Beasts of Prey - Gotham Mini-Review and Recap

So, 'Gotham' comes back from its hiatus for the last four episodes of its season. It's been renewed, and Jada Pinkett Smith has already announced that she's out at the end of the season. Which makes the screen time dedicated to Fish's escape tonight somewhat puzzling. The producers have taken great steps to remove her from everyone else for the back half of the season, bogging her down in the offshore organ-legging operation. Fish escapes but may or may not survive. One suspects that given the actress' departure, she won't live. But we'll see.

Oswald has a very minor subplot about helping out a bar owner break up her daughter and a guitar player so that he can buy a controlling interest in her bar to kill Moroni. Which seems pointlessly complicated. There's a brief "ooh, isn't that ironic moment" as Oswald and Bruce pass each other by without realizing the future destinies that they'll share, yada yada.

And Bruce goes looking for Alfred's attacker, and demonstrates that code vs. killing that will serve him so well when he becomes Batman and the Joker kills another thousand poeple before heading back to Arkham Asylum for some R&R and his next kill spree.

As for the main plot, Jim Gordon is still the young noble idealistic cop. He's still getting kicked in the balls for it. He still ignores Harvey when his older partner tries to warn him off. There's a new serial killer in town, The Ogre, and apparently he's so dangerous that the GCPD doesn't dare investigate his murders because he kills anyone who comes after him. Umm, huh? There's nothing to indicate that the young handsome killer (Milo Ventimiglia: 'Heroes') is that careful about picking his victims, or that cunning. They really couldn't catch him when they knew who he's coming after?

This is a two-parter of sorts, so undoubtedly Jim and Harvey will do minimal detective work, get a lucky break, just manage to save Leslie or Barbara or whoever the Ogre goes after, and once again the day is saved.

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On the island hospital, Fish looks out at the helicopter parked nearby. She goes downstairs, greeting patients as she goes. Fish finally comes to an outside door, breaks open the lock and goes outside as the alarm goes off. A jeep pulls up and armed men arrive. Their leader, the Catcher, points out that Fish is outside, and she says that she's the assistant director. The Catcher warns her that he handles anyone who gets outside, and Fish says that she wasn't supposed to know that she's outside. He points his rifle at her and says that the next time she makes that mistake will be her last.



Jim comes to see Bruce, who congratulates him on becoming the new President of the policeman's union. Bruce says that Alfred is getting better, and Jim figures that they lied about who stabbed him. The boy sticks to his story, but Jim figures that Alfred plans to go after his attacker on his own. He warns Bruce that he has to stay out of it and it's not his fight, and Bruce finally says that he understands what he's saying.

Later at the station house, Office Len Moore comes over and says that Jim has a reputation for closing cases. Moore says that he was the first responder to a homicide, with a victim named Grace Fairchild. The detectives found nothing and Moore asks Jim to take over the case. Jim warns that he's busy, but Moore insists that the killer deserves justice. He insists that he doesn't have a personal angle, but he wants to be a part of helping Jim clean up the GCPD. Moore figures that bringing him the case is his way of doing it, and Jim takes the file.

Jim goes to get Leslie for lunch, and she asks about the case. He explains that Grace was found two weeks ago and went missing four months earlier. Grace called her mother from a bar, and Leslie notes that they lived in the same area and were about the same age. She points out that there are some speakeasies in the area that Jim could check, and says that whoever did it is a monster.



Fish returns to the basement and checks on Kelly's recent operation. She says that she has a plan to escape and needs his help, and promises to succeed or die trying.

Alfred returns from the hospital and prepares to leave. Bruce finds him and asks where he's going, and Alfred says that he plans to track down Reggie, figuring that he'll go to a shooting gallery. The boy says that he's not well, but Alfred tells him that Reggie will leave in a few days if they don't find him. With that, Bruce says that they had better both be going. The butler refuses to take him, but then clutches at his side as he starts bleeding.

Oswald goes to see a woman, Lidia Bicchieri, and asks if she's considered his offer to buy her bar. Lidia refuses yet again and slams a rolling pin down on the bar. Oswald asks if there's something else that she might want. Lidia says that her daughter Antonia has been seduced by a guitar player, and she wants Oswald to make Antonia leave the man. Oswald assures Lidia that her daughter will be home for Sunday mass and leaves. As Oswald leaves with Gabe, he tells his bodyguard that the place is more valuable than it looks.

Jim asks Harvey to help him look into Grace's case but he refuses. Edward comes over with a list of bars and speakeasies in the area where Grace died, including four that were missed by the original detectives. Jim points out that there is a piece of evidence, 3A, missing, and Edward promises to find it. Once he leaves, Jim admits that he's ambitious and wants to show people that things can change, but Harvey warns him not to get in over his head. Unimpressed, Jim tells him to come along.



On the island, Fish tells five of the toughest prisoners that she has a plan. She tells them there's a boat at the dock that will hold the six of them. One of them says that he heard a helicopter land, but they admit that none of them know how to fly it. Fish says that she'll get the keys to the boat, and asks if they're in or out.

Jim and Harvey check out the bars and find nothing at three of them. At the fourth one, the bartender remembers seeing Grace four months ago, because her date was hot. She says that the man was classy.

Four Months Ago

Grace and her date, Jason Lennon, are drinking. Jason says that he's had plenty of relationships but what he's looking for frightens people; unconditional love. Grace takes his hand and they go to his apartment. Jason puts his coat in the closet, making sure that Grace doesn't see the manacles hanging inside. He then thanks Grace for taking a chance on him, and admits that he hasn't had anyone there in a while.

Now

As they leave, Jim insists that he isn't dropping the case.

