Funny / Gotham Season Three

Season 3

3x 1 Better to Reign in Hell...

• During his fight with someone who may well be Killer Croc, Gordon punches him in the gut for no effect... On his opponent, that's it: the way he slowly took his fist back and looked at it while saying "Ow..." indicates that it had some effect on him.
• Barbara, Tabitha and Selina's appallingly awkward and cheesy ad for the Sirens club, 3 incredibly beautiful and charismatic women acting stiff as cardboard.
• After Barbara beats up the gangster who tried to muscle her out of her bar, she cracks up at his inability to say the word "club" with his broken nose.
  • When Penguin tries to negotiate between the two, he asks what she'd be willing to give the gangster. Babs smirks, bites off the cherry from her drink, and hands the man the bare stem.
  Oswald: That is not helpful.
• Butch complains about working with Barbara.
  Butch: Hello? She's crazy, she was in Arkham!
  Oswald: Hello! So was I!
• Butch is brooding over how much seeing Tabitha with Barbara hurts. Selina comes up to him and leaves after making brief conversation, after which when Penguin comes back up to him.
  Butch: Just seeing her kills me, you know?
  Penguin: Get over it. And that child just stole your wallet.
• Penguin gives Nygma a puzzle box that has allegedly driven people mad trying to solve and open it for generations. Nygma opens it within seconds.
  Nygma: It was a lovely gesture.
• Lucius saying he likes working at the GCPD despite its "fascistic meathead culture." Harvey takes offense to that.

3x 2 Burn the Witch

• Jim's "Ugh, This Is Gonna Suck" expression when he realizes he has to see Barbara to find out where Selina is.
• Barbara telling Vale "Jim and I were engaged but I broke it off" and he just gives a "riiiiiiiight" look at her.
  • The best part is, she's right! Technically, she did break it off with him. Even though she later wanted him back.
• Barbara's bizarre dream:
  Barbara: You were in a terrible accident and you lost your legs and I had to push you around in a giant baby carriage.
  Jim: Good to see you, Barbara.
• Gordon telling Fish he's useless as a hostage, since if she kills him, Barnes would probably just thank her.
• This parting exchange:
  Fish: Harvey, no hard feelings?
  Bullock: Fish, screw you!
  Fish: Fair enough.
• Strange's clear panic at Gordon tossing his life into the bargain with Fish.
• Fish asks if Penguin is really going to kill her after she spared his life. He replies with a cheerful "Pretty much!"
• Alfred suggesting Bruce use his spare time for dancing lessons near the end.

3x 3 Look Into My Eyes

• Harvey trying and failing to keep Jim from meeting Lee when he comes to cash in a bounty while Barnes is offering her her old job, and Harvey and Barnes' faces when they do indeed meet.
• Butch's comment about Penguin's election staff:
  "Look, you know I've faced the worst Gotham has to offer, but politicians, they scare me."
• Tetch uses Barbara in his hypnotism act, and picks the worst possible way to do it: making her think she loves him, but he doesn't love her back. Tabitha gives a casual "Oh dear" as she sees where this is going.
• Former mayor James, trying to worm his way back into the office after the disasters of Season Two but dealing with a politically ambitious Penguin, calls Cobblepot in for a face-to-face at a quiet little Italian restaurant. They both know the dangers of meeting in a place like that... which is why James hired three gunmen to pose as the wait staff to aim guns at Penguin when he moves like he's going to attack...
  • Only for Penguin to reveal that he sent in everyone else in that restaurant to aim their guns at James' henchmen. And then cheekily pins an election ribbon on him.
  Oswald: Oh don't worry, I don't want you dead. What fun would an election be if I were the only candidate?
• Penguin sticking only his head and shoulders out of his limo to greet Edward like an excited dog.

3x 4 New Day Rising

• When Penguin is angry at Nygma:
  Penguin: Give me one good reason why I don't tell Butch to shoot you.
  Nygma: Well, there's thirty witnesses here...
  Penguin: I don't care!
• Bruce becomes a little obsessed with the thought of Selina kissing his copy.
  Alfred: Oh, bloody hell.
• We hear a reporter's voice in the background discussing how Penguin's campaign is based on name calling and personal insults.

