When the FOX series Gotham premiered, a good number of DC fans expected it to be all about the Dark Knight. Just as Smallville had chronicled the rise of Clark Kent/Superman, it would have made sense for Gotham to focus on the rise of Bruce Wayne/Batman. It did, but only in a sketchy manner.'
Instead, Gotham's pilot took a different path, hinting that the series was going to place more focus on the rise of Batman villains as well as Batman's law-enforcement ally Jim Gordon. The premiere—which aired on September 22, 2014—was watched by 8.21 million viewers. But even if you were part of these statistics, you might not recall all the proceedings. Here's what you forgot.
Selina Kyle's Love For Cats
There is a reason why she is Catwoman. She adores cats, and kinda moves like them too. In the first few minutes of the pilot, Selina emerged. She prowled the rooftops of Gotham as she surveyed the city and looked for someone to pickpocket.
She dropped down to the streets where she used a knife to cut an unsuspecting woman's shopping bag. She then took out a carton of milk and gave it to a stray cat. Stealing from someone in order to feed a cat proved that Selina would stop at nothing to make sure that Gotham's feline population would continue thriving.
It Gets The Waynes' Murders Out Of The Way Early
It's a story that has been told many times. Every Batman fan is familiar with it. But there was no way it couldn't be told again in Gotham. After watching a musical, Bruce and his parents walked down an isolated alley as they headed home. They began debating about the play, with Bruce and his father calling it lame. His mother disagreed.
Suddenly, a mugger appeared and pointed a gun at the Wayne family. He demanded the necklace that Bruce's mother was wearing and she began taking it off. Before she could give it to him, he fired at both her and Bruce's father. He then pointed the gun at Bruce but reconsidered killing him and ran away. Bruce shook his parents' bodies and screamed in agony after realizing they were gone.
A Criminal Gave GD Officers A Hard Time
Viewers were introduced to Detective Jim Gordon (future Commissioner Gordon) when a perpetrator was being dragged into a cell at the Gotham City Police Department (GD) headquarters. The man insisted he needed his pills and when he was denied, he grabbed an officer's gun and held it to her ear.
Every cop was forced to draw their gun, urging the man to calm down. Taking control of the situation, Detective Jim Gordon tricked the perpetrator by giving him a bottle of aspirin, making him think his pills were inside. The man was able to tell he was being lied too but Gordon was quick enough to disarm him.
Gordon's Partner Didn't Want To Take The Wayne Murder Case
Gordon and his partner Harvey Bullock bullock were assigned the case involving Bruce's parents by the GD Desk Sergeant. Bullock tried to protest that his shift was over but the Desk Sergeant wouldn't have it.
Ar a diner, Bullock voiced his anger at Gordon for accepting to take the case. Gordon couldn't understand what the problem was. Bullock explained that he didn't like the pressure and media coverage that would surround the case. Since the Waynes were famous, everyone would expect them to solve the murder quickly.
Gordon's Consolation
Bruce was grief-stricken after the death of his parents. When Gordon came to the scene and asked his name, he couldn't even answer. He then began to sob endlessly.
The young Bruce was angry that he didn't do anything to save his parents. Gordon consoled him, telling him that there was nothing he could have done. He let Bruce know that when he was his age, he lost his father too to a drunk driving incident. He assured the boy that even though everything appeared homeless at the moment, things would get better.
Oswald Didn't Like Being Called "Penguin"
Penguin is one of Batman's greatest foes and his origin story was explored extensively in Gotham. While investigating the Wayne murder, Bullock roughed up some street thugs for information. He proceeded to torture them, something Gordon didn't agree with.
The information they got led them to They bullied him, telling him he looked like a penguin. Oswald was pissed off when they kept calling him "Penguin."
There Was A Little Hint At The Joker
For a brief moment, viewers were shown an unnamed stand-up comedian auditioning at Fish Mooney's club. This happened when Fish discovered that Oswald Cobblepot had been talking to the Gotham City Police Department. Fish proceed to beat Oswald as the comedian watched in horror.
As seen in the 2019 Joker movie, the DC villain was a stand-up comedian in Gotham. In Gotham, it's never really clear who the Joker is, but this comedian at the club was the most likely candidate.
Poison Ivy's Dad Was The Main Suspect
The information that Bullock and Gordon got at Mooney's club led them to the home of a petty thug named Mario Pepper. It just so happened that Pepper had a shy, plant-obsessed daughter named Ivy (who would later become Poison Ivy).
Ivy was frequently subjected to physical abuse and neglect. However, the cops were more interested in the murder case than Ivy's poor living conditions. It turned out that Pepper wasn't even the killer. He was being framed. None of the shoes in his collection matched the one the killer was wearing, as described by Bruce.
Bruce Displayed A Common Batman Habit
Later in the episode, Gordon spotted Bruce standing on the edge of the roof when he visited the Wayne Manor. The detective was alarmed but Alfred was simply irritated, telling Brice to come down. When Gordon asked Alfred why Bruce was standing there, he explained that the young lad was trying to conquer his fear.
Batman fans must have easily notice that Bruce was showcasing one of the Dark Knight's most common habits. Batman has a habit of standing on Gotham City rooftops. He does so frequently in the comics as well as live-action media.
Gordon Spared Oswald's Life
Gordon is partly to blame for the Penguin causing so much havoc in the future. Fish Mooney and Falcone ordered Bullock to make sure Gordon killed Oswald. This way, the secret about the Wayne family murder would remain. Fish also wanted Oswald dead as punishment for ratting.
Since Bullock had been instructed to kill Gordon if he didn't take care of the "Penguin Problem," the detective escorted Oswald to the edge of the bay and pointed a gun to his head. He whispered to Oswald, telling him to never come to Gotham. He then pretended to kill him by firing into the horizon and pushing him into the water. And thus the Penguin was fully born.