To fully understand the character, we need more seasons of ‘Gotham’!
The premise of the show ‘Gotham’ is to find out the origins of the various characters that made Gotham City, Gotham City. It focuses on a time when Bruce Wayne hadn’t become the city’s silent vigilante, Batman. Instead, it follows Jim Gordon as a cop who tries to maintain a semblance of law and order in a city that is full of crimes and criminals. Alongside him, there’s also the young Bruce Wayne as he slowly inches towards becoming the city’s protector. ‘Gotham’ also introduced the character of Jerome Valeska, who is undoubtedly based on the Joker.
Highlights —
- ‘Gotham’ Season 6: How likely is it to happen?
- The character of the Joker
- The Gotham Joker explained!
Premiering in 2014, the show garnered good ratings for FOX and a diehard loyal fanbase for itself. However, at the end of its fourth season, it was announced that season 5 would be ‘Gotham’s’ last.
We’re glad the showrunners took the creative decision to end the show properly rather than get cancelled (like so many shows are doing these days) and end with an annoying cliffhanger. But we think the character of the Joker in ‘Gotham’ needs more seasons still to fully explore his personality.
‘Gotham’ Season 6: How likely is it to happen?
The short answer to this: unlikely. As said before, it was officially announced that the show would be wrapping up with season 5. The series ended with Gordon evolving as a cop and with Bruce Wayne finally transforming into Batman. While there might be a chance for a ‘Gotham’ revival at some point, as of now, nothing seems to be working in that direction.
The character of the Joker
The Joker’s was one of the most complex characters on the show, not least because he is never actually named.
Because of rights issues, the makers of the show never actually used the word Joker. In the series, the designated arch-villain always seemed to be Jerome Valeska, who much like the Joker is a psychopath. Fans had earmarked Jerome as the Joker. But the character dies a few times and is back again and is finally assumed by his twin brother Jeremiah, and none of the times is this malevolent character called the Joker.
Showrunner John Stephens says,
“The other characters are who they are – Mad Hatter, Scarecrow, etc – but no, he isn’t the Joker”.
The Gotham Joker explained!
Then who is the Joker in ‘Gotham’?
Stephens says that the real Joker could be out there, watching Jerome and Jeremiah’s action, and would one day decide to follow on their footsteps.
Danny Cannon, another showrunner of the series, has a different take. In ‘Gotham’, the idea of the Joker as an evil personality has been explored. And this malevolent personality need not be just one person. Rather, it can be inhabited by many people. “It’s a way of thinking. It’s more powerful than just one person”, he said. As the opposite of Bruce Wayne, who is on the side of good, the Joker could be anyone who wants to destroy.
With a character as complex and, not to mention, interesting as the Joker, we definitely need more seasons of ‘Gotham’ to fully understand him! What do you think?
