Mad City: Time Bomb

"Mad City: Time Bomb" is the tenth episode of the third season, and 54th episode overall from the Fox series Gotham. The episode was written by co-executive producer Robert Hull and directed by Hanelle M. Culpepper. It was first broadcast on November 21, 2016. In the episode, a car explodes during Mario's and Lee's rehearsal dinner and this causes Falcone to go with Gordon to find out the culprit, discovering it's someone he has previously dealt with. Meanwhile, Nygma captures Butch and Tabitha, planning on torturing them as he believes that Butch killed Isabella while Barbara hurries to find them. Bruce, Selina, Alfred and Ivy are pursued by the known assassins but discover something else about the Court.

The episode received positive reviews, with critics praising the dark tone and the build-up to the midseason finale.

Plot

Lee's (Morena Baccarin) and Mario's (James Carpinello) wedding is just two days away and they dine with Falcone (John Doman) for their rehearsal. They also discuss that Alice Tetch's blood is being tested to find a cure. They leave and Falcone gives the keys to a guard to bring up the car. The guard is then killed when the car explodes.

While the paramedics attend Lee and Mario, Falcone talks with Gordon (Ben McKenzie), assuming that an old enemy may have had orchestrated the attack. Falcone is certain to take matters in his own hands and gives Gordon a day to find out. Meanwhile, Cobblepot (Robin Lord Taylor) meets with the five families to discuss the security issues in Gotham when their reunion is interrupted by Barbara (Erin Richards), who holds them at gunpoint and demands to know where Tabitha (Jessica Lucas) and Butch (Drew Powell) are. He forces her to leave, threatening to kill her if she holds him at gunpoint again. Tabitha and Butch are revealed to be kidnapped by Nygma (Cory Michael Smith), who begins to torture Butch with the use of electricity, thinking he killed Isabella.

In Wayne Manor, Alfred (Sean Pertwee) is persuaded by Ivy (Maggie Geha) to turn off the alarm so she can outside. Fox (Chris Chalk) tells Gordon and Bullock (Donal Logue) that the explosive was high technology and Bullock deduces that only a person he knows would be responsible. They go to the apartment of the man but find him dead, deducing that the person who hired wanted him dead. They find files in his room and find that Falcone is not the target, but Mario. Mario is attacked in the hospital but is saved by Gordon from bikers. Barbara manages to make Cobblepot's maid reveal that Nygma bought many items but his whereabouts are unknown.

Bruce (David Mazouz), Selina (Camren Bicondova) and Alfred (Sean Pertwee) discover that the key has the emblem of an owl, meaning it belongs to the Court. They also find that Ivy is missing and then receive a call from the owls' enforcer, Luka Volk (Costa Ronin), who demands the key in exchange for Ivy, whom they kidnapped. They meet with them in the sewers and begin to discuss. Volk explains that they don't work for the Court, but they are working to destroy them, identifying them as the Court of Owls. They explain that they are members of the Whisper Gang, a group of smugglers. They partnered with the Court until they got betrayed, causing many of the members to go back to Ukraine. The key opens a safe that has a device that could destroy them. Bruce proposes that they join forces in order to beat the Court, which Volk accepts.

Mario leaves the GCPD and sets off to a jewelry store to pick up the rings. Gordon intercepts him and they are attacked by the assassins. Mario manages to surpass a killer, using his strength. Nygma decides to put Tabitha's hand to be rolled by a blade while handing a button. If she presses the button, the blade will stop but Butch will be electrocuted to death; and if she lets her hand get cut, they will be left to go. Tabitha is doubtful about it as she is not in love with Butch. Butch reassures her that these weeks were the best days of his life and is happy to be with her. He then decides to taunt Nygma over killing Isabella but his statements do not match the car crash. Tabitha decides not to press the button and her hand is cut off. Nygma leaves just as Barbara has already found the place.

The GCPD arrests the assassin and Falcone tortures him, removing one of his teeth and finding a symbol resembling an old associate of him. Volk and his enforcer are attacked by the Talon, killing the enforcer and demanding to know the location of the key. Volk fights him but despite his efforts, he is killed and the Talon steals the key. Barbara and Butch rush Tabitha to the hospital and Barbara finally discovers that Cobblepot caused Isabella's death and decide that instead of going to war with them, they will start one. Falcone meets with Kathryn (Leslie Hendrix), the person behind the attacks. He states that if Mario dies, then "Gotham will burn". That night, Lee visits Gordon in his apartment and kisses him goodbye. Mario watches from distance and is then assaulted by thugs. He is revealed to possess the symptoms from Alice Tetch's blood and grows increasingly strong as he uses it to attack brutally the thugs after hearing voices telling him "She loves him". He then begins to repeat, "She loves me!"

