Fox’s Gotham
Season 4, Episode 7: “A Day in the Narrows”
Directed by John Behring
Written by Peter Blake

* For a recap & review of the previous episode, “Hog Day Afternoon” – click here
* For a recap & review of the next episode, “Stop Hitting Yourself” – click here
In light of the latest revelations, at least Cpt. Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue) is alive. But one of those revelations for Dt. Jim Gordon (Ben McKenzie) was discovering his buddy has been taking cash from Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor). They don’t have much time to discuss. Because there’s a huge delivery at the GCPD. Lots of big boxes, full of bloody pigs heads; 44, to be exact, “one for every cop in the precinct.” Seems Professor Pyg (Michael Cerveris) is after the entire GCPD itself.
At a swanky cocktail party, Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz) can’t help the heaviness of his heart. Doesn’t have to leave the mansion, though, so that’s one good thing. But Alfred (Sean Pertwee) notices a dark change in the young master, he’s becoming less like himself all the time. He’s tormented because he feels no guilt, just rage.
Penguin has shown up at the GCPD, bringing his latest security hire Headhunter (Kyle Vincent Terry) to try offering a hand to the cops. Naturally, Jim has no time for that shit, still resisting. Unfortunately Cpt. Bullock is “legitimising” the crime boss in the eyes of his best detective. Like every other time, this forces Gordon to try going it alone. He wants to bring justice to Gotham.
Seems that Barbara Kean (Erin Richards) is shutting down her arms dealing operation after Ra’s al Ghul (Alexander Siddig) has perished. Doesn’t sit well with Tabitha Galavan (Jessica Lucas) or Selina Kyle (Camren Bicondova). The ruthless Ms. Kean is a go-it-alone-type, always somehow landing on her feet. However, the Cat is adept at doing the same, and she’s ambitious, as well. Albeit a bit impatient. Later, Selina heads out on the town to start thieving for herself.
Cops have to go into the Narrows, where there are more missing police. It’s a lower class neighbourhood, their own code of honour, so on. This doesn’t bode well, particularly with Penguin’s crew out there helping to knock on/knock down doors. Neither does Jim work well having to stand side by side with criminals as he pursues justice.
Here in the Narrows, we see lots of prejudice from the cops to the residents there, except for Dt. Gordon. This helps our man get in to talk with a woman in the building, but he’s interrupted by Headhunter, pitting the two of them against each other. A Mexican stand-off in the street between Penguin’s people and the cops. Until finally they get a lead. This takes them to a building where they locate one dead cop, one barely living. At the orphanage, Oswald gloats over the news coverage while Sofia Falcone (Crystal Reed) looks after the children, and the former adjusts to having all the kids around. All the while the mob daughter’s spinning her own ideas into his ear.
In the ambulance, Gordon talks to the cop who made it out alive. The guy didn’t see his face under the pig mask. Mostly, they talk about Gotham, and Jim makes clear they can both “make right” what they’ve wronged, to turn things around for themselves, and for the city. Sooner than later, their conversation produces the location of where Pyg is likely headed: an old abandoned courthouse in the Narrows.

At the shindig, Bruce runs into a girl from before he was home-schooled, Grace Blomdhal (Samia Finnerty). She’s bored out of her mind, wants to go have some fun with the young billionaire. She takes him over to a party, old faces Bruce knew. They’re a bunch of assholes. It only takes a few stupid comments, the young billionaire daydreams himself pummelling the shit out of one of them. Rather than actually do that, he goes with them out to a club. When the douchebag can’t get them into the club, Bruce gets them in easily; he “bought the place.”
Penguin rushes down to the Narrows, thwarting Jim’s go-it-alone approach, bringing his own SWAT team and the media. Yet it’s Dt. Gordon who gets a call on his cell from Professor Pyg. He explains his own connection to Pygmalion, “creating a new, better Gotham,” and a new Jim Gordon, too. Then he says if Jim goes into the courthouse, he’ll die. Our detective then realises the cop in the ambulance was more than surely Pyg himself. A trap is waiting in the courthouse. Instead of listening to Jim, the cops decide on going with Penguin wanting to charge inside.
When they do, Harvey fires on a man in a pig mask. Then they see it’s their own cop, gagged, disguised. A couple machine guns automatically set off, firing everywhere throughout the building, puncturing the walls, killing a few officers. Harvey, Harper (Kelcy Griffin), they all hide. Outside, none of Penguin’s men will go in. So who does? Jim fucking Gordon, baby. He downs the guns, saving Headhunter, as well as his fellow colleagues. Bam. Like THAT!
Afterwards, Oswald passes the blame off on Bullock, whereas the press see Gordon as the rightful hero. Instead of puff himself up, the detective only warns Professor Pyg that they will not give up on catching him. In the meantime, Harvey’s sulking about shooting another cop when he should’ve listened to the instincts of his good friend. From the ambulance on the road, Pyg gives Jim another call to taunt. Doesn’t bother our guy, because he’s already seeing the change in his fellow officers – the Pax Penguina licensing system has run its course.
What about young billionaire Bruce? He’s out partying, popping bottles, trying out the other side of himself he only found out recently existed. Mostly, we see the change in him because of the darkness lurking, there’s a rage behind him all the time just below the surface, feelings he’s locked away, things with which he needs to deal.
Fantastic episode. This Professor Pyg-storyline is lots of dark, disturbing, exciting fun. Pumped to watch the rest of it play out.
“Stop Hitting Yourself” is next on-deck.