Flass whimpering like a child before getting knocked out by Batman was one of the best moments of the entire show. Batman strikes fear into all criminals, even the ones that carry a badge.
I honestly thought Batman shot him in that moment, but nope(Yes, I know of Batman's one rule, but you could've fooled me). He certainly came close (which highlights Batman's skill around marksmanship, particularly with batarangs or his grapnel gun.)
Flass is a bully and a blowhard, but he's also a coward, its a consistent trait of his. He will try and downplay any beatings he had as the result of a 'monster' or not happening at all, to protect his fragile ego, or he will tryand immediately screw over anyone he can to save his own skin. He will always bring violence against those he sees as weaker than his and fold completely when faced with someone actually capable of standing up to him.
I like a Bullock who was corrupt or was in the sphere of those who are corrupt or being to into 'off the books street justice' but turning it around and becoming one of Gordon's most loyal men, even if he is still a slob
I think Flass is going to get killed and seeing it is going to scare bullock to the point where he turns over a new leaf and becomes an honest cop. He’ll still be a rude obnoxious slob, but he won’t be corrupt anymore.
@@SerumLake He's a really good Lout with a Heart of Gold. He suits that role well. This Bullock makes me wish they'd just made up a new character for this role.
@@barneynedwardI think this Bullock is actually gonna be the one to kill (or at least shoot) Flass, considering just how clear it is that Flass is using him
I guess Harvey Bullock hasn't actually been used that much outside of BTAS and Gotham. He wasn't in The Batman or Beware the Batman, as far as I recall...
@@jacktoma21oh yes, that’s right. And they made him corrupt in that game, which I did not like one bit, possibly because it was Bobby Costanzo voicing him
@@SerumLake in the audio tapes, Loeb says he needs to start earning his pay, which does imply he’s taking the cash to look the other way, but not doing anything as horrible as we see in the show. Although his lack of appearances in the rest of the series makes me suspicious
Ill be honest when I say that when I first learned that Harvey Bullock is a corrupt cop and one of the many true criminals in Gotham alongside Arnold Flass (who Im not surprised is corrupt), I was very much disappointed since I preferred Harvey Bullock from BTAS who may have been an offish, slobish, and loud mouth cop, but he was still, never corrupt or took bribes and remained loyal to Gordon, even if he wasn't the biggest fan of Batman and tended to do things his own way as a cop. However, after thinking about it for a little bit, I started to understand why they changed him in this show, and for the most part, I think it works. Bullock in this show may be corrupt and done immoral things, but you can see some hesitation and doubt within him. For the sake of the overarching storyline/theme of the season, you see these ordinary cops who represent the worst of Gotham compared to the villains they were supposed to hate. While I still prefer BTAS or Gotham (FOX series) takes on Bullock as a rough loudmouth with a good heart, I do think this change for this show makes sense, and I actually do hope that in maybe Season 2, they can give Bullock a redemption arc as there is a small glimpse of good within him compared to how much of a scumbag Flass is.
Ironically, this Bullock isn't as much of a slob. While he's still just as overweight, he at least keeps his clothes straight and his facial hair tidy.
@@SerumLake I think the only reason everyone's clamoring for Bullock to be redeemed is cuz they're too attached to the BTAS version. But I don't want him to. After the things he's done? No. Even if he switched sides, that can never make up for the lives he's ruined.
@@WobblesandBean Bullock always starts out as being this corrupt. He usually ends up having a change of heart after something serious happens to scare him into going straight.
Honestly, this is an interesting one, as it’s the first time in an animated series that the cops are corrupt. Prior the most they would be is incompetent at best as the higher ups didn’t want to portray law enforcement in a negative light. Funny enough Bullock did start off as corrupt in comics, with the bit near the end with Harvey, I’m wondering if he’ll start to go straight.
One key detail absent from the video is they are not loyal to Thorne like they claimed in episode 10. In episode 1 they work for Penguin meaning they either just joined him or were taking 3 salaries. I predict Bullock will turn a new leaf, but that likely means he dies.
Honestly the Harvey side feels like a toss up on if he'll get a redemption. After Two Face pointed out how Flass would push him to do the dirty work, Bullock seemed to be thinking on it more. And even uses those exact words in a following scene. So, maybe he decides to serve his time and go PI or when he gets out thanks to Thorne he chooses to go a different route. Or he'll just keep being a monster and the muscle of the pair
Out of all the changes in Caped Crusader Bullock and Flask may be the most controversial but makes sense. They stole the show. They didn't have any world domination or terrifying schemes in mind. They wete just horrible corrupted cops. Cops we sadly see in our world today and they have no remorse for their actions. Well besides Bullock but he still complied. The Firefly episode is my favorite because after that things escalate with them taking over crime. There is no good in Arnold Flass especially as he might be the most pure evil villains in Modern Batman. He is not a enigmatic being of chaos like Joker or a man who hurts others because to them their life is meaningless to them like Zsas. He is just a corrupted version of the law. He is a bad cop and I feel glad we finally saw why Gotham is chaotic. Besides the Gordons and Montoya the people in charge don't care. They just want power.
I actually like BTAS treating the cops as good but useless and outnumbered. It shows that the corruption in Gotham isn’t in the system, it’s in the city itself.
Though I also have a soft spot for how the GCPD progressed in the Arkhamverse. Comparing them in Arkham Origins and Arkham Knight is like night and day.
I didn't. The system is made from people. Corruption only works if, yes there are bad people, but also those willing to look the other way. Most of the Batman rogues gallery fell into two camps. The mentally ill, and those seeking revenge. Both of which only thrive when a city's public officials don't do their jobs.
@@dawudhinton5754I understand this. In a way, it kinda makes the cops themselves seem entirely separate from the city they live in when they aren't corrupt. Having them not be corrupt gave Gotham a slightly lighter feeling, like the evil really does only lurk in the dark, when that is never true. I appreciated it as a kid, because I didn't (and still kinda don't) like heroes fighting against actually hopeless situations since it feels like there is no real progression when everything remains evil and bad no matter how hard you fight. But the truth is evil walks in the light as well. It can wear a badge just as well as a wacky villain costume or a tie. And adding that element of corruption back in makes the city feel oppressive again, like the only spot of hope in the situation just got closed off and we're now surrounded on all sides. Again, I wouldn't have liked that as a kid, but as an adult who can now handle it I am grateful that this series and its original vision could be made. I trust the story they are making to have progression in it, no matter how oppressive and insurmountable the odds are with corruption saturating every corner.
@@conspiracypanda1200 plus it gives further reason why someone like Batman would exist if there are more cops like FLass and Bullock than there are ones like GOrdon.
@@conspiracypanda1200 yeah, I see your point. I was just a weird kid, and if something didn't make logical sense... It was weird to me. I wasn't trying to throw shade.
Honestly, I like this take on these two detectives. They're both corrupt even if one is more irredeemable than the other. Flass' final scene in which Batman puts the fear of god in him is amazing. It feels great when we see him whimpering after trying to take the moral high ground, proving that underneath everything, he is just a bully that folded when someone stood up to him. I would've liked to have seen more emotion from Batman as he was picking the gun and aimed it at Flass, really showing that the death of his friend affected him a lot in that moment. Otherwise, looking forward to the second season of the show.
Batman picking up a gun is a big deal in itself. The only time I remember Batman/Bruce picking up a gun was in Batman Beyond when he realize he was to old to be Batman.
Which an incident with Gordon caused Bullock to turn over a new leaf, and behave closer to the BTAS incarnation. Probably because of how popular and positively received the show was
10:24 This scene is also parallel to the Wayne murder because both Bruce and Batman failed to prevent their closest loved ones from getting shot.. However... Batman prevented the shooter from escaping scot-free without a warning. It's almost as if Batman, filled with rage, showed Flass what's it like to be on the other end of the gun - At the same time, Bruce.... Bruce granted him mercy as a warning.
