New Batman series... GOTHAM

It’s really amazing how a lot of comics have moved from movie adaptations to T.V now. There’s been God knows how many film adaptations of Superman; the most notable T.V adaptations being Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman

(1993-1997) which was more on Clark & Lois’ professional and personal relationship (Superman a secondary character but still important in the series) and Smallville (2001- 2011), about Clark Kent’s life before formally assuming his identity of the Man of Steel. 
 Of course back in the day there was the 1978-1982 The Incredible Hulk starring the late Bill Bixby

 (before its later 1988,1989, 1990, 2003 & 2008 movie adaptations),

Wonder Woman (1975-1979) starring Lynda Carter (its movie adaptation yet to come) and The Flash (1990-1991) starring John Wesley Shipp; who by the way will play a role in the new Flash T.V series- not a revival- but a spin off of Arrow.

Wolverine’s the most popular of The X Men so I won’t be surprised if he’s given a T.V series any time soon. If so, it would probably be in serious competition with this upcoming one.

The Superman franchise got the T.V series Smallville; now Batman is to have one too, simply titled Gotham. Gotham’s focus- so I heard while researching a Batman animated movie I watched recently (Batman: Year One) - will be on James Gordon’s (to be played by Ben McKenzie) early days as a police officer before eventually becoming Commissioner.  His first case after joining Gotham police department would be to solve the senseless murder of Bruce Wayne’s parents- Thomas & Martha- and from then on battling Gotham city’s other criminals and villains and probably a few bad eggs in the police department itself; from what I saw in Batman: Year One. And of course the focus would also be on young Bruce Wayne (to be played by 13 year old David Marouz) and his life after his parents’ death (which he never exactly got over) and long before assuming his eventual alter-ego; befriended by Gordon and fiercely protected by his legal guardian, best friend and butler- Alfred Pennyworth who will be played by British actor Sean Pertwee (son of the late Jon Pertwee; best known as the third incarnation of Doctor Who). Thank God the entertainment industry has improved so much that it’s not going to be anything like that campy Batman series which starred Adam West! No offence to the actor or the producers, considering I still watch and enjoy past Bond films like The Spy Who Loved Me, For Your Eyes Only, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service and Goldfinger, but really... watching that series on LTV years back was a real effort.  The boys and I really preferred reading the comics and don’t get us started on the theme song!

Of all superheroes, Superman remains my favourite but I’m really excited about Gotham; I think it’s because Bruce Wayne’s background story and all the Batman stories have always been gothic in tone which makes it all the more popular fascinating to watch or read and like Smallville, we’ll get to see the hero as a boy; except of course Clark’s life wasn't tragic like Bruce’s.

In Gotham, James will be partnered with Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue). What I remember of that character is a big mouthed fatso with a fedora who irritated me very much and their superior will be Captain Sarah Essen (in the Batman comics she and James were partners, had an affair which ended his marriage to Barbara, later married James and then was murdered by the Joker, but of course that story continuity must have been rebooted by now) played by Zabryna Guevara, and it will feature villains Bruce will rumble with after he becomes the Dark Knight:  Harvey Dent(much later Two Face)- adult or child-I don’t know, Selina Kyle  (much later on Cat Woman), forensic scientist Edward Nygma (much later The Riddler) and Oswald Cobblepot (The Penguin and to this day I prefer Danny Devito’s dark and deformed incarnation in 1992’s Batman Returns). I would very much like to see how The Penguin is going to be portrayed by Robin Lord Taylor because of all of the villains in the Batman stories, apparently The Penguin is the only one not insane or psychotic- I don’t remember reading any story about him being thrown into the Arkham Asylum until I watched the 2005 animated movie Batman vs. Dracula, where he and the Joker broke out of the place to find stolen money. The Joker is also going to be featured of course but I don’t know if he’ll be made Thomas and Martha’s killer or not. In the 1989 Batman movie adaptation Batman, it was revealed via flashback that he was the shooter but according to the Batman story arc in the comics, the killer was a mugger called Joe Chill. And to my surprise, Jada Pinkett Smith is going to play Fish Mooney; a villain I haven’t heard of before but with her superb acting skills will surely be a very interesting character.

I really hope Gotham will be a huge success.