Gotham’s police commissioner James Gordon is getting his due on the new Fox TV series Gotham. For years the fictional character in DC Comics has been working with Batman to rid the city of crime. Gordon has appeared in most other Batman related media including TV (played by Neil Hamilton in the 1960s), video games and the live-action films. But now Gordon is playing the lead.
Premiering on September 22, Gotham takes place before Gordon ever meets Batman. In fact, the caped crusader won’t even make an appearance in this TV drama–but several familiar Batman villains will, including the Penguin, the Riddler, Catwoman, the Joker and Poison Ivy. Actor Ben McKenzie (The O.C., Southland) will portray Gordon as an idealistic rookie detective in Gotham’s homicide squad. The show is produced and written by Bruno Heller, the creator of the hit CBS series The Mentalist. (BTW: If you’ve noticed a difference in writing after season 6 of The Mentalist – when the identity of Red John was revealed! – it’s because Heller left the show to develop Gotham.)
