10 Weirdest Storylines In All 5 Seasons Of Gotham

Gotham was renowned for its eccentric interpretation of the Batman franchise, but some moments proved far weirder than audiences expected. Gotham was a prequel series to the wider Batman franchise, depicting Gotham’s Commissioner Gordon when he first joined the GCPD. The series was notable for its darker tone, presented through a gritty crime procedural drama, as it explored several classic backstories from the Batman pantheon.

Gotham boasts five seasons, during which several odd occurrences and stories were adapted, though some were markedly stranger than others. Similarly, while some of Gotham‘s weirder moments make sense in the context of the wider show, some of the series’ more bizarre scenes appear as more unpredictable surprises. However, these strange moments often make some of Gotham‘s most memorable scenes, proving the merit of including more unusual events.

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10 Warring Circus Families

Gotham Season 1, Episode 16 “The Blind Fortune Teller”

The Gotham episode “The Blind Fortune Teller” opens with a highly entertaining and surreal skirmish between two warring circus families – the Graysons and the Lloyds. The Graysons are a troupe of acrobats and aerialists, while the Lloyds are the circus’ clown dynasty, providing an absurd spectacle as the two families fight bitterly in the ring. The scene sets up introducing several important plots into the series, most notably Gotham‘s Joker analog, giving the Clown Prince of Crime a fitting, circus-themed introduction. The fight served as a captivating set piece in establishing this essential character in an appropriately surreal manner.

9 Ivy’s Drastic Changes In Appearance

Gotham Season 3, Episode 2 “Burn The Witch”

Poison Ivy changes dramatically throughout Gotham, providing one of the show’s strangest character arcs. Originally introduced as a young and orphaned Ivy Pepper, the character later experiences a mysterious alteration due to contact with a hazardous substance. This metamorphosis accelerates her aging process, with the character recast with an older actor. The transformation would continue, however, and a third iteration of the character was introduced. The narrative is extremely unconventional, with the show using its own magical conceits to remove restrictions regarding the stories it wants to tell. It reflects Gotham‘s unpredictable nature, and preparedness for bizarre, unconventional stories.

8 Bruce Wayne’s Doppelganger

Gotham Season 2, Episode 22 “Transference”

Bruce Wayne’s doppelganger storyline introduced a perplexing twist to the Batman origin narrative. Also known as 514A, the doppelganger was a clone created by the Court of Owls as part of their elaborate plan to manipulate Bruce. Initially resembling a younger Bruce, 514A underwent an accelerated aging process to match the real Bruce’s age. Becoming a central figure in Gotham season 3, the doppelganger became pivotal in Gotham‘s exploration of duality, identity, and destiny. As the clone grapples with his purpose and the complexities of sharing a life with the real Bruce, the storyline adds an intriguing inflection to the show, while taking noticeable liberties with the source material.

7 Jim Gordon & Harvey Visit Gotham’s Baby Resort For An Investigation

Gotham Season 4, Episode 15

While pursuing the infamous Ventriloquist, Mr. Penn, Gordon and Bullock discover a spa filled with people dressed as babies mid-way through investigating a series of bizarre crimes. The visual contrast of adults in baby costumes with a dangerous criminal in their midst adds a particularly surprising layer to the city’s already twisted criminal landscape, showcasing Gotham‘s unique blend of horror, dark humor, and the absurd within the context of Batman lore. This surreal tableau became a decidedly memorable moment, emblematic of Gotham‘s willingness to explore the weirder corners of Gotham.

6 Azrael’s Death Scene

Gotham Season 2, Episode 2 “Unleashed”

Gotham‘s loose definition of death took a surreal turn when Hugo Strange resurrected Theo Galavan. Convincing Galavan he was the ancient warrior Azrael, Strange dispatched Galavan to eliminate Jim Gordon. Clad in makeshift armor and wielding a fake sword, Galavan’s delusional pursuit of justice becomes unintentionally comedic. His death was equally strange, ultimately blown up by a bazooka fired by Butch Gilzean, working under the orders of Oswald Cobblepot. The absurdity and drama of Azrael’s death added a darkly humorous twist to Gotham‘s unpredictable narrative. The scene is particularly indicative of Gotham‘s commitment to telling a thrilling, tongue-in-cheek interpretation of the Batman canon.