3x 5 Anything For You

• At his constituent meeting, Penguin mentions his mother's murder and throws a brief glare at Butch, who did play an indirect role in said murder. Butch responds by innocently looking away.
• Nygma's return to the GCPD and his interactions with both Lee and Lucius.
  Lucius: You are insane.
  Nygma: Was insane. I have a certificate.
• There's something innately funny in the imagery of tiny Penguin literally bitch-slapping Butch to silence him, a man that is easily twice his size.
• Alfred telling Penguin he's going to "wet his beak." Penguin makes a face like he can't decide if Alfred is making fun of him or not.
  • Earlier he mentions that their gardener was picking up pieces of Galavan for weeks after Penguin blew him up on their property.
• There's something funny about the entirety of the scene where Bruce and Selina are talking on the roof. For two seasons, they've been in the worst possible places at any given time, through a combination of bad luck and impulsiveness. In this episode, they apparently missed the whole drama for the sake of Bruce confessing that he likes her.
  • There's also Bruce getting confused. Selina walked away with a smirk.
  • Earlier, Bruce asks Gordon for help in finding Ivy Pepper on Selina's behalf and the latter finds it chivalrous...and asks him who long Bruce and Selina have been an item. Bruce is practically sputtering as he denies anything between them and they're Just Friends while Jim's only response is a simple "yeah" in a tine making it clear he doesn't believe a word the young man is saying.

3x 6 Follow the White Rabbit

• When Jervis tries to taunt Gordon over the phone, the latter proceeds to hang up just to spite him. Jervis gets genuinely annoyed, and spends a minute repeatedly calling Jim back while Jim refuses to play his mind games.
  Gordon: Hey Jervis.
  Jervis: Yes?
  (Gordon hangs up)
  (the phone rings, Gordon answers)
  Gordon: Hello?
  Jervis: Don't you ever do that again!
  Gordon: Okay. (hangs up again)
• Valerie again shows her dedication to her job by interviewing Lee about Alice's blood. While they're being held hostage.
  Lee: (annoyed) You and Jim are made for each other.
  Valerie: Thanks.
  Lee: It's not a compliment.
• After rambling to his Russian maid, with neither understanding each other, Oswald concludes with the same cheerful tone he's kept for the entire "conversation":
  I'm also going to enroll you in an ESL program. You should really learn the language if you're gonna work here.
• Nygma has prepared two schedules for Oswald: as mayor and as underworld kingpin.

3x 7 Red Queen

• Jim is hallucinating about being locked in an elevator with Barbara, who's wearing a Naughty Nurse Outfit. She reprimands him for its corniness, since this is his imagination. So he imagines her dressed as a nun instead. She is not amused.

3x 8 Blood Rush

• After Ed's romp with Isabella (which was supposed to be a break-up) Oswald asks him "How'd she take it?" Ed absently replies "What?"
• The Penguin hearing from Gabe that he likes librarians when he sabotaged Isabella's car.
• When Bullock meets back with Gordon after searching the party for Dr. Symon:
  Bullock: No luck. He must have skedaddled.
  Gordon: *sees the drink in Bullock's hand*
  Bullock: I thought he might be at the bar.
  Gordon: Uh-huh.

3x 9 The Executioner

• The antiquity dealer saying he has an eye for beauty... Just as he looks at Ivy's cleavage.
• Selina's incredulous look when the adult woman in her house reveals herself as Ivy.
  • She tells Bruce she knows it's her as "she came and immediately ate all my food."
• Ivy explains that "when you look like this, guys just come up to you and give you stuff. Half the time, you don't even have to steal it." When Bruce says Ivy "looks nice," Selina gives him a Seriously? look.
• When Ivy realizes that Bruce and Selina have hooked up since she last saw them:
  Ivy: Oh my God. Are you two a couple now?
  Bruce/Selina: Yes/No.
  Bruce: (confused) We're not?
  Selina: ...I am not doing this right now!
• Ivy's pitiful attempts to negotiate a price for the emerald with Bruce.
• Oswald trying to convince Edward to move on from Isabella.
  Oswald: Ed, I, as much as anyone, know how hard it is to lose someone, even if you've only known them for like... a week.

3x 10 Time Bomb

• This gem from Barbara:
  Babs: "Hello, comrade."
  Olga the maid: "'Comrade' is not Russian word."
  Babs: "Oh shut up, of course it is!"
• Penguin has just lied and told Barbara he has no idea where Butch or Tabitha are. The next second he is urgently on the phone like an overbearing mother with Ed (who even frustratedly asks "are you checking up on me?")...who is about to torture Tabitha and Butch, who Ed mistakenly thinks killed Isabella, when it was really Penguin himself:
  Ed: "I need to work through my grief, my way."
  Oswald: "Of course, and I support you. Any chance you could work through it a smidge faster?!"
  • And after Ed gets off the phone:
  Ed: [To Tabby and Butch] "He can be so self-centered."
• Gordon and Bullock, as usual:
  Gordon: "I need you to keep an eye on Mario. [Bullock turns toward Mario] What are you doing?"
  Bullock: "Keeping an eye on Mario."
  Gordon: "Don't look at him!"
• As well as, Selina and Bruce, about to enter the bad guy lair:
  Bruce: "There's no way of asking you to stay here that doesn't end with you yelling at me, is there?"
  Selina(matter-of-factly): "No"
• Both Barbara and Ed having a "barf" reaction to Tabby and Butch being an item.

