Gotham (Fox)

[riddler]

Might be interesting if they have a heavy focus on the villains. The new SHIELD show is basically the avengers without the avengers. There's dozens of cop shows out there, having one focusing on Gordon; an idealist among the corrupt might not be a bad thing.

Plus just because there's no Batman doesn't mean the Wayne's can't be featured. Think Batman Begins Begins (but hopefully without all the Nolanism).

Do you think the show should deal exclusively with the early days of Gordon's career or would a flashback structure dealing incorporating a strand featuring young Gordon, and a 'present-day' strand would be the best way to go?  Alternatively, should it just deal with Gordon in the present?

I'd like some of the 'Batman: Year One' stuff featuring a corrupt (rather than merely inept, ala 'Batman Begins') Commissioner Loeb and a more physically imposing Detective Flass but I also hope we don't have to wait too long to see Bullock, Montoya and the other key team-members of 'Gotham City Police Department'.

Bearing in mind the wealth of supporting characters, particularly cops and other officials like Mayors Hill and Marion Grange, this could be a real kick-ass show to look forward to.  Gordon's family and affair could and should be covered as should the revolving door of District Attorneys including Dent and Janet Porter, and the various crime families and serial killers that plague the force, like the extended Falcone family and the Holiday Killer.

I'm thinking it should start before year one but not sure how much before. There's different ways to tackle such a concept;
-if you accept year one as canon, Gordon is the officer who comforts young Bruce Wayne after the death of his parents. So Gordon becomes an officer 15-20 years before Bruce Wayne becomes Batman
-Arkham asylum has a history going back over 100 years, it can be a focal point
-not an awful lot is discussed pertaining to Alfred and the Waynes. That could be an area to explore.
-it would be kind of neat to see villains before they become villains; a young selina kyle, Edward Nygma, Victor Fries etc. Clayface while still an actor. Maybe even if the show is bold enough, give an origin of the Joker.

[Silver Nemesis]

How about a TV show chronicling Gordon's career during Batman's ten year absence in The Dark Knight Returns universe? Plotlines could include the rise of the Mutant gang, Harvey Dent's rehabilitation, and the disappearances of villains who didn't appear in Miller's original miniseries. What happened to the Riddler, Penguin and Scarecrow? Tune in to find out.

Selina Kyle would appear occasionally as one of Gordon's underworld contacts, and there would be the occasional reference to Bruce Wayne being locked away in his mansion. It would be a police procedural show, but with a dark sci-fi feel to it. And the last episode of the final season would end with Batman returning to Gotham.

Who would I cast as Gordon? Well since this would need to be the tougher Gordon from Miller's timeline, how about Ted Levine?

He's 56 years old, 5'11 and he looks like the Gordon from the comics. He's played a number of tough cop roles over the years and has appeared in acclaimed movies like The Silence of the Lambs (1991), Heat (1995), American Gangster (2007) and Shutter Island (2010). And although he did voice Sinestro in the DC animated universe, he's never appeared in a live action superhero film. So he wouldn't bring any genre baggage with him.

I know they're focussing on a younger Gordon, but in my universe - which shall henceforth be known as the Silver Nemiverse - Ted Levine is Gordon.

[riddler]

How about a TV show chronicling Gordon's career during Batman's ten year absence in The Dark Knight Returns universe? Plotlines could include the rise of the Mutant gang, Harvey Dent's rehabilitation, and the disappearances of villains who didn't appear in Miller's original miniseries. What happened to the Riddler, Penguin and Scarecrow? Tune in to find out.

Selina Kyle would appear occasionally as one of Gordon's underworld contacts, and there would be the occasional reference to Bruce Wayne being locked away in his mansion. It would be a police procedural show, but with a dark sci-fi feel to it. And the last episode of the final season would end with Batman returning to Gotham.

Who would I cast as Gordon? Well since this would need to be the tougher Gordon from Miller's timeline, how about Ted Levine?

