Alfred Pennyworth Returns for Season 2

EPIX's "Pennyworth" is about to embark on its second season, once more produced by Danny "Judge Dredd" Cannon and Bruno "Gotham" Heller.  

Season 1 surfaced as an ultra-violent prequel and therefore, an absorbing reworking of a significant, supporting character's genesis.  

The season also presented a demented take on Lord Fogg and Penelope Peasoup from Adam West's "Batman", while giving a James Bond/John Steed/Napoleon Solo expertise to its protagonists.

Jack "Ripper Street" Bannon stars as the eponymous, destined-to-be "butler" in London's swingin' '60s, with Ben Aldridge as visiting Thomas Wayne and Emma Paetz as his fated spouse, Martha. Jason Flemyng plays Lord James Harwood, and Paloma Faith is Miss Bet Sykes, the Fogg and Peasoup surrogates. 

Though Harwood and Sykes engage in shady shenanigans, they're not without identifiable merit. They're underdogs in a large land of austere antagonists and because of this, worthy of empathy, since they turn up tortured (externally and internally) more than triumphant. 

I wonder if this sympathetic-villain angle will skid off the rails for Season 2. It would only go to reason with the hellbent League of Ravens and all, but I wouldn't object to more of the but-for-the-grace-of-God-go-I element for this duo. Harwood and Sykes deserve the same character progression as Pennyworth and Wayne. That, in itself, would fortify this series' historic context. Also, heroes are only ever as interesting as their villains: They must grow and complement one another to keep a saga going.

With that said, I don't expect any of the characters' developing events to toss us near Bruce's birth, but the show's harrowing espionage does allude to Batman's creation (the birth of his world) and therefore can't be dismissed in the Dark Knight shape of things. 

"Pennyworth: Season 2" begins Dec 13. See ya then and there, my bodacious blokes. 

ePIX's Pennyworth: Alfred's Swingin' Rise

Alfred Pennyworth's impact on popular culture has grown over the decades. In fact, as Sean Pertwee's interpretation bid farewell, another began to rise, continuing the DC parade of Batman's jack of all trades and master of many "butler".

In this regard, ePIX grants a new track for the renown gent (starting July 28th), with Jack "Ripper Street" Bannon tackling the role in a ten-episode sojourn, produced by Danny Cannon and Bruno Heller, entitled (aptly enough) "Pennyworth". 

The series' backdrop is swingin' '60s London. Bannon's Alfred is spry and suave in the Bondian way: a former Special Air Service member and confidant of Ben Aldridge's Thomas Wayne. For the record, Emma Paetz's Martha Kane (yep, Bruce's predestined mom) will be waiting in the wings. 

Even with the Wayne connection at play, "Pennyworth" acts as a huge homage to such colorful, '60s spy classics as "The Saint"; "The Man from U.N.C.L.E."; "It Takes a Thief"; "The C.A.T."; "The Avengers"; "I Spy"; "Secret Agent"; and "The Prisoner". ("Pennyworth" could also fill the period-piece gap left by the dropped-too-soon "Agent Carter".)

If it does justice to its historical frame, the series could (and damn well should) prove a much needed breath of fresh air. In this respect, ol' Alfred might even engage in some politically incorrect shenanigans or in the very least some outlandish, espionage trickery. (Perhaps he might be the one to get tricked, if a Patrick McGoohan angle is employed.)  

The ultimate slant will be determined by his interaction with the additional costars/supporting characters: Ryan Fletcher's Dave Boy (an army chum, who fancies the sauce); Hainsley Lloyd Bennett's Deon "Bazza" Bashford (a seasoned playboy); Emma Corrin's Esme (the fetching love interest); Paloma Faith's Bet Sykes (a fierce henchwoman); and fantastic-film veteran Jason Flemyng's Lord Harwood (Sykes' employer and the exploit's prime villain...or is he?). Say, maybe Harwood and Sykes are variants of the ol' Batman adversaries, Lord Ffogg and Penelope Peasoup...

I'm anxious to see how all this glides, though its graze-the-surface, Dark Knight linkage should seal its success. (Look how "Krypton" drew those Kal-El devotees to SyFy.) "Pennyworth" might even become the smash successor to Fox's "Gotham". Now wouldn't that be a terrific, bat-tastic turn?

Gotham Ends? Perhaps, the Joke's on Us...

So, "Gotham" has ended. Do tell! In all honesty, I can see more exploits coming: perhaps movies-of-the-week or a miniseries or two down the line. Would that be so unreasonable, so far-fetched? I mean, come on, who we kiddin'? The writing is on the wall.

Though the Dark Knight finale was engaging as heck, it's too bad we didn't get all we desired, even with that ten-year skip. For that matter, the Joker was only just warmin' up, but in truth, the same could be said of any of "Gotham'"s anguished eccentrics: the Penguin, the Riddler, Mr. Freeze, Mad Hatter, Scarecrow, Hugo Strange, Poison Ivy, Bane, "Theresa Walker" (wink, wink); Lee Thompkins...Barbara Kean, Sr and Jr.  And though it was sure sweet to see Selina Kyle all grown up (albeit with an unavoidable casting switch) in full, Catwoman gear, we only got the tip of the claw, didn't we? Shoot...

At least the broad inconclusiveness reminds us that the door is open for other avenues, whether alternate-tracked retellings; big-screen epics; or those specialized passages within our multifaceted imaginations. 

