Despite inhabiting a world populated with freaks, David Zayas rendition of iconic Gotham mafioso Salvatore Maroni is actually the show's most over-the-top character. Not only is he a walking gangster cliche, but everything about Sal comes off as big and broad. The lackluster writing is hardly elevated however by Zayas, who has unleashed a delirious barrage of s**t-eating smirks, stone-faced threats, and jovial exuberance in his few brief appearances. Watching him one actually starts fearing for the delicate scenery of Gotham, as the actor chomps into each line with a frenzied and disconcerting sense of relish. Thus, perhaps the most cathartic moment was when Zayas Maroni actually did grab a massive shank of meat and took an outrageously large victory bite after a successful criminal scheme. At that moment the show's sets were (at least temporarily) safe.