Batman: Every Live-Action Commissioner Gordon Ranked Worst To Best

Gotham may have been a pretty uneven TV show, but it was hugely refreshing to see Jim Gordon presented as a younger, more idealistic rookie detective who hadn't yet been worn down by years of operating in Gotham.

In terms of sheer presence, Ben McKenzie's take has a huge advantage given that he serves as the show's de facto protagonist and appears in all of its 100 episodes across five seasons.

With the story taking place before Batman arrives on the scene, this version of the character is quite different from what fans are used to: an earnest young hero whose morality becomes increasingly grey over the course of the series.

His dynamic with partner Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue) is one of the show's easy highlights, and though McKenzie's Gordon threatens to be overshadowed by some of the more volcanic performances in the ensemble - especially Robin Lord Taylor's brilliant Oswald Cobblepot - this is a refreshingly singular take on a well-trod character.