How Talent, Representation and Character Growth Make ‘Gotham Knights’ Work

Written by Juanita ‘Obi-Juan’ Bonner

Still from ‘Gotham Knights’ Courtesy of The CW.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the television series, ‘Gotham Knights’.
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Hello my fellow geeksters! Having recently been here to discuss the fate of The Winchesters (CW; 2022-2023), it pains me to do this again with another Supernatural (CW; 2005-2020) alum series: Gotham Knights (CW; 2023). Staring our beloved Misha Collins as the infamous Harvey Dent (AKA: Two-Face), I was ecstatic to see just how this show would take Misha – best known for portraying Castiel on Supernatural – into the dark psyche of Harvey Dent. Yet, before its final two episodes hit the air, on June 12th, Gotham Knights was cancelled by the network. *SIGH* Amidst internal changes and a current writer’s strike, many shows have faced similar peril. However, my focus remains here because I came for Misha and stayed for so much more. So today, I’d like to discuss a few reasons why I fell in love with this new, albeit short, slice of the DC pie. Interested??

First, I’d like to point out that I am by no means a DC expert. In fact, whether it’s comics, films, or television, I often lean much more in Marvel’s direction. Again, I came for Misha!! Regardless, it’s worth noting that overall, the beginning is a little wayward in the realm of the caped crusader and the Gotham Knights comics. Beginning with the murder of Batman – a story unto itself – this series separates from canon as a completely new adventure. Is that bad? Heck no!! Will it immediately garner backlash from some of the die hard Bat fans? Um… probably!! Do I care? NOPE!! Now that we’ve established a bit of background, beginning with talent, let’s dive in!

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Still from ‘Gotham Knights’ Courtesy of The CW.

Talent:
The pilot episode is all about the death of Bruce Wayne and forcing our would be Knights together. We thankfully only linger on the lifeless bat (and his cheesy mask – LOL!!) for a short time before the real focus becomes Bruce’s adopted son Turner Hayes (Oscar Morgan). Along with a group of Gotham’s young criminals – Duela Doe (Olivia Rose Keegan) and fraternal twins Harper (Fallen Smythe) and Cullen Row (Tyler DiChiara) – Turner is framed for Batman’s slaughter. Thus, our core crew are thrust together on the run. As the series continues, aided by Turner’s best friend Stephanie Brown (Anna Lore) and Batman’s sidekick Robin/Carrie Kelley (Navia Ziraili Robinson), the fugitives reluctantly work together to clear their names.
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Each of the budding young actors bring strong energy to their roles. None more than Olivia Rose Keegan as Duela. Thought to be the daughter of the notorious Joker, Duela takes every opportunity she can to put up a cruel front. Further, Olivia’s portrayal embraces every scene with a wide-eyed deranged outlook that any Joker would be proud of… LOL!! Duela is screaming with issues and despite my initial reservations, I grew to love her in no time. As for our main protagonist – Turner Hayes – he’s a little gun shy and not as compelling as his companions. None the less, Oscar does a fine job here as I suspect gun shy was the plan all along. *PEW-PEW* Looking at the twins, their chemistry is fantastic and it’s easy to believe they’re really brother and sister as both Fallon and Tyler bring their A-game. Rounding out our vigilante ensemble, Navia as Carrie and Anna as Stephanie give excellent performances as individual backboards for Turner’s frustrations. Of which, there are many!! All of this sits beside a compelling and sinister mystery with unseen villains pulling the strings. *VERY COOL!!*   

On the flip-side, which is perfect I might add (*WINK*), we watch as Harvey Dent’s life slowly unravels towards his transformation into Two-Face. This is delightful to witness for several reasons. One: Misha is excellent as the comforting, caring and by the book kind of District Attorney Gotham needs. All Harvey Dent’s start out this way and Misha does a brilliant job in this realm. Two: as the lines began to blur, Misha brings the talent further by playing a confused and helpless Harvey. Until finally… later in the season… bits of Two-Face emerge and it’s glorious! Capped off with the full-fledged mad man by series end. LITERALLY… so much potential…yet, over before it barely takes hold. I mean… if you haven’t seen Misha become dark characters in Supernatural like Lucifer and The Cosmic Entity, then you’re truly missing out!! For he embraces each with a sly smile and a menacing mix of humor and evil that I didn’t even know he possessed at the time!! Quite literally some of his best work comes from his dark side(s) and I LOVE IT!! The same can be said here. With his ability to pivot from a sensitive caring soul to a ruthless cold killer with comedic chops is just simply fantastic. *DAMN STRAIGHT!*

Teens framed for murder. A good guy on the verge of destruction. A cloudy villain behind it all. Sounds pretty straight forward, right? But it’s what they discover and share along the way that makes me love them and this show!! Let’s discuss.

