GOTHAM (2014- )

Before I touch on anything else, I have to praise the production team for this series. The world of Gotham is a wonderful mix of different eras ranging from '80s automobiles, '40s clothing and aesthetics and '90s era cellphone technology. The set design is impeccable, it invokes the past but feels timeless all the same.

Similarly, the casting for the series is phenomenal. They always seem to manage to find people that not only look the part but are extremely talented as well. Ben McKenzie does a wonderful job as a young James Gordon. Robin Lord Taylor from the start has done wonders with the role of Oswald Cobblepot aka The Penguin. David Mazouz was a fantastic find for the part of young Bruce Wayne and he continues to impress and grow with the role. Similarly, Sean Pertwee is great as a more rough and tumble Alfred Pennyworth.

There’s a lot of incredible talent both behind and in front of the camera on this series. Unfortunately it often is let down by the writing. The series is at its strongest when the focus is on the investigation into the Wayne murder. But often, wanders off on tangents and finds itself on shaky ground. It would probably benefit from shorter more focused seasons around 10-15 episodes long instead of the current 22. As they are, both current seasons get off to rocky starts. But both find themselves by the end. Gotham is oft-maligned and misunderstood but ultimately is a beautiful if flawed gem.