MANILA, Philippines – The origin story continues on GOTHAM and the stakes are higher than ever, as Super Villains more ambitious and depraved are introduced, and a realignment of alliances shakes up the fight for power in Gotham City.
With Detective Jim Gordon (Ben McKenzie) and the ethically questionable veteran Detective Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue) at the forefront of the fight against crime in this dangerously corrupt city, season two will witness Gordon’s moral compass wavering, as he confronts Gotham’s most notorious criminals. At the same time, he will continue his quest to gain the trust of the young Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz), who is on a clear path towards the man he is destined to become, after discovering his father’s deepest secrets.
In the epic turf war that occurred at the conclusion of season one, Oswald Cobblepot aka The Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor) battled his way into power over Gotham’s underworld.
Heading into season two, GOTHAM will continue to follow the evolving stories of the city’s most malevolent villains: Edward Nygma/The Riddler (Cory Michael Smith), whose transformation from Gotham PD’s forensic expert to psychologically unhinged villain continues; Selina Kyle/the future Catwoman (Camren Bicondova), whose hard-knock existence propels her into a life of crime; and the increasingly unstable Barbara Kean (Erin Richards). GOTHAM also will explore the origins of new villains, including The Joker and Mr. Freeze
Watch GOTHAM on Warner TV, available in SD and HD on Sky Cable CH 77 (SD) or CH 197 (HD) in Mega Manila – Metro Manila, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna and Bulacan CH 615 (SD) or CH 738 (HD) in Regional Areas – Cebu, Davao, Baguio, Iloilo, Bacolod, Dumaguete and Gensan
Visit this website to get more details on how you can activate GOTHAM on your Sky Cable subscription. You can also watch it live via Sky-on-Demand.
AN INTERVIEW WITH BEN MCKENZIE OF GOTHAM
Gotham is an exciting origin story of the great DC Comics Super-Villains and vigilantes, revealing an entirely new chapter that has never been told before. Featuring a host of acclaimed actors including Ben McKenzie, Donal Logue, Robin Lord Taylor and Sean Pertwee, the crime drama follows the story of James Gordon’s turbulent rise through the Gotham City police department as he steers through a dangerously corrupt city teetering on the edge of evil, and chronicles the birth of one of the most popular super heroes of our time. The unlikely friendship Gordon forms with an orphan called Bruce Wayne is a relationship that will last them all of their lives, playing a crucial role in helping the young boy eventually become the crusader he’s destined to be.
With the second season of Gotham about to launch, we catch up with Ben McKenzie – who plays James ‘Jim’ Gordon in the show – to find out more…
What changes can we expect in Jim Gordon in season two of Gotham?
There are big changes for Jim. When we pick up the story in season two, there’s a reversal of fortune where Mr Cobblepot [played by Robin Lord Taylor] is the king of Gotham and Mr Gordon is at the lowest he’s ever been. He’s been punished for saving Falcone’s life and foiling Loeb’s plan, so he’s a traffic cop and he’s pretty bitter about it.
But as always in Gotham, things change and things can get reversed really quickly
There has always been a fine line between law and order and the underworld of Gotham. Do those lines become a little more blurred for Jim in season two?
Yes, and this happens immediately. In the first episode, you’ll see a deal with Cobblepot, which has extremely negative consequences. It will immediately shift Gordon towards the next chapter of his evolution. Jim has learned that he has to do what he has to do to get things done, and it’s a real change for him to throw morality to the side.
He’s still serving the greater good in his mind, while doing whatever it is he has to do. He’s a rougher, darker version of his character. He’s a guy really grappling with the compromises that come with getting power; how you achieve power, how you hold on to power, how you dispense power. At the core of that is his relationship with Oswald.
Is that fun to play in season two?
Personally, I think it’s a little sad to watch that part of him, that idealism, go away. But that is the journey that he’s going on. He’s learning the realities of how you get power in Gotham. And you only do that by playing pretty rough.