No matter what the haters claim, "Gotham" (the whole, inherent Batman concept, for that matter) was--and remains--superior to other current DC incarnations and not because of the unfettered violence or wacky characters, but rather its resonating, moral core: most of it enforced by Jim Gordon, Lucius Fox and Alfred Pennyworth. Harvey Bullock, despite a hazy start, plays into this groove, too. Still, what good is any moral message, or the characters who endorse it, if cut short?

Fans kept "Star Trek '66", "Beauty and the Beast '87" and "Alien Nation" on the air beyond their initial cancellations. If folks express how much they care, resurrection is never off the table.

"Gotham" doesn't need an end, but a new beginning, which in a way, the finale gave us, and fans ought to raise holy hell to express their stance. Perhaps if they did, Fox's execs would see the light, and if not, maybe those trailblazing pencil-pushers at Amazon, Hulu, Netflix (uh, never mind) or the should-be-obvious DC Universe Online would. Then there's EPIX: that hip, fee-attached source that's giving us "Pennyworth", but if it wants to galvanize the "Gotham" legacy, the path is sure clear. 

Sure, one can speculate until the bats fly home whether more "Gotham" is in store, but one thing's for certain: The series might be "cancelled", but its luminous, dark spirit isn't likely to perish anytime soon. 

Collection Recommendation: Birds of Prey (the WB Series)

During the early stages of "Smallville" and long before "Gotham", an adaptation of DC's "Birds of Prey" visited television screens, thanks to the WB. 

Developed and co-produced by Laeta "Pathfinder" Kalogridis, "Birds of Prey" (2002-03) consists of a mere thirteen episodes, but that doesn't make it any less influential than other acclaimed, short-term series (e.g. "Fantastic Journey", "Logan's Run", "Planet of the Apes"..."Space Rangers"). In fact, "Birds of Prey'"s cultish wings continue to spread.

Like "Smallville", which never committed to the full, Kal-El concept until its final days, "Birds of Prey" skirts around its founding legends. Yes, Batman, Catwoman, Batgirl, the Joker and even the crafty Clayface have roamed the city, but in the scheme of New Gotham, their presence is perceived more in line with Bigfoot and the Jersey Devil: Many claim to have met them, but where's the proof?

The proof exists in Barbara Gordon (Dina "Dragonheart" Meyer)'s diligent and (thanks to the Clown Prince of Crime) disabled persona, Oracle. Proof also stems from Bruce Wayne and Selena Kyle's offspring, Helena, aka Huntress (Ashley "Walking Tall" Scott) and Dinah Redmond/Lance, aka Black Canary Jr. (Rachel "Lost Girl" Skarsten). Dr. Harleen Quinzel (Mia "Legend" Sara) keeps the old evil alive as she progresses into Harley Quinn, while others join our heroines to thwart her, even if they, too, aren't so quick to link the shrink's odious influence.  

Alfred Pennyworth (Ian "Army of Darkness" Abercrombe) and Detective Jesse Reese (Shemar "Death of Superman" Moore) are two such supporting players, encouraging and assisting our crusaders at every turn: the latter peeking-more-from-the-outskirts when it comes to New Gotham's multiplying metahumans.

In fact, Huntress is a metahuman, which means her parents shared the prodigious strand (or at least, one or the other did), but despite the implication, the idea remains an allusion. 

Again, that's the series' one, big drawback: a hesitation to acknowledge its origins head-on.  However, when the show hits the mark, it hits hard and often, with each episode rolling with shapely stamina and fearsome flair. 

I believe my favorite installment is "Split", where the callous Creeper (Brian "Dragonheart" Thompson) and daring Darkstrike (Kristoffer "Devil's Knot" Polaha) engage in a Jekyll/Hyde joust: nothing novel, but well played for its empathetic torment. "Lady Shiva" is memorable for pitting Meyer's spot-on, throwback Batgirl against the smokin', aforementioned vixen (Sung-Hi "Richard III" Lee ). "Gladiatrix" hits a physical high for Dinah's martial-arts prowess, supplemented by an "Amok Time", fight-club bout, promoted by Cyclopian kingpin, Malcolm Lagg (Donovan "The Blob" Leitch Jr.). "Devil's Eyes", the series' captivating conclusion, is the most comic-bookish, phasing Quinzel from wily mesmerist to full-blown, kick-ass loon. 

The vigorous material exceeds most of today's fodder, giving one a notion of how impressive certain classic, Batman characters could have looked on the silver screen a couple decades back, if only amplified by big budgets.  

Even more so, "Birds of Prey" is just plain sexy as hell, often grazing an Eric Stanton fringe. (Huntress' snug attire is worth the admission alone, despite it drifting from its comic-book design.) The show also sprinkles its stories with worthy DC references (even if its primary protagonists stay spectral), rivaling any CW show, though without all that fallacious, political pomp that stains the new stuff. 

One can watch "Birds of Prey" per the DC Universe subscription service, though the DVD box set is accessible through any number of affordable sources. The set includes an alternate cut of the pilot, where Sherilyn "Twin Peaks" Fenn plays Quinzel. (Fenn departed due to a scheduling conflict.) In addition, the collection contains all thirteen episodes of the animated web series, "Gotham Girls".

With a new "Birds of Prey" adaptation in production (where Margot Robbie reprises her "Suicide Squad"/Quinn role, no less), renewed interest in the WB series is unavoidable. Why not get a jump-start on its (re)discovery? There's never a dull moment throughout, with enough gumshoe undertone and searing eye candy to keep viewers hooked for an elating binge.