You'll see the Joker's origins teased in GOTHAM before the first season ends

Gotham is one of those polarising shows that people seem to either like or loathe. I’m in the former group, although I can see why others aren’t as it has a tendency to oscillate between being very good and very bad nearly every episode. It’s not been shy with Batman’s rogues gallery in it’s first few episodes either – the Falcone and Maroni crimes families, and future supervillains such as Victor Zsasz, Edward Nygma aka The Riddler and Ivy Pepper (as she’s known on the show) aka Poison Ivy among others all making appearances; with the focus so far being on Oswald Cobblepot aka The Penguin (and Robin Lord Taylor’s excellent performance of the character the best part of the series).

However nothing’s been heard or seen of Batman’s iconic nemesis The Joker, but according to Gotham’s executive producer Bruno Heller (speaking to TVGuide) we’re going to see hints of the darranged deranged criminal sooner rather than later saying:

We’ve said you’re going to be waiting a bit longer for it, but this is America — nobody wants to wait [he then proceeded to kick a Persian down the well]. So, we will scratch the surface of that story, yes. But just scratch it — a little tap on the door.

 

While I don’t think The Joker is a character that needs to appear on the show so soon, if they’re determined I have an out-there suggestion for him – Jada Pinkett Smith’s Fish Mooney. She’s already displayed psychotic tendencies, has an extravagant personality, and is probably only (another) serious set-back away from losing her mind. I can easily see her inhabiting the role and who knows, maybe those red highlights in her hair are teasing a red hood. The explosion of internet rage if a woman becomes The Joker has nothing to do with it either, honest.

He went on to say that while the show’s main supervillain focus has been on The Penguin thus far, the latter half of the current season will shift that focus onto the person who will become The Riddler; the awkward and socially-inept Gotham PD forensic analyst Edward Nygma (Corey Michael Smith) who’s been pursuing the stations’ file clerk Kristen Kringle (Chelsea Spack):

Penguin was born a sociopath and was always going down this path one way or another. Nygma is someone who becomes the villain, and we see that journey begin in the second half of the season.

As Spack herself said about his character:

What motivates people to do things is oftentimes love. He is slowly starting to break through her defenses, but we take two steps forward and then one step back. It’s not smooth sailing for Edward Nygma. It’s complicated for her to have somebody’s feelings in her hand. It’s not as simple as rejecting somebody and having a clean conscience because she’s starting to realize how deeply he cares.

That’s not going to turn out well.

What do you think? Are you watching, and enjoying, Gotham or do you wish it had never emerged from the Lazarus Pit?

Last Updated: February 4, 2015