What happens in the aftermath of Cobblepot's entrance into the GCPD shows how far out of their depth the department is. Enter Victor Zsasz, a brutal contract killer for Falcone with aims to bring Jim Gordon to the crime boss alive. He's clearly a threat, and yet when he asks for the rest of the cops to leave him alone with Gordon, they all leave without hesitation. The mob has so much pull in the city that there isn't one regular cop that will come to Gordon's aid or defense. Gordon barely gets out of the situation alive (with unusually quick healing powers, I might add) with some help from Montoya, Allen, and Bullock.


Bullock seems to get over the fact that Gordon defied his order to kill Cobblepot a little too quickly. During the run time of this episode, he goes from nearly killing Gordon to save his own skin to helping him in Gordon's failed confrontation with Falcone. What also didn't help that situation was Barbara's presence. Once again, she mucks things up by being the damsel in distress that Gordon has to save. Her character can't seem to find another purpose beyond being attached and affected by Gordon's secrets. With all of the parties out hunting Gordon in the episode, he should be dead or dying. That's been established as something that likely won't happen. He's saved by the fortunes of a contrived "plan" that is playing out on the other side of the war.




The twist that the plan is a shared collaboration between Falcone and Cobblepot is a mixed bag. Penguin has to be eyeing something larger here. By siding with Falcone, there is the likelihood that the long-term play is slowly getting rid of Maroni along with the members of that crime family so that Falcone is the sole ruler of Gotham with Penguin as a lieutenant. When the time is right, then the Penguin will execute a coup and take out Falcone.


Personally, I think Falcone confirmed his status from the pilot episode of being the most intriguing character on the show. I can't figure out what Falcone will do next. He's proof that you don't have to go around killing people or issuing empty threats to be fearsome. Penguin may be the flashier of the two, but Falcone is the Godfather-like figure who wields all of the power right now and is pulling all the strings. Everyone else is just scrambling to keep up.




That's where Fish Mooney is right now. Putting aside the actress' penchant for over-acting to add color to an otherwise dull character, Fish is a villain without much of an established position in this world. She wonders why her spy weapon isn't having that much of an effect on Falcone. That's a valid conceit given that the "weapon" does little but cook for Falcone and do little things around the house. 


Fish also unfortunately loses her right hand man Nikolai when Falcone and Penguin turn the screws on their little long con. So for right now, Maroni and Fish occupy positions of weakness in the mob war. Penguin and Falcone have the upper hand. The police are the awkward third wheel that seems powerless to stop Gotham's descent into chaos.