Fox’s Gotham
Season 2, Episode 15: “Mad Grey Dawn”
Directed by Nick Copus
Written by Robert Hull

* For a recap & review of the previous episode, “This Ball of Mud and Meanness” – click here
* For a recap & review of the next episode, “Prisoners” – click here
What’s Edward Nygma (Cory Michael Smith) up to, anyway? At an art exhibit, he causes quite the stir. Rather, a distraction. He takes a painting from its frame, then spray paints a nice green question mark for the cops, of course!
There’s footage of him, though his face can’t be seen. Doesn’t leave Captain Barnes (Michael Chiklis) much to go on. He sends Dt. Bullock (Donal Logue) out, then lets Dt. Jim Gordon (Ben McKenzie) know Internal Affairs are looking into the death of Galavan again. Someone said they saw the detective kill him, not Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor). I wonder whom exactly that might be? More trouble for Jim.  All the while having to deal with the supposed “art heist.”
Boss Butch (Drew Powell) gets a visit from Penguin himself with cupcakes, the newly sane free man from Arkham Asylum. Certainly Butch and Tabitha (Jessica Lucas) are surprised to see him. He apologises for past behaviour, he begs to be given another chance. And so they decide to let the little man go free. Arkham cured him, so no threat, right? Right?!?
At the scene of the heist, Jim tells Harvey about the IA investigation; “that old chestnut.” Gordon wants Bullock to help him figure out what they’ve got on him, see if he can pull strings with some friends. For now, the painting that was stolen is called Mad Grey Dawn, a Mr. Thatch (Jerry Dixon) explains to the detectives. Another called Walk in the Garden from 1884 and Lonely Field from 1885 have question marks above the artists’ signatures. Between Bullock and Gordon they figure out a connection to Union Railway Station, which is where Mr. Nygma’s getting ready to place a bomb.
The GCPD call and have the station evacuated while Ed slips into the background. Jim finds a locker with a question mark on it, and the timer starts. He orders anyone left out of the building. He cracks the door open, tosses the bomb, and it explodes. Nobody’s hurt, though Jim takes a little spill.
Selina (Camren Bicondova) and Bruce (David Mazouz) go see little Ivy Pepper (Clare Foley). She works for people who work in the “magic mushroom trade.” They use her unique talents with horticulture. Seems the Cat is going to rob the people for whom he friend works. And the billionaire wants to find out who he is “without being Bruce Wayne.” Ivy slipped the gang some Blue Devil to put them in a dream-like state. Perfect for robbery! Except things don’t go so well.
At his apartment Ed receives Penguin, ironically full of feathers. The little man wants to help his friend change, to not choose violence. However, there’s a new persona emerging from Mr. Nygma, the Riddler is coming out further with each episode. So, he’s not interested in change.
Bruce and Selina have been caught, so everything is getting a bit tense. When Sonny (Paul Pilcz) goes at Selina he’s interrupted by young Wayne, who’s determined to be the tough guy that Alfred (Sean Pertwee) has taught him to be, or at the least give it a try. Sonny gives the kid a beating, a bad one. Bruce stands up, over and over again. Both he and Selina kick the shit out of the men, grab some cash, then vanish.
At the graveyard, Oswald visits his mother’s grave. There he meets a man named Elijah Van Dahl (Paul Reubens) who’s surprised to know Gertrude had a son. He’s stunned. Oswald is his son. OH, SHIT! Nice callback to Batman Returns, too.
That night over dinner Jim has to tell Lee (Morena Baccarin) about the IA investigation, and she’s worried. Like anyone would be that knows the truth. He promises he’ll make it all go away, that things will be fine. We’ve heard it all before from other cops, similar cops to Dt. Gordon who’ve gone down that path.
Elsewhere in Gotham, Nygma goes to see Pinkney (Ian Quinlan) from the Strike Force. He beats the guy mercilessly with a crowbar. Good lord. I’m slightly terrified to see what he’s got planned next.
Elijah brings his boy Oswald home to the mansion, treating him to a nice bath, a nice meal, all sorts of wonderful things. A home again for the young man. Elijah tells his son about how he met Gertrude. Class division tore them apart, which he laments to this day. He never even knew of little Oz.
When Jim goes tracking a call from a payphone he discovers Pinkney dead on the floor of his apartment, covered in blood. Right after that Barnes arrives, believing Jim’s done something terrible. Seems that Pinkney contacted the cap, wanted to talk about Dt. Gordon. Wow, the timing is terrible. Things are heating up fast.
“Nobody‘s unbreakable, Bruce.”
At the PD, Jim tries to tell Barnes someone is setting him up. A crowbar was found with his fingerprints on it, though. Tricky. Particularly with Ed sneaking around behind their backs planting and removing evidence, including putting Pinkney’s name on the witness form for the Galavan murder. Oh, damn. This is getting ugly. Meanwhile over at Arkham Asylum, Barbara Kean (Erin Richards) wakes up in her bed after being in a coma so long. Just splendid timing.
Soon, Dt. Gordon is found guilty. Ready to be tossed into Blackgate. Once he’s behind bars, Jim is also trying to break Lee free from him, worried she’ll waste her life if she doesn’t move on. You know she’s not going to, she loves him, she won’t give up.

Things aren’t looking good for ole Jim Gordon! Let’s see what happens. “Prisoners” comes up next. Hope the detective can survive behind bars long enough for Harvey to get things solved on his end.