Debut Gotham Trailer: Batman Babies?

[MovieBob]

Debut Gotham Trailer: Batman Babies?

Here's your first look at Fox's new Batman prequel series

Earlier today, Fox first trailer [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/134246-Fox-Network-Picks-Up-Batman-Prequel-TV-Series-Gotham] for the series, which features Ben McKenzie as the future Commissioner Gordon in his youth as a rookie detective.

The trailer introduces young Gordon and fellow Donal Logue as Det. Harvey Bullock, but also reveals that the roster of pre-Batman DC Comics heroes and villains onhand is already a bit larger than originally teased: Along with David Mazouz as the young Bruce Wayne and Carmen Bicondova as a tween Catwoman, Sinister's Clare Foley appears as "Ivy Pepper," apparently destined to become Gotham's version of Poison Ivy. Among the grownups, Robin Lord Taylor's Oswald Cobblepot is already packing his Penguin umbrella, while Cory Michael Smith's Edward Nygma is at this point a police forensic scientist. Other longstanding Batman supporting players like Sarah Essen, Renee Montoya and Crispus Allen are also onhand; and earlier announcements mentioned Harvey Dent and The Joker as likely future characters.

The series, which is not connected to any previous or future Batman movie continuity, is the brainchild of The Mentalist creator Bruno Heller. It is set to join Fox's primetime lineup this fall.

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[Zhukov]

So... it's Batman... but without Batman?

Or is it like Smallville but for Batman instead of Superman?

Either way, this strikes me as dubious.

 

[FPLOON]

So... it's Batman... but without Batman?

Or is it like Smallville but for Batman instead of Superman?

Either way, this strikes me as dubious.

I think it's going to be like Smallville, if it focused on Lex instead of Clark...

Regardless, I might check this out... before FOX feels like the show's "not working out", I think...

 

[Tireseas_v1legacy]

Like I've said before, they can do a good job of this. In the comics, both costumed villains and heroes alike have said that there is something truly off about the city, like there is a corruption in its very soul. Batman, Joker, and all the rest aren't the cause, they're the symptoms of something far worse, something that scars everything it comes into contact with. If they can bring that out, then this could be one hell of a show, and a long running one at that (imagine each year another rogues gallery figure coming to fruition, with Batman joining them after 5-8 seasons).

 

[Covarr]

Please tell me this show will have Harvey Bullock in it. He's my favorite Gotham City Police Department character.

P.S. Thanks

 

[Palindromemordnilap_v1legacy]

Please tell me this show will have Harvey Bullock in it. He's my favorite Gotham City Police Department character.

P.S. Thanks

Yes it does. He's Gordon's partner, the guy in the hat.

Not feeling particularly excited about this from the trailer, to be honest. Everything look too modern. If Batman is a kid then it should be, what, 20 years ago? Back when mobile phones were the size of bricks.
I fall back on my old standby of saying if they wanted a show set around the cops of Gotham then they should just have made Gotham Central [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gotham_Central] into a series

 

[El Luck]

Did there really need to be a child batman and child catwoman in this? Thats my only real gripe with this trailer, and probably the show.

 

[WashAran]

It could have been a show about gorden, the mob and the corruption of the city, but no it has to be about batman and his rogue gallery. I can understand that Penguin and Selina could show up, but Ivy, Dent and Joker?
Who else are we going to see? Kid-Scarecrow? Kid-Bane? Kid-Talia? Kid-Clayface? Kid-... you get the point.

 

[nevarran]

Did there really need to be a child batman and child catwoman in this? Thats my only real gripe with this trailer, and probably the show.

My thoughts exactly. Who needs those kids in such a grim settings?
Besides, we've seen Batman's story like million times.

I would very much prefer to see it being focused on Gordon and Gotham's underground going berserk.

 

[PurpleLeafRave]

My only problem is that Harvey Bullock is too old. I swear he's the age he's supposed to be once Batman has grown up, but I'm willing to let that slide. I've always been interested in the origins of Gotham. I'm hoping they show The Court of Owls, but i wont hold my breath.

 

[Kmadden2004]

I'll give it a chance, but - to be honest - I just can't drum up much enthusiasm for what looks like a generic cop show featuring a detective encountering a bunch of pre-teens who will one day grow up to become interesting characters (after the final season has ended).

Literally the only thing that raised an eyebrow from me was John Doman showing up as (I assume) Commisioner Loeb.

I just can't help but think they missed a treat by not doing a proper adaptation of Gotham Central.

 

[Buizel91]

Is that the kid who played child Bruce in Batman Begins? He sounds and looks exactly like him!

Still i like the look of this, i don't think Bruce and Selina are going to be main characters in this, they might just have small roles in each season. Really hope we see other Characters in this as well like Garfield Linns, maybe Bane as a wrestler or something.

 

[Atary77]

I'm sorry but, I just can't care for prequel stuff like this. Why do I care about Gotham City? Because Batman, the Joker, Two-Face, and many others are running amock in it. So cut all that out and what am I left with? Boring crime drama. Don't get me wrong it could be GOOD crime drama if written well, directed properly, and features talented actors.

BUT that dosen't feature any of the stuff I like about the setting of Gotham City! There's no "super" aspect to it! IT's the same reason I couldn't give a crap about Smallville. It was Superman reduced to teen drama with little super power display and no colorful costumes. Because no super powers and no costumes are much easier to film and easy on production budgets.

