Gotham 5x1 : Year Zero review

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

Gotham finally returns for it's fifth and sadly last season and with a run of only 12 episodes there is a lot to get through and eventually wrap up. It begins on Day 391 of No Man's Land as the final battle for Gotham comes to a head as Captain Gordon, Harvey Bullock, Riddler and even Penguin all suit up and get loaded for combat as all men led by many more GCPD officers open fire from a top a massive wall as Jim Gordon says ''For Gotham'' this of course is going to be the end of the season but let's go all the way back to day 87 of No Man's Land where we see Gordon talking to someone on a radio. He explains the situation currently going on in Gotham. He says various villains have taken over their own terrirtorys for example The Penguin has taken over Gotham City Hall, Scarecrow has his own little area, Mr Freeze and Firefly are at war with one another and Barbara and Tabitha still run the Sirens club but it's a women only area. Men can buy time in their but it's very restricted. Gordon also mentions how there's been no confirmed sightings of Jeremiah since the bridges around the city collapsed. He continues to tell the person on the radio that they are stretched thin on supplies but he is shot down for any form of support as the government has deemed Gotham a no fly zone or even a place to come in and evacuate people. 

Edward Nygma whom we last saw pretty much dead along with Lee Thompkins wakes up in various places around Gotham. Sporting longer hair much like his Zero Year comic look he questions just exactly what has happened to him. He blames the Edward side of himself as throughout the episode his anger levels rise and he gets increasingly frustrated with himself. Back at the GCPD and after visiting Selina who we learn has to have surgery to fix her spine from collpasing upon itself Bruce has Alfred make the call to bring in a helicopter full of supplies to help the GCPD. The helicopter eventually arrives and is greeted by a rocket launcher's missile right to it's side. (What a welcome to Gotham huh?) the chopper crashes into a warehouse and various villains and hero's alike rush to claim it's contents. Penguin, the GCPD and Barbara and Tabitha show up and battle it out for the supplies. Penguin and Tabitha have a show down after we saw Penguin kill Butch at the end of season 4 Tabitha has sworn revenge on Penguin but it's the cockroach like villain that gets the upper hand and actually kills Tabitha in cold blood right in front of Barbara. It's really ironic how one of Penguin's bullets that were supplies to Barbara and Tabitha ended up ending Tabitha's chance of killing Penguin as the bullet misfired leaving an opening for Penguin to stab her in the heart. I didn't expect Tabitha to die in the first episode this season but man was it a big way to start things out. Gotham promised this would be crazy and they are already delivering on that promise. 

After Barbara gets away Jim and Penguin try to come up with a way to split the supplies but ultimately Jim ends up shooting Penguin in his already injured leg leaving the supplies for the taking. Back at City Hall and as he has the bullet removed Penguin says he wants Gordon's head for what he did and is offering a hundred thousand rounds in exchange. Gotham has been stripped of everything but still Penguin finds a way to bargain with people and make a fool out of them. There was a lot more going on in this episode also like Scarecrow and Gordon's showdown, the proto-bat signal showing up again and how Echo somehow got into the GCPD to leave a Jeremiah / Joker style message for Gordon. It comes to an end at the GCPD's new area as Gordon tells the rest of the cops that the city needs them out there and that it's time to suit up. This episode was a great way to kick start what is Gotham's final run of episodes. Things are getting crazy and I can only imagine how much crazier it's going to be as the season goes on. Welcome back Gotham it's so good to be in your company once more.

★★★★