In this week’s episode we dig deeper into the back story of Dr. Crane and his purpose with the fear serum that he extracted from his victims.  Fish is pulling a power play in her new residence.  The Penguin is trying to establish himself as a nightclub owner and a powerful figure in the underworld.  Bruce tries to continue the father-son tradition without one major component, and Gordon’s love life is getting very awkward for him at work.

Gotham Scarecrow 02The Good

  • We get an explanation as to why Dr.Crane is harvesting the adrenal glands from his victims. He wants to overcome the fear of failure, because of his wife’s death in a house fire that he blames himself for not saving her in time.
  • Penguin’s life is in Falcone’s hands. Falcone makes a deal with him to keep Penguin alive.  But Maroni warns Penguin that when Falcone is gone, he will be also.
  • Fish tries to make over management in her new residential hiding place from Mace, the current man in charge. She eventually kills him and starts making ground rules.
  • Nygma and Penguin finally have a face to face encounter. It is pretty funny.
  • Bruce decides to go on the traditional father-son hiking trip, but without dad. He struggles with it.  He even gets hurt.  Alfred finally joins him and they watch the sunrise together, which was what Bruce and his dad used to do.
  • Crane uses the fear serum on his son, Jonathan, to rid him of being afraid ever again, but he gives him way too much and Jonathan is permanently damaged. He gains a permanent, intense terror of scarecrows attacking him.
  • Leslie Thompkins’ PDA is making Gordon feel uncomfortable at work. He asks her to tone it down.

Gotham Scarecrow 01The Bad

  • Bruce’s personal mission to continue life without dad is weak in this episode.
  • Whatever happened to Butch, Fish’s right hand?
  • They didn’t explain why Dr. Crane’s son, Jonathan, had to go through the same experiment like his father, or maybe I missed it.
  • Leslie Thompkins is a nice change for Gordon, but is there more to her than just eye candy and a love interest for Gordon?

It is nice see a familiar villain pop up to rattle Gordon and the GCPD, also to see an origin for one of Batman’s greatest foes.  I love Penguin, and the other main villains so far, but I’m getting a little tired to see them every single week.  Yes, it is not Dr. Crane we know from the comic books, but it is just as creepy and delightful just the same.  Even though Bruce’s journey this week is not the highlight of this episode, he is slowly taking one step closer to becoming the person we recognize in the comic book.  Penguin’s luck is starting to diminish as he juggles two crime bosses at the same time.  Next week the most infamous villain appears, and it’s going to be one hell of a joke, GET IT??

Gotham S1E15 “The Scarecrow” recap