Gotham: The Fearsome Dr. Crane Review

The episode opens with the introduction of Dr. Crane (Julian Sands), who is seen torturing a man, Adam Jodowsky, by threatening to toss him from a rooftop. Sal Maroni (David Zayas) celebrates Fish’s (Jada Pinkett Smith) departure, with Oswald Cobblepot (Robin Lord Taylor). The celebration is quickly cut short, when Fish calls Maroni and  tells him Penguin has been working with Falcone the whole time. After the call ends, Penguin and Maroni schedule a road trip.

Edward  Nygma (Cory Michael Smith) investigates the murder, while Bullock (Donal Logue) walks Sarah Essen (Zabryna Guevara) through the crime scene. Nygma discovers a surgical incision on the body, which was likely made by a doctor’s skillful hand. Despite his willingness to help, Sarah tells Nygma isn’t allowed to perform the autopsy. Bullock and Essen discuss potential backlash from the arrest of Flass. James Gordon (Ben McKenzie) returns home looking for Barbara, who has gone missing. Instead, Selina Kyle (Camren Bicondova) has been ravaging through Gordon’s cupboards. After a little hide and seek, Gordon catches Kyle, who admits to coming and going. Before Selina makes her escape, she insists she never saw the Wayne murders.

Gordon pays a visit to Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz) and tells her about Selina’s confession. However, Gordon doesn’t believe her, but Bruce does. Bruce begins questioning Gordon’s ability to solve the murder and insists he will pursue leads on his own. Maroni and Oswald arrive on the countryside, where they share a meal in a cabin. Maroni begins up the worthless piece of land, which he traded for Oswald, as a way to threaten him. Next, Scottie Mullen (Maria Thayer) speaks with Bullock, at the station. She tells him about sponsoring Adam Jodowsky (Jim Ford). She was attempting to help Adam get over his phobia of heights. Bullock receives information about the anonymous meeting group for phobias.

Gordon tells Bullock about the chair, which turns out to be a bankers chair. Meanwhile, Dr. Crane seeks out his next victim, while Nygma begins performing working on Adam’s corpse, but is caught by Essen. Despite finding something, Nygma is suspended by Essen. While investigating the chair factory, which is now closed, Bullock and Gordon discuss love, before hearing a man screaming. They discover a man tied to a chair and a man in an apron, with a pig mask. The man, with the pig mask, is shot dead.

Fish makes her departure on a lavish boat. Bullock and Gordon discuss the situation, with Essen. While Harvey and Essen believe they’ve found their perp, Gordon believes there is more to the story and references the postmortem incision on Adam. Gordon grows angry, when he learns about Nygma’s suspension, but there is little he can do. Next, Nygma runs into a crying Kristen Kringle (Chelsea Spack) and returns her tiny pencil, while explaining his suspension.

While Maroni is out and about, Oswald takes his gun. When Maroni returns, he insists they shed all of their secrets. He admits nobody is coming, while Oswald admits he doesn’t like oatmeal. Next, Maroni tells Oswald about Fish being alive and her assumption of Oswald working with Falcone. Oswald admits he took Maroni’s gun, because he knew what Fish would tell him, before demanding another secret. Maroni reveals the gun is loaded with blanks, but Oswald attempts to use it anyway, but it fails.

Gordon shares dinner with Dr. Leslie Thompkins (Morena Baccarin). Gordon attempts to use Leslie’s medical skills to help him with the autopsy, which puts her off. Leslie agrees to look at the autopsy pictures, while Gordon heads off to speak to the second victim, who has woken up. Bullock enjoys time with Scottie Mullen. Bullock smooth talks his way into the phobia group. Next, Maroni attempts to convince Oswald to get crushed to death at a vehicle scrapyard. Oswald is forced into the soon-to-be forced car.

Nygma enters the station’s locker room and picks a lock, while Bullock speaks to the group about being afraid. Next, Tod speaks about his terrible fear of failure and passing it on to his son. While speaking about his son, Tod rushes out. Meanwhile, Oswald calls Maroni, but it is no good. Instead, he calls Duffy, who runs the scrapyard, and convinces him to shut off the machine in the nick of time. Oswald makes his escape, with Maroni furiously searching for him. Ted, Dr. Crane, makes off with Scottie.

When the medical examiner returns to his locker and opens it, a bunch of severed limbs fall out of it. Gordon tells Essen about the situation. They discuss Mullen’s greatest fear, drowning. Essen is also told about the medical examiner’s limbs. Dr. Crane threatens to threaten Mullen, until his son, Jonathan Crane (Charlie Tahan), enters. The Dr insists it is good for humanity, before sending his son away and pushing Mullen into the water.

Bullock and Gordon enter, before a shootout ensues. Gordon chases after Crane, while Bullock attempts to save Mullen. Bullock is able to resuscitate Mullen, but Crane makes his escape. Oswald is awoken by a bus load of church women. He tells them he faced the devil and survived. The group agrees to take Oswald to Gotham City. Leslie tells Gordon about the killer, who seems to be remove his victim’s adrenal glands. Gordon offers Leslie a full time job, since their ME was fired for stealing body parts. After a little convincing, the pair share a kiss and agree to dinner.

Nygma returns to Kristen and confirms he isn’t leaving after all. Kristen insists Nygma owes her a new pencil. Fish’s boat is over run, by gunmen, as the show ends.

Review


The episode of Gotham was definitely exciting, with several near death experiences for our beloved Gothians. Although it wasn’t likely for Oswald to die, I still felt legitimate concern for him, when he was nearly squashed to death. On the other hand, Cory Michael Smith continues to intrigue and impress as Edward Nygma. Oswald and Nygma are definitely starting to steal the show, while other characters are taking a backseat.

Sadly, the Bruce Wayne plot line seems to be going nowhere quickly, while the murder investigation is put on the back burner. Selina Kyle’s involvement in the episode was anything, but thrilling. Perhaps the show is a little bloated with characters? Either way, this was still a fun episode, which deserves an 8 out of 10.

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