Nicholas D’Agosto cast as Harvey Dent

[Silver Nemesis]

Nicholas D'Agosto ("Masters of Sex") is joining the cast as Harvey Dent — a character who, during his good days, is known for being an idealistic assistant district attorney who vows to eradicate the crime and corruption that has poisoned Gotham. Although he will one day serve as the white knight Gotham desperately needs, Dent also gives the audience a fleeting glimpse of the villain he will become: Two-Face.

D'Agosto will only serve as a guest star on the series for now, as "Gotham" is currently spending the first season's villain storyline on an origin tale surrounding Oswald Cobblepot/Penguin (actor Robin Lord Taylor). But there is a series regular option in the event that the show is renewed for a second season.

http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/gotham-harvey-dent-nicholas-dagosto-1201319918/

[johnnygobbs]

I was rather hoping that Harvey Dent would be a contemporary of Bruce Wayne.  It's a shame he's another character that's going to be a good few years older than Bruce.  I still don't think any of the films have covered Bruce and Harvey's early friendship (even 'TDK' presented the two men as relative strangers to one another).

[Silver Nemesis]

It does seem like rather a missed opportunity. The whole premise of this show hinges on exploring who the villains were before they became villains. And they can't fully explore Dent's connection to Bruce if they're a generation apart in age. Nor can they accurately show him becoming Two-Face if they have to omit Batman's presence during the scarring scene. Hopefully they'll at least depict Thomas Elliot as a contemporary of Bruce.

[johnnygobbs]

It does seem like rather a missed opportunity. The whole premise of this show hinges on exploring who the villains were before they became villains. And they can't fully explore Dent's connection to Bruce if they're a generation apart in age. Nor can they accurately show him becoming Two-Face if they have to omit Batman's presence during the scarring scene. Hopefully they'll at least depict Thomas Elliot as a contemporary of Bruce.

I own 'Batman Files' which contains several 'diary entries' from Bruce from childhood onwards, and one section deals with his roommate at prep school, Harvey Dent, a scholarship kid.  He refers to how Dent is constantly restless and suffering nightmares at night (presumably because of the abuse he suffers at the hands of his father).  I think that would have made for very interesting material for the show, but then again, I guess the show's focus is James Gordon and not Bruce.