Gotham Episode 21 Review: Will Barbara Turn To The Dark Side?

"Gotham had another great episode with "The Anvil or The Hammer". Barbara got a lot of air time---unfortunately she was tortured through most of it. As you'll recall from last week, Barbara went on a date with the Ogre. He was going to kill her because Jim was on his case. The Ogre is a serial killer after all. Upon finding how bat shit crazy Barbara is, the Ogre decided she was his perfect mate.

I Think I've Seen This Act Before

This week we have a detour to an S&M bar called the Foxglove Club. Bullock's disgust regarding an unseen sex act was fun. However I found the rest to be filler. We did meet a woman there who was disfigured by the Ogre. She gives Bullock a lead on where his hideout is located. But the Ogre is not there. Previously he made Barbara choose his next victim. She tearfully whispers someone in his ear (but we could not hear it).

Next Bullock and Gordo go to Barbara's parent's house. There they found the couple dead along with the butler. Barbara enters the room covered in blood. She has definitely lost it (not that she had much to start with). The Ogre attacks Bullock and pushes him down a flight of stairs. Ouch! Poor stunt guy. Next Ogre holds Barbara at knife point. Bullock sneaks up behind him and Jim shoots the Ogre in the head. Case closed. That was too quick to me. He would have been a great lingering villain. I was hoping to see the Ogre and Barbara team up. They could have been one of the biggest threatens in town. But nope.

What will become of Barbara now? Will this push her into becoming some sort of crazed super villain? I hope so. Her character has potential. It would be a shame to waste it. Crazy Barbara is the best Barbara of all.

Across town Maroni is having a party at the bar that Penguin purchased. O'Connor arrives and tries to shoot Maroni with some hidden guns but they misfire. Uh oh. They're dead. Falcone receives a box with O'Connor's head in it.

No I Havent Seen Your Boyfriend. Dont Look In That Trash Bag.

At the police station, Nygma is disposing of Kris' boyfriend's body. That guy has some anger control issues. He then types a letter to her from Dougherty. We see what she doesnt. The first letter of each sentence spells N-Y-G-M-A.

Hmm Wonder What "Private" Is Code For?

Young Bruce is still trying to get the goods on Bunderslaw (but he's waiting in his office). Bunderslaw offers him a cookie. Yummy, I like cookies but apparently Bruce does not. Bruce encounters Lucius Fox who tells him his father was a very private man.

Elsewhere the mob wars begins as Maroni hits several of Falcone's businesses. Penguin's plan is to let the bosses kill each other and then take over the city.

Grade: 4 1/2 Monsters (out of 5). After some ho hum episodes in the middle of the season, "Gotham" is taking out all the stops at the finish line. I have really enjoyed the last 3 episodes. What does the finale have in store? Rumor has it that Fish will not appear in season 2. Let's hope she's just MIA and not permanently benched.