At the manor, Alfred dozes off on the couch as Bruce looks up some addresses of gun ranges and then quietly leaves. He goes to various gun shops, and Oswald passes him by, unknowing. He continues on to a warehouse where Gabe has the guitar player. The man insists that he and Antonia are destined to be together, and Oswald tells his man to cut off his fingers.



At the station, Leslie is checking Grace's corpse when Jim and Harvey come in. She tells them that other than the stab wounds, her body was pristine even though she was missing for four months. Harvey suggests that she might have run off on her own and then was killed, but Jim doesn't buy it. He figures whoever abducted Grace kept her prisoner until he was ready to kill her.

Four Months Ago

The next morning, Grace wakes up and finds Jason in the kitchen. He suggests that they go to an art gallery, but Grace says that she has a morning meeting. Jason suggests that she reschedule, but Grace says that she can't and hopes to see him again. As she starts to go, Jason takes her hand and they kiss... and he refuses to let her go. When Grace asks him to let her go, Jason refuses and tightens his grip.

Now

Fish sneaks into Dulmacher's locked office and finds the boat keys in his desk. As she turns to go, Dulmacher comes in and says that it's a surprise seeing her there. Fish backs up to the desk and secretly grabs a letter opener, and claims that the inmate supplies are running low. Dulmacher says that she already knows that and figures that she was trying to escape. When she denies it, he draws a gun and says that he's going to shoot her in the stomach if she doesn't tell him the truth. Fish insists that she wasn't trying to escape, and Dulmacher prepares to show her. She shows him the letter opener and says that she wants to kill someone but not him. Begging for her life, Fish says that she wanted to kill herself rather than become one of his creations. Flattered, Dulmacher lets her live but warns her that if she tries it again, he will turn her into a nightmare.

Bruce continues through the streets looking for Reggie. Selina drops down and figures that Bruce needs her help finding Reggie. When he explains that he's looking for a gun range, Selina tells him that it's not the same thing as a shooting gallery and leads him off.



Lidia is at the bar consoling her grief-stricken daughter. Oswald comes in and asks if they're ready to discuss terms.

At the station, Edward tells Jim and Harvey that he found a photocopy of missing evidence. It's a hand-painted picture of a broken heart, and Harvey recognizes it. He tells Jim that the man responsible is a serial killer.

Four Months Ago

Jason has supper with a handcuffed Grace and pretends that they're having a normal meal. She has no choice but to play along, acting the part of a doting girlfriend. The meat is overdone and Grace apologizes, and Jason slams the table with his fist and says that it isn't working out because of him. He then ties Grace up in his workshop, takes a photo of her, and puts it in a case with other twelve other photos. Jason then takes a knife out of the case and says that sooner or later he'll find the woman he needs.



Now

Once Oswald buys an owning share of Lidia's bar, he looks at a photo of Moroni in the wall and tells Gabe he's going to kill the mobster there.

Fish goes to the basement and tells her men that it's time. As they head out, Kelly notices them go. Upstairs, Fish leads them to the door and warns them that they won't have much time once the alarm goes off. She gives them the boat keys and says that the gate is unlocked, and she's going to get Kelly rather than leave him behind. Fish opens the doors and tells them not to leave her, and goes off.

When Fish returns to the cellar, Dulmacher is waiting for her. He says that she shouldn't have lied to him and prepares to cut her up, but the gate holding the prisoners opens. They come out and beat him unconscious, and Fish says that they have to go because time is running out.

The Catcher and his men arrive and move in on the five prisoners. They get to the gate and discover that it's locked. The men realize that Fish lied to them and the whole thing was a distraction.

Fish takes Kelly and the others out through another entrance and leads them to the helicopter. She gets in and admits that she lied about not knowing how to fly the helicopter.

The Catcher and his men gun down the five men… and hear the chopper lifting off. As it rises into the air, the Catcher grabs a rifle and fires a single shot through the door, hitting Fish. Despite the wound in her side, she flies the helicopter away.

At the station, Harvey explains that their killer has killed a dozen women over the years and leaves a broken heart. Most people call him the Ogre, and the GCPD hushed up his murders because the Ogre kills the loved ones of any detective who investigates his murders. Jim explains that Moore asked him to look into it and looks for the man.



Selina takes Bruce to an empty warehouse that heroin users occupy, and they spot Reggie on the floor. Bruce points Reggie out and Selina kicks him awake. The boy demands to know who sent him there, and Reggie tells him to go home. Selina yanks Reggie's bag away and threatens to throw it out the window, and Bruce repeats his question. Reggie says that he was just supposed to take some documents, but Alfred walked in on him. He asks if Alfred is all right, but Bruce ignores the question and repeats his own. Reggie says that only Alfred can deal with the people, but says that he deals with a woman named Mathis and a man named Sid Bunderslaw that he deals with. Bunderslaw was worried about what Bruce knew and sent Reggie.

Bruce tells Selina to give the bag back, but she tosses it out the window anyway. The boy tells Reggie that he needs help, but Reggie threatens to tell Bunderslaw that Bruce is on his trail. He sees the bag out on the ledge and reaches out to get it, and Bruce starts to push him out. When Bruce hesitates, Selina shoves Reggie to his death and walks away. Bruce looks down at Reggie's body.

Jim and Harvey catch Moore in the locker room and question him, and he says that Loeb told him to give Jim the case. The officer says that Loeb knew Jim would fall for it and he went along because he didn't have a choice. Outside, Harvey says that the Ogre doesn't know that Jim is on the case. If he drops it then he's clear. Jim figures that the blood of the next victim is on his hands, but Harvey warns that the Ogre could come after Leslie next. Back at his desk, Jim calls Leslie and leaves a message. Loeb comes in and Jim confronts him, and warns the commissioner that he's crossed a line. He tells Loeb that he's going to find the Ogre and put him behind bars, and then he's coming after Loeb.