‘Gotham’ season 2, episode 4 review: Nygma and Kringle’s ‘date’; the Penguin’s new problem

For those of you who were interested in seeing the evolution of Edward Nygma as a character on “Gotham,” the new episode Monday night was an opportunity for you to see some of that and then some! This is the Nygma we had long hoped to see, someone who was certainly enigmatic and psychotic, but also had layers to him.

Somehow, he managed to convince Kris Kringle to stay at his place after he mentioned her ex-boyfriend being dead, which is pretty odd to us … almost as odd as it is that someone in the first place wanted to go to a person’s place on a first date who they previously had suspicions about. We really want to have more sympathy for Kringle in this case than we do.

Aside from Nygma (our favorite part of the story), the Penguin returned in a big way as loyalties tilted. The hire of Nathaniel Barnes led to a complete crackdown on all crime among members of the GCPD, which understandably has Gordon worried. Oswald knows where the bodies are metaphorically buried here with Jim, and he could sell him out. Granted, Oswald does have a lot on his plate thanks to Theo Galavan holding his mother hostage to ensure that he sends some of his goons on a variety of missions.

Barnes wants the Penguin’s head on a platter, and as you would expect, that’s problematic.

“Gotham” as a whole did a good job of pairing down the stories this week, and while the Bruce / Selina stuff isn’t that exciting, we now know more of Theo’s plan: To take the Mayor’s office while the GCPD is focused on the Penguin. By the way, that moment for Robert Lord Taylor at the end of the episode? Powerful stuff. Grade: B.

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