Fox’s Gotham
Season 2, Episode 3: “The Last Laugh”
Directed by Eagle Egilsson
Written by John Stephens

* For a recap & review of the previous episode, “Knock, Knock” – click here
* For a recap & review of the next episode, “Strike Force” – click here
Dt. Gordon (Ben McKenzie) and Dt. Bullock (Donal Logue) are looking hard for Jerome (Cameron Monaghan) and the other Maniax, laying a few fists, dropping people out of windows. Y’know, policing, Gotham-style!
Elsewhere, Tabitha (Jessica Lucas) and Barbara (Erin Richards) get a whole lot closer, as Theo (James Frain) tries keeping everybody on task. He’s happy, so long as everything’s going his way, “carnage,” all that good stuff. Theo’s family is one of the older families in Gotham. He feels the Galavan name’s been soiled, his family betrayed. He wants to take it all over.
Now Harvey’s trying to get Jim to go see Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor), though Gordon is resistant. Jim is pissed, too. He wants everybody to keep their eye on the prize, after Commissioner Essen and nine other cops were killed. Lee (Morena Baccarin) is there for him, but he just wants justice. Hopefully he doesn’t get too hot headed. Can’t afford to make any mistakes right now. At least Harvey has a tip, involving the blind fortune teller, Paul Cicero (Mark Margolis), Jerome’s father.
Speaking of, Paul receives a visit from his boy and Tabitha. Uh oh. The young lad tells a story about Kansas City, when the circus used to roll through town. He and his mother had a troubled relationship, to say the least. Dear papa Paul gave him some advice: “The world doesn‘t care about you.” They’re using the blind man to throw people off Theo and the Maniax, planting supposed evidence of his involvement in the Arkham Asylum escape in Paul’s apartment.
“You will be a curse upon Gotham… your legacy will be death and madness.”
But just before Jerome can finish up, Gordon and Bullock turn up at the door. Paul dies, though Jerome and Tabitha get away. They leave a little gas that puts Harvey out and leaves Jim messed up. That’s when Jerome comes back for a little chat. Jim fights back. Not for long, before Tabitha knocks him out, telling her companion they need to keep the cop alive.
That night, Alfred (Sean Pertwee) accompanies young Bruce (David Mazouz) to a fundraiser for the Gotham Children’s Hospital. Lots of fun stuff going on. There’s even going to be a magician for entertainment; hmm, curious. Selina (Camren Bicondova) is there, as well. She and Bruce talk briefly, the class division as real as ever, despite the young man’s best intentions.
Oh, and that magician? It’s Rodolfo, a.k.a Jerome in disguise. Could beDefinitely will be trouble.
The fundraiser begins, with Lee doing emcee duties. Afterwards, the Great Rodolfo takes the stage. Out comes a large cabinet, nothing inside. The magician’s assistant closes the cabinet, opens it again, and there is Jerome, moustache and beard keeping him hidden as he does a bit of basic magic for the crowd. Everyone laps it up.
Then Rodolfo asks for a volunteer. He points directly to young Bruce Wayne, who goes with the assistant to the stage. Bruce is placed in a box, the thin metal blades brought out, and he’s going to be the cut in half illusion. All goes succesfully, the little billionaire comes out of the box intact, the crowd clapping. Nice quip from Jerome about Bruce’s “split personality,” foreshadowing so much.
“Every evil bastard in the world was just a kid once”
Everything changes onstage when Jerome has the Deputy Mayor brought up. Right about the time Lee notices Barbara’s behind the assistant’s mask, and it’s likely Jerome up there with her. She tries calling Jim before someone grabs her. Cue the Deputy Mayor getting a knife in the chest, a gunman begins firing, several others appear. Alfred fights one of them off to protect Bruce, who’s busy believing he has to protect the quite able Selina; she’s the one who’s saving him, as usual. Just utter chaos descending. Par for Gotham.
Jerome calls Jim as the detective shows up. He and Barbara have Lee in their grasp, fixed to the spinning wheel onstage. He gives his orders, his demands. All this prompts the theatrics of Theo, coming from the crowd to act as the hero of Gotham. He and Jerome do a cute little act for everybody before Barbara knocks him unconscious.
Selina has a way out, however, Bruce can’t leave without Alfred. Before heading back he tells his friend he misses her. And she gets onto the streets, where Gordon spots her.
Inside, Jerome is toying with the hostages, readying himself to start the killing. He calls out for Bruce, talking about also being an orphan, wanting the boy to come see him. Bruce doesn’t, and so Alfred is brought onstage. Right as the kid is about to go up, Gordon stops him from the wings, though Bruce refuses to let trusty Mr. Pennyworth be hurt.
Bruce and Jim pull a fast one. The kid goes out, right into the hands of Jerome. And that prompts Jim to start firing, Alfred as well – after pulling a pistol tucked into the young master’s jacket – but Jerome still has Bruce. Theo jumps out and puts a knife right into Jerome, right at the neck. Is this really the end for him? Can’t be, right? We’ll see.
Bullock goes to see Penguin, not particularly being friendly. He talks a lot of shit. He and Mr. Cobblepot talk things over, about Gordon, the collected debt. Worried for his friend, obviously. He sees through Penguin’s “King of Gotham” shtick, warning that Jim better not see any trouble, else things will get nasty. Also, Harvey’s off the wagon again, I guess. That’s sad.
Everything gets cleaned up at the fundraiser. Bruce, Alfred, they’re safe, and Jerome’s body is carted off. Theo looks like the big hero, saving the day. Barbara is in the wind. Things could be worse, I guess. Well, they’re still bad. Nothing’s ever easy in Gotham.
Plenty more intrigue to come. Plenty more madness. Because one way or another, Jerome’s insanity isn’t done infecting the city.
“Strike Force” is the next episode.