With Bullock being more of the follower and not facing as long of a sentence as Flass will get for murdering Harvey Dent, I wonder if that leaves room for Bullock to at least partially mend his ways and come back in a future season as a private detective or something.
The mention of Rupert Thorn reminded me of a small piece of characterization I liked A clear parallel between penguin and thorn is the treatment of their sons, penguin has no problems with having both of them killed and doesn’t care that one of them was innocent. While Thorn is shown to care about his son, share in his interests, and prioritize his life when they are attacked by Two Face
That was my thought that while Glass was beyond redemption, Bullock had his moments where he seemed to think they were going too far. I think there's hope for at least Bullock.
The bit about how Timm stated caped crusader was how he envisioned BTAS to be without the restrictions, and considering the shows lukewarm reception, it's safe assume Timm should have worked with some restrictions. As someone else put it "restrictions can help breed creativity" Like, for example, compare Garth Ennis' 9 year run of the punisher where he had someone over his shoulder telling him to dial back a notch, and when he has no such limitations during the time he spent working on The Boys, especially near the end with Herogasm
What I'm about to say might sound crazy but if look at it that way bullock is was a little hesitant about killing firebug or even setting him free in the first place so if we really look at it that way bullock is redeemable
Harvey Bullock also was inspiration for his mirrored version Angel Rojas - an honest cop but too headstrong with his Zero Tolerance Policy that only aided in Ethan Bennett's corruption and Ellen Yin(sen)'s temporary incarceration until Gordon repremands his heartlessness making things worse.
In the animated series, Bullock seem to have facial hair, in Caped Crusader he has a mustache; perhaps to play on the “bad guys have mustaches” trope.🤷♂️
I could definitely see an episode in season 2 dealing with Flass trying to get out of his murder wrap, by testifying against Bullock. Flass had definitely played the role of the devil on Bullock's shoulder for the whole season. I would like to see Harvey try to redeem himself, but that may be the kid who enjoyed BTAS in me.
In Law & Order, Jerry Orbach's believed Lenny Briscoe was a dirty cop. He was a good cop, but he was still corrupt. He never murdered anyone that we saw, and that's quite the skeleton to have in one's closet … but the fact remains that he was a heroic character besides that. Kind of nonsensically Arrowverse's Green Arrow was a freakin' serial killer until he suddenly decided he was going to be a hero and suddenly that made it ALL OKAY. It shouldn't have, but it did. But in Gotham … could someone who's committed a few murders find "redemption" after a fashion? I mean it shouldn't come easily or cheaply, and in a dramatic fashion there should be that little thing in the back of their mind now and then that they did commit some crimes, and one day they could possibly be charged for them. I dunnu if Timm intends Bullock to be anything but a dirty cop. We'll see.
I see potential for Bullock to be redeemed, I don’t think it would happen until the end of season 2, if in that season at all. While Bullock is corrupt, we were given several hints that he wouldn’t have gone as far as he did if it hadn’t been for Flask. While murder is inexcusable, he murdered Firebug out of fear/ self preservation. Flask on the other hand wanted him dead because it would just be easier that way. If Bullock were to redeem himself I’d guess that it would be because he was put in a situation where he was asked to do something that crossed the line even for him. Then he would probably inform the others to prevent anymore harm. From there he would prove he had changed. But that’s just me
Everyone arguing about wanting Bullock to “turn over a new leaf” and become an “honest cop” must really have low standards for what makes an “honest cop”. I’m sorry. You don’t get to commit those crimes and then just continue being on the force as a “good guy”. He’s gone past the point of no return. Even if he regrets all of it and wishes to be a good person, he can’t do so while continuing to wear a badge. If he we were to turn over a new leaf, it would start with him serving his sentence like a responsible citizen. He should never return to the force.
It's an interesting question, cause it's unclear why they would go from wanting to write Bullock as a brutal yet still honest cop who happens to have an aggressive way of dealing with things, to an outright corrupt cop with no chance of redemption making him identical to Flass who already is that unless there was either some pay off in the long run OR these two were really just the only two "flunkies" they could get to have a kind of returning antagonist, since most of the other ones seem to be in "one and done" cases (especially with Twoface straight up dying). Based on how they handled the Carnival episode, they didn't want to use Killer Crock as the "bumbling reoccuring villain" and they clearly gave Penguin a massive glow up so "she" is no longer another dumb muscle. I respect Tim as a writer though, so I highly doubt he would downgrade a character like Bullock who had an interesting story without some kind of strong pay off, as so far I really liked his other reinterpretations of the characters, though much colder, it helps show that they're not to just be defined by the animated cartoon we all grew up on, but rather there are multiple ways to intepret the character, e.g. I REALLY LOVE what he did with Harley Quinn, cause the way she stands on her own in that cold, green and yellow jester outfit and riding her psychology theme full and through really helps her stand out beyond the sympathetic girl who let's be honest, was ONLY known for her one sided love with the Joker (and her amazing voice and line reads, but that's irrelevant to the way the character was written), meaning we were able to ultimatley see a less sympathetic but still in her own way sympathetic version of Harley that above all else, stands on her own. So introducing Bullock as just as corrupt as Flass, having gotten away with a murder and that jab Harvey gives about him being a flunkie to Flass kind of hints at where the strings start to snap, but it's not yet time to tell his full story. Just as we see Batman himself slowly going from a cold vengeful knight who's not afraid to beat villains senseless to learning what the difference between a hero and a villain from an outside in look.
Bullock's rewrite as a villain is because brutal cops in real life are also corrupt. In the Batman: The Animated Series Bullock punched out armed gangsters to subdue them, as Batman did. Real police brutality is against unarmed people of color, hippies, and Civil Rights activists in handcuffs. Batman: Caped Crusader is more film or neo-noir than BTAS because it is a cable series, at a time when superhero deconstruction is common. Police corruption and brutality are common social problems in noir fiction, due to its social commentary by often leftist writers, with private eye backgrounds.
I'm still up in the air on if Harvey Bullock's redemption could work, but since they did make it clear Flass was the more corrupt one, maybe it could work
I kind of hope they play with Bullock's corruption in the next season. I'd like to see Bullock try to play innocent, only to be confirmed as truly evil. In this version, anyway. The smile on his face and in his voice when he said it was time to get his hands dirty, as a knowing call back to Barbara's accusations, said all I need to know. This Bullock is rotten in his core. But it would be a fascinating look into this world to see him try exonerating himself after helping murder the best lawyer who would have looked the other way for him.
I feel like the first establishment of Joker as a threat would be him killing Bullok and Flass. I can imagine Joker torturing Flass leaving him with a permanent grin.
If they have future plans for Bullock, it’ll be more likely that joker kills Flass and witnessing it puts so much fear in the Bullock that he starts to wise up and realize that the jokers existence is exactly the kind of thing his past corruption up to that point enabled. I think Bullock might turn over a new leaf so that he no longer plays a role in the creation of any more monsters.
one could argue that bullock and flass are the 'big bads' of season one, being involved in a lot of episodes and being recurring antagonists who managed to get away at the end, while rupert thorne if the greater scope villain (for now)
My favorite part is how Batman looks at the gun before throwing it into the ocean. You could interpret that scene in two ways, that he wishes he could actually shoot Flass death, but knows he can't or that he's just looking at it in disgust because of all the lives those guns have ruined, before throwing it away after having used it, almost like it was burning his hand, showing that no matter what he'll never compromise, because he can't
One moment with Flass that really stands out to me is in the fourth episode. After Firebug 'escapes', Bullock asks Flass if he thinks this will work and Flass responds "If it doesn’t. We'll try something else". It’s such a cold and callous response that shows how little Flass values the lives that he's putting in danger.
