Final time the cast of Gotham come together to do a panel.

On September 9th 2014 Gotham was named the most promising new fall series by the TCA’s.

Yesterday, Wednesday February 6th 2019 some members of the cast, writers and executive producers attended a goodbye panel. The final ever episode will air on Thursday 25th April 2019 (okay I am crying now)

Thanks to the wonderful journalists that have hosted some of the Gotham panels over the years, they too like the fans of the show are sad the show is coming to an end.

Twitter has been a wonderful source of information yesterday evening as journalists who attended the goodbye panel tweeted along and captured many great answers from the cast and producers. In the following paragraphs anything you are about to read has come from several different sources including Gothams very own official Twitter account. Some words are my own and a lot are not my words.

The stars that attended from Gotham were Ben McKenzie, Donal Logue, Erin Richards, Cory Michael Smith, Robin Lord Taylor, David Mazouz, Camren Bicondova and Cameron Monaghan. Along with executive producer Danny Cannon and John Stephens.

After a sizzle reel summing up what has happened so far in season 5 there was footage of The Batman in Gotham along with The Riddler and The Penguin in their 10 year time jump. The first question to be asked “is it David Mazouz as the final Batman?” 

John Stephens confirms “yes and no. The suit is for someone over 6”4. But it’s definitely David Mazouz face in the mask and voice.”

Killer Croc was a character they wanted to tackle from the comics that they didn’t get to. But there was someone later in the season who isn’t quite there, but close enough for them.

Danny Cannon has always said “The city was the star of the show and our crew built that city and our cast inhabited that city.”

Cameron Monaghan was remaining tight lipped in whether he was playing actually playing The Joker. ”I mean I can tell you but I’d have to kill you.”

Ben McKenzie talked about how there were many things they wanted to do for the final season and if they don’t get to do them now, they never will get to do them. Ben also talked about the great advantage of knowing that the show was ending so you can throw it all out there. Ben has also enjoyed watching the villains develop a life of their own. “It’s a blurred line, who is a hero and who is a villain?”

“I think it’s pretty fair to say they’re copying us,” McKenzie says of the ARROWverse shows incorporating a lot of GOTHAM-like elements. But Cannon says DC is good about regulating things.

David Mazouz is very grateful for the years that will shape him most when he looks back on his life, “I have had all these great role models that have shaped the person I am today.” 

One thing David Mazouz has taken from playing Bruce Wayne, “you can do anything if you set your mind to it.”  Not the cliche version, the real life growth concept. Whenever David is faced with a challenge, he thinks Bruce could do it!

Erin Richards directs her first episode of Gotham in season 5.

In the 6th episode of Gotham which airs on February 14th there is a bombshell that drops which will play out in the finale 10 year jump. Danny Cannon executive producer, writer and director discussed how the violence should be violence on the show. Gotham’s violence is really theatrical operatic violence, as it is character driven. Danny Cannon also mentions the crew, production designers and costume department that worked on Gotham “They were Gotham, they thought Gotham, they became Gotham.”

Erin Richards agreed with Danny Cannon, as she saw the commitment from the crew when she directed her episode of Gotham. “We get to be the face of it, but so much work went into it,” Erin adds.

Cory Michael Smith continued to talk about “how it was a thrill to recognise the horror that was going to befall our characters, the tragedy and to really digest what that experience is and commit to let your character develop organically. We were constantly rebuilding ourselves.” 

Cory Michael Smith also talked about how the actors didn’t really know the plan for their characters often, so that allowed them to evolve and reinvent themselves over the course of the show. Executive producer John Stephens also admitting that Cory called him over a thanksgiving to discuss changing how the Riddler came to his name. Cory had been thinking about the moment for three years.

Working with Robin Lord Taylor there is a lot of love in their relationship and Cory feels that comes across in their on screen characters. Working with Robin has been one of the top two professional highlights. The Riddler and The Penguin relationship is very much “keep your friends close and enemies closerIt would be foolish to not maintain a connection…because together they can accomplish things that would blow everyone else out of the water.” says Robin Lord Taylor.

Donal Logue loved the slow burn of revealing Nygma’s villainous side, Danny Cannon says it was agonizing to have to wait for Cory’s rise.

It looks like Barbara is going to earn some redemption in the final episodes that had to happen. Erin Richards, “it was nice to see Barbara earn redemption. It’s a beautiful way to end her story and her and Jim’s.”

Camren Bicondova says we will see a fully-realized version of Catwoman in the ten-year flashforward? “Yes, you will,” Bicondova says. Camren says the the show is a total reflection of what it was like to be on set everyday. That the love and their love for the work shines through. “We really captured that as a family.” 

Robin Lord Taylor did confirm he was the only one to wear a fat suit in the 10 year jump, to give Penguin his iconic shape. Robin was so grateful to the writers in their collaborative spirit “I never thought the writers would be so willing to work WITH us.”

Even this show can be dark and hateful, [the production] was full of love,” Bicondova concludes.

A great insight to see what will be happening in the last 7 episodes of Gotham. I have always enjoyed watching and reading the Gotham panels. I will miss them.

Look for more interviews from the cast of Gotham at the TCA’s. I will post links on twitter.

Claire Payne @GothamiteClaire