Discuss Gotham

When Lee came into the police station and yelled at Jim for killing her fiance Jim just stood there and said nothing. The writers had him do that in order to create tension of course. I was thinking 'hey dummy, tell her he was about to literally stab you in the back when I shot him". But he didn't. And because of that she agreed with Carmine Falcon to have him killed.

Writers build tension this way in lots of shows. But it lacks realism. In real life you would defend your actions instead of stand there being called a murderer.

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I think it's cause the knife dropped and fell off the deck, so if Jim were to say that it would make him look like a liar. He already seemed petty showing up at the wedding . He came off as kind of crazy. But ur right they just want to add drama and little attention is given to realism

@seal412 said:

I think it's cause the knife dropped and fell off the deck, so if Jim were to say that it would make him look like a liar. He already seemed petty showing up at the wedding . He came off as kind of crazy. But ur right they just want to add drama and little attention is given to realism

Yeah, I noticed the knife fall into the water at the time. I figured it would play that way; that Lee would not believe he had no choice, that she would think he just shot him out of jealousy and possibly pathological obsession.
I see writers use this trope quite a lot in other shows too; you see a protagonist being accused of something, and he stands there more or less silent in the face of the untrue claims. This builds tension and causes viewers to feel sympathy for him or her. But if they overdue it, the viewer becomes a little disgusted. It's kind of like those campy horror films where the kids keep making really, really stupid decisions, like splitting up and wandering off in the dark when there is an axe murderer lurking about killing them one by one, instead of having them all hop in a car and get away from the danger.

It created great drama throughout the whole thing. Lee wanted Jim killed but then stopped it as well. This show makes the characters come into their own without unnecessary blunders

Yeah, I think had he mentioned the knife (which I'm sure he mentioned in his report anyway), he would've just looked petty given he couldn't back up his claim. And given the situation, excuses weren't going to help.

@poweranimals said:

Yeah, I think had he mentioned the knife (which I'm sure he mentioned in his report anyway), he would've just looked petty given he couldn't back up his claim. And given the situation, excuses weren't going to help.

Yeah she never saw the knife or his behavior before he shot him. And Lee already believed he shot him out of jealousy so Jim was intimidated, apparently not wanting to say anything since he knew Lee would scoff at him.

However I think the scene lacks verisimilitude. Even though people may have thought he looked petty, the alternative is that they would think he is a murderer, and that he won't defend himself against the charge because he is guilty. I know that if I were unjustly accused of murder, I would tell them the truth whether they believed it or wanted to hear it or not. I would tell them the knife bounced off the peer and into the water. I would insist I was telling the truth, no matter what they thought. After all, there was a lot more on the line than Jim's relationship with Lee. He was being accused of murder.

I have seen this plot device used many times in many shows. Viewers who identify with the character feel anxiety because they see him being falsely accused. They know he is innocent, and they become emotionally involved because he stands there silently, failing to defend himself or present exculpatory facts. This creates tension, it creates a crisis. Writers do this to keep the viewers attention, to hold them to their seats; they have to see how it turns out. Will the character be exonerated? Will he be wrongly convicted?

I think that writers really overdo it, they use this plot device too much, and to too great a degree. Innocent people profess their innocence, and they do it loudly. They don't stand there silently and allow untrue charges to go unchallenged. Stories need to have elements that are plausible enough that people can identify with and relate to their experiences of real life, even fantasy stories.

I am so sick of Lee and her funky attitude towards Jim- it has been dragged out for too long. She was engaged to a mobster, but Jim is the bad guy? I don't believe she really loved Mario anyways-the relationship was just a revenge move at Jim.

I am glad she packed her little box up and left, hope she never returns(at least not with the attitude).

And on another note: Is Jim ever going to learn to fight? I am so tired of seeing him getting his A ss kicked and/or gun dropped/taken. I really think Bruce is capable of beating him up-especially now since he has had some training.

Yes Lee is annoying . I hope she goes soon.

Injected herself with the virus.

@ScorpionQ2 said:

I am so sick of Lee and her funky attitude towards Jim- it has been dragged out for too long. She was engaged to a mobster, but Jim is the bad guy? I don't believe she really loved Mario anyways-the relationship was just a revenge move at Jim.

I am glad she packed her little box up and left, hope she never returns(at least not with the attitude).

And on another note: Is Jim ever going to learn to fight? I am so tired of seeing him getting his A ss kicked and/or gun dropped/taken. I really think Bruce is capable of beating him up-especially now since he has had some training.

Yeah, at first Jim was able to win fights pretty handily. But whenever they show him fighting a woman, she always kicks his butt.

@write2topcatsaid:

Yeah, at first Jim was able to win fights pretty handily.

When was this? He has been getting beat up since season 1.

But whenever they show him fighting a woman, she always kicks his butt.

Sounds like you may be talking about Alfred, not Jim.

Other men/villians regularly kick Jim's butt and he either drops his gun or gets it taken away.

And speaking of Alfred, lately he has been losing fights way too often to be a trained fighter/ ex-marine.

@ScorpionQ2 said:

I am so sick of Lee and her funky attitude towards Jim- it has been dragged out for too long. She was engaged to a mobster, but Jim is the bad guy? I don't believe she really loved Mario anyways-the relationship was just a revenge move at Jim.

I am glad she packed her little box up and left, hope she never returns(at least not with the attitude).

And on another note: Is Jim ever going to learn to fight? I am so tired of seeing him getting his A ss kicked and/or gun dropped/taken. I really think Bruce is capable of beating him up-especially now since he has had some training.

I've always been in the minority and loved Lee, but the whole blaming Jim for Mario thing was getting old. I don't believe she loved Mario either, he was a rebound. All of those scenes she was telling Jim about her and Mario's plans, she was practically begging Jim to profess his love and fight for her.

Lee kicked butt tonight

@lockon stratos said:

Lee kicked butt tonight

Agreed

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