Honestly this show is as good as batman gets. I loved this arc and am so grateful for bruce timm’s tenacity to go back and finally make the series he envisioned
I feel like these sorta lessons are needed, Some people are indeed bad people, no matter their status in life or how they where raised, Sometimes it just happens, and its up to us to spread that message When news outlets or higher authorities are unwilling to do so themselves.
I kind of wish they'd made a new stand in for Bullock as one of the irredeemable corrupt cops in BCC, I know it's a different take/timeline, but the BTAS version of the character I felt oddly worked better specifically because at first glance he seemed like the stereotypical corrupt cop on the surface, sloppy, irritable, and almost always at odds with Batman, but actually played against type by being an honest cop.
Catwoman scratching Bullock's face is extremely similar to infamous mob boss Al Capone getting his face slashed for insulting a woman when he was younger. Giving him his nickname "Scarface"
I find it interesting how in the scene where Bullock shoots Firebug, Bullock shows some hesitation and more or less looks like he doesn't actually want to do it, but in the end does it because Flass' words convinced Bullock to do the deed. It makes me wonder if Bullock is only corrupt, because Flass is being the literal devil on his shoulder with nobody else counterbalancing it as the angel on his other shoulder.
I know television limited the creative freedom, but at the same time I wish this series wasn't locked behind a pay wall... But I did watch the show through a pirate site and like this twist on Bullock.
I loved the new series and the changes it made but Bullock being corrupt was the one element I didn’t like especially since Flask was being used. One could argue that despite the various changes, the characters still felt like they shared the same traits and personalities as past series but Bullock took a complete 180. Plus his dynamic of being an extremely rough cop and anti-Batman while not being corrupt in anyway feels so much more interesting than just being another corrupt cop which this series in particular already has tons of. I really do hope he gets redeemed, even if it’ll take a lot for that to happen due to his past actions and crimes.
I Hope You Talk About The Following DCAU Batman Villains At Some Point 1)Bob Vance 2)Ratboy 3)Terrific Trio 4)Bonk, Ghoul, Woof, Chucko And Dee-Dee Twins 5)T-Gang 6)Brain Trust 7)Starro The Conqueror 8)Villains From The Zeta Project 9)Maxie Zeus 10)The Mad Bomber 11)Dr. Dorian 12)Professor Milo 13)Count Vertigo 14)Farmer Brown
i do want to bring up another version of flass outside comics, the version we see in the audio drama series batman unburied and riddler secrets in the dark, as I've only listened the rsitd at the moment and will actually probably start listening to batman unburied soon the version of flass in those series are pure evil and scum, cuz while he isnt a corrupt cop he's worse as a corrupt security guard at arkham, treating the patents and criminals there terribly (we see this through mostly ridder due to being his perspective in rsitd) its genuinly a great series and seeing flass being played less "obvious ass/scum" and being more just corrupt and underhanded is cool to see in caped crusader ngl
Having recently watched the show myself, I have noticed that it has some genius (if possibly unintentional) subtle storytelling on perhaps why Bullock is a corrupt cop in the series. Going back as far as episode one it's shown that Bullock is probably the most disrespected officer in the GCPD, being teased by Penguin and mocked by his fellow officers it's no surprise to me he'd turn out this way. His moonlighting and the way he deals with suspects and criminals would give him a reputation of being someone you wouldn't want to mess with, and thus could give him a form of respect that he wants.
Around the same time B:TAS was happening, James Ellroy was writing his acclaimed L.A. Quartet of crime novels (the two most famous are Black Dahlia and L.A. Confidential which became the movies) where even his protagonists are often as corrupt and guilty of murder as Caped Crusader's Harvey Bullock, and who eventually hit their limits and try to do things right even if it kills them. Brubaker I know, and Timm I'm pretty sure have read James Ellroy. I wonder if that is an inspiration for what they're planning on Bullock? Not just he turns over a new leaf and becomes the Bullock we all know from B:TAS but instead someone who realizes how much of the evil in Gotham is directly due to him and tries to redeem himself, or perhaps more cynically realizes which way the wind is blowing for police corruption and sells out Flass to remain on the force and does his best to keep his nose clean from here on. That's what I like about this show, I genuinely don't know where anything is going to go with these characters in season 2.
Even those who bear or wear the badge had to learn sometime. Flass, without question, was the worst of the two in this series. The man was perfectly willing to do whatever he damn well pleased, having let the power get to his head long ago. Nevermind the notion his ego is so frail I'm convinced its no more frail than glass. He got what he deserved at the end of the season. Bullock....I kinda had to dwell on this. While it is clear that this version of Bullock is corrupt, he more or less seems to be the "cohort" to the whole situation, not entirely on board with every action Flass takes. Case in point, Bullock had to be goaded into punching Flass in order to support their "story". But, I can't quite say if he is redeemable or not. Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: Flass is grass and Gordon is the lawnmower
Adapting Carrie Kelley (this show) and that cool exoframe against Superman (Batman: The Brave and the Bold) isn't bad though. Can agree with the second thing though. Experience with flawed stuff like ReBoot Season 4 (mostly My Two Bobs) and Wolfenstein: The New Colossus have attested to that.
หลายเดือนก่อน +3
after seeing the finale I doubt Bullock will be redeemed which is a shame, I would have liked to have seen a change of heart in those final moments given how Dent jabbed at Flass.
In the cat woman scene I wouldn’t say bullock is that corrupt as flask cuz he was going to arrest her so he has some decency but flask king of controls bullock being the dare of both of them
Flass to me also stands as a great example of why the race and gender swap arguments made against the series are completely idiotic, because while the Gordons, Penguin, and Harley have all been called out for having either their race or gender changed, the same has never been called out about Flass, which to me is very telling that the people making these arguments only really know about the Batman mythos on a surface level
I feel like there was a missed opportunity to have Flass and Bullock on opposing sides. Like it'd be more interesting if Bullock was most willing to work with Batman, believing that if Flass is going to be working with organized crime, he has no room to complain if he was to be helping out the guy in a bat costume. Like I'm just imagining some alternate scenario where Bullock and Batman corner Flass and the former goes "You though Batman worked alone?" or something like that.
Add to them for season 2 Lieutenant of the GCPD Max Eckhardt (along with his boss - crime lord Carl Grissom by the way) from Batman 1989 and we have a trio of dirty cops in Gotham City.
Not gonna lie out of all the changes, whic so far none of changes bother me in theeast bit. I really miss Bullock. He had a great dynamic with Montoya and was strangely a hero of mine. I think because he reminded me of my dad. My dad was rough man who had a rough upbringing. He was the embodiment of tough it out and Bullock struck me the same way. Even though he wasnt perfect he meant well and would always do the best to his abilities. I feel the corrupt cop angle in the recent years is just so played out, and with the announcement of this show I was ready to get more Bullock.
Surprisingly, the original concept for B: TAS' episode "POV" actually was supposed to have Bullock get a backstory involving a rough father and being a football star, so the relatability factor checks out.
Bullock was more the lackey of Flass than really a threat: during "the night of the hunters" he was more annoyed to hurt his partner in order to frame Firebug and when the pyromaniac bad guy willingly surrender due to the fact he ran out of fuel Flass ordered him to kill him in order to prevent him to snitch against them (we can see inside him Bullock wasn't tempted to murder but after his act he gladly accept his celebrity). Toobad after Catwoman slashed his snout he didn't scream oink oink oink oink oink oink oink
What would be interesting is if it were the other way around. If somehow this time it turns of Flass has some ethical line he won’t cross and Bullock, usually used as the muscle in resentment isn’t prepared to let Flass have atonement after having so much of Flass’s poison squirted in his ear.
