Gotham: 10 BEST Changes To The Comics

Jervis Tetch - The Mad Hatter - is arguably most well known for his appearances in Batman: The Animated Series and the Batman: Arkham games, often depicted for his short stature, large teeth and oversized clothes. Gotham performs a complete overhaul of that (giant hat aside), with Jervis being tall and oddly normal looking. But this isn't the change that makes him wonderful in Gotham. What makes him brilliant is his drive to spread madness throughout Gotham City.

Unlike in the comics where Tetch is a neuro-scientist, in Gotham he acts as a professional hypnotist and is not (quite as) obsessed about Alice's Adventures In Wonderland. Conversely, his obsession lies in his sister Alice (quite literally) as her blood has the ability to ravage the mind of those it touches and drive them to insanity. Naturally, Tetch seeks to harvest and implement the blood to bring chaos into Gotham.

The motivations for this are never explicitly explored during the series, but the clues of his occupation point towards a form of compulsive control over others. While many were dismayed by his reduced eccentricities, Tetch isn't completely separated from his comic counterpart, which aids in his evolution in the show, as his compulsive rhyming gives him charm to spare.

Ultimately, Tetch becomes a much calmer and focused villain in the series than in the comics, and by extension, a much more threatening figure.