There are many reasons for Gotham’s success. The FOX and CTV series that traces back the origins of Bruce Wayne and the other villains that he encounters under his alter-ego of Batman was primarily unique in the way it managed to capitalize on the current popularity of comic book adaptations for the small screen.
In addition, the show’s brilliant casting offered audiences the chance to learn more about how Jim Gordon became the city’s police commissioner, why Edward Nygma was pushed into becoming the Riddler and why Oswald Cobblepot’s Penguin might be the best adversary of all time for our favorite superhero.
While there are many positive portrayals on the drama, none stand out more than the efforts of David Mazouz and Camren Bicondova as Bruce Wayne and Selena Kyle.
The young stars are the personification of everything that made Gotham, the unquestionable best new series of 2014.
Mazouz’s poignant acting allowed old-school Batman fans to learn more about the hero’s motivation to police the city on his own and attracted new audiences to the DC Comics franchise.
Camren Bicondova’s work on the show is equally as impressive. The actress who initially gained attention for being a member of the 8 Flavahz group on America’s Best Dance Crew, has used her first primetime network series as a chance to showcase why she should have been on our TV’s a long time ago. The actress exudes the spunky qualities of Catwoman and effortlessly uses her athleticism to capture the slinky nature of the DC character.
At CTV’s 2015 upfront presentation, I had the opportunity to sit down with both Mazouz and Bicondova to discuss Gotham’s critical acclaim.
We chatted about a variety of subjects including what fans can expect from the show’s sophomore season. Camren discussed her ability to successfully transition from dancing into acting while Davide opened up about the differences between playing a character who didn’t speak at all (in Touch), to one who speaks in every episode (in Gotham). I asked Camren if she preferred playing Selena Kyle as a ‘good’ character or as the villains that she started to embody in the show’s first season finale. I asked David about the preparations he made prior to undertaking a role as big as Bruce Wayne and if he was influenced at all by any of the other actors who have put on the cowl. Camren discussed how excited the actors get about the subtle character crossovers (like when Ivy suddenly appears or Nygma and Cobblepot cross paths for the first time before truly adopting their true selves). Davide and I also chatted about the pressures that the writers face in terms of the fans’ desire to see the storyline move faster and for Wayne to finally become the Dark Knight. Finally, I find out if we a romance between the pair’s characters is something we will see in the new season.
Check out the video above!
Gotham premieres tonight at 8 p.m. on CTV and FOX.
