Gotham "Welcome Back, Jim Gordon" Review: Cleaning House

Gotham S01E13: "Welcome Back, Jim Gordon"

For an episode that featured one of the finest victories in the crummy recent history of the GCPD, "Welcome Back, Jim Gordon" was also steeped in heartache, which is appropriate, because Gotham. Jim's return to the police force promised no more Mr. Nice Gordon, but the depths to which our intrepid detective sunk in the name of justice was startling—for us viewers as much as for his peers. Gordon claims to know how the system works now, claims to be smarter and darker; he's just jaded enough not to expect the best from people, but still optimistic enough to think he can make a difference. And maybe it's a touch of the resulting hubris that has Jim in his current conundrum, because there's no way teaming up with the mob to investigate the leads from which he's been banned will end in any way but awful. Best-case scenario, Penguin really does have some twisted fondness for Gordon that manifests in favors with minimal expectation of payback, and Gordon is the new face of righteous evil back at the office. However, the worst-case scenario is that Gordon's still feared by his fellow officers, but Penguin and his brood take full advantage of Gordon owing them a favor or two.

I think we all know how this one is going to go.

Still, Penguin and Gordon as professional BFFs is only the latest example of the strange bedfellows Gotham's cops and robbers keep. That, and the big reveal that Bullock and Fish are, like, totally a thing. I don't even know what to do with that. Mostly I'm happy to see Fish go away for an episode or four, and while Gotham has always shown Harvey to be more merciful toward her than his partner, Officer Holier-Than-Thou, Gordon's comment in the beginning of "Welcome Back, Jim Gordon" felt forced and the shot of the illicit lovers parting ways as Fish set out on the lam wasn't much better.

At the same time, I can't bring myself to hate Bullock/Fish. One of the bright spots of this episode was Fish's exile, and I applaud Gotham's decision to force her to deal with real consequences of her actions against Falcone rather than speed through a hasty "punishment" before returning to the hammy acting and questionable wardrobe choices.

With her vast network devastated, her headquarters displaced, and her allies either dead, hiding, or no longer fitting the definition of an "ally," Fish currently doesn't have many people she can trust, or who genuinely support and seem to care about her; at the moment, it's just Butch and Bullock. It's my hope that we'll learn more about Fish while she's on the run,because she can be a great character when she's not being portrayed as a cartoon.

After all, even Harley Quinn, who actually is a cartoon, has one of the most heartbreaking stories in Batman mythology. She's kind of a ridiculous character (in the way that most Batman characters are when stripped down to their gimmicks), and yet she's this very human individual who successfully made the rare jump from a non-comic format to the traditional Batman titles. There's plenty of room for new, captivating, and complex women in the Batman universe. "Welcome Back, Jim Gordon" made me think, for the first time, that Fish could actually be one of them.

There's always the chance that Fish's care and concern for Bullock and Butch are pure manipulation, but to me, those flashes of kindness seemed sincere after half a season of watching Fish use and abuse everyone she came into contact with. Given what we know about Butch and Bullock, it's not unreasonable to rely on their feelings for Fish as a measure of her sincerity. They're smart, tough, and somewhat cynical men who have still shown repeated dedication to the woman. It would be a disservice to their characters to assume right off the bat that they're just another pair of morons who fell for Fish's charms.

But Jim Gordon wasn't the only one coming home and kicking out all the squatters this week: Baby Bruce Wayne apparently spent the last few weeks sequestered away in Switzerland, and his return to Gotham featured a charming run-in with creepy Ivy and a sad one where his savior complex finally got on Selina's last nerve and now their cute little confused hormones aren't allowed to hang out.

So. Strange love abounded between Bullock and Fish, we witnessed the woeful parting of the future Bat and Cat, and, as always, we checked in with Nygma and Kringle. Also, my own confusing feelings about that gleeful psychopath, Victor Zsasz. I'm repulsed. I'm interested. It was all very exhausting for a Monday night, but the good kind of exhausting. Gotham's given us a lot lately, and I still want more.

NOTES FROM THE (BABY) BATCAVE

– "Steady, Master Bruce. She looks like she's got a touch of the mange." Alfred is such a dick. I love it.

– Penguin and his mom are so cute. I'm glad she didn't get whacked. I was concerned for a second.

– I keep wondering why Edward Nygma is so presh, but then I think about him honestly and I realize he'd probably be really irritating to work with and definitely the creepiest creep to ever creep. TV is weird.

– Drunk Penguin is the best Penguin.

– How long until we see Fish again, do you think?

– Is Butch totally dead or just wishing he was?