I think the best adaptation of Bullock I've seen so far was actually in Arkham Origins. He used to be a rotten cop under Loeb's thumb and was willing to pull some dirty tricks bordering on crimes to get what his boss wants, almost an enforcer than an actual cop, but put him in front of an actual dangerous threat risking lives like Bane or Joker and he'll do what it takes to stop it. It's a tight but complex line and gives Bullock a great level of depth and it's a shame we don't see it here too.
I’d argue for reviving a one shot character from Batman TAS: Lockup. Lyle Bolton could come in as that rarity in Gotham-a straight cop who is incorruptible, almost a ray of hope for a city desperate for good cops. But his approach to the law proves so heavy handed, so inflexible and unforgiving, that he ends up being just as bad as any gangster. On the other hand, you could also make a case for Ellen Yin from the 2000’s The Batman.
I would absolutely love to hear your take and any cool details surrounding the Batman animated movies Year One and Under the Red Hood. They are both of amazing quality in very different ways. These two are really up there with Mask of the Phantasm and Return of the Joker for me. (The Long Halloween parts 1 and 2 are decent efforts too.)
Awkward, maybe, but as a guy who grew up on anime like Patlabor and games like SWAT 3 and 4... I swear, there should better be a time when benevolent authority figures in fiction get a neo-renaissance. Our real sick world's already needing a figurative fever as it is, and we don't want the negativity to spread on what is supposed to be escapist fiction.
@michaelandreipalon359 Agreed. Personally, I don't buy the whole "All Cops Are B@$t@rds" deal. I'm not saying cops can't be corrupt, but saying _all_ of them are is kinda harsh...
Making Bullock corrupt was a controversial choice, and I totally get why. But when you talked about the lulling us into false security got me thinking. It reminded me of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. As you probably know, in this film, SHIELD is revealed to be infiltrated by HYDRA. Some of the SHIELD agents that are in on the conspiracy include ones who are loyal to the good guys in the comics, such as Agent Sitwell (who had even made previous appearances in the MCU) and main villain Alexander Pierce. The directors said that this was intentional, since even comic fans would feel that same sense of betrayal and not know who to trust. They also mentioned that if the traitor was just some “Bob from accounting” who we’d never met, the punch wouldn’t have been as strong. I feel like that’s what was happening here. If you haven’t read the comics he’s in, there’s a good chance you’ve never heard of Arnold Flass, and him being corrupt wouldn’t be as much of a shock whether you know him or not. But Bullock, a recognizable figure from series past with a familiar look, rattles what darkness is in this Gotham’s justice system, and we, the audience, feel just as betrayed and disgusted by his actions as those with him.
I dunno why... But I'd watch an entire spin-off series with these two for some reason. This version of Bullock and Flass is actually really intriguing to me.
When I first saw Harvey Bullock in the series, it was really jarring to me that he was just plain out evil instead of just a rough cop. I expected that from Flass but not Bullock. I have accepted it now, but I kind of wanna know where they plan on going with the character in season 2. If they want to attempt to redeem him in any way or fully lean into the fact that he is just flat out corrupt.
I also think that suspect handcuffed to the desk was probably a prostitute 😅 they don’t flat out say it and she’s not really dressed like a prostitute, but I can’t imagine why else she would be handcuffed there
Heres the thing: we dont know for 100% that Bullock murdered Firebug. We see a zoom to a gun, see it fire, see Firebug fly out the window, then after he lands we see Bullock walk up to the window looking concerned. I believe that Bullock did not fire that shot and that it was Flass, and Bullock was going to see if Firebug survived. Bullock throughout the series was always somewhat hesitant and typically needed coercion from Flass to really act. What if he is actually playing both fields?
hopin for a redemption arc for Bullock. yea he's corrupt now, but knodding in the direction of comic redemption would be a great touch, and a way to turn the tide (albeit very slightly) on the corruption that dwells within the lawbringing wing of Gotham
When I first watched the series I found myself conflicted about the Bullock situation, because on one hand I really liked the corrupt cop storyline they told but on the other I really like BTAS Bullock and think a character like him would really fit in the Caped Crusader world. And then I got to thinking if there were any cops in DC who were kind of unlikeable in a charming way to the audience, not the most put together, and on the rougher side but also genuinely have good intentions and would never fall in line with police corruption and one candidate came to my mind: Guy Gardner. Since Caped Crusader has already shown a willingness to use characters that would become heroes as long as they don't have any powers through having Plastic Man as a photographer it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility to have Guy transferred from Baltimore to Gotham as a new cop who actually wants to do some good and over time become part of Gordon's inner circle. Do I think it's likely to happen? No, but it'd be cool if it did.
Uh... I thought I was up on idioms from the UK. In America, it's 'selling someone down the river' and 'sending them up the river'. The first involves a betrayal, but originated in slavery. The second is unrelated and involves the physical location of a prison...
I wonder if Bullock's design could be a hint that he might become a reluctant ally in the next season, or if it really was a misdirect from the beginning. Also, I kind of like Flass's suit in this new series. With a few tweaks it could've very easily been a Riddler costume. Great way of symbolizing that he's no better than the costumed villains people normally associate with batman.
It really depends how season 2 is handled. there were some significant shifts for the characters in the series... it could well be that depending on how season 1 was received, season 2 could potentially shift, but it could also be that there is a plan in play we don't see yet. considering Tim and company were willing to kill off several iconic characters, i think what probably might happen is that flass and bullock could very easily end up the victims of their own corruption finally coming to bite them. corruption might initially spare them too much in the way of consequences for their actions, but i can see its very likely that flass and bullock might end up the target of someone with an agenda of bringing 'true justice' to Gotham, or might even just have a grudge with those 2 specifically. I imagine season 2 starting with Gordon working to change Gotham PD, starting by stripping flass and bullock of their authority and influence. this is a test and a punishment for bullock and flass... both are separated from each other and forced under the purview and close supervision of people gordon can trust. if they cannot behave themselves and tow the new line Gordon is drawing in the sand, he will toss them out of Gotham PD. no more badge to use as a shield. no more police privileges. and the next time they end up in trouble with the law... they go into prison with all the other people who have ample justification to gut them in prison. and from that moment, we see bullock and flass paired with different partners... though depending on how things go, it could be bullock and/or flass could end up dead. depends on how their story might play out in the next season.
It’s been a while we seen anything about Arnold flass from Batman media in recent years. I wonder what would his dcau design would look like if they went with the dark and mature route. Also John DiMaggio as bullock is awesome.
![กี่หมื่นฟ้า | Your Sky Series EP.1 [1/4]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/vLGjxFL6U_I/mqdefault.jpg)
Flass whimpering like a child before getting knocked out by Batman was one of the best moments of the entire show. Batman strikes fear into all criminals, even the ones that carry a badge.
I really loved that whole scene. "IT WAS A RIGHTEOUS KILL! I'M A COP, DAMNIT!"
I honestly thought Batman shot him in that moment, but nope(Yes, I know of Batman's one rule, but you could've fooled me).
He certainly came close (which highlights Batman's skill around marksmanship, particularly with batarangs or his grapnel gun.)
@@SerumLakeAnd Batman was all "No. You're not."
Flass is a bully and a blowhard, but he's also a coward, its a consistent trait of his. He will try and downplay any beatings he had as the result of a 'monster' or not happening at all, to protect his fragile ego, or he will tryand immediately screw over anyone he can to save his own skin. He will always bring violence against those he sees as weaker than his and fold completely when faced with someone actually capable of standing up to him.
@SerumLake interesting to see a black guy as a cop because in some places in real life in the 1950s but we rerly see it.
