In this episode, a new commissioner of GCPD, Nathaniel Barnes, decides to create an elite unit called "Strike Force" to take down the criminals and crooked people efficiently.
After Cobblepot kills Janice Caulfield, Randall Hobbs escapes death at the hands of Victor Zsasz with the help of the GCPD strike force.
"[3] Matt Fowler of IGN gave the episode a "good" 7.5 out of 10 and wrote in his verdict: "I have nothing against Michael Chiklis' performance here, or his character's hard-line stance on corruption (or his idea to give Gordon a squad of rookies to command).
Club's Kyle Fowle gave the episode a "C−" grade and wrote, "It's the jarring tone that's the biggest problem, and it's something that Gotham has never managed to shake.
For instance, much of the episode centers on Barnes and his creation of a special task force to clean up Gotham and deal with the new threats that have come as a result of the Arkham breakout.
The creation of the strike force, spearheaded by Barnes but put under the command of Gordon, is so overcooked, so laden with military imagery and chest-beating bravado that it feels completely at odds with everything else going on in Gotham.
It’s baffling, and more than anything contributes to an overall feeling of haphazardness, meaning that 'Rise Of The Villains: Strike Force' lacks any sort of tonal or narrative cohesion.