I feel like Nygma could be 19-20 in this show. And Bruce might be 14? so maybe not that much of a stretch

God I love where they're going with Penguin though

So how old is cobblepot here? Are we really to assume he is in his mid 30s?

I assume Cobblepot is in his twenties, or supposed to be.

Also +1 to people saying showing Bruce Wayne at all is just hurting the show now. He should be off the spotlight for at least a few seasons, maybe just pop in once a season for a very small amount of time.

I would put Cobblepot at 28-30 here

and more on the Bruce stuff, I actually like the interactions between Jim and Alfred - they're hinting that Alfred knows more than he's leading on, and that him and Jim could be a good sort of...team...for years to come, but yea - don't get Bruce involved until he's an adult imo.

That's how I have it too. Traditional batman I always had Penguin 20-30 years his senior, but that could be due to his disabilities

The rise of Penguin is making this show above average. Dude is owning the show hard.

Have to agree with this, I like what they are doing with his character but I am kinda hooked on the show now regardless

I like the show a lot

I don't hate the Bruce stuff as much as you guys...they want to show his progression over time to become batman...it should mostly focus on detective skill building since Batman is the world's greatest detective, as opposed to running away to Asia, becoming a ninja, and then coming back to fight crime like in Batman Returns...he's also gaining an understanding of how Gotham works and what the mob families are after, etc

They've already hinted at him becoming a detective...he knew all about the Wayne killer (shiny shoes, etc) while most victims don't remember those details, and he's analyzing all the documents for connections/clues/etc

Hopefully they keep it low-key and are cramming it down us more obviously early on like they did with all the characters and then they'll let it be more natural going forward

Yea I guess I had problems with the inconsistency of Nolan's Batman and what they were doing with Bruce here, but Nich makes good points. They seem to be going the way of Bruce Wayne's true origins here where Bruce starts intellectual and physical training right away after his parents are killed.

I have no issues with the Bruce stuff. Don't see anything to hate about it.

I mean the show could get a lot worse and I'd keep watching but I like it overall. I'd like to move forward some of the Falcone stuff though, but it has to be paced with Penguins movements I guess.

Yea I mean don't get me wrong, I've bashed the Bruce stuff but it doesn't mean I don't like the show - I love it. In a forum like this we'd fine something to bash about even the most legendary of shows. Hopefully Gotham keeps entertaining.

One theory I had before it started is that if they're using these well known Batman villains as they're "growing up" sort of speak, does that mean they're basically invincible? i.e wouldn't they have to live to give Batman a hard time 20-30 years later? My original thought is yes, which could make this a pretty boring show, but after giving it some thought this show is in effect its own little universe, so they could do anything. They might kill Penguin off Season 1 in lou of a bigger, badder villain. They might have Nygma turn evil and riddle all over town before being locked up for good at the ripe age of 30 - who knows, and I think that's what will keep me coming back, because nothing is for certain

Arkham is being introduced early to store villains IMO. I doubt we will ever get to batman grown up anyway fwiw, but they don't need to kill off the big bads if they establish the trapdoor early on.

They also could easily kill a major villain like penguin before getting to Batman, they don't need to stick to the strict expectation that known batman villains will survive in Gotham before Batman grows up.

They don't need to treat the Nolanverse as canon, especially when Batfleck is coming soon to rewrite that canon in film anyway. I wouldn't care if Gordon stops an early unseasoned Joker and sends him to the asylum for example.

yea I could see that happening too - I mean it's basically just like the MCU - they follow some stories but otherwise do whatever the hell they want in that Universe

Burton's Joker had him as a member of the mob before he fell in radioactive vat, so definitely precedent already to show him as mob member (that comedian?) that Jim locks up...maybe he gets locked up early and goes crazy because he is in Arkham...it's now not being torn down and rebuilt to state of art like Waynes wanted, but instead a cheap retrofit led by the mob will be done

The schizo tone of the show is really annoying. I wish they'd decide on a tone and just go balls out with whatever they decide.

Episode 1-Funny/dark
Episode 2-Almost completely dark with very few rays of humor
Episode 3-Funny/dark
Episode 4-Insanely dark

Jada was only 25 percent horrible in this episode, but the scenes she was in were 85 percent horrible.

As Phill said, this show would have to get significantly worse for me to stop watching it.

As for ages, there's no chance Nygma is playing 18-19, he's important enough that he's passing information to the detectives. If he's a genius, it's realistic that he's playing 23-24, but not 18-19. Penguin is probably supposed to be mid-20s, but Fish basically treated him like a child so he could theoretically be playing younger.

I'm confused as to how this became Penguin's show, but the dude is so good in that part that it should be his show.

Should just be called Penguin's Gotham

Gotham: Penguin Begins

Gotham: It's a slippery slope

Gotham: Were gonna accidentally Cobblepot together a good show

Lego Gotham: Everything is Oswald

Don't Be Jada'd: Everything's Coming Up Oswald

Winner

When do you think they're going to bring in the person that turns into the joker? Season 1 finale?

Why would introducing the Joker be a huge season finale? I would expect a key death or event to be the finale. Maybe we get Joker mid season and he kidnaps Gordon or his partner? Maybe Penguin saves him?

I consider Joker to be villain #1 in the batman universe.