Gotham Season 5 Review: 4 Ups & 1 Down From 'Ace Chemicals'

1. The Joker's Origin

While Gotham has made a name for itself by retelling the Batman story in its own unique - and often bizarre - way, Ace Chemicals is proof that sticking to the source material can often be of benefit too.

It's true that The Joker's origin varies from adaptation to adaptation - and some feature no origin story for the antagonist at all - but the most popular is undoubtedly that which features the man in question falling into a vat of chemicals, which forever alters his personality - and skin tone. The most-known use of this tale is in Tim Burton's 1989 masterpiece, Batman.

As many fans had predicted, Gotham borrows heavily from this version of the story. Much like in the '89 Batman, Jeremiah brawls with his adversary on a bridge which overlooks a vat of chemicals. The whole scene is dramatised really well, as the young billionaire rebukes Jeremiah for all that he's done, which is exactly the kind of reaction the laughing maniac is hoping for.

There's a finality in the fight sequence too, and it certainly feels like everything that's happened in the past has lead right up to this moment. In other words, the pay off is totally worth the wait. Everything about the sequence, from Jeremiah's dialogue - especially his final words about Bruce being a joke without the punchline - to the aesthetic, is superb.