The whole idea of "See what things were like before the super heroes showed up!" ,but... The super heroes are what I love! That's what I want! I love the stuff I love. To further illustrate my thoughts on this, I present you the following clip from one of my favorite comedians Mr. Patton Oswalt. In the clip, Patton gives his thoughts on the making of the Star Wars prequels and why prequels themselves can be down right boring.

http://youtu.be/LDCjIjsZp_Y

My thoughts in a nutshell.

 

[Kenjitsuka]

Not feeling this, at all... Tween batman and catwoman running around gritty mob-cop setting? Blegh!

 

[Ruisu]

This could work in it's own continuity. It is odd that Selina seems so much older than Bruce Wayne, and it will be weird if we get an adult Joker(even if before being joker), while 'Batman' is still a 12 year old.
But the focus on Gordon pleases me.

The article title is beyond stupid though, but bob likes his click-bait now, so whatever.

 

[Qhartb]

Honestly, this trailer makes me less excited. I was looking forward to seeing a Jim Gordon-focused cop drama with villains from the "realistic" end of the spectrum (like the Sionis, Falcone, and Cobblepot families) with young Bruce and Selina side-stories. The trailer makes the city seem uncomfortably crowded with villains-to-be.

Of course, what the trailer showed is probably the best it could do in terms of fan service. I'll still give it a try, but this trailer makes it smell Smallvillesey. The fact that Bruce looks too young to plausibly kick ass gives me hope.

 

[flying_whimsy]

This could work in it's own continuity. It is odd that Selina seems so much older than Bruce Wayne, and it will be weird if we get an adult Joker(even if before being joker), while 'Batman' is still a 12 year old.
But the focus on Gordon pleases me.

The article title is beyond stupid though, but bob likes his click-bait now, so whatever.

I agree, that thread title is ridiculously petty. Bob's bias strikes again.

Like I've said before, they can do a good job of this. In the comics, both costumed villains and heroes alike have said that there is something truly off about the city, like there is a corruption in its very soul. Batman, Joker, and all the rest aren't the cause, they're the symptoms of something far worse, something that scars everything it comes into contact with. If they can bring that out, then this could be one hell of a show, and a long running one at that (imagine each year another rogues gallery figure coming to fruition, with Batman joining them after 5-8 seasons).

I see where you're coming from and I hope they have the skill to pull it off.

OT: It looks like it has the potential to be pretty awesome, but I have a feeling the show is going to hit a snag with the narrative between deciding to follow gordon or follow lil' bruce. Also, I do feel like we've had enough origin stories in the batman department. I kind of liked it when some of the villains just showed up as opposed to being perfectly explained or worse somehow created by batman. If the city is really as bad as all that there would be a million other stories happening that don't include batman.

Also, since someone has to be that guy and I totally want it to be me for a change: sexism! All the men wear three piece suits while all the women are scantily clad in that trailer except for the one pg love scene snippet (which still focuses on the woman as the sex object) and bruce's mom (who is not actually in focus compared to the father). The only girls fully clothed are underage, but their adult personas are generally known for their sexy appearances (and I have my doubts about their inclusion in the plot).

I get the feeling they are going to make a play for the game of thrones crowd; in which case I hope they fail miserably. Good batman stories don't need sex and bloody violence to be good.

 

[WarpedLord]

I agree, that thread title is ridiculously petty. Bob's bias strikes again.

Seems more like your bias against Bob that's striking here, considering the title alludes to the very thing people in this thread are already complaining about: that this looks like, and could easily turn into "Hey! This week it's Mini-Joker!"... basically a TV version of the X-Babies.

Come to think of it... the comparison between Mojo and FOX is pretty apt!

 

[flying_whimsy]

I agree, that thread title is ridiculously petty. Bob's bias strikes again.

Seems more like your bias against Bob that's striking here, considering the title alludes to the very thing people in this thread are already complaining about: that this looks like, and could easily turn into "Hey! This week it's Mini-Joker!"... basically a TV version of the X-Babies.

Come to think of it... the comparison between Mojo and FOX is pretty apt!

It's not a bias so much as pointing out an inconsistency: that bit in the thread title is the only bit of opinion in the article (a rarity on the escapist since they usually have a closing paragraph in which the author gets to pass judgment). Rather than present an argument it comes off as a pissy little opinion of a skeptical comics-r-best-fanboy. I'm not saying that's what bob is (he is MOVIEbob after all, not COMICbob), just that that's the way it can come across since there is no proper context and it seems deliberately designed to provoke rather than inform unlike the article itself.

These snarky one-liner thread titles have become a bit of a grudge for me as I feel like they lower the level of the dialogue on the escapist and make it even easier for people to skip reading the articles (and, as in this case, send people in with a bias that's not even present in the OP).

To stay on topic: The muppet or x babies comparisons do bring up a worrying point, and I can't really unsee it now that people have been pointing it out so much. Also I must admit to already disliking catgirl (barring the double-d's and the whip, she's basically the same as her leather- and goggle-clad, fence-hopping adult incarnation: not a lot of room to grow as a character).

 

[LazyAza]

This show could be either fantastic or complete garbage and I'd assume it'll end up somewhere in the middle.