I like a Bullock who was corrupt or was in the sphere of those who are corrupt or being to into 'off the books street justice' but turning it around and becoming one of Gordon's most loyal men, even if he is still a slob
I feel similarly. I prefer a Bullock that’s rough around the edges, but doesn’t break the law.
@@SerumLake Same here. In my opinion, that’s what makes him a more nuanced and interesting, as well as likable character.
I think Flass is going to get killed and seeing it is going to scare bullock to the point where he turns over a new leaf and becomes an honest cop. He’ll still be a rude obnoxious slob, but he won’t be corrupt anymore.
@@SerumLake He's a really good Lout with a Heart of Gold. He suits that role well. This Bullock makes me wish they'd just made up a new character for this role.
@@barneynedwardI think this Bullock is actually gonna be the one to kill (or at least shoot) Flass, considering just how clear it is that Flass is using him
Im surprised this is the first time John DiMaggio has voiced Bullock, it’s such natural fit
I guess Harvey Bullock hasn't actually been used that much outside of BTAS and Gotham. He wasn't in The Batman or Beware the Batman, as far as I recall...
@@SerumLake he had a bit part in Arkham Origins but they brought back Robert Costanzo for that.
@@jacktoma21oh yes, that’s right. And they made him corrupt in that game, which I did not like one bit, possibly because it was Bobby Costanzo voicing him
@@SerumLake in the audio tapes, Loeb says he needs to start earning his pay, which does imply he’s taking the cash to look the other way, but not doing anything as horrible as we see in the show. Although his lack of appearances in the rest of the series makes me suspicious
Once again John DiMaggio is awesome.
Both of these cops are scumbags, but Arnold Flass in particular is straight up pure evil. He’s almost as evil as this version of The Penguin
He is scum
Ill be honest when I say that when I first learned that Harvey Bullock is a corrupt cop and one of the many true criminals in Gotham alongside Arnold Flass (who Im not surprised is corrupt), I was very much disappointed since I preferred Harvey Bullock from BTAS who may have been an offish, slobish, and loud mouth cop, but he was still, never corrupt or took bribes and remained loyal to Gordon, even if he wasn't the biggest fan of Batman and tended to do things his own way as a cop. However, after thinking about it for a little bit, I started to understand why they changed him in this show, and for the most part, I think it works. Bullock in this show may be corrupt and done immoral things, but you can see some hesitation and doubt within him. For the sake of the overarching storyline/theme of the season, you see these ordinary cops who represent the worst of Gotham compared to the villains they were supposed to hate. While I still prefer BTAS or Gotham (FOX series) takes on Bullock as a rough loudmouth with a good heart, I do think this change for this show makes sense, and I actually do hope that in maybe Season 2, they can give Bullock a redemption arc as there is a small glimpse of good within him compared to how much of a scumbag Flass is.
it's hard to see how he might be redeemed after this. But I think they have a plan for him.
Ironically, this Bullock isn't as much of a slob. While he's still just as overweight, he at least keeps his clothes straight and his facial hair tidy.
IIRC Gotham's Bullock was also corrupt but not nearly as corrupt as Caped Crusader
@@SerumLake I think the only reason everyone's clamoring for Bullock to be redeemed is cuz they're too attached to the BTAS version. But I don't want him to. After the things he's done? No. Even if he switched sides, that can never make up for the lives he's ruined.
@@WobblesandBean Bullock always starts out as being this corrupt. He usually ends up having a change of heart after something serious happens to scare him into going straight.
Honestly, this is an interesting one, as it’s the first time in an animated series that the cops are corrupt. Prior the most they would be is incompetent at best as the higher ups didn’t want to portray law enforcement in a negative light. Funny enough Bullock did start off as corrupt in comics, with the bit near the end with Harvey, I’m wondering if he’ll start to go straight.
1:51 Of course flass was created by frank “goddam Batman” miller
At least this was back before Frank completely lost his mind and knew that abuse of power was a BAD thing
Yeah, gotta miss the Frank Miller of Ronin, The Dark Knight Returns, and Batman: Year One fame.
One key detail absent from the video is they are not loyal to Thorne like they claimed in episode 10. In episode 1 they work for Penguin meaning they either just joined him or were taking 3 salaries.
I predict Bullock will turn a new leaf, but that likely means he dies.
oh yeah, they definitely take money from whoever is paying.
My one problem with Flass is that after the first episode, I'd been hoping he'd be in a different colour suit each time we saw him
Understandable. We really need more Cardcaptor Sakura-type variations on how many outfits even side characters should wear.
Honestly the Harvey side feels like a toss up on if he'll get a redemption. After Two Face pointed out how Flass would push him to do the dirty work, Bullock seemed to be thinking on it more. And even uses those exact words in a following scene. So, maybe he decides to serve his time and go PI or when he gets out thanks to Thorne he chooses to go a different route. Or he'll just keep being a monster and the muscle of the pair
Out of all the changes in Caped Crusader Bullock and Flask may be the most controversial but makes sense. They stole the show. They didn't have any world domination or terrifying schemes in mind. They wete just horrible corrupted cops. Cops we sadly see in our world today and they have no remorse for their actions. Well besides Bullock but he still complied. The Firefly episode is my favorite because after that things escalate with them taking over crime. There is no good in Arnold Flass especially as he might be the most pure evil villains in Modern Batman. He is not a enigmatic being of chaos like Joker or a man who hurts others because to them their life is meaningless to them like Zsas. He is just a corrupted version of the law. He is a bad cop and I feel glad we finally saw why Gotham is chaotic. Besides the Gordons and Montoya the people in charge don't care. They just want power.
I have a theory that Arnold Flass may become Mr. Freeze in Caped Crusader, mainly because of the blue 🔵 suit he wears.
I actually like BTAS treating the cops as good but useless and outnumbered. It shows that the corruption in Gotham isn’t in the system, it’s in the city itself.
Though I also have a soft spot for how the GCPD progressed in the Arkhamverse. Comparing them in Arkham Origins and Arkham Knight is like night and day.
I didn't. The system is made from people. Corruption only works if, yes there are bad people, but also those willing to look the other way. Most of the Batman rogues gallery fell into two camps. The mentally ill, and those seeking revenge. Both of which only thrive when a city's public officials don't do their jobs.
@@dawudhinton5754I understand this. In a way, it kinda makes the cops themselves seem entirely separate from the city they live in when they aren't corrupt. Having them not be corrupt gave Gotham a slightly lighter feeling, like the evil really does only lurk in the dark, when that is never true. I appreciated it as a kid, because I didn't (and still kinda don't) like heroes fighting against actually hopeless situations since it feels like there is no real progression when everything remains evil and bad no matter how hard you fight.
But the truth is evil walks in the light as well. It can wear a badge just as well as a wacky villain costume or a tie. And adding that element of corruption back in makes the city feel oppressive again, like the only spot of hope in the situation just got closed off and we're now surrounded on all sides. Again, I wouldn't have liked that as a kid, but as an adult who can now handle it I am grateful that this series and its original vision could be made. I trust the story they are making to have progression in it, no matter how oppressive and insurmountable the odds are with corruption saturating every corner.
@@conspiracypanda1200 plus it gives further reason why someone like Batman would exist if there are more cops like FLass and Bullock than there are ones like GOrdon.
@@conspiracypanda1200 yeah, I see your point. I was just a weird kid, and if something didn't make logical sense... It was weird to me. I wasn't trying to throw shade.
Honestly, I like this take on these two detectives. They're both corrupt even if one is more irredeemable than the other. Flass' final scene in which Batman puts the fear of god in him is amazing. It feels great when we see him whimpering after trying to take the moral high ground, proving that underneath everything, he is just a bully that folded when someone stood up to him. I would've liked to have seen more emotion from Batman as he was picking the gun and aimed it at Flass, really showing that the death of his friend affected him a lot in that moment. Otherwise, looking forward to the second season of the show.
