Gotham returns with a freeze warning

Gotham returned from its winter hiatus with a cold streak. Nathan Darrow joins the cast as Victor Fries, aka Mr. Freeze. While he’s no Schwarzenegger (Batman & Robin circa 1997), I don’t think that “I’ll be back” line to the pharmacist was a coincidence.

The episode starts with Jim Gordon giving his testimony of what happened during the taken down of Theo Galavan and lied through his teeth that he had nothing to do with Galavan’s death. Oswald Cobblepot, the Penguin, is a wanted man and if found, will he keep Gordon’s secret about his involvement with Galavan’s death?

Then, like magic, Captain Barnes brings in Penguin. Barnes doesn’t trust or believe Jim’s story, yet to his dismay, Penguin’s story corroborates Gordon’s. Barnes tells Gordon not to make a fool of him.

Before being transported to Arkham Asylum, Penguin has a moment with his new BFF, Edward Nygma, who offers help (but not an escape). Penguin asks that Nygma takes care of his mother’s grave and bring her lilies occasionally. It’s a unique dynamic these two have and I’m hoping they will be reunited by the end of the season.

In a fly by, we briefly see the return of Tabitha Galavan, who was last seen leaping out of a window. She coerces Butch, the now de-facto ruler of Gotham’s underground, to let her partner up with him. Though I’d wager that she’ll be the one running the show before too long.

Then the rest of the episode becomes a chase to find the perp who is freezing people in Gotham.

We learn that Victor is icing people in an attempt to develop a cryo-state for his sick wife, Nora (portrayed by Kristen Hager, Syfy alum of Being Human and The Expanse). He’s got the freezing part down, but is stumped on the “defrosting” part. His test subjects, who Nora believes are mice, liquefy as they thaw.

When Victor tries to get her medicine refilled, the pharmacist refuses rudely and calls him a kook. Enraged, Victor leaves but returns shortly, icing the pharmacist and his security guy.

Gordon and Bullock find the prescription bottle with Nora’s name on it and they head to the Fries household. When they arrive, Nora has just discovered her husband’s secret in the basement. They escort her into custody while Victor watches from an alley. During questioning, Nora tells them that her husband did those terrible things for her and she won’t betray him.

Meanwhile, Victor tries to turn himself in to save Nora, but when he arrives at the precinct, he’s not the only one to confess to freezing people. While waiting, Victor sees the defrosted pharmacist (who disappeared from Nygma’s lab) wandering aimlessly around the precinct, and he knows his experiment worked. Victor walks out of the police station without anyone noticing.

Over at Arkham, we also meet the new head psychiatrist, Dr. Hugo Strange. He attempts to goad Penguin about the death of Galavan and of his mother, but Penguin doesn’t bit. Penguin says his stint in Arkham is a “pillow fight compared to what I’ve been through.”

The end of the episode reveals a newspaper headline with Victor’s new bad guy moniker, Mr. Freeze and with Dr. Strange interested in his work. A pairing between these two doesn’t bode well for Gotham.

Gotham airs Mondays at 8:00 p.m. on FOX.