Gotham Undercover 90 - Year Zero

Year Zero had us jump 13 months after the events of last season, but we were pulled back to 3 months. Gotham is desperate. Food and supplies are short. Villains control sectors of the city and only the GCPD & allies stand against them. Our heroes need help.

Year Zero - Zero help for the GCPD:

©2018 Fox Broadcasting Co. Cr: Giovanni Rufino / FOX

Jim and the GCPD have established Haven, a 10 block area around the station. They are feeding the refugees who could not get out of Gotham when the bridges were blown. But times are tough and supplies are running out. The city has been divided up between the people can wield power. Jim goes up nightly to turn on the signal. Bruce asks if he does it to remind people even in darkness there is light. Jim says yes and to remind himself. Jim has been communicating, via shortwave, with the government outside the city. But they will not send aid, rescue the children, or restock the GCPD's ammo supply.

After Scarecrow's raid thinks are dire. Bruce illegally calls in a supply chopper from the mainland. Harvey exclaims "Man, it's nice to have a billionaire around!" Hopes are raised as the chopper comes into town and Bruce sends them to the landing spot, but a RPG cripples it. It goes down in Lo Boyz turf and the GCPD must go get it.

The day has been saved for now. But supplies will run low again and the government won't let another Wayne re-supply happen again. Harvey questions why Jim didn't kill Penguin and save them some trouble. He says times have changed and it is kill or be killed. Jeremiah's equivalent of Harley Quinn has slipped into the station (probably not for the firs time) and looks at Jim's turf map. She leaves a cult of Joker graffiti on it. She slips into the background as Jim gets a shortwave call. A voice says they have supporters across the river and they will help, but they don't say who they are.

A young boy has made his way across the city and multiple sectors to get to Jim. He says his brothers and sisters are being killed. Jim gathers his officers and gives a stirring speech. “We’re supposed to be giving these people hope. Hope that if they’re in danger, someone will come. We will come. Suit up."

Year Zero - Villains At Odds:

©2018 Fox Broadcasting Co. Cr: Giovanni Rufino / FOX

Penguin has the turf around city hall but has also converted a factory to make bullets. Barbara & Tabitha have a safe zone for women around the Sirens Club and men can buy time there. They have no lack of food and booze. Scarecrow and his forces control the west, spreading fear. Mister Freeze and Firefly have the north but are fighting over it. The Lo Boyz gang are also a presence. But no one has heard from Jeremiah in 3 months.

Gotham's no man's land status is hurting everyone. Penguin wants meat and is willing to trade ammo for steak from the Sirens. Tabs is still out to kill Penguin, but Babs reigns her back in saying this trade will help the women survive. Penguin gets his steak, but he is not doing it for the people in his factory. Factory workers are passing out and the quality is suffering. Mr. Penn tries to convince him to give more rations, but Oswald will not have it. Even feeding his overcooked steak to his dog.

The Riddler is back alive, but not all is well. He keeps waking up after blackouts. He finds himself in locations radiating out from his home. He cannot figure out why. He knows it is Ed doing it, but he cannot get Ed to come out and confront him.

Scarecrow and his forces get inside the Haven district and divide up. Half the forces head to the GCPD and the rest go to the hospital. They take out the power at both locations. They then begin to raid the supplies. Jim fights Scarecrow and runs him off. Harvey runs the rest off, but not before they take 3 weeks of food. At the hospital, Bruce grabs his new night vision goggles, thanks to Lucius Fox, and heads to the basement. He is in Batman mode and takes out the thugs one by one. All is good until the lights come back on and temporality blind him and they get away.

The chopper has crashed landed in a warehouse and the Lo Boyz are unloading it. Penguin rolls in with his crew. They have guns and unlimited ammo and they easily take out the Boyz. But before they can load up, the GCPD have made it to the warehouse. Things are not going well for the GCPD when they get a helping hand. Tabitha takes out 2 of Penguin's goons with a crossbow and one with a knife. She then has Penguin. She is there to kill him and does not care if she lives. She is there to avenge Butch. She aims her gun and fires, but the bullet she has was from Penguin's supply and it misfires. Penguin pulls his boot knife and kills her. As she dies, Babs comes in screaming. Tabs says "Barbara don't" but it is too late. Babs empties her clip into Penguin's men. The GCPD fire too and exhaust their ammo.

