Gotham (Fox)

[Slash Man]

http://screencrush.com/gotham-season-2-clayface-mad-hatter-hugo-strange-joker/

Lots more for Season 2. I think Strange and Clayface would make great down-to-Earth villains to explore in their early stages. Why Clayface? Originally, he was just an extraordinary master of disguise. We can probably see his backstory as a successful actor at this point, and the beginning of his downfall.

[Slash Man]

Might just be me, but I think the show's starting to get a bit stale. The finale just didn't do it for me... Spoilers ahead.

Fish is a good character, but they keep toying with killing her off and it seems they can never decide. Once again, we're left with an ambiguous end for Fish. At this point, it's becoming noticeable. Selina just seems shoehorned into the mix. Nothing in her character leading up to this justifies her becoming a mob henchman.

So here's my view of it all; Jim Gordon should stay the main character. He's the only one that really had an interesting backstory in any of the comics and other media. There's a reason that Batman only had a page dedicated to his backstory back during his original run; Batman really only came to prominence once he became Batman! I think that Batman Begins shows the extent of what should be shown of Bruce's backstory while still keeping a good flow.

It is interesting to see the re-imagining of Batman's backstory, but young Bruce can't carry the show. Gordon is the only central character that we can follow and get a lot out of.

[johnnygobbs]

Might just be me, but I think the show's starting to get a bit stale. The finale just didn't do it for me... Spoilers ahead.

Fish is a good character, but they keep toying with killing her off and it seems they can never decide. Once again, we're left with an ambiguous end for Fish. At this point, it's becoming noticeable. Selina just seems shoehorned into the mix. Nothing in her character leading up to this justifies her becoming a mob henchman.

So here's my view of it all; Jim Gordon should stay the main character. He's the only one that really had an interesting backstory in any of the comics and other media. There's a reason that Batman only had a page dedicated to his backstory back during his original run; Batman really only came to prominence once he became Batman! I think that Batman Begins shows the extent of what should be shown of Bruce's backstory while still keeping a good flow.

It is interesting to see the re-imagining of Batman's backstory, but young Bruce can't carry the show. Gordon is the only central character that we can follow and get a lot out of.

Although the finale hasn't yet screened in the UK, I couldn't agree more with your conclusions. 

Gordon should remain the central focus of the show.  "Gotham" only really drags whenever we're following Bruce and his already convoluted pre-Batman origins.  Plus, the showrunners should devise long-term narratives for each of their central characters.  The fact that the first season was extended by a number of episodes mid-run shows.  It would be much easier if future seasons are allocated a specific number of episodes and contained coherent narrative stories with beginnings, middles and ends in which characters weren't going round in circles, but actually developed from episode to episode (i.e. enough of these episodes where a character is killed, comes back, and is killed again, or alternatively keeps changing alliance from one character to another and back again without any clear logical reasoning).

[riddler]

I agree that Barbara is being one of the weaker points of this series. It's kind of pointless because we know they will probably have to get together with Jim eventually. I kind of wish they didnt have them separate for so long since that plot point should happen later on after the children are born.

I thought the flying graysons were also brought in prematurely. Should Dick even be born yet at this stage? Probably not since he's the same age as the currently unborn Barbara Jr.

It would be completely illogical to make anyone other than Gordon become the main character. It's fine to have episodes focus on other characters but Gordon is basically Gotham's white knight until Batman arrives.

I wonder if Harvey Dent will become more of a prominent character? Based on the last episode it seems Edward Nygma might?

I know the Jokers origins have conflicted but I like the notion of him appearing shorly after Batman emerges; basically I like how Batman is the response to all the crime of gotham and the Joker is the response to Batman; basically Batman is what the good people of Gotham need and the Joker is what the bad people of gotham needs.

I wouldn't mind seeing Selina Kyle leave for a while. The actress is fine but it's too soon for her to get too close to Bruce. I actually think Bruce himself is getting too much screentime. Alfred is poorly portrayed and Bruces plot is almost embarassing; they're turning him into Batman too quick and it looks silly seeing a 12 year old take on that persona.

[The Laughing Fish]

David Mazouz says that Season 2 will see Bruce Wayne begin developing his dual persona as he's on his way into becoming  Batman. Also, the Joker and Mr. Freeze's origins will be explored.