Batman picking up a gun is a big deal in itself. The only time I remember Batman/Bruce picking up a gun was in Batman Beyond when he realize he was to old to be Batman.
What people aren't pointing out is that Bullock being corrupt is more accurate to the original comics than the BTAS bullock.
Which an incident with Gordon caused Bullock to turn over a new leaf, and behave closer to the BTAS incarnation. Probably because of how popular and positively received the show was
10:24 This scene is also parallel to the Wayne murder because both Bruce and Batman failed to prevent their closest loved ones from getting shot..
However... Batman prevented the shooter from escaping scot-free without a warning. It's almost as if Batman, filled with rage, showed Flass what's it like to be on the other end of the gun - At the same time, Bruce.... Bruce granted him mercy as a warning.
With Bullock being more of the follower and not facing as long of a sentence as Flass will get for murdering Harvey Dent, I wonder if that leaves room for Bullock to at least partially mend his ways and come back in a future season as a private detective or something.
I'm sure there are ways he can try to redeem himself.
After all, with Dent gone, who else is going to testify against the corrupt leaders of Gotham.
The mention of Rupert Thorn reminded me of a small piece of characterization I liked
A clear parallel between penguin and thorn is the treatment of their sons, penguin has no problems with having both of them killed and doesn’t care that one of them was innocent. While Thorn is shown to care about his son, share in his interests, and prioritize his life when they are attacked by Two Face
That was my thought that while Glass was beyond redemption, Bullock had his moments where he seemed to think they were going too far. I think there's hope for at least Bullock.
The bit about how Timm stated caped crusader was how he envisioned BTAS to be without the restrictions, and considering the shows lukewarm reception, it's safe assume Timm should have worked with some restrictions. As someone else put it "restrictions can help breed creativity"
Like, for example, compare Garth Ennis' 9 year run of the punisher where he had someone over his shoulder telling him to dial back a notch, and when he has no such limitations during the time he spent working on The Boys, especially near the end with Herogasm
What I'm about to say might sound crazy but if look at it that way bullock is was a little hesitant about killing firebug or even setting him free in the first place so if we really look at it that way bullock is redeemable
Harvey Bullock also was inspiration for his mirrored version Angel Rojas - an honest cop but too headstrong with his Zero Tolerance Policy that only aided in Ethan Bennett's corruption and Ellen Yin(sen)'s temporary incarceration until Gordon repremands his heartlessness making things worse.
In the animated series, Bullock seem to have facial hair, in Caped Crusader he has a mustache; perhaps to play on the “bad guys have mustaches” trope.🤷♂️
probably also to subtly make him more distinct from other bullocks
I could definitely see an episode in season 2 dealing with Flass trying to get out of his murder wrap, by testifying against Bullock. Flass had definitely played the role of the devil on Bullock's shoulder for the whole season. I would like to see Harvey try to redeem himself, but that may be the kid who enjoyed BTAS in me.
In Law & Order, Jerry Orbach's believed Lenny Briscoe was a dirty cop. He was a good cop, but he was still corrupt. He never murdered anyone that we saw, and that's quite the skeleton to have in one's closet … but the fact remains that he was a heroic character besides that. Kind of nonsensically Arrowverse's Green Arrow was a freakin' serial killer until he suddenly decided he was going to be a hero and suddenly that made it ALL OKAY. It shouldn't have, but it did.
But in Gotham … could someone who's committed a few murders find "redemption" after a fashion? I mean it shouldn't come easily or cheaply, and in a dramatic fashion there should be that little thing in the back of their mind now and then that they did commit some crimes, and one day they could possibly be charged for them.
I dunnu if Timm intends Bullock to be anything but a dirty cop. We'll see.
I honestly hope that Bullock reforms in a future episode.
I don't. After what he's done, I just can't look past it. Even if he did a face turn, he's already done the unforgivable.
@@WobblesandBean true
He can at least try to redeem himself, but he'll have to say regards to Harvey Dent... in the afterlife.
I see potential for Bullock to be redeemed, I don’t think it would happen until the end of season 2, if in that season at all. While Bullock is corrupt, we were given several hints that he wouldn’t have gone as far as he did if it hadn’t been for Flask. While murder is inexcusable, he murdered Firebug out of fear/ self preservation. Flask on the other hand wanted him dead because it would just be easier that way.
If Bullock were to redeem himself I’d guess that it would be because he was put in a situation where he was asked to do something that crossed the line even for him. Then he would probably inform the others to prevent anymore harm. From there he would prove he had changed.
But that’s just me
Tbh, I like Bullock as the honest cop with the horrible personality.
Edited: Batman the mid crusader
Everyone arguing about wanting Bullock to “turn over a new leaf” and become an “honest cop” must really have low standards for what makes an “honest cop”. I’m sorry. You don’t get to commit those crimes and then just continue being on the force as a “good guy”. He’s gone past the point of no return. Even if he regrets all of it and wishes to be a good person, he can’t do so while continuing to wear a badge. If he we were to turn over a new leaf, it would start with him serving his sentence like a responsible citizen. He should never return to the force.
It's an interesting question, cause it's unclear why they would go from wanting to write Bullock as a brutal yet still honest cop who happens to have an aggressive way of dealing with things, to an outright corrupt cop with no chance of redemption making him identical to Flass who already is that unless there was either some pay off in the long run OR these two were really just the only two "flunkies" they could get to have a kind of returning antagonist, since most of the other ones seem to be in "one and done" cases (especially with Twoface straight up dying). Based on how they handled the Carnival episode, they didn't want to use Killer Crock as the "bumbling reoccuring villain" and they clearly gave Penguin a massive glow up so "she" is no longer another dumb muscle. I respect Tim as a writer though, so I highly doubt he would downgrade a character like Bullock who had an interesting story without some kind of strong pay off, as so far I really liked his other reinterpretations of the characters, though much colder, it helps show that they're not to just be defined by the animated cartoon we all grew up on, but rather there are multiple ways to intepret the character, e.g. I REALLY LOVE what he did with Harley Quinn, cause the way she stands on her own in that cold, green and yellow jester outfit and riding her psychology theme full and through really helps her stand out beyond the sympathetic girl who let's be honest, was ONLY known for her one sided love with the Joker (and her amazing voice and line reads, but that's irrelevant to the way the character was written), meaning we were able to ultimatley see a less sympathetic but still in her own way sympathetic version of Harley that above all else, stands on her own. So introducing Bullock as just as corrupt as Flass, having gotten away with a murder and that jab Harvey gives about him being a flunkie to Flass kind of hints at where the strings start to snap, but it's not yet time to tell his full story. Just as we see Batman himself slowly going from a cold vengeful knight who's not afraid to beat villains senseless to learning what the difference between a hero and a villain from an outside in look.
Bullock's rewrite as a villain is because brutal cops in real life are also corrupt. In the Batman: The Animated Series Bullock punched out armed gangsters to subdue them, as Batman did. Real police brutality is against unarmed people of color, hippies, and Civil Rights activists in handcuffs. Batman: Caped Crusader is more film or neo-noir than BTAS because it is a cable series, at a time when superhero deconstruction is common. Police corruption and brutality are common social problems in noir fiction, due to its social commentary by often leftist writers, with private eye backgrounds.
I'm still up in the air on if Harvey Bullock's redemption could work, but since they did make it clear Flass was the more corrupt one, maybe it could work
They made a Drug Dealing Cop black.😅 And they got Gary Anthony Williams aka Uncle Ruckus to voice him.
Okay, they had Samuel L Jackson voice a corrupt cop trying to start an apocalyptic gang war in GTA San Andreas.