Luckily Bruce followed them and takes out the thugs guarding the ammo truck. He restocks the GCPD. Jim tries to negotiate with Penguin. They'll split the supplies 50/50 and Barbara goes free. Penguin says no I'll take it all and leave you to think about it, since you have no ammo. Jim then shoots Penguin in his bad leg and the GCPD take out the rest.

Year Zero - Zero Hope For Selina & Bruce?:

©2018 Fox Broadcasting Co. Cr: Giovanni Rufino / FOX

Selina and Alfred never made it out of Gotham, they were caught in traffic when the bridges blew. She is stable at the hospital but if the doctor does not operate her spine will collapse. She agrees and Bruce says he will be there the whole time. A sketchy nurse tells Bruce that the doctors can't do anything for Selina. She needs the Witch. The surgery, even though it is interrupted by the Scarecrow crew, is a success. Selina is in pain. She is despondent because she knows she will never walk again. She sees a scalpel on an unguarded cart and goes for it, trying to kill herself. She is stopped by the doctor, nurse and Bruce. The sketchy nurse pokes her head in and says Selina needs the Witch. Bruce is desperate and asks where he can find the Witch. Will Year Zero for Bruce & Selina see the Bat & Cat as a team in Gotham or will it drive them to be enemies?

Closing Thoughts:

Wow we got our final season, even though it is a short one. But they are starting it out with a bang! Year Zero was an interesting way to start the season. Jumping back and forth in time leaves us with questions. Will we continue jumping back and forth in time or will the jumps just be forward from now on? Who is the Witch? My bet is on Poison Ivy, but it could be Lee. Where is Lee? We know Riddler was brought back by Hugo Strange, so Lee must be around too. Who brought down the chopper with the RPG? They had to have info from the GCPD or Bruce to know about it, how?  My bet is Jeremiah and his crew. So many questions! But I loved the start to this season. I hope every episode is as tightly written this season. Year Zero in the comics is retelling of origin stories. Gotham has been an Elseworlds version of the Batman story. This season is our version of Year Zero and titled Legend of The Dark Knight. Who knows how wild this short season will be!

News:

First up is the info about next week via Fox:
   Trespassers - Gordon and Bullock investigate a location where several kids have been kidnapped. Barbara proves to be an unlikely ally to Gordon. Meanwhile, Bruce looks into an alleged witch with healing powers for Selina, and Nygma deals with demons of his own in the all-new “Trespassers” episode of GOTHAM airing Thursday, Jan. 10 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (GTH-502) (TV-14 L, V)

Here is the promo:

Next up is Batwoman news via TVLine:
Good news for the 60 percent of you who voted in favor of a Batwoman series: The CW has officially handed a pilot order to the project, which stars Orange Is the New Black‘s Ruby Rose in the title role. Rose’s Batwoman debuted in last month’s multi-part Arrowverse crossover event “Elseworlds.” The CW also announced that Arrow/Flash vet David Nutter will direct the pilot.
Slated for a potential Fall 2019 premiere, Batwoman would follow Kate Kane — the second incarnation of the Batwoman character in DC Comics lore, introduced in 2006 — who is described as “an out lesbian and highly trained street fighter” who is “primed to snuff out the failing city’s criminal resurgence.”  Other characters reportedly being cast for the prospective series include Kate’s father, Colonel Kane; Batwoman’s Victorian Era-styled archenemy, Alice; and one that sounds like Renee Montoya.

If CW picks up Batwoman, Gotham Undercover will be there to cover it!

Sound Off:

What did you think of “Year Zero" What was your favorite moment from this episode?
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