10 Sci-Fi TV Shows That Wasted Incredible Characters
4. Jerome Valeska - Gotham
His name alone is enough to make Batman fans wince.
First featured in season of Batman prequel/spin-off Gotham, Jerome Valeska is the matricidal son of a circus performer who is quickly admitted to Arkham Asylum.
Reappearing in season two, Jerome then takes on a more familiar character - in everything but name, that is.
While he talks, sounds and acts exactly like the Joker, his flaming red hair and relatively thorough back story was enough for fans to believe him to be nothing more than an homage to the future Clown Prince of Crime. Further development of his arc seemed to throw this into doubt, though.
The speculation quickly died when Jerome was unceremoniously offed after a handful of episodes.
But wait - there's more!
Eventually, Jerome was resurrected (for some reason, having his face removed and then reattached), and was free to continue his reign of terror as the not-quite-Joker.
Actor Cameron Monaghan was truly brilliant in the role, but the bizarre choices made by the show's writing team rendered the character something of a joke - and not the kind that he deserved to be.