Viper (Gotham)
| "Viper" | |
|---|---|
| Gotham episode | |
| Episode no. |
Season 1 Episode 5 |
| Directed by | Tim Hunter |
| Written by | Rebecca Perry Cutter |
| Production code | 4X6655 |
| Original air date | October 20, 2014 |
| Guest appearance(s) | |
| |
| Episode chronology | |
"Viper" is the fifth episode of the television series Gotham. It premiered on FOX on October 20, 2014 and was written by Rebecca Perry Cutter and directed by Tim Hunter. In the episode, detectives Gordon (Ben McKenzie) and Bullock (Donal Logue) are investigating a new street drug that causes euphoria and then death. Meanwhile, Cobblepot (Robin Lord Taylor) works his way deeper into Maroni’s (David Zayas) inner circle and Fish Mooney (Jada Pinkett Smith) continues to plot to take down Falcone (John Doman).
The episode was watched by 6.09 million viewers but received mixed reviews, mostly for lack of character development.
Reception
Viewers
The episode was watched by 6.09 million viewers, with a 2.3 rating among 18-49 adults.[1] With Live+7 DVR viewing factored in, the episode had an overall rating of 10.12 million viewers, and a 4.0 in the 18–49 demographic.[2]
Critical reviews
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Rotten Tomatoes (Tomatometer) | 58%[3] |
| The A.V Club | C[4] |
| Paste Magazine | 7.0[5] |
| TV Fanatic |    [6] |
| IGN | 7.8[7] |
| New York Magazine | [8] |
"Viper" received mixed reviews. The episode received a "rotten" rating of 58% on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, with the site's consensus stating: "While 'Viper' adds some much-appreciated Batman mythology to its origin story, Gotham struggles to figure out what kind of show it's going to be."[3]
Matt Fowler of IGN gave the episode a "good" 7.8 out of 10 and wrote in his verdict, "Gotham is still figuring itself out but I think setting Wayne Enterprises itself as possibly the 'big bad' of the series was a nice step. The gang feud continues to interest me while the cases-of-the-week continue to more or less feel arbitrary and, at times, unnecessary. But at least this week's played into the larger Wayne corruption angle while also introducing the important visual of green serum and green gas to the show. I hope that the series will find the confidence to, at one point, take a break from some of the stories and not feature everything/everyone in each episode."[7]
The A.V. Club's Oliver Sava gave the episode a "C" grade and wrote, "The show has offered tiny crumbs in regards to these questions: Jim has a strict moral code forged during his time as a hero soldier; Harvey is complacent because he's afraid of what would happen to him if he wasn't; Fish and Oswald are both disrespected and condescended to by their superiors. But Gotham needs to give us more, and every week we get another fantastical mystery of the week instead of the grounded character development a successful cop show needs.[4]
References
- ↑ Kondolojy, Amanda (October 21, 2014). "Monday Final Ratings: 'The Big Bang Theory', 'The Voice' & 'Gotham' Adjusted Up; 'Jane the Virgin', 'The Originals', 'The Millers' & 'Castle' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved October 21, 2014.
- ↑ Kondolojy, Amanda (November 10, 2014). "'The Big Bang Theory' Has Biggest Adults 18-49 Ratings Increase; 'America's Next Top Model' Tops Percentage Gains & 'The Blacklist' Tops Viewer Gains in Live +7 Ratings for Week 5 Ending October 26". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
- 1 2 "Arkham". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
- 1 2 Sava, Oliver. "Lack of character development diminishes the plot's steps forward". The A.V. Club. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
- ↑ "Gotham Review: "Viper"". pastemagazine.com.
- ↑ "Gotham". TV Fanatic.
- 1 2 Fowler, Matt (October 20, 2014). "Gotham: "Viper" Review". IGN. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
- ↑ "Gotham Recap: What's Altruism?". Vulture.