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Representation:
Upping the game from being gay in the comics, Cullen is a transgender male. As is the actor who plays him. *AWESOME!!* Even better? From finding allies in Harvey Dent, his sister Harper and the Knights themselves, many scenes touch on Cullen’s plight without overpowering the main story. It’s refreshing to say the least!! What’s more, we explore lesbian themes for a couple of our girls, that play out just as intriguing and exciting as any hetero entanglements we’ve seen a million times. Again, taking care not to muddy the waters of the main story at hand. More to the point. It all feels natural. Things like Dent standing up for Cullen when he’s bullied by another cop for being trans (*CHEERS!*) to the moment the girls finally romantically crash into one another (*SO SWEET*). THIS is what LGBTQ+ representation is. Normalcy! And it’s BEAUTIFUL!!
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A bit more blatant to the story. We see themes surrounding physical and emotional abuse not only for our teens, but Dent as well. Tales of alcohol and drug addiction are also dealt with. Why does all this matter? Because no one person’s story is the same. This is what makes individuals so compelling. We’re all dealing with something and seeing yourself in a character matters. For kids, teens and grown-ups alike!! Besides, even if none of the stories align with your life, you can bet there’s someone out there who feels differently. I mean… we all have trauma and watching those on-screen deal with theirs can be cathartic. Or at the very least, comforting. Most types of entertainment strive to find a connection with their audience. Gotham Knights does an outstanding job in this realm, and I’d wager that for many viewers, there’s likely something that will resonate at some point.

Finally, beyond the other strong female leads, Robin is played by a woman of color. As is her mother Lisa Kelley (Angela Davis) – a  doctor at Gotham City General Hospital. *HECK YEAH* Historically, Batman’s sidekick has been portrayed by white cis males which makes this Robin a refreshing change of pace. *KAPOW* Especially when other female personas in the world of Batman are often reduced to deranged and/or sociopathic hotties, for lack of a better term. *FACE PALM* And though I actually like the majority of these characters, look no further than Harley Quinn, Cat Woman and Poison Ivy, and it’s easy to see why Robin stands on her own here. Are those other women strong? Hell yes!! But they’re also overly sexualized and don’t exactly scream stable… LOL!!

With immense talent and representation our final topic allows the viewer to solidify their bond with a tantalizing story and my personal fav… getting to know our crew!

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Still from ‘Gotham Knights’ Courtesy of The CW.

Character Development:
As previously noted, Turner is pretty reserved in the beginning. However, as the story progresses, he opens up and takes more risks. As do all the main characters. Especially the twins and Turner’s friend Stephanie. Each fighting demons from childhood into their young adult lives, in unexpected ways the Knights find strength from deep within as well as from those around them. In particular, Stephanie comes to realize that her parents issues are not her own while the twins learn they may want different things than once previously thought. Carrie – as Robin – is the most grounded of the bunch but hits her own trials and tribulations with Turner and her mother. Both proving to be gut wrenching for the sidekick and the audience. Overall, each Knight reckons with something and in most cases, it’s agonizing to watch. Making any triumph all the more satisfying. Plus, the balance of fun and joy sprinkled throughout makes all the doom and gloom easier to take – if not understand!! *BRAVO*
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The adults in the series go through some pretty large (ah-hem) growth spurts of their own. *LOL!* As Harvey spirals, other secrets are revealed about him and his fellow Gotham elites. Some fairly predictable with a few others turning out to be shocking and really quite dark. *YIKES* Without spoiling anything, let’s just say pretty much every main adult has something to hide and most of it is diabolically delicious. *INSERT EVIL LAUGHTER HERE*

Unfortunately, as confirmed by showrunners James Stoteraux and Chad Fiveash, aside from being cancelled, hopes of the show being picked up elsewhere have also died. *DAMMIT* Even with huge support behind the scenes… here we are! I’m also not going to pretend that I haven’t heard concerns about how shows like The Winchesters and Gotham Knights – who are proudly showing non-binary and transgender characters, respectfully – are the ones being cancelled. Coincidence?? Well… the debate is ongoing, and hopefully that is *NOT* the case.

In the end, is Gotham Knights predominantly aimed at teenagers and 20 somethings? For the most part, yes. Honestly, I think that’s what makes it so good. A fictional superhero show isn’t new. A rag-tag group of teenagers? Also… not new. Regardless, with its compelling characters and twisting storylines, the show finds interesting ways to draw the audience in without adding too much over-the-top teen angst. While giving us a whole new set of characters to love, it also offers VERY well written takes on old ones. Namely Harvey Dent whose background and transformation are spectacular. *BRAVO MISHA!!* Though short lived, in my opinion, Gotham Knights deserves a look from any comic and/or Supernatural fan from pre-teen on up. Allowing yourself to not over think it and be swept up in its magic is worth it. Looking at the immense talent, important representation and dynamic growth – all of which work in tandem to produce a fun, charismatic and well told story – only adds to the fairy-tale! Check it out… or don’t – “Not offended.” *WINK*

Until next time.

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