Gotham Episode 22 Review: Go Fish (Season Finale)

The finale "All Happy Families Are Alike" begins with Fish coming ashore in a boat. She seems to have miraculously recovered from that bullet to the gut. She also got a smashing new haircut somewhere along the way.

Across town Bruce is tearing apart his father's study in order to find his "secret". Elsewhere Falcone is petting a chicken until someone launches a grenade into his truck. The gang wars are now in full swing.

Barbara has physically recovered from her time with the Ogre but Lee insists she get some trauma counseling. Babs says she will do so but only under the condition that Leslie be her therapist. I dont see any problem. Do you?

Never Trust Anyone That Calls You "Old Friend"

Falcone is strapped to a gurney at a hospital. Penguin and Butch wander the corridors with some big guns. No one seems to notice. Usually hospitals frown on that sort of thing. Penguin says "It was me old friend. I did this to you....I assure you it is nothing personal. You have been a wise mentor and a good friend." He about to slash Falcone's throat when Jim arrives.

Maroni's men with Loeb are close behind but Jim wont budge. He opens fire on everyone using two guns. That was a fun action scene. It reminded me of the "Terminator" police station scene. Harvey shows up to help. They escape in an ambulance. But who greets them at their hideout except for Fish (with Cat and her men in tow). Fish calls Maroni and rats on her captives.

Perhaps We Should Have Stuck With Pudding Instead Of Cake

Barbara talks about what happened with Ogre and her parents. In a fun twist, we learn that Barbara actually killed her parents (or so she says). She then chases Lee through the house with a knife. Leslie tries to hide in the bathroom. That doesnt work. Babs chops down the door a la Jack Nicholson in "The Shining". There's a great girl fight that ends with Lee bashing Barbara's head repeatedly against the hardwood floor until she passes out.

Next Time I'll Take The Stairs

Back at the warehouse Fish thinks she will be partners with Maroni. Instead he says she will be his underboss. He calls her "babes" on one too many occasions. Fish doesnt deal with authority figures well so she shoots Maroni right in the forehead. I didnt see that coming. Game over. Another firefight breaks out and everyone scatters.

Gotham Is Now Down Three Villains (Maroni=Dead, Falcone=Retired Out of State, Fish=Presumed Dead)

Fish and Penguin fight to the death. Butch arrives. He doesnt know what to do. He loves Fish but he was brainwashed to obey Penguin. Since he's at an impasse, he shoots both in the leg. Penguin recovers and flings Fish off the roof. Of course she lands in water below so she COULD be back. Jada Pinkett Smith has said she wont return for a season 2 so we're not sure what will happen to the character. Its a shame since Fish has lots of potential. Penguin, weirdo that he is, declares himself "King of Gotham".

Jim, Harvey and Falcone arrive back at his house to the strange scene of a bloody Lee on top of an unconscious Barbara. Luckily Jim believes Babs attacked Lee. I'm seriously enjoying crazy Barbara. Please bring her back next season (but ONLY if she's psycho). Falcone says his goodbyes and gives Gordon a knife that once belonged to his father.

Riddle Me This...

And we check in with Nygma. Kringle figured out his code in her dead boyfriend's note. She leaves. We see/hear lots of voices inside Nygma fighting with each other. Yep he's gone cray cray.

Yeah Bats!

Young Bruce has spent the entire episode tearing up his house. He finally gets a clue and opens his father's Marcus Aurelius book. Inside he finds a remote. He pushes it. The fireplace retracts revealing a staircase. As he and Alfred stare down the dark entrance, we hear the fluttering of wings. Welcome to the Bat Cave!

Favorite Quotes:

"Good morning child."- Fish to Cat.. Haaa Cat and Fish in the same sentence. I made myself laugh.
"Bruce, your father was a true stoic, he kept his best self hidden."- Lucius Fox to Bruce.
"It was me old friend. I did this to you....I assure you it is nothing personal. You have been a wise mentor and a good friend."- Penguin to Falcone before he tries to kill him.
"She's not a rival, she's an underboss."- Maroni about Fish. He also calls her "babes" on numerous occasions. Really bad idea.
"I am relaxed"- Fish as she shoots Maroni in the forehead.
"They have no clue who I am... even when I was killing them, they just gaped at me like fools. No understanding."- Barbara about killing her parents.

Grade: 4 1/2 Monsters (out of 5). A great finale in my book. Lots of action. Lots of story lines coming to an ending. Maroni is dead. Fish is presumed dead. Falconi has left town. Barbara has crossed to the dark side (I really hope they make her a villain next year). Jim is a good guy. Bullock is a good guy some of the time. I'm still not sure about Leslie. I dont trust her. Penguin is of course bad to the bone. Young Bruce has just found the Bat Cave. And Nygma has bats in his belfry. We'll see what season 2 has in store.