3x 11 Beware The Green-Eyed Monster

• Nygma's absolute stunned reaction to realizing how Oswald is in love with him and Barbara hilariously mimicking how he bumped off Isabella.
• Jervis acting like a Deadpan Snarker when being interrogated by Gordon about who he infected with Alice's blood:
  Jervis: "So, I've been quiet about it all this time, and now I'm going to help you because we're such good friends?"
  Gordon: "'Because I could make your life here very uncomfortable."
  Jervis: "More uncomfortable than having Captain Barnes next door screaming "guilty" all hours of the night?"
  • While in Arkham, Jervis has made himself a new top hat... out of newspapers.
  • He keeps giving Gordon obvious hints about Mario and immediately regretting it.

3x 12 Ghosts

• Bullock's reaction to the Jerome worshipping cult:
  Bullock: "Okay, weird"
  Gordon: "But not illegal"
  • And after Dwight picks up a microphone which turns on a lightbulb next to it:
  Bullock: "Okay, weirder"
  Gordon: (nods head in agreement)

3x 13 Smile Like You Mean It

• Jerome, upon (finally) coming back to life, decides to get his revenge on Theo Galavan for killing him, only to hear that he had already been killed. Disappointed, he asks who was responsible, only for Lee to bluntly let him know that he died twice. After complaining about Galavan always upstaging him, he settles for asking where his face is.
  • Also, Jerome turns out to be a Shipper on Deck for Jim and Lee.
  • He also sounds genuinely disappointed when he finds out that he failed to kill Bruce the night that he died.
  Jerome: So when I was last, y'know, alive, I was about to kill Bruce Wayne. I suppose I didn't manage to... (Lee subtly answers "no") ...no, right.
  • Jerome also not so subtly asks if he and Lee ever had sex, and she responds with a disgusted "Oh GOD no."
  Jerome: What, ginger's not your type?
  • The funniest part is probably the fact that Lee sounds so nonchalant about it, like this is just another part of her ordinary daily routine.
  • Cameron Monaghan improvised holding the gun over his crotch when he asks the question. Morena Baccarin's reaction is completely genuine!
• When Lee suggests to Jerome that perhaps he's dreaming and if he shot himself he might wake up, Jerome does put the gun to his head for a second before waving it off as a bad idea.
• Even Gordon thinks the real Jerome is more entertaining than Dwight pretending to be him is.
  Gordon: For the record, you're doing one thing Jerome never did: boring me. [hangs up]
  • Heck, all of Dwight's attempts to upstage Jerome can come off as hilarious, with Jerome himself getting annoyed.
• Even with as nuts as the Joker gang is, Dwight's attempt to pass himself off as Jerome by wearing his face quickly has them all confused and calling bullshit.
• While he callously runs over a random pedestrian in a police car, Jerome has the decency to sheepishly shout "Sorry!" afterwards. What makes it funnier is that he sounds genuinely apologetic.
• At the beginning of the episode, two guards are playing cards, and one says, "Joker's wild!" Yes, yes he certainly is...
• When told that there is likely a mole within the GCPD, Harvey angrily sweeps his desk, accidentally knocking over a lamp in the process. Cue beat, with Harvey himself looking embarrassed, before saying that he was going to replace said-lamp anyway.
• In the middle of an otherwise dark scene in which Oswald fears he is losing his mind, his best friend and his control of Gotham, and Barb is trying to slap some sense into him, we get this gem:
  Barbara: Get up, take a shower, do that disco vampire thing with your hair!
  • Penguin's total lack of reaction makes it even funnier.

