This show is a must for batman fans.It deeply briefs the dark side of the gotham and only batman can stop it.It just keeps getting darker and darker filled with gory and blood.From beginning to end the episode is gripping.The episode starts with jim worrying about his dark side and the chemistry between nygma and penguin is good.the way nygma uses his words to change penguin about nothing to loose and cant be bargained is well written in a griping way.Coming to galavan,he threats his sister if she attempts hit on gordon until he says so is unexpected.the episodes comes with a surprise when kat comes to bruce that she has proof to not to trust his gf.At the last of the episode officer sparks is dead in a very violent way and the brothers are coming
Gotham (TV Series)
Rise of the Villains: A Bitter Pill to Swallow (2015)
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What I think of Season 2 after 9 episode
anas_f17 November 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Now with episode number 9, almost half of the season has finished and let me review what I think so far out of it.
Let's us first all agree that it is much better than the first season and the only reason that let me complete the first season is because I loved the movie (The Dark night).
Secondly: in both seasons, I really enjoy the panoramic view of the city and the coloring. I think it is call "cinema graphic". I just wait for the director to have an outside view of the city where I see the mixed color of yellow and black with the smoke coming from everywhere and the changes to the building where it show historic-modern . I love it.
Third: I go to the author; I have five main points to talk about.
First Point: It was extremely smart the way he develops the "concept" of the joker. Nobody expected that. I was reading all critics. All their comments are that "JEROM IS MIXED OF ALL JOKER CHARACTERS IN MOVIES AND Comic BOOKS "Then the surprise came where he flips it on them and show them that all other characteristic of the jokers are coming from the original "JEROM". It was amazing Second point: All the villains "Except Enegma which is not yet known for "had problem with their parents, especially the mother. Let's start with examples: Jerom, he killed his mother. Penguin, he was under her control. Barbra, she killed her mother and father. Falcone is effected by the loss of his mother. Cat girl is also hate that her mother left her and also the firefly girl also hated her mother. I don't know if I forget somebody else. Maybe it is a good show to be watched by "Mothers"!!! Third point: I'm sure that DC-comics in control of the story, so that it will not conflict with other old stories. I was reading the critics and reviews and they mention that Gorden was having an affair with his boss "Sarah Essen ". But she was killed before he gets married. Some others mention that James Gorden Junior is the son of his first wife Barbra. Which seems difficult to say now "unless we find in the future that she had a baby before going to jail.
Fourth point: How come 2 cops in GCPD are missing and nobody ask about them "Kristen" and her old boyfriend. The story need to be completed.
Fifth point: We are at half of the season and they promised to show major villains like Victor freeze , Tigress , Hugo strange and Azreal . maybe they are in the show but I'm not aware of them .
Those are my main point, I really enjoy what I've seen so far and I hope that the personality of Bruce Wayne will be more like a rich boy who has self confidence when being in social action enjoy some moments in his life and at least has a Rolex in his hand .
Let's us first all agree that it is much better than the first season and the only reason that let me complete the first season is because I loved the movie (The Dark night).
Secondly: in both seasons, I really enjoy the panoramic view of the city and the coloring. I think it is call "cinema graphic". I just wait for the director to have an outside view of the city where I see the mixed color of yellow and black with the smoke coming from everywhere and the changes to the building where it show historic-modern . I love it.
Third: I go to the author; I have five main points to talk about.
First Point: It was extremely smart the way he develops the "concept" of the joker. Nobody expected that. I was reading all critics. All their comments are that "JEROM IS MIXED OF ALL JOKER CHARACTERS IN MOVIES AND Comic BOOKS "Then the surprise came where he flips it on them and show them that all other characteristic of the jokers are coming from the original "JEROM". It was amazing Second point: All the villains "Except Enegma which is not yet known for "had problem with their parents, especially the mother. Let's start with examples: Jerom, he killed his mother. Penguin, he was under her control. Barbra, she killed her mother and father. Falcone is effected by the loss of his mother. Cat girl is also hate that her mother left her and also the firefly girl also hated her mother. I don't know if I forget somebody else. Maybe it is a good show to be watched by "Mothers"!!! Third point: I'm sure that DC-comics in control of the story, so that it will not conflict with other old stories. I was reading the critics and reviews and they mention that Gorden was having an affair with his boss "Sarah Essen ". But she was killed before he gets married. Some others mention that James Gorden Junior is the son of his first wife Barbra. Which seems difficult to say now "unless we find in the future that she had a baby before going to jail.
Fourth point: How come 2 cops in GCPD are missing and nobody ask about them "Kristen" and her old boyfriend. The story need to be completed.
Fifth point: We are at half of the season and they promised to show major villains like Victor freeze , Tigress , Hugo strange and Azreal . maybe they are in the show but I'm not aware of them .
Those are my main point, I really enjoy what I've seen so far and I hope that the personality of Bruce Wayne will be more like a rich boy who has self confidence when being in social action enjoy some moments in his life and at least has a Rolex in his hand .
Action packed thrill ride in Gotham.
maureen_smith57 May 2016
Warning: Spoilers
After last weeks gripping episode we get a action thriller type instalment this time as Gordon's life is on the line plus two of Batman's greatest enemies join forces.
Tabitha Galavan meets a mysterious woman called The Lady to offer her money in exchange for killing Jim Gordon after her brother's arrest.
Whilst this happens Ed/Riddler teams up with Oswald/Penguin after discussions in Ed's flat lead to them both admitting they have both lost loved ones and are going to do something about it which of course for Penguin means killing Galavan for killing his mother and they torture a associate of Galavan's.We also see Bruce Wayne trying to find out more about Galavan and this includes being helped by Selina to get close to Galavan's niece Silver.