Production

Development

In November 2016, it was announced that the tenth episode of the season will be titled "Time Bomb" and was to be written by Robert Hull and directed by Hanelle M. Culpepper.^[1]

Casting

Benedict Samuel and Michael Chiklis don't appear in the episode as their respective characters. In November 2016, it was announced that the guest cast for the episode would include James Carpinello as Mario Calvi, Leslie Hendrix as Kathryn, John Doman as Carmine Falcone, and Costa Ronin as Luka Volk.^[1]

Reception

Viewers

The episode was watched by 3.44 million viewers with a 1.1/4 share among adults aged 18 to 49.^[2] This was a 6% decrease in viewership from the previous episode, which was watched by 3.63 million viewers with a 1.2/4 in the 18-49 demographics.^[3] With this rating, Gotham ranked second for FOX, behind Lucifer but beating Lucifer in 18-49 demographics, fourth on its timeslot and eighth for the night behind Timeless, Scorpion, Man with a Plan, 2 Broke Girls, Kevin Can Wait, Dancing with the Stars, and The Voice.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Rotten Tomatoes (Tomatometer)	100%[4]
Rotten Tomatoes (Average Score)	8.3[4]
IGN	7.2[5]
TV Fanatic	[6]
TV Overmind	[7]

"Mad City: Time Bomb" received positive reviews from critics. The episode received a rating of 100% with an average score of 8.3 out of 10 on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.^[4]

Matt Fowler of IGN gave the episode a "good" 7.2 out of 10 and wrote in his verdict, "'Time Bomb' wasn't a great episode, but it did use just about every Gotham performer in a meaningful way. This was a set-up chapter, leading us up to the oncoming midseason finale. Jim will battle an infected Mario for Lee while the Court rises up and dominates multiple storylines. Nygma, hopefully, will stop being so un-Riddler like and figure out just who the real betrayer is. Though if that does happen, Barbara will lose her leverage over Penguin. Still, if pressed, it'd probably be better to have Ed get his groove back."^[5]

Nick Hogan of TV Overmind gave the series a star rating of 4 out of 5, writing "This was an enjoyable episode, and it set the stage nicely for what should be an even better fall finale episode. With all of this meat in the story, surely Gotham will still be a 'Mad City' in 2017."^[7]

Sage Young of EW gave the episode a "B+" and stated: "While the cat's away, the mice will play. And while Gotham City's stringent police chief is locked up raving in Arkham, an opportunity presents itself. Word of Chief Barnes' condition spreads quickly through the city, and plans that were perhaps on hold are set in motion. Penguin hosts a meeting of the five families at the mansion and proposes a steep increase in protection fees. The decrease in law and order makes half of Gotham vulnerable and the other half more than happy to take quick and lucrative advantage of that vulnerability."^[8]

Lisa Babick from TV Fanatic, gave a 4.5 star rating out of 5, stating: "I can't imagine what could possibly be in the safe that could destroy the Court of Owls. You'd think that as powerful as they are that they would have gotten rid of whatever it is by now. How convenient for the future Batman to have this piece of information and the key to unlock it all. Will he destroy them this season or will it wait until he dons his cape and cowl?"^[6] Vinnie Mancuso of New York Observer wrote, "Well, surprise surprise, it turns out you can't even get engaged to the son of a notorious crime boss in Gotham City anymore without having to worry about him getting infected with magical carnie blood and turning into a hulking rage-monster. Gentrification is a bitch, man. Or should I say Tetch-rification?"^[9]

Robert Yanis, Jr. of Screenrant wrote, "Bruce and Selina's discovery regarding the Court of Owls has re-energized what many assumed would be the major thrust of the season but which has taken a backseat ever since Bruce made a truce with the secret organization earlier this season."^[10] Kayti Burt of Den of Geek gave a 4 star rating out of 5 and wrote, "'Time Bomb' was a particularly bloody episode of Gotham, but it balanced the gore by tying together multiple plotlines in satisfying ways. Though, in many ways, 'Time Bomb' felt like a transitionary ep — Mario and Lee race closer to the altar, Bruce and Selina discuss their relationship, the noose tightens on Oswald's secret — it was elegantly told. Something Gotham can't often boast."^[11]

References