5 Professor Pyg Presents The Meat Pie Tango

Gotham Season 4, Episode 9 “Let Them Eat Pie”

One of the most bizarre moments from Gotham occurred in “Let Them Eat Pie,” when Professor Pyg presented his Meat Pie Tango. The number was a sinister reinterpretation of the “Cell Block Tango” from the musical Chicago. It was delivered as he served human meat pies to Gotham’s elite, revealing his gruesome culinary creations. The tango served as a comic interlude, blending horror and absurdity, creating one of the most memorable scenes in the series. Gotham’s penchant for embracing the bizarre was fully showcased in “Let Them Eat Pie.” Contrasting the stark narrative against the high strangeness of Pyg’s tango, the scene became as unsettling as it was oddly funny.

4 Butch Becomes Solomon Grundy

Gotham Season 4, Episode 5 “The Blade’s Path”

Butch Glzean was introduced as an enforcer for crime boss Fish Mooney. The character was initially a creation of the series before it was revealed in season 3 that his real name was Cyrus Gold. This perfectly set up season 4 to transform the character into the famed Batman villain, Solomon Grundy. Butch underwent a resurrection in a swamp, returning as a hulking, undead behemoth with immense strength. The lumbering Grundy grunts and waves emphatically, reminiscent of 1931’s Frankenstein, The Incredible Hulk television series, and The Munsters’ Hermann Munster. Gotham‘s Solomon Grundy felt at odds with the depiction of the city, and remained a conspicuous and peculiar presence.

3 Miss Kringle’s Clone

Gotham Season 2, Episode 6 “Follow the White Rabbit”

Just as Edward Nygma was starting to get over the death of his love interest, Kristen Kringle, he bumped into a woman who was absolutely identical to her known as Isabella. Isabella’s uncanny resemblance triggered emotional turmoil for Nygma, and would have extensive ramifications in the series. The story was presented as if building up to a dramatic reveal, and many have speculated that Isabella was a clone of Kringle. While Isabella’s subsequent death did greatly shape future narratives, Gotham proffered no explanation for Kristen Kringle and Isabella looking identical, and quickly forgot about her after her unceremonious death. Isabella’s arc simply disappeared and left the bizarre story completely unresolved.

2 Barnes Becomes The Executioner

Gotham Season 3, Episode 9 “The Executioner”

The transformation of GCPD Captain Nathaniel Barnes into the Executioner was a riveting and dark evolution, punctuated by some very strange stories. Initially a staunch ally in the fight against crime, Barnes is corrupted by the Alice Tetch virus, leading to a descent into madness. Embracing a distorted sense of justice, Barnes becomes the Executioner, a merciless vigilante dispensing lethal punishments to those he deems guilty. This transformation symbolized the fragile nature of Gotham’s justice system, as Barnes, once a symbol of law and order, became a formidable force of chaos. The narrative takes a bizarre turn later when Barnes dons a costume and a bladed mantle while dispensing his twisted interpretation of justice.

1 Jim Gordon Is Sent To Prison

Gotham Season 2, Episode 15 “Mad Grey Dawn”

Gotham took a dramatic turn when James Gordon, the city’s valiant detective, found himself wrongfully convicted and sent to prison. Framed for murder, Gordon’s imprisonment thrust him into the perilous world he once fought against. The storyline explores the vulnerability of a protagonist navigating a broken justice system. The narrative was weird because of how much more serious it was compared to the ridiculousness of other Gotham stories. Gordon lost everything while he was in prison, and the series reveled in it. While not the most eccentric story from Gotham‘s five chaotic seasons, it was made all the weirder because it felt like such a departure from the show’s established tone.