Tag Archives: ben mckenzie

TV Review: Gotham S3E1 Mad City: Better to Reign in Hell

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season_3_posterGordon (Ben McKenzie) works in a monster-ridden Gotham as a bounty hunter and seeks to find Fish Mooney (Jada Pinkett Smith) for answers about the Indian Hill escapees – and why their powers appear to be killing them. Meanwhile, Bruce’s (David Mazouz) doppelganger roams the streets, and Barbara (Erin Richards) and Tabitha (Jessica Lucas) open a new nightclub called The Sirens in the all-new “Mad City: Better to Reign in Hell…”

Gotham returns for a third season picking up where the second left off and setting up a lot of mysteries to come. The first episode is a mix of plotlines as the Indian Hill escapees are running loose in the city in a proto-Batman villain sort of way. There’s a guy that’s similar to Killer Croc, there’s a Man Bat knock-off, there’s a lot to make you want an actual series with the straight up rogue gallery we enjoy.

With the introduction of so many with varying powers, the first episode feels like the X-men’ing of Gotham, especially with Fish Mooney running around with her group of individuals. There’s a power for each moment’s needs and it includes some costumes that don’t help the comparison. And as far as that X-Men tone, the series feels more like X-Men: The Last Stand, than the more higher quality films. Watching the episode I awaited for the word “mutant” to be dropped at any moment. It’s a very odd tone and direction for the show, especially with Batman’s more horror roots, this at times camp feels a bit mixed in what it’s attempting to achieve.

The key players are back, though at this point Bruce is more front and center as he attempts to figure out the corruption at the heart of Wayne Enterprises. This mean David Mazouz has more on-screen moments, unfortunately known of that is good. Mazouz is the weakest point in the series with line readings that are flat and without any personality at all. Every scene he’s in drags killing any flow of the series.

Gotham is going in an interesting direction with a weird mix of Schumacher’s Batman and Ratner’s X-Men and in a way moving further away from the classic characters it’s based on.

Overall Rating: 6.75

Gotham Star Ben McKenzie To Attend Wizard World Comic Con Philadelphia and Chicago

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ben mackenzieBen McKenzie, who plays the lead character “James Gordon” in the hit Fox TV show Gotham, will make his first two Wizard World Comic Con appearances in Philadelphia (May 9-10) and Chicago (August 22-23). Also well-known for his portrayals of “Officer Ben Sherman” in NBC’s Southland and, earlier, as “Ryan Atwood” in the teen favorite The O.C. on Fox, McKenzie will greet fans will sign autographs, pose for photo ops and conduct interactive Q&A sessions at the two flagship shows on the 2015 Wizard World calendar.

McKenzie’s appearances at the two events will be the only ones in North America in which fans can get autographs and photo ops.

In Philadelphia, he will be joined by fellow Gotham star Robin Lord Taylor, along with Penn Badgley, Karl Urban, Kelly Frye and many others at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. In Rosemont, Ill., top guests currently scheduled to attend alongside McKenzie include Norman Reedus, Toby Kebbell, and The Walking Dead duo of Michael Rooker and Seth Gilliam at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center.

Wizard World Comic Con Philadelphia show hours are Thursday, May 7, 3-8 p.m.; Friday, May 8, noon-7 p.m.; Saturday, May 9, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; and Sunday, May 10, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Wizard World Comic Con Chicago will be held Thursday, August 20, 3-8 p.m.; Friday, August 21, noon-7 p.m.; Saturday, August 22, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; and Sunday, August 23, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Ben McKenzie is Jim Gordon

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ben-mckenzieAfter many false reports, Deadline is reporting that Fox‘s Gotham has found its lead, Detective James Gordon. Ben McKenzie, who most recently on Southland, has been cast for the role. McKenzie broke onto the scene long ago on The OC, which was a hit for the Fox network. Gotham has a series commitment and is based in DC’s Batman universe.

The series explores the origin of Jim Gordon but will also include a young Bruce Wayne. We’ve been told to expect to see Wayne turn into Batman when the series eventually concludes much like we saw in the CW’s Smallville which explored a young Superman/Clark Kent. There’ll also be other known characters and villains.

Previously some sites reported that Donal Logue was offered the role, based on nothing we can discern. Logue denied being offered the role. This also continues months of interesting casting for DC properties. McKeznie, who played a cop in Southland, proved on that show he has the acting chops and ability to knock it out of the park. Personally, that series was a favorite of mine.

We have confirmation from DC through their Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns

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