lundi 3 octobre 2016

Batcat

This thread is simply meant to discuss the portrayal of Batcat on Gotham. I'm a huge Batman and Catwoman fan, so naturally I'd be a fan of them together. Both David and Camren are doing a great job, so most of what I'll be talking about will involve writing and dialogue.

Personally, I saw a lot of promise early in season 1 when they first met. Selina was flirty, but mostly as way of getting under Bruce's skin and for her own self-amusement. Bruce was very flat, naive and nervous with her. Usually in other media, Bruce is sarcastic and deadpan with her, but he's a lot younger in Gotham so it's understandable. However, just like in the comics, she's the one making all the moves.

The initial dynamic between them was great, however this derailed because instead of maintaining this dynamic, the writers chose to use them to drive forward the plot instead of plot being forced on them from the outside. This usually came in the form of Bruce using Selina for his own gain. It's always about Wayne enterprises or Indian Hill, and what Bruce needed Selina to do for him. I don't blame Selina for calling him a selfish SOB.

On top of that, we rarely see them simply enjoying each other's company. It's always drama or business between them. Rarely do they engage each other without an agenda. It's gotten to the point where I ask myself, why are these people friends? Sometimes, they feel like outright strangers.

Thinking more on that, I realize that every time they meet, it's as if they're strangers. Beyond the reasons stated above, I think this has to do with the fact that there's never any resolution to the drama between them. Take the latest episode for instance, 3x3 - last time I checked, Selina was mad at Bruce, but all that is thrown out the window, and their relationship is rebooted, but the intimacy degrades into more drama within the span of a couple seconds. Somewhere in there they also shared an intimate moment, but it felt like an intimate moment between strangers. Lack of happy moments coupled with a lack of drama-resolution will leave you with that impression.

Another perfect example is in season 2 they lived together, supposedly very happily though god forbid we ever see that, and then they "broke up." Why the split? Apparently, Bruce was all hung up on Selina's safety, but what happened immediately the following episode? All of that is thrown out the window when Bruce asks her to do something dangerous for him in Indian Hill. It quickly becomes apparent that there is no reason to care. There are no stakes in this relationship.

Someone put the idea in the heads of the writers that the Batcat dynamic is all about drama, but that couldn't be further from the truth. It's about two flawed individuals complimenting each other. Selina brings levity and mental stability into Bruce's life, and Bruce challenges her and makes her strive for better. The drama comes from the fact that they're both very attached to their lifestyles and aren't willing to compromise.


Batcat

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