Does he start to feel that Harvey Bullock [played by Donal Logue] had some valid points?
Yeah, he does. Harvey starts to question Jim’s new point of view. Harvey starts to think, ‘Whoah! I didn’t mean it that much. Come back.’
The relationship between Jim and Harvey was so vital in establishing the tone on the show in season one. Can we expect to see that relationship change in season two?
I think it’s grown more complex. The two of them understand each other better and Harvey has taught Jim a lot of things about how the city actually works. I think there’s a mutual respect there, and I imagine it’s a partnership for years to come.
Does Oswald think he and Jim Gordon are friends?
I think so. In his own demented way, that’s a friendship to him. They are both aware of the nature of what their friendship is – it’s a friendship borne out of being able to do favours for each other and being able to get things done for each other. That’s the way Gotham works, so they are friends. Just make sure there’s not a knife in your back when you’re giving your friends a hug!
If Barbara Kean [played by Erin Richards] goes bad, she’ll be the closest person to Jim who has gone off the rails. How will he deal with her as a villain?
He will deal with her gingerly. He will deal with her with great care. You’re right, she’s the closest person who has gone full ‘bad guy’, and that doesn’t go away. She doesn’t get less crazy as we go through season two. And sure enough, their paths keep crossing. Jim has to figure out throughout the series how to deal with different bad guys differently, depending on the nature of the threat.
What’s the biggest threat about Barbara?
With her, he’s less concerned with her physical strength and much more concerned about the fact that she’s personally invested in destroying him. She knows him better than anyone, but what is she willing to do to get what she wants? Having a psycho ex-girlfriend is scary.
Who can Gordon trust in season two?
He can still trust Harvey. The good thing about Harvey is the fact that he’s very honest with Jim. He doesn’t tend to hide things. Leslie Thompkins [played by Morena Baccarin] is a very close ally. And, increasingly in season two, Bruce and Alfred [played by David Mazouz and Sean Pertwee] can be trusted again. They were on the out before, but they’ve each realised the value in the other side, so they’re forming a bit of a team. The good guys have to stick together because they’re outnumbered.
Are there more villains to fight against in season two?
Yes, in some senses. Season one was the origins of Gotham the city. It was about a city that was ruled by crime families. We destroyed that in season one, with Maroni being dispatched and Falcone effectively going into retirement as he concedes the throne to Cobblepot, so season two starts to explore the rise of the villains. And these villains are much more pernicious than these crime families
Why is that the case with the villains of season two?
The crime families actually wanted order. Law and order are actually how they get money out of a situation. But when the wheels fall off and the true villains arise, it’s anarchy. As the villains rise, there’s an arms race – and the good guys have to increase their force as well. I think there will be new heroes introduced on the good guys’ side and they will have to band together and fight the rise of the villains. It’s a pretty exciting time.
How will Bruce and Gordon’s relationship evolve this season? Will we start to see the seeds of the deep friendship that Batman and Jim Gordon have in the comics?
In season one, Bruce felt betrayed by Jim for not living up to his promise to solve his parents’ murder. Now, they are slowly picking up the pieces – but at the same time, Bruce is not being completely honest with Jim. Bruce discovers the cave that his father had and he embarks on his own journey, so secrets start to develop between them. They know what they’re up against in terms of bad guys and they are on the same team, but Bruce isn’t being entirely honest about what he’s up to.
Will there be any romance for Jim in season two?
We’ve got a little romance in the show this year, too. Obviously, Barbara has turned from loving partner to psychotic ex-girlfriend and she only gets crazier in season two. That puts a strain on Jim’s relationship with Thompkins. Thompkins is one of the few people that he is able to actually confide in and rely upon – but as she watches him turn darker, she starts to question her own belief in the man. Can it withstand the turn that he’s taking? And can she keep him from turning all the way to the dark side? We’ll just have to watch and see…