Are you ready for television's winter vacation to be over? Fox has got you covered with an all new episode of Gotham on Jan. 5. What could the upcoming Gotham title "Rogues' Gallery" mean? When we left off, Detective Gordon had been reassigned to Arkham Asylum. There, he'll meet Dr. Leslie Thompkins, played by Morena Baccarin. The two of them are sure to encounter a lot of characters in the facility, and I mean that literally. Arkham Asylum is a pivotal location in Batman mythology. Almost all of the villains who have gone "mad" in one way or another paid their dues at Arkham.
What does the episode title mean? "Rogues" could refer to the patients in the hospital, or maybe just roguish characters in general. As we know, this is kind of all that Gotham is about. Sure, we follow some heroes, but the villains are where the real story resides. We've been searching for Gotham's Joker since day one. I'm far more invested in Fish Mooney's loyalties than whatever the last name of that other Harvey is — you know, the detective one. Even the most interesting thing about young Master Bruce Wayne thus far is his relationship with budding villainess Selina Kyle, and her fear of Poison Ivy. Still, there are a couple of turns that this episode could make based on that title. I'll break them down for you.
Comic Con Artists
Many comic books — DC, Marvel, and otherwise — use the term rogues' gallery to refer to a collective group of villains that any superhero faces. I would posit that Batman is more famous than other superheroes for having a Rogues' Gallery, because the foes he faces are so diverse. With, perhaps, the exception of all the "clayfaces" that Batman goes up against.
The episode title probably refers to the gathering collection of classic Batman antagonists on Gotham. Maybe Harvey Dent will reveal himself to be a little more two-faced. Maybe Penguin will make a new recruit (as long as it's not Ed Nygma! I'm not ready for him to be a baddie just yet). Soon, these quirky characters will start to realize that they're more than just lackeys of warring crime families.
True Detective
As it turns out, "rogues' gallery" is a real term in our world as well. It refers to a collection of photographs of criminals, suspects, and/or mugshots posted together for identification and research. Detectives also collect known whereabouts and modus operandi for the database. It's a more permanent version of what we're used to seeing on cop shows, when the detectives make a "serial killer wall" of all potential suspects, associates and victims. It was devised by Alan Pinkerton of the Pinkerton National Detective Agency in the 1850s. This Chicago-based organization was the first private detective agency in America.
Perhaps this means that on Gotham, Detective Gordon will create such a gallery in his home. Working at Arkham Asylum is sure to cause some stress and longing.
Punny Puns
According to the episode description, the inmates at Arkham Asylum are going to put on a play. Perhaps that isn't the only art therapy that they do at the facility. Perhaps the criminally insane have a more literal gallery of their own.
Images: Jessica Miglio, Nicole Rivelli/FOX; Getty Images; Giphy
