Fox’s Gotham
Season 5, Episode 2: “Trespassers”
Directed by Louis Shaw Milito
Written by Danny Cannon

* For a recap & review of the Season 5 premiere, “Year Zero” – click here
* For a recap & review of the next episode, “Penguin, Our Hero” – click here
The young boy who showed up at the GCPD was taken to a factory and held with “dozens of other stolen kids.” A group called the Soothsayers have been taking children, but the kid managed to escape. This leaves Captain Jim Gordon (Ben McKenzie) and Detective Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue) trying to figure out how to help the kids stuck with the nefarious group. On top of it all, Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor) has offered a huge reward of ammunition for anybody who takes out Cpt. Gordon. The government on the mainland won’t send any more supplies, neither do they want Jim out trying to save Gotham himself. This won’t stop the cap, though. All the same, they’re going to have a tough time heading through Sirens territory and other spots in the “Dark Zone.”
Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz) is looking for the so-called witch. He goes to a dilapidated house where, inside, he finds a corpse covered in vines— then another, and another. He’s soon confronted by men who clearly fear the witch. They say she took the souls of their friends, who’ve become part of the home’s gardening. They’re keeping her trapped there now, waiting for others to come and help burn her. Bruce cons his way into speaking with her. For the first time in ages, he sees Ivy Pepper (Peyton List) again.
At the Sirens Club, Barbara Kean (Erin Richards) gets a visit from Jim. He wants a favour. But she’s angry about Tabitha’s death, as if it were his fault. She’s angry at the world, spouting off heavy nihilism. Although Barb does hear Jim out and lets him use her vehicles. She doesn’t have much hope for him out there on the street as Gotham’s “most hated son.”
At the factory, the Soothsayers work the remaining children hard after the recent escape. They wear masks to inhale smoke they claim helps them “see the future.” They’re using kids to tunnel to the mainland, which they’ll use to gain an advantage after the devastation in Gotham. The Soothsayers see Jim Gordon’s on their doorstep, and suddenly their plans don’t mean much anymore. The captain orders they give over the children. While Jim heads inside, the GCPD are attacked by other Soothsayers. Him and Bullock manage to get the few last kids out, only they’re without a vehicle.
Ivy tells Bruce she didn’t kill anybody, her plants were protecting her when the men came. She agrees to go with Bruce to help Selina Kyle (Camren Bicondova). They’ve first got to get out of there, and that may not be such an easy feat. They do get out, after Ivy kills the men. All Bruce cares about is Selina. He gets a seed from Ivy that could save the Cat. It may irreparably change her forever, too.
Elsewhere, the Riddler (Cory Michael Smith) continues in his dissociative state. He’s making progress. At least, he thinks he is, because that’s what the other part of him wants to believe. He still can’t remember parts of his day, like when he’s apparently been out kidnapping people, such as the biker he has tied up in his bathtub. This leads him to find a mess of dead bikers, as well as a message claiming to be from Penguin on the wall, which suggests a nasty war’s brewing.
Bullock, Gordon, and the kids get to a rundown hotel. The captain wonders if a candle left burning in the window is similar to the “Old West” when settlers would do the same to signal safety to others. After all, Gotham’s pretty much stumbled back in time to the Wild West. The cops split up to check the place out while the kids settle in. But they’re certainly not alone in that building.
Harvey discovers a skeleton in the basement and chopped off fingers on a platter before he’s attacked by a woman. Upstairs, Jim runs into a child who can’t remember his own name. The boy says there’s a ghost in the hotel— Mother (Susannah Rogers). Then he locks Jim and Harvey in a room. A strobe light flashes. Mother fights them both before Harvey gets light through the window. She escapes via trap door, as Bullock and Jim collect the kids downstairs and get going. In the street, they’re confronted by the Soothsayers. Out of nowhere, another gang emerges looking to claim the prize on the GCPD captain’s head.
While Jim awaits a hail of bullets from either side, he’s saved when Barb comes to find him, gunning everyone around him down. She feels bad for being “a little rash” earlier. Maybe she and Jim can work together after all. That is, if they can come to terms on killing Penguin, which she’s bent on doing, one way or another. At least the kids are safe, and Gotham stands a better chance of surviving if more people work together, despite the many divisions between them.
Selina takes the seed Bruce brought her, only to erupt in a seizure moments later. She’s okay after some time, but the doc puts her out for a rest, and the effects of the seed have yet to be wholly understood. Bruce goes to see her after and she’s back on her feet. Is this ultimately a good thing? Not by the looks of those eyes.
Another good episode to get Season 5 into high gear.
“Trespassers” is next time. Will we see more of Ecco? And what about ole Jeremiah?