3x 14 The Gentle Art of Making Enemies

• While most of her snide remarks about Mario to Jim are petty and cruel, Lee telling Jim that Jerome found Mario's death hilarious and Jim and Jerome can bond over that when they meet is pretty funny.
• When Bruce pushes Jerome when the latter is about to throw a baseball and drop a man into a dunk tank full of piranhas. Jerome cries foul as if the minion nearest to him was a referee.
  Jerome: Foul! ...He pushed me! Did you see that?
• Butch and Tabitha's jabs at each other throughout the episode, from Tabitha pointing out that Butch knocking out Oswald meant he had to carry him, to the two bickering over which one of them could get Oswald to give up Nygma's location.
• Penguin seemingly can't stop himself from being a Deadpan Snarker, even with his life on the line.
  Butch: I said, think!
  Oswald: (with Tabitha's whip around his neck) Oh, I heard you! I'm just surprised you knew the word!
• Jerome dressed as a ringmaster and having a grand old time mugging for the crowd, at one point facing away from them, bending over and slapping his own backside.
• In a morbidly humorous sort of way, Jerome shooting a cowboy dead for interrupting his show with annoying yells.
  Jerome (through a bullhorn, visibly annoyed): SHUT UP!
• In the mirror room, Jerome challenges Bruce to a "mano y mano" fight and eggs him on to "be a hero". When Bruce sneaks up from behind and tackles him to the ground, the latter complains, "What kind of hero tackles someone from behind?!"
  • There's also Jerome's hilariously Joker-esque fighting stance: he cartoonishly raises his fists while going "Put 'em up! Put 'em up!"
• After Jim takes down Jerome by punching his face off, the latter merely reacts with a simple "Ow." before falling to the floor.
  • Then there's Jim's expression after he punched Jerome.
  • And of course, Harvey says what we're all thinking and lampshades it.
    Harvey: "At least you get to say you punched a man's face off. That's something, right?"
• A police officer finds the Penguin tied up in Ed's Death Trap, and instead of rescuing him (despite the fact that he's clearly in mortal danger), asks an incredulous Oswald what he did to deserve being put there.

  Oswald:I'm going to die here listening to this moron!

• Butch and Tabby having a domestic disagreement over how quickly they could get Oswald to crack under torture. Even Oswald himself can't help but facepalm.

3x 15 How The Riddler Got His Name

• A lot of Nygma's interactions with Hallucination!Penguin.
  • When the hallucination first shows up, Ed complains about him dripping water and seaweed all over the couch.
  Hallucination!Penguin: You're the only person I know who complains about his drug-induced hallucinations making a mess.
  • At one point, the hallucination breaks out in a song and dance number, much to Ed's bafflement. The slight sexually charged nature of it just adds even more layers of bizarreness to it.
  • Since Hallucination!Penguin appears as Oswald would after spending several weeks at the bottom of the sea, he also has seaweed and other plants growing on him. At one point, he picks a live crab off his shoulder with an amused look on his face.
  • "You must be the first person to go on a killing spree in order to find a life coach."
  • Hallucination!Penguin chowing down on a bag of popcorn as Ed electrocutes people at the chess tournament.
  • Even Penguin's hallucinatory representation is a Deadpan Snarker. When Ed remarks he's always liked the view from the pier, the figment snarks "Not really a fan. You understand why."
  • And responds to Ed's heartfelt confession of missing him with a blase "Gee. Almost makes up for being dead."
• Nygma's idea of sending clues to the GCPD? Singing telegrams dressed as fruit. The fact that the GCPD barely react to it just makes it even funnier.
• "The Chess Killer! How terrifying! How will anyone sleep knowing the Chess Killer is out there?"
• Lucius and Leslie's nonchalant reactions to finding Harvey's stolen badge inserted into a corpse's stomach. Culminating in Lucius forgetting he's holding it and attempting to leave the room with the blood-covered evidence.
  Lucius: Thank you, doctor. (Heads for the door)
  Lee: Uh...
  Lucius: (Hands her the badge) Thank you, doctor. Sorry. I know. Thank you.
• A lot of Lucius and Harvey's interactions. At one point a completely dumbfounded Lucius asks "is this what Gordon deals with?"
  Harvey: I do not have the resources to allocate to your hunch! (smugly) Did you hear how I used that word "allocate," huh?
• Ed's ringtone is the beginning of the 1960's Batman theme.

3x 16 These Delicate and Dark Obessions

• Gordon says there's one person outside the Court of Owls' control he can ask to investigate them. Bullock immediately starts shouting not to do it, followed by a Gilligan Cut to Barbara on her throne, collecting tributes while "Love Hurts" plays.
• Ivy reminds us that despite appearances she's still mentally a kid, as before helping Oswald she makes him promise to be nice to her. Oswald makes a face like he's struggling to conceive how he landed in this position.
• Bullock's reaction to the Court of Owls.
  Bullock: A secret organization that runs Gotham? Someone should tell them they're doing a terrible job.

