Gotham, one of the most anticipated shows of last year, has stumbled in its debut for a variety of reasons. Wild tonal shifts, too many characters, and a dull lead have hindered the show’s pathway to success. The one bright light of the series has been Jada Pinkett Smith‘s campy portrayal of Fish Mooney, a take-no-prisoners criminal club owner. And now news has surfaced that she won’t be back for season two. My feelings can best be described in the following GIF:
Pinkett Smith broke the news on LIVE with Kelly and Michael, saying:
“I signed up for a year and, you know, that year is up. But there are some great things coming ahead on Gotham, believe you me. There’s a lot of good stuff coming.”
This is a real heartbreaker for fans of Gotham, as Fish Mooney is easily the most exciting and nuanced character on the show. She is duplicitous, threatening, hilarious; a real show-stopper. She is also the lead female of a show featuring tragically underwritten characters. Fish is the woman that gets by far the most screen time; Barbara Keane barely appears, Renee Montoya has been MIA for weeks, and poor Captain Essen stays relegated to the background. Sure, we still have Selina Kyle, but let’s face it: that kid’s a dick. (Not the actress, the character. I would never call a real child a dick…yet.)
Put simply, this news makes me want to pull a Fish Mooney and scoop my eyeballs out with a teaspoon. The only potential upside to this would be an increased role for Barbara and Renee, or a new female character to step into the spotlight. But given the overwhelming number of male characters waiting in the wings, I’m doubtful that the show will step up its female representation.
Goodbye Fish Mooney, we hardly knew ye. Gotham, you have some serious stilettos to fill.
