Gotham 4x15 : The Sinking Ship, The Grand Applause review

Be warned there will be *SPOILERS* involved in this review. With that being said let's get into it

This week's episode of Gotham begins as we see Martin being looked after by two of Sofia's men in a random apartment. Right away I notice an easter egg as one of the guys is reading an issue of Detective Comics. The comic of the same name that gave us Batman for the first time all those years ago. It was easy to notice for sure but nevertheless a nice little nod. Back onto Martin and as he is flipping through his notepad he gets some instructions on how to escape to which he follows exactly to the letter. Leading to the two guys being blown to pieces by The Riddler who enters the room after the blast telling Martin that Uncle Penguin sent him. A pretty outrageous start but cool nonetheless. Onto Jim now and him and Harvey talk more in his office above the GCPD. Harvey agrees to re-join the GCPD but only until they can take down Sofia Falcone and afterwards Jim confesses all to the press the GCPD and the people of Gotham. At Wayne Manor and we see Selina casing the place for food. Bruce walks in and the two share a nice interaction that I wouldn't expect any less of to be honest. The chemistry between the two really is heating up and it's plain to see. Selina tells him that she wants to get back what her and Ivy had stole a few weeks back from the Wayne employee that Ivy killed but she needs money to buy it back to which Bruce agrees almost instantly. Later in the episode they both team up to take back what Selina was talking about and that scene was a standout for me. 

Back onto Harvey now and he finds out some valuable information from one of his old associates that Mr Pen who we saw working for Oswlad earlier in the season used to work also for Carmine Falcone which means he also has connections to Sofia. So it's off to see Penguin in Arkham but as Harvey arrives both Penguin and Riddler escape leaving Harvey to face Zsasz  and a returning Headhunter's wrath as they have been sent to kill Penguin in Arkham by Sofia. They leave proclaiming to come back another time not knowing that Penguin and Riddler just escaped Arkham. Penguin and Riddler set out in their own way to try and take down Sofia. Riddler brings Oswald to see Lee and she agrees to help them. She tells them that need muscle so Ed goes to try and recruit Grundy but to no avail as he remembers everything that happened before and takes him to the Sirens Club where we see Barbara struggling with a headache. Oh if she only knew what was coming. Tabitha tries to convince Grundy to stay but he tells her that he has to find a way to return to his former self. Barbara tells Tabitha that they should send Ed to Sofia and leave her to decide what to do with him to which they do. This leads to Sofia and her dentist torturing Ed and trying to get information about Penguin out of him. But it's Penguin who is the smart one in this episode as him and Lee go to recruit Mr Freeze he comes up with a better idea. He freezes Penguin much like he did to Riddler at the end of last season and brings him to Sofia telling her that he captured him and demands 100 thousand dollars as a reward. Sofia agrees but soon after leaves as Zsasz shows up and tells her that they've located Mr Pen (Jim and Harvey also locate him and go to question him) so Sofia and Zsasz go to where Mr Pen is only to run into Jim and Harvey. Jim ends up getting shot and tells Harvey to leave him that Mr Pen is more important to which Harvey agrees leaving Jim on his own to fend off Sofia and her men. Jim ends up getting shot again as Sofia corners him almost leaving him for dead. She offers him another chance to join her but he tells her go to hell and just as she is about to pull the trigger she gets shot from behind by none other than Lee. She shoots her again but this time right in the middle of her head. It's later found out that Sofia is in a coma (no idea how that happens considering she almost got her head blown off) but Jim survives and as he is in hospital recovering Harvey shows up and tells him that he shouldn't tell anybody about what happened. The people of Gotham and the GCPD need a hero and that hero is Jim Gordon. 

The episode ends as back at the Sirens Club Barbara's headaches worsen only for her hand to start glowing with a mysterious white light. She turns around and sees a familiar face walking towards her. Yes it is Ra's Al Ghul and he is indeed coming back as I expected. Oh the rest of this season is going to be so much fun. This episode was brilliant and this show while not without some faults is always so entertaining to watch regardless of what happens. Bravo Gotham!

★★★★