BWW Recap: The Red Hood Gang Strikes And Some Shocking Moments Blast Through GOTHAM, Episode 17
By: Jeffrey Walker Feb. 23, 2015
Bruce Wayne may be in trouble while Alfred is in even greater danger on tonight's episode of GOTHAM. Episode 17 brings us only five installments left in season one. The city is menaced by a new criminal element, the Red Hood Gang, which may be connected to the "birth" of the Joker. As Harvey Bullock and Jim Gordon work to crack the Red Hood Gang, Fish Mooney works her way up in the seedy underworld again. Some fans are elated with the developments while some have felt the show has been slipping.
Opening: Let the bank robberies begin! Donning normal hoods, except for one eager beaver who puts his homemade red hood on, a gang of thugs hit one of Gotham's banks. The red hooded one has love the attention he gets and is rather maniacal. He even tosses money to the citizens to help in their get away.
Detectives Gordon and Bullock begin their investigation and find out the criminals were seen as nice by some of the bank folks, since they stole the bank's money. Earlier a strange incident with a prank may have been a way for the robbers to case the bank.
Late at night at Wayne MAnor, a heavily accented gent drops in on Alfred. Reg was a member of Alfred's old regiment, it seems, now down on his luck due to liquor. Alfred introduces Reggie to Bruce who offers him to stay with them.
Elsewhere, Fish Mooney gets her wish from last week and goes to meet "the manager" of the place in which she is being held captive. He seems to be a disagreeable man.
Looking a bank surveillance footage, Gordon finds some incriminating marks that lead them to the potential hideout of the robbers, now called The Red Hood Gang by the Gotham newspapers. Mr. Enthusiasm gets shot by one of the other gang members after he suggests the red hood is not only good luck but the sign of the leader. Oops.
8:15 pm EST: The manager will not easily give Fish information about the owner of the facility. She plays hard ball to get to meet the doctor. The manager allows her to freshen up and they will talk some more.
A very bad comic bombs at Penguin's club and a shaky bartender breaks the news they are out of liquor. Maroni supplies the booze to the club and he is not happy with Penguin, says Butch, now assisting the new found club owner.
Gordon and Bullock find the garage the gang hides in but no one is home. Bullock presses for details about Jim's hanky panky time with Dr. Thompkins right as they find the dead gang member. Across town, the gang hits another bank with the older guy now wearing the hood. They once again spread some bread to the bank customers as they flee.
8:24 pm EST: Gordon and Bullock watch the new video footage of the latest robbery. A witness pops up to go through potential suspects. At Wayne Manor, Bruce comes back from a run and Reg has him demonstrate Alfred's training. Bruce gets worked up as Reg has him punch him and Alfred stops them just as they grabbed canes. Alfred admonishes Bruce but the boy leaves, still worked up. "I'm a better person for knowing him, Reg," Alfred confesses to his old buddy.
Penguin was planning to rob Don Maroni's liquor warehouse, but Butch beats him to the punch, using crooked cops to confiscate a pile of hooch. Butch, 1; Oswald, 0 - except for the egg on his beak.
8:33 pm EST: In Barbara Kean's bachelorette pad, Selina and Ivy continue to stay and bond with the sullen bombshell. Barbara encourages Selina to embrace her inner and outer beauty and offers them a closet full of cast-off haute couture. "You are a true beauty, use that to your advantage," Barbara urges Selina. The catty teen will hear nothing of it for now.
At the police station, the witness identifies Destro as one of the perpetrators.
The cleaned up Fish returns to see the manager to talk over the spare parts farm in the basement. The manager has his eye on Mooney's eyeballs to see how long a blind girl can survive in the basement. As the creepster approaches Fish, she grabs a teaspoon and in a flash gouges out her own left eye and squashes it like a bug. Never, underestimate Fish Mooney. Never. (And if you missed the moment, yes, it was gross.)
8:43 pm EST: Reg and Alfred chat over the kitchen table and Bruce brings a bottle of his father's best wine from the cellar. The old guys regale Bruce with tails of their old days in the Special Air Service, running covert missions. Alfred is uncomfortable reliving the past and at how Reg pushes the envelope. Reg just thinks Alfred hides who he really is from the boy, and recounts that he has visions of the men they killed in service. They are both haunted by them.
Out on surveillance, Gordon and Bullock watch the gang members. The stuttery gang member insists on taking the red hood from Destro, to impress his girlfriend. The dude shoots Destro and takes the mask. Bullock presses Destro for names as Jim calls in help. They realize the gang was all about revenge for Destro being rejected for loans by banks.
At the club - now decked out in umbrella swag, by the way - Butch tries to bond with the reluctant Penguin and they vow not to be sidekicks anymore. Back at Wayne Manor, Alfred finds Reg trying to steal from them. Reg declares he is in big trouble and is not proud of some of the things he has done. Reg then quietly stabs Alfred in cold blood. Bruce finds the butler and calls for help, desperate that Alfred will slip away. Second big shocker of the night! First Mooney's eye-popping moment and now Alfred stuck down by his old friend.
8:55 pm EST: The Red Hood Gang heads out, only three members now, with the new guy in the hood. The cops nearly beat them to the robbery and there is a huge gun battle, until the hooded one is hit with a shower of bullets in the street. Gordon takes off his hood and the gang is stopped. Gordon gets the call about Alfred and rushes to the hospital to be with Bruce, who is crushed beyond words. Gordon consoles Bruce in Alfred's hospital room.
In the Wayne Enterprises Board Room, Reg reports to the board about what Bruces knows about their dealings, shady and otherwise. He also reports that Alfred is critically injured and may not make it. The board members say it is time to move on the boy and slip Reb a thick envelope, presumably of cash. A glimmer of humanity from Reg - "He's just a boy" - is crushed by the ruthless board members who dismiss him: "Thank you for your service, Mr. Bane. I doubt we will meet again."
My Two Cents: I try to read up on other blogs and reactions to GOTHAM, just to get a pulse for what others think. I am perplexed by some and agree with others. Here are a couple of insights I wanted to share:
I have not minded the mercurial nature of young Bruce Wayne. The manner in which David Mazouz has played Master Bruce and his brooding, dark prince of a character, works for me and makes perfect sense for my vision of the adult Bruce and Batman. I also think the relationship between Bruce and Alfred is rich with connection. And it's been a plus making Alfred more badass. Now, Bruce's father figure is in a precarious position.
I think the central figure of James Gordon makes sense too. He has been seen trying to make sense of the corrupt world that is Gotham City. He has slipped to some lows and maintained his intensity even while adapting to the reality of political and criminal (same thing) situation. Ben McKenzie also clicks with not only his partner Harvey Bullock, but the women he has been involved with, and even more pivotally, young Bruce Wayne.
We want to know what you think, so leave your comments below, or head to Twitter and follow @BWWTV World #Gotham.
What's up next week, only four episodes left:
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