He's 56 years old, 5'11 and he looks like the Gordon from the comics. He's played a number of tough cop roles over the years and has appeared in acclaimed movies like The Silence of the Lambs (1991), Heat (1995), American Gangster (2007) and Shutter Island (2010). And although he did voice Sinestro in the DC animated universe, he's never appeared in a live action superhero film. So he wouldn't bring any genre baggage with him.

I know they're focussing on a younger Gordon, but in my universe - which shall henceforth be known as the Silver Nemiverse - Ted Levine is Gordon.

The thing is that film implies that everything magically cleaned itself up with the Harvey Dent act. It also implies Gordons days as a hero were long gone so I suspect it was a boring time for him in that 8 year period. Things couldn't be that chaotic because then the question would be begged 'why didnt Batman done the cowl again earlier'

It would be far less constricting to do a prequel. The only constriction would be who can't die.

[BatmAngelus]

I think you're getting your movies and comics mixed up, riddler.  Batman Begins had Gordon as the officer comforting young Bruce, not Year One.  Likewise, Silver Nemesis's TV idea is a prequel to The Dark Knight Returns comic, not The Dark Knight Rises.  (Btw, Silver Nemesis, Ted Levine was my choice for Gordon before Oldman was cast back in 2003/2004).

As for the show, I wouldn't be surprised if, as johnnygobbs said, we see a more Year One-ish version of Commissioner Loeb and Detective Flass.  I'd love to see Babs and Harvey Dent, too, but a lot of this depends on just how young Gordon is supposed to be in the series and how many years it takes place before Batman's debut.

[riddler]

I think you're getting your movies and comics mixed up, riddler.  Batman Begins had Gordon as the officer comforting young Bruce, not Year One.  Likewise, Silver Nemesis's TV idea is a prequel to The Dark Knight Returns comic, not The Dark Knight Rises.  (Btw, Silver Nemesis, Ted Levine was my choice for Gordon before Oldman was cast back in 2003/2004).

As for the show, I wouldn't be surprised if, as johnnygobbs said, we see a more Year One-ish version of Commissioner Loeb and Detective Flass.  I'd love to see Babs and Harvey Dent, too, but a lot of this depends on just how young Gordon is supposed to be in the series and how many years it takes place before Batman's debut.

Oh I apologize, I was going to correct him that Wayne spent 8 years away, now I see why he wrote 10.

Perhaps it could be gordon year one as a rookie?

[GBglide]

The one thing about "Year One" that I really liked, was that Gordon was a good cop trying to fix a corrupt police force.
Have there been any cop shows that had that theme?

[Paul (ral)]

Year One isn't strictly canon anymore. I would like to see the lift it's queues from the comics now and try and fit into a larger on-screen universe with other movies / tv shows.

[GBglide]

Too bad "Year One" is no longer cannon. Again, I really like the "good cop, corrupt system" angle.
It gives Gordon something to fight against so it doesn't become just another cop show.

[johnnygobbs]

The one thing about "Year One" that I really liked, was that Gordon was a good cop trying to fix a corrupt police force.
Have there been any cop shows that had that theme?

I can't think of any but it does sound like a small-screen version of 'Serpico' with a potentially positive spin, which is no bad thing.

[Silver Nemesis]

The one thing about "Year One" that I really liked, was that Gordon was a good cop trying to fix a corrupt police force.
Have there been any cop shows that had that theme?

The Untouchables (1959-1963) is probably the most famous TV show about honest cops battling corruption. Oddly enough, there was also a short-lived Serpico TV series that ran from 1976-1977.

If you want a contemporary take on these themes, check out Jonathan Nolan's show Person of Interest, which recently began its third season. It takes a lot of cues from the Batman mythology and one of the main characters (Carter, played by Taraji Henson) is basically a female version of Jim Gordon. There's another character called Fusco (played by Kevin Chapman) who is very similar to Harvey Bullock.