Gotham CityscapeIt has been over 10 years since I was last excited about a live action DC Move/TV series. That would be Smallville, a show that looked to have much promise. But somewhere back in the 90′s, all those Batman films followed by shows like Smallville, Birds of Prey, etc slowly wore me down. This was particularly depressing as a DC fanboy, as I watched Marvel recently do one brilliant comic book movie after another. Where did DC go wrong? Perhaps it was just Warner Bros and the CW. But with Arrow becoming a rather popular series, announcements from last year of the Superman/Batman film, and more I’m tempted to put myself out there again. Perhaps that is what I’m doing with the new trailer for Fox’s upcoming TV series, Gotham. Whether it was my extreme love of the Gotham Central comic or just a well edited trailer, I honestly had shivers of excitement watching the official extended trailer for Gotham.

Based upon various Batman-related Gotham characters published by DC Entertainment and produced by Warner Bros. Television, Gotham will play as an origin story of the great DC Comics Super-Villains and vigilantes, revealing an entirely new chapter that has never been told. Starring Ben McKenzie (Southland, The O.C.), Donal Logue (Sons of Anarchy, Vikings), and Jada Pinkett Smith (The Matrix Revolution, HawthoRNe), Gotham follows one cop’s rise through a dangerously corrupt city teetering on the edge of evil and chronicles the birth of one of the most popular super heroes of our time, Batman! Executive producer Bruno Heller (The Mentalist) wrote the pilot, which was directed and executive-produced by Emmy Award nominee Danny Cannon (the CSI franchise, Nikita). John Stephens will serve as an executive producer on the series.

 

Normally I’m not a fan of stories that go back and tweak origins, with the small exception of Batman: Year One and The Long Halloween. While I love Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo, the recent Batman: Year Zero has left me annoyed, and stories like the new Secret Origin of Tony Stark just leave me ranting at my local comic shop. Still, I feel Gotham has potential. If done right, this could be the best comic show on Television, rivaling the early 90′s Batman The Animated Series. But in the same, it could leave us with a rather lukewarm feeling like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. or just disappointed like that Wonder Woman pilot of a few years back. Let us hope that Gotham brings us the hero we need in detective Jim Gordon, his partner Harvey Bullock, the wise butler known as Alfred Pennyworth, and the very young cast that makes up a pre-Batman, Catwoman, Riddler, Penguin, and more.

Gotham is set to premiere this Fall on Fox. Expect there to be quite the intense advertising campaign at San Diego’s Comic Con International, and check back regularly for more news and looks at the upcoming TV series!