A hit-man attacks Gordon in the elevator that goes up to Galavan's penthouse and after a struggle Jim knocks him out but this is just the start as more hit men come for Gordon who with his Captain's help fend them all off in a blazing shootout but there is one left,known as Eduardo Flamingo this cannibal nut case waits for Jim outside(and kills some cops trying to help Gordon)and after a nasty punch up Jim gets him on the ground to arrest him.
Later on at the station Flamingo bites off the ear of a police officer who dies from her injuries later.Selina tells Bruce she has some proof about Silver whilst Galavan meets his sister in jail and tells her never to pull that trick again of trying to kill Gordon or he will kill her before finally the religious monks associates of Galavan arrive in Gotham led by Father Creel who kill a patrolmen and walk off.
This has to be one of the most awesome episodes of the show so far and not just for the epic sequences in Galavan's place but also the twists and turns involving the other characters.
Star performers this time are Ben McKenzie as Jim Gordon who has to go from action man to protector of his Captain and fellow officers back to action man all in one day.We also get to see a personal side to Barnes played by Michael Chiklis and his story of what he did as a soldier is very powerful stuff.Both Cory Michael Smith and Robin Lord Taylor are exceptional as Ed/Riddler and Oswald/Penguin respectively who team up in style and as a Batman mega fan it was epic seeing two of his greatest foes pairing up.There is also a tense confrontation between Galavan(James Frain)and sister Tabitha(Jessica Lucas)in the prison where we see a real dark threatening side to the slimy charming character.
In terms of action and suspense this was crammed with it when Gordon first takes on the hit-man in the elevator in a gruelling smack down before a fantastic shootout takes place in Galavan's penthouse before Jim faces off with cannibal assassin Flamingo who after getting a bit of a kicking gets the upper hand and arrests the nut case but he wins overall when he kills the officer involved in the shootout earlier by biting off her ear in the station and this scene had a hint of classic movie Se7en about it.The episode ends in a great fashion too as the mysterious monks to do with Galavan headed by Father Creel(Ron Rifkin)arrive in Gotham,kill a patrolman and walk off into Gotham.
This outstanding episode had all the hallmarks of the best action thrillers like Heat and The Town plus some superb performances by both McKenzie and Chiklis,Riddler and Penguin double team,a epic couple of action scenes(shootout and both fights)and a gruesome finale,loved it.
Tabitha Galavan meets a mysterious woman called The Lady to offer her money in exchange for killing Jim Gordon after her brother's arrest.
Whilst this happens Ed/Riddler teams up with Oswald/Penguin after discussions in Ed's flat lead to them both admitting they have both lost loved ones and are going to do something about it which of course for Penguin means killing Galavan for killing his mother and they torture a associate of Galavan's.We also see Bruce Wayne trying to find out more about Galavan and this includes being helped by Selina to get close to Galavan's niece Silver.
A hit-man attacks Gordon in the elevator that goes up to Galavan's penthouse and after a struggle Jim knocks him out but this is just the start as more hit men come for Gordon who with his Captain's help fend them all off in a blazing shootout but there is one left,known as Eduardo Flamingo this cannibal nut case waits for Jim outside(and kills some cops trying to help Gordon)and after a nasty punch up Jim gets him on the ground to arrest him.
Later on at the station Flamingo bites off the ear of a police officer who dies from her injuries later.Selina tells Bruce she has some proof about Silver whilst Galavan meets his sister in jail and tells her never to pull that trick again of trying to kill Gordon or he will kill her before finally the religious monks associates of Galavan arrive in Gotham led by Father Creel who kill a patrolmen and walk off.
This has to be one of the most awesome episodes of the show so far and not just for the epic sequences in Galavan's place but also the twists and turns involving the other characters.
Star performers this time are Ben McKenzie as Jim Gordon who has to go from action man to protector of his Captain and fellow officers back to action man all in one day.We also get to see a personal side to Barnes played by Michael Chiklis and his story of what he did as a soldier is very powerful stuff.Both Cory Michael Smith and Robin Lord Taylor are exceptional as Ed/Riddler and Oswald/Penguin respectively who team up in style and as a Batman mega fan it was epic seeing two of his greatest foes pairing up.There is also a tense confrontation between Galavan(James Frain)and sister Tabitha(Jessica Lucas)in the prison where we see a real dark threatening side to the slimy charming character.
In terms of action and suspense this was crammed with it when Gordon first takes on the hit-man in the elevator in a gruelling smack down before a fantastic shootout takes place in Galavan's penthouse before Jim faces off with cannibal assassin Flamingo who after getting a bit of a kicking gets the upper hand and arrests the nut case but he wins overall when he kills the officer involved in the shootout earlier by biting off her ear in the station and this scene had a hint of classic movie Se7en about it.The episode ends in a great fashion too as the mysterious monks to do with Galavan headed by Father Creel(Ron Rifkin)arrive in Gotham,kill a patrolman and walk off into Gotham.
This outstanding episode had all the hallmarks of the best action thrillers like Heat and The Town plus some superb performances by both McKenzie and Chiklis,Riddler and Penguin double team,a epic couple of action scenes(shootout and both fights)and a gruesome finale,loved it.
9.7-my personal favourite Gotham episode
willmew29 April 2023
Not only does 'a bitter pill to swallow' contain some of the best action scenes in the series but it has such an impact on the story. It starts off brilliants and gradually gets better and better. It's dark, compelling and very suspenseful to watch. A very overlooked episode and I'll probably never get tired of watching. If I were to give a summary
Plot:9.6/10
Protagonist:10/10
Side characters 10/10
Action:10/10
Suspense:9.8/10
Pacing:10/10
Cinematography:10/10
Introduction:7/10
Ending:9.8/10
it's one of my favourite episodes in fiction and I still remember watching it for the first time to this day. Even if you don't watch gotham you should watch this.
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