Source: http://primetime.unrealitytv.co.uk/gotham-season-2-spoilers-new-synopsis-teases-the-joker-and-mr-freeze-drama/

Now I haven't given this show a real chance because it was a concept that just didn't interest me. I thought it came across as name-dropping villains for the sake of capitalizing a pop icon like Batman. But if the above news is happening, I'd be ready to give it a chance. It would be good to see how a young Bruce Wayne will achieve his destiny into becoming Batman. Sure, it's very unlikely he'll ever suit up on the show, but I'd be keen if it means his desire into becoming a crime-fighter extends to his dedication to putting his mind to the test and reaching the peak of mental ability, and outsmart people by playing the famous facade. Batman used to be thought of as a costumed Sherlock Holmes, right? I'd like to see this show give us a bit of Bruce becoming that, since the films to date haven't actually explored that area.

I saw that scene of Gordon interrogating the alleged future Joker in the first season a couple of months back, and I thought he was brilliant. I wasn't too thrilled about the showrunners saying they might use random lunatics to make the audience guess who might be the Joker. But if that same guy is returning, and he is playing the future Joker, count me in.

[Edd Grayson]

Batman used to be thought of as a costumed Sherlock Holmes, right? I'd like to see this show give us a bit of Bruce becoming that, since the films to date haven't actually explored that area.

Hear, hear! 

[riddler]

it makes more sense having Bruce as a detective at this stage. It's fine to have him practice martial arts and what not but it will be embarrassing seeing a 13 year old even entertain the notion of fighting grown criminals.

To be honest I would prefer if they strayed away from Bruce and Alfred more. For one thing I find Alfred to be poorly portrayed but it's just not captivating seeing young bruce wayne now that the initial shock over his parents. The scenes of him going and talking to the board of directors was too silly to take seriously. Even Selina is an interesting character but I don't know if I like the notion of her and Bruce being chlidhood chums.

Having freeze could be interesting especially since his origin hasn't been overly explained on screen. He's similar to Harvey Dent in that he was an intelligent successful member of society before tragedy took place. And they can have Nora Freeze as a character. If they get good acting, this could be a captivating storyline (Nora getting sick, Victor getting desperate).

[The Laughing Fish]

Looks Cameron Monaghan (Jerome Valeska) IS returning to play pre-Joker for Season 2 after all. This is what Bruce Heller said:

We're going to find out how the hell Jerome, the proto-Joker we met earlier in this season, connects with the Joker as people know him. That's the big focus of the beginning of the second season. We're going to tell the story of how the Joker came to be.

Source: http://www.themarysue.com/gotham-s2-joker/

And here are on-set pics of pre-Joker committing a crime.
Source: http://www.justjared.com/2015/07/08/cameron-monaghan-pictured-as-the-joker-on-gotham-set/

People will complain that "Joker's origin should never be explored" but there were tons of comics in the last seventy years that have explored his backstory. I see nothing wrong for this show to have its own interpretation. And personally, I'm more fascinated with finding out what led villains into that dark path instead of making them "evil for the sake of being evil".

[johnnygobbs]

I'm a little disappointed to be honest.

I liked the idea of teasing the Joker's origin.  It seems like the showrunners don't have the courage of their convictions and are playing things as they go along; never a good sign.

This Joker, Batman's most formidable enemy, can't be that big a threat if he has already been apprehended by Commissioner Gordon.  Plus his background story, the son of a promiscuous circus performer, isn't really that interesting or creepy for one of the all-time greatest villains.

I hope by proto-Joker the showrunners don't mean the actual Joker, but simply a forerunner.  But having been apparently one of the few people who actually enjoyed the first season I despair at some of the decisions the showrunners are now making.  If a fan like myself doesn't like the direction the show is going in (and the sad fact is, the first season alienated a lot of viewers if the stream of vitriol across the net is anything to go by) I honestly can't see this show lasting much longer than two seasons.

[BatmAngelus]

This Joker, Batman's most formidable enemy, can't be that big a threat if he has already been apprehended by Commissioner Gordon.

I'd say this version of Bruce isn't that big of a threat to criminals either when he could barely defend himself against a schoolyard bully. I don't mind pre-Joker getting captured a decade before he becomes the supervillain we know.

I do agree, though, that Jerome's story isn't the most interesting backstory for Joker. I think the strength of Cameron Monaghan's performance carried that episode and will probably carry his future appearances.