It features an ensemble cast that includes Ben McKenzie as James "Jim" Gordon, Donal Logue as Harvey Bullock, and David Mazouz as Bruce Wayne.

The show follows Gordon's early days at the Gotham City Police Department following the murder of Bruce's parents, as well as the origin stories of Batman's infamous rogues gallery.

Development for a prequel series based on Batman began in September 2013, with Bruno Heller hired by Fox to serve as a writer and executive producer.

[2][3][4] In the first season, GCPD Detective James Gordon and his corrupt partner Harvey Bullock are tasked with solving a number of criminal cases in Gotham City, including the murder of 12-year-old Bruce Wayne's parents.

A gang war brews between crime families led by Carmine Falcone, Sal Maroni, and Fish Mooney, with low-level thug Oswald Cobblepot forced into its center.

In the second season, Theo Galavan surfaces in Gotham to kill Bruce Wayne for the Order of St. Dumas; Gordon is framed for murder by Edward Nygma; and at Arkham Asylum, Professor Hugo Strange runs unorthodox experiments in a secret facility called Indian Hill, transforming its inmates into monsters for the mysterious Court of Owls.

Jervis Tetch threatens the city's safety with a deadly virus; Cobblepot and Nygma struggle for control over Gotham; and Bruce is told by the Court of Owls' leader to seek out Ra's al Ghul to complete his training.

In the fourth season, Bruce begins to fight crime as a masked vigilante to prepare for Ra's al Ghul's return; Sofia Falcone arrives in Gotham to reclaim the criminal underworld from Cobblepot, who has established a new law of "licensed crime"; and Jeremiah Valeska is driven insane and forms an alliance with Ra's al Ghul to turn the city into an isolated ruin, forcing Bruce to fulfill his destiny as "Gotham's Dark Knight".

Nyssa al Ghul seeks vengeance for her father's death; Eduardo Dorrance takes control of the city's military presence; and Jeremiah hatches a scheme to torment Bruce and cement their "bond" as hated enemies.

[66][67] Fox Entertainment President David Madden said that the show's production team "have masterfully honored the mythology of Gotham and brought it to life with depth, emotion, and memorable high drama.

The site's consensus states, "High production values, a talented cast, and an appealingly stylized approach to the Batman mythos help Gotham overcome its occasionally familiar themes.

[109] David Hinckley of New York Daily News praised the first episode for playing "like a 45-minute movie, with stunning visuals that never feel like a shrunken TV version of the Batman films against which it will inevitably be measured" and lauded Logue's Harvey Bullock as a scene-stealer.

[110] The San Jose Mercury News' Chuck Barney called the pilot "a fun, dark, moody and well-paced first hour" and McKenzie's James Gordon a commanding lead, while saying Jada Pinkett Smith is "an absolute blast to watch.

"[111] Matt Brennan of Indiewire said that Gotham was "the perfect antidote to superhero fatigue", praising the "bright, pop-inflected aesthetic, with urban backdrops that appear as though cut out from the panels of a comic book.

Jensen added that Gordon not being Gotham's redeemer hurt the premise of the show and heavily criticized what he saw as the under-use of Jada Pinkett Smith's character.

The site's critical consensus reads, "While still tonally uneven in season two, Gotham is back with a renewed focus, moving away from disjointed case-of-the-week plots into a darker, more stable serialized story.

The site's critical consensus reads, "Gotham's third season lets the series' freak flag fly to thrilling effect, but it is far more fun to spend time with the supervillains than virtually any of the other characters".

The site's critical consensus reads, "Though at times suffering from a narrative overload that undermines the drama, Gotham's fourth season ends strong, focusing on Bruce Wayne's transition into the beloved hero its audience awaits".

The site's critical consensus reads, "Gotham concludes in a glorious free-for-all that takes full advantage of the series' dense roster of colorful villains, making for an extended climax that is both daffy and thrilling".