The episode, and the series as a whole, are based on characters appearing in and published by DC Comics in the Batman franchise, primarily those of James Gordon and Bruce Wayne.
After being given these items, the assailant shoots Thomas and Martha, leaving Bruce shocked in front of his parents' bodies while Selina watches.
Rookie detective James "Jim" Gordon (Ben McKenzie) and his partner, Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue) are sent to investigate the crime scene.
The detectives have no clues; so, they go to see Fish Mooney (Jada Pinkett Smith), an underling of Mafia Don Carmine Falcone (John Doman), but they receive no information.
The suspect, Mario Pepper (Daniel Stewart Sherman) flees from the apartment and nearly kills Gordon with a knife until Bullock fatally shoots him in the chest.
However, a low-level mobster Oswald "Penguin" Cobblepot (Robin Lord Taylor) gives information to Major Crimes Unit investigators Renee Montoya (Victoria Cartagena) and Crispus Allen (Andrew Stewart-Jones) revealing Mooney framed Pepper for the murder.
[2] In September 2013, Fox bypassed the traditional pilot phase and placed a straight-to-series order for "Gotham", to be written and executive produced by Heller.
[3] "Gotham" received a series order from Fox on May 5 the following year,[4] with the first season reported to consist of 16 episodes, rather than the standard 13 or 22.
[5] Speaking of the project at the 2014 winter TCA press tour, Reilly described the series as "this operatic soap that has a slightly larger-than-life quality.
[12] At the 2014 Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo, DC's Jim Cunningham said that Renee Montoya would be a character on the show.
[16] Matt Fowler of IGN gave the episode a "good" 7.0 out of 10 and wrote in his verdict, "Gotham, from Rome and The Mentalist's Bruno Heller, kicked things off with a basic, somewhat bland, crime story filled with a few too many dog ears.
Cobblepot is a delicious wild card, Fish Mooney is a fun addition, and Alfred is joyfully uncouth.
David Mazouz's young Bruce is appropriately mature while Camren Bicondova's Selina Kyle hops around rooftops, spying on his trauma.
This show’s fate ultimately rests in that core relationship between Gordon and Bullock, and the stronger their characters become, the better Gotham will fare".