@jordanloux3883 oh yeah, but Tenpenny was always Black
to be fair the other criminals are white, in fact as far as I can rememebr FLass is the ONLY black villain in the show thus far
@@sarafontanini7051
Amanda Walker might come back....And you know shit going down if she around.....
And they race commissioner Gordon too like Christ.
I kind of hope they play with Bullock's corruption in the next season. I'd like to see Bullock try to play innocent, only to be confirmed as truly evil. In this version, anyway. The smile on his face and in his voice when he said it was time to get his hands dirty, as a knowing call back to Barbara's accusations, said all I need to know. This Bullock is rotten in his core. But it would be a fascinating look into this world to see him try exonerating himself after helping murder the best lawyer who would have looked the other way for him.
I feel like the first establishment of Joker as a threat would be him killing Bullok and Flass. I can imagine Joker torturing Flass leaving him with a permanent grin.
If they have future plans for Bullock, it’ll be more likely that joker kills Flass and witnessing it puts so much fear in the Bullock that he starts to wise up and realize that the jokers existence is exactly the kind of thing his past corruption up to that point enabled. I think Bullock might turn over a new leaf so that he no longer plays a role in the creation of any more monsters.
one could argue that bullock and flass are the 'big bads' of season one, being involved in a lot of episodes and being recurring antagonists who managed to get away at the end, while rupert thorne if the greater scope villain (for now)
My favorite part is how Batman looks at the gun before throwing it into the ocean. You could interpret that scene in two ways, that he wishes he could actually shoot Flass death, but knows he can't or that he's just looking at it in disgust because of all the lives those guns have ruined, before throwing it away after having used it, almost like it was burning his hand, showing that no matter what he'll never compromise, because he can't
One moment with Flass that really stands out to me is in the fourth episode. After Firebug 'escapes', Bullock asks Flass if he thinks this will work and Flass responds "If it doesn’t. We'll try something else". It’s such a cold and callous response that shows how little Flass values the lives that he's putting in danger.
0:16 imagine if Spider-Man got this type of treatment?
Everyone would have depression
Oh damn
We'd get One More Day. Do you want One More Day?
DO YOU?
I just wanna see the conclusion of this hypothetical mess youre suggesting@@Davesknd
@@HUMAN-mo7ebreally because I thought of that they should have something different than repeating the same thing
Honestly this show is as good as batman gets. I loved this arc and am so grateful for bruce timm’s tenacity to go back and finally make the series he envisioned
I feel like these sorta lessons are needed, Some people are indeed bad people, no matter their status in life or how they where raised, Sometimes it just happens, and its up to us to spread that message When news outlets or higher authorities are unwilling to do so themselves.
I kind of wish they'd made a new stand in for Bullock as one of the irredeemable corrupt cops in BCC, I know it's a different take/timeline, but the BTAS version of the character I felt oddly worked better specifically because at first glance he seemed like the stereotypical corrupt cop on the surface, sloppy, irritable, and almost always at odds with Batman, but actually played against type by being an honest cop.
I think we can all agree that these to are the real main villains of this show.
Catwoman scratching Bullock's face is extremely similar to infamous mob boss Al Capone getting his face slashed for insulting a woman when he was younger. Giving him his nickname "Scarface"
Creative freedom creates amazing things
I have to admit this take on bullock was interesting and makes me want to watch the series
I find it interesting how in the scene where Bullock shoots Firebug, Bullock shows some hesitation and more or less looks like he doesn't actually want to do it, but in the end does it because Flass' words convinced Bullock to do the deed. It makes me wonder if Bullock is only corrupt, because Flass is being the literal devil on his shoulder with nobody else counterbalancing it as the angel on his other shoulder.
I know television limited the creative freedom, but at the same time I wish this series wasn't locked behind a pay wall...
But I did watch the show through a pirate site and like this twist on Bullock.
I loved the new series and the changes it made but Bullock being corrupt was the one element I didn’t like especially since Flask was being used. One could argue that despite the various changes, the characters still felt like they shared the same traits and personalities as past series but Bullock took a complete 180. Plus his dynamic of being an extremely rough cop and anti-Batman while not being corrupt in anyway feels so much more interesting than just being another corrupt cop which this series in particular already has tons of. I really do hope he gets redeemed, even if it’ll take a lot for that to happen due to his past actions and crimes.
I hate what they did to Bullock in this series. Yeah, he was an idiot in the original series but he was never crooked.
that's a perfectly understandable reaction, and one that I think they wanted you to have.
I Hope You Talk About The Following DCAU Batman Villains At Some Point
1)Bob Vance
2)Ratboy
3)Terrific Trio
4)Bonk, Ghoul, Woof, Chucko And Dee-Dee Twins
5)T-Gang
6)Brain Trust
7)Starro The Conqueror
8)Villains From The Zeta Project
9)Maxie Zeus
10)The Mad Bomber
11)Dr. Dorian
12)Professor Milo
13)Count Vertigo
14)Farmer Brown
i do want to bring up another version of flass outside comics, the version we see in the audio drama series batman unburied and riddler secrets in the dark, as I've only listened the rsitd at the moment and will actually probably start listening to batman unburied soon the version of flass in those series are pure evil and scum, cuz while he isnt a corrupt cop he's worse as a corrupt security guard at arkham, treating the patents and criminals there terribly (we see this through mostly ridder due to being his perspective in rsitd) its genuinly a great series and seeing flass being played less "obvious ass/scum" and being more just corrupt and underhanded is cool to see in caped crusader ngl
So they made him Lockup? Gotta admit it's fitting for him.
Having recently watched the show myself, I have noticed that it has some genius (if possibly unintentional) subtle storytelling on perhaps why Bullock is a corrupt cop in the series. Going back as far as episode one it's shown that Bullock is probably the most disrespected officer in the GCPD, being teased by Penguin and mocked by his fellow officers it's no surprise to me he'd turn out this way. His moonlighting and the way he deals with suspects and criminals would give him a reputation of being someone you wouldn't want to mess with, and thus could give him a form of respect that he wants.
Around the same time B:TAS was happening, James Ellroy was writing his acclaimed L.A. Quartet of crime novels (the two most famous are Black Dahlia and L.A. Confidential which became the movies) where even his protagonists are often as corrupt and guilty of murder as Caped Crusader's Harvey Bullock, and who eventually hit their limits and try to do things right even if it kills them.
Brubaker I know, and Timm I'm pretty sure have read James Ellroy.
I wonder if that is an inspiration for what they're planning on Bullock? Not just he turns over a new leaf and becomes the Bullock we all know from B:TAS but instead someone who realizes how much of the evil in Gotham is directly due to him and tries to redeem himself, or perhaps more cynically realizes which way the wind is blowing for police corruption and sells out Flass to remain on the force and does his best to keep his nose clean from here on.
That's what I like about this show, I genuinely don't know where anything is going to go with these characters in season 2.
Next Week Plz Talk About The DCAU Villain Bob Vance And His Family
Makes sense they dont like the idea of hits out on cops, who do you think would be some of the first targets
Even those who bear or wear the badge had to learn sometime.
Flass, without question, was the worst of the two in this series. The man was perfectly willing to do whatever he damn well pleased, having let the power get to his head long ago. Nevermind the notion his ego is so frail I'm convinced its no more frail than glass.
He got what he deserved at the end of the season.
Bullock....I kinda had to dwell on this. While it is clear that this version of Bullock is corrupt, he more or less seems to be the "cohort" to the whole situation, not entirely on board with every action Flass takes. Case in point, Bullock had to be goaded into punching Flass in order to support their "story". But, I can't quite say if he is redeemable or not. Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: Flass is grass and Gordon is the lawnmower
been having a blast watching the caped crusader videos not a member so i am really excited for the batman video
I like that Bullock was going this low & isn’t afraid of getting his hands dirty. Sure you may argue that he isn’t that bad of a cop but to me he is.