3x 17 The Primal Riddle

• Bullock noting the Hamlet actor the Riddler murdered. "I guess it wasn't... meant to be." Gordon's look at the joke is far funnier.
• The Mayor brushing off the Riddler's threat by pointing out that there are so many corrupt politicians in Gotham, the riddle could have been about anyone.
  • Him enjoying a box of danishes while talking to Gordon and Bullock, until it's revealed they are from an "appreciative citizen".
• When Ivy and Oswald try to recruit Bridget, Ivy tells her there's nothing wrong with being a freak, and that she and Penguin are both freaks, too. Oswald raises his eyebrows and shrugs in a silent "guilty as charged".
  • Bonus points for Bridget's agreement: roasting her boss alive with a blasé "I quit."
  • The face Penguin makes when he offers to kill Bridgit's boss for her. "I could kill your boss to sweeten the deal."
• Victor Fries startling Ivy and Oswald by dropping a large block of ice behind them.
• The innate humor of Mr. Freeze and Firefly immediately getting off on the wrong foot. If they were more Genre Savvy they would have seen it coming, really.
• The ridiculous and melodramatic way Riddler rolls his 'r' when pronouncing the Hamlet actor's delivery "Unrrrrrrrrealistic!"
• Oswald is trying to have a moment with his vandalized painting, which leads to this hilarious exchange:
  Victor: (flatly) There's a question mark on your face.
  Oswald: (with a forced smile) You can sleep in the freezer.
  • Even better, it's not clear if Victor is genuinely oblivious, or if he's trolling Penguin.

3x 19 All Will Be Judged

• When Oswald is put into a cage next to Ed, Ed slaps him on the forehead to make sure he's not another delusion. Oswald's exasperated, disbelieving splutter makes it even funnier.
• Oswald and Edward acting like five-year old babies while locked up, like calling each other names or laughing when the other gets hurt.
• Oswald and Edward negotiating the terms of their Teeth-Clenched Teamwork, complete with a "no backstabbing" clause and a six hour head start before they start trying to kill each other again.
• Oswald scaring away the homeless people.
• Bullock yelling about Barnes going missing.
  Bullock: There's a nutjob running around in a leather suit with an axe for an arm! I know this is Gotham, but come on!
• Bullock's reaction to finding out about the Bruce clone is to just sit in a chair and clearly wish for a drink.

3 X 20 Pretty Hate Machine

• Ivy tells Oswald Selina knows where Firefly is and was asking questions about their men and guns and "duh, we're all alone!"
  Oswald: You idiot! It's a trap!
  Ivy: No way! Selina would never do that... Well, unless they offered her money...

3x 21 Destiny Calling/3x 22 Heavydirtysoul

• In the opening scene, we see Gotham plunge into sheer anarchy as its denizens go mad from the Tetch Virus. Amidst the chaos, two infected little girls are shown chasing a police officer, violently demanding that he buy their cookies.
  • The opening primarily focuses on a little old lady who has been infected with the virus. She holds up a bank for her life savings (which they probably screwed her out of). It seems pretty scary- until the Gilligan Cut to her walking down the street with a bag full of cash, perfectly happy and content, while the city tears itself apart behind her.
• Strange gets a few laughs in this episode.
  • When attempting to escape Gotham, he is stopped by two large men. At first he has a rude attitude and tries to go around them. Then he sees Fish Mooney. His tone and demeanor afterwards gives the indication that he is tired of being held captive again and again.
  • When Penguin reveals he acquired the "therapy" machine used on him in S2 to Strange, all the confidence and smug attitude the good professor had vanished instantly.
• After being cured, Jim goes into Harvey's office. Harvey is a bit sour due to Jim pushing him into a train earlier. No, two trains. According to Harvey, he felt like a "freakin' cartoon".
• Riddler has just knocked Oswald to the ground and taken his gun. Oswald’s frustrated and whiny response is hilarious.
  • Oswald: That’s not possible. IT IS MY TURN! IT IS MY TURN TO KILL YOU!
    • It's arguably even funnier when you realize this is all part of Oswald's plan, and he was probably playing to Ed's accusation him of being a "spoiled child." "Prepare for one massive tantrum!"
  • The way they keep stealing Ed's derby hat from each other, like kindergartners playing keep-away.
    • Given that Osward wore a similar/the same hat back in season 2, the idea that the Riddler's iconic hat was once Oswald's further undermines Ed's attempts to get out of the Penguin's shadow.