mhg83

If the reason for not having Batman and all the Villains is for budget reasons, why not do a 1 hour Animated drama? Are networks afraid to put up a serious Adult animated drama in Prime Time? I thought we were over this stigma that animation is just for kids?

Groucho

I'm pretty sure a prime time animated drama would bomb no matter the subject matter.

Jackskeleton

I mean, on one hand it has the Batman name appeal, so it should get a second season... On the other hand, it has Donal Logue.

robin2099

Bingo. I remember when they aired prime time episodes of Batman the animated series and they bombed in the ratings.

Michael Corvin

fumanstan

Of course I am. SHIELD has been excellent the last couple months.

writer106

I remember those primetime episodes of BATS. I might be wrong, but I remember one of them was aired during a holiday.

Shannon Nutt

Yes, but they lost half their audience (including me) in the process of getting there. I don't have the patience anymore to watch a new series for more than three or four episodes in the hope that it MAY get better. I'm in the camp now that if it's good enough to get renewed, I'll binge-watch over the summer...maybe.

Michael Corvin

Precisely. There's still the last 6 episodes of Shield up on ABC. I could watch those, but I have a hard time believing they were able to fix everything. I can see writing improving and even production values, but you're still stuck with cookie cutter characters portrayed by horrible actors.

I'm also of the mind that easter eggs and tying into the MCU is neat, but shouldn't be a crutch to draw in viewers. The show should stand on its own. I shouldn't have to watch a dozen movies and know decades of comics lore just to enjoy a 45 minute tv show once a week.

fumanstan

We don't need to rehash the problems with Agents of Shield early on, but it doesn't change the fact that it is in fact an excellent show right now and i'd say everyone that's watching still would agree with me. Plenty of reviews and articles online that are on board too. Like I said, we would be lucky if Gotham is anywhere near as good as that show is right now. Unless you've seen the last 10 episodes or so, your assumptions aren't enough to really judge otherwise.

And i'd say the show does stand on its own, there's no need to know lore and movies like Winter Soldier just enhance the viewing experience, not anywhere close to being a crutch. I've never really even heard that as a common complaint.

Michael Corvin

Fair enough. I'll give it another shot.

riley_dude

Do we really need another prequel series? And, after canceling Almost Human, does FOX expect us to give this a chance?

dex14

'Gotham' showrunner breaks silence, answers burning questions on Batman prequel -- EXCLUSIVE: http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/05/08/gotham-interview/

fumanstan

Some of his replies seem a little overconfident, but I guess it's nice that he's that sure of himself and the product.

Although I have to chuckle a little at this line given the conversation over in Movie Talk about Nolan and his 'contempt for the character and medium'

DJariya

Interesting Heller says it will be serialized. That's good.

Hokeyboy

Just to touch on AGENTS OF SHIELD for one more moment... I absolutely *loathed* it for the first, say, 6-7 episodes. It just kept on being shit. I tuned back in about 2 weeks before Winter Soldier and was surprised to find it... good. Real good. Not GREAT, but really good. It still has some issues that can be cleaned up next season, but I'd advise those who tuned it to check out episode guides for the 12 episodes or so and come in then. You might be surprised

It ain't ARROW good, but it's good

Mike86

The Entertainment Weekly interview is interesting. I like that Heller seems to have his shit together and has an actual plan for Gotham. In some ways though he does come off a bit arrogant in thinking his version is going to be the best ever or something.

madcougar

What's he supposed to say though? "No way we can ever be as good as some of the movies because we only have a 12-year-old Bruce Wayne. Hope people watch regardless."?

If you're not going to aim for the fences, don't play.

Mike86

I understand that but even so. He could have stated it a bit differently than he did. It's cool that he's confident about it but that doesn't mean that he should start undermining versions that came along before his and acting like he's the best ever or something. Just came off a bit big headed to me.

DJariya

This is the guy who was the creator and showrunner for Rome on HBO, which was one of the most expensive and elaborate shows on TV. I think we should give him a little more credit that he would have his shit together.

Mike86

I like some of his ideas and I like that the series will be serialized. He seems to have a good sense of where he wants to take the series long term. I just think the way he's coming across in that interview it's almost like he feels Gotham is going to be the be all end all for Batman or something. Like I said it's fine to have confidence in your project and I did like Rome, but he still comes off a bit big headed.

Hokeyboy

I didn't get that vibe from him at all. He has a definite vision, and his ideas of how to incorporate that vision into the overall Batman (here comes the word I hate again) "mythology", but I don't see how he came across as "big headed", or how his Batman was the definitive one.

The definitive one is STILL All-Star Batman & Robin.

DaveyJoe

Mike is determined to hate this more than I hate the ASM franchise.

Draven

Especially considering how many people have already written it off because they think it's a procedural set in the Batman universe.

PhantomStranger

I really don't like many of the answers given in this interview, it's clear the guy was hired since he was coming off another procedural in The Mentalist (which wasn't even a great example in that genre).

Rome was mildly entertaining for the graphic sex and violence, but those will have to be toned down on Fox.

I expect the network to be making a lot of the real decisions involved, this is a big project and meant to be a cornerstone of their schedule for the next several years. Expect a lot of changes on the fly if early ratings start disappointing.