Oh No...It's The Gotham Knights S1e5 Review (The Marxists Come For Robin Hood...)

It's that time again – the dreaded Gotham Knights review. As much as I wish I could revel in the excitement, I must admit I didn't have high hopes for this series. And, regrettably, it continues to fall short of expectations. This episode, in particular, feels like a parody of itself.

The Gotham Knights: An Unlikely Bunch

Who are these Gotham Knights, you ask? Well, they're a motley crew, to say the least. Mostly, they consist of individuals with questionable backgrounds, and the show oddly glorifies them. We've got the likes of the Joker's thief, Harper, and Colin, who happens to be transgender.

Now, let's talk about diversity for a moment. It's crucial, but equating a single woman with diversity when over half the population is female seems like a stretch. Then there's Batman's adopted son, Turner, who carries a katana, seemingly for the sake of edginess. And don't forget Stephanie, a 29-year-old schoolgirl. These characters are pitted against the court of owls, a ruthless group of wealthy villains who cross paths with Batman in the first episode.

An Unfortunate Turn Towards Propaganda

To put it bluntly, the show is riddled with relentless propaganda. What's worse, it tries to repackage Marxism, an ideology that has caused significant suffering in the past, as something new and appealing. The low point of this episode arrives when an Irish organized crime group runs a protection racket. The heroes, the Gotham Knights, attempt to rob them, and it's revealed that one of the gang's leaders used to date dead name's sister.

The writers attempt to spin this involvement in organized crime, supposedly to pay for her sibling's transgender surgery, as a noble act. It's baffling that they've chosen to make this their hill to die on. Keep in mind; this is supposed to be a superhero show aimed at a young audience.

The Not-So-Subtle Art of Propaganda in Comics

Comics have always served as vehicles for creators to express their ideas, be it anti-Soviet propaganda during the Cold War or other niche interests. Some comic creators have had peculiar preferences, as seen in the early Wonder Woman issues. The art and narrative reveal an uncomfortable amount of bondage themes. But, believe me, that's still more comfortable to read than some of the older comics with problematic content.

Gotham Knights: A Misadventure in Illogical Crime

Let's dive back into the episode. It starts with thugs walking into a bar, attempting to shake it down for money. The problem is, this is not how protection rackets work. The whole point of such operations is to get money from business owners, not destroy their establishments. Breaking things and setting fire to places just makes it harder for them to pay in the future.

The episode also introduces us to diversity Robin's mother, who remarkably remains composed when her daughter tracks mud through the house with relatively clean "dirty" boots. It's a humorous representation of a teenage daughter and her mother's relationship, but that's about all it's good for.

Moreover, the episode presents a group of dirty cops, all of whom are white men, working with the Irish mob, which is also depicted as entirely white. It's a prime example of how an attempt at faux anti-racism can inadvertently perpetuate stereotypes.

The Unintended Consequences of Wealth Redistribution

The Knights, driven by their own motives, break into what they believe is the shell company connected to the court of owls. Instead, they find themselves in a warehouse operated by the Irish mob. There's an absurdly large amount of money lying unsecured on the floor, which raises more questions than answers.

The Knights, however, see this as a golden opportunity and escape with the cash, throwing it out of their van to create a frenzy among bystanders. They unwittingly get credit for redistributing wealth, which echoes Marxist ideals. But this act is driven more by self-preservation than altruism.

In summary, "Gotham Knights" is a perplexing mishmash of ideas that often feel disconnected from reality. It's a show that tries to be edgy but often falls into the trap of hypocrisy, propaganda, and illogical storytelling.

The Road Ahead

One might hope that "Gotham Knights" would improve as the series unfolds, but with a considerable number of episodes left, it's unclear if the show will find its footing or continue down this rather bewildering path. Let's keep our fingers crossed for a brighter, more coherent future for the Gotham Knights.

In the meantime, I'm left craving a salty snack to cope with the chaos that has unfolded on my screen.