First mistake: Adapting ANYTHING from Frank Miller
Second mistake: Not accepting that sometimes restrictions breed creativity.
Adapting Carrie Kelley (this show) and that cool exoframe against Superman (Batman: The Brave and the Bold) isn't bad though.
Can agree with the second thing though. Experience with flawed stuff like ReBoot Season 4 (mostly My Two Bobs) and Wolfenstein: The New Colossus have attested to that.
after seeing the finale I doubt Bullock will be redeemed which is a shame, I would have liked to have seen a change of heart in those final moments given how Dent jabbed at Flass.
i think bullock has a chance at redemption cause he seems slightly more hesitant to do the bad things he did not very hesitant but he is
Very dark yet interesting 🧐🤔!
In the cat woman scene I wouldn’t say bullock is that corrupt as flask cuz he was going to arrest her so he has some decency but flask king of controls bullock being the dare of both of them
Flass to me also stands as a great example of why the race and gender swap arguments made against the series are completely idiotic, because while the Gordons, Penguin, and Harley have all been called out for having either their race or gender changed, the same has never been called out about Flass, which to me is very telling that the people making these arguments only really know about the Batman mythos on a surface level
None of them said anything about Firebug either 🙄
I feel like there was a missed opportunity to have Flass and Bullock on opposing sides. Like it'd be more interesting if Bullock was most willing to work with Batman, believing that if Flass is going to be working with organized crime, he has no room to complain if he was to be helping out the guy in a bat costume.
Like I'm just imagining some alternate scenario where Bullock and Batman corner Flass and the former goes "You though Batman worked alone?" or something like that.
Add to them for season 2 Lieutenant of the GCPD Max Eckhardt (along with his boss - crime lord Carl Grissom by the way) from Batman 1989 and we have a trio of dirty cops in Gotham City.
Honestly I’m hoping Bullock gets a redemption arc. It would be cool for him to wake up and realize what he’s doing is wrong.
Agreed.👍
I kinda get the feeling theyll go this way, when thier going after firebug bulluck dose NOT look happy.
Like what hes doing is hitting home..
Not gonna lie out of all the changes, whic so far none of changes bother me in theeast bit. I really miss Bullock. He had a great dynamic with Montoya and was strangely a hero of mine. I think because he reminded me of my dad.
My dad was rough man who had a rough upbringing. He was the embodiment of tough it out and Bullock struck me the same way. Even though he wasnt perfect he meant well and would always do the best to his abilities.
I feel the corrupt cop angle in the recent years is just so played out, and with the announcement of this show I was ready to get more Bullock.
Surprisingly, the original concept for B: TAS' episode "POV" actually was supposed to have Bullock get a backstory involving a rough father and being a football star, so the relatability factor checks out.
Bullock was more the lackey of Flass than really a threat: during "the night of the hunters" he was more annoyed to hurt his partner in order to frame Firebug and when the pyromaniac bad guy willingly surrender due to the fact he ran out of fuel Flass ordered him to kill him in order to prevent him to snitch against them (we can see inside him Bullock wasn't tempted to murder but after his act he gladly accept his celebrity).
Toobad after Catwoman slashed his snout he didn't scream oink oink oink oink oink oink oink
Come to think of it, why wasn't Selina also charged with resisting arrest and assault of an officer in the first place?
What would be interesting is if it were the other way around. If somehow this time it turns of Flass has some ethical line he won’t cross and Bullock, usually used as the muscle in resentment isn’t prepared to let Flass have atonement after having so much of Flass’s poison squirted in his ear.
I think the best adaptation of Bullock I've seen so far was actually in Arkham Origins. He used to be a rotten cop under Loeb's thumb and was willing to pull some dirty tricks bordering on crimes to get what his boss wants, almost an enforcer than an actual cop, but put him in front of an actual dangerous threat risking lives like Bane or Joker and he'll do what it takes to stop it. It's a tight but complex line and gives Bullock a great level of depth and it's a shame we don't see it here too.
I love your thoughts.
Thanks for the video.
You're welcome, and thanks for watching!
I’d argue for reviving a one shot character from Batman TAS: Lockup. Lyle Bolton could come in as that rarity in Gotham-a straight cop who is incorruptible, almost a ray of hope for a city desperate for good cops. But his approach to the law proves so heavy handed, so inflexible and unforgiving, that he ends up being just as bad as any gangster. On the other hand, you could also make a case for Ellen Yin from the 2000’s The Batman.
I would absolutely love to hear your take and any cool details surrounding the Batman animated movies Year One and Under the Red Hood. They are both of amazing quality in very different ways. These two are really up there with Mask of the Phantasm and Return of the Joker for me. (The Long Halloween parts 1 and 2 are decent efforts too.)
I wish they didn’t made Bullock bad cop
I grew up with him on Batman the animated series
And they’ll never be able to take BTAS Bullock from us
Still, I'm surprisingly. Thinking of it as payback for overshadowing the hyped Renee Montoya of the DCAU.
i can see some shot
like they could flashback to fire bugs death, and show bullock didnt have the nef to do it so flass shot firebug
I get why BTAS wanted to avoid the implication of corrupt cops... but these days it's kinda awkward...
Awkward, maybe, but as a guy who grew up on anime like Patlabor and games like SWAT 3 and 4... I swear, there should better be a time when benevolent authority figures in fiction get a neo-renaissance. Our real sick world's already needing a figurative fever as it is, and we don't want the negativity to spread on what is supposed to be escapist fiction.
@michaelandreipalon359 Agreed. Personally, I don't buy the whole "All Cops Are B@$t@rds" deal. I'm not saying cops can't be corrupt, but saying _all_ of them are is kinda harsh...
Maybe Harvey in this series is compensating for his small subpoena.
Good one!
I kept thinkinging they would redeem Bullock. But with the Firebug murder, I just don't see it happening.
Next Week Plz Talk About The DCAU Villain Volcana
She’s a while off yet.
@@SerumLake This November Plz Talk About Lex Luthor, Volcana, Sinestro, And Villains From Return Of The Joker
For that matter, why not a vid and more on the anti-Superman and later anti-Justice League responses, Projects Achilles and CADMUS?
@@michaelandreipalon359 i agree with you michael
look how they massacred my boy...
Making Bullock corrupt was a controversial choice, and I totally get why. But when you talked about the lulling us into false security got me thinking. It reminded me of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. As you probably know, in this film, SHIELD is revealed to be infiltrated by HYDRA. Some of the SHIELD agents that are in on the conspiracy include ones who are loyal to the good guys in the comics, such as Agent Sitwell (who had even made previous appearances in the MCU) and main villain Alexander Pierce. The directors said that this was intentional, since even comic fans would feel that same sense of betrayal and not know who to trust. They also mentioned that if the traitor was just some “Bob from accounting” who we’d never met, the punch wouldn’t have been as strong.
I feel like that’s what was happening here. If you haven’t read the comics he’s in, there’s a good chance you’ve never heard of Arnold Flass, and him being corrupt wouldn’t be as much of a shock whether you know him or not. But Bullock, a recognizable figure from series past with a familiar look, rattles what darkness is in this Gotham’s justice system, and we, the audience, feel just as betrayed and disgusted by his actions as those with him.
I'm glad Bullock is corrupt, after all if the police isn't corrupt Batman isn't need
I dunno why... But I'd watch an entire spin-off series with these two for some reason. This version of Bullock and Flass is actually really intriguing to me.
Please don't. I don't want another Crusade.
i think most of us know flass from batman year one
which according to the wiki is where he first appeared
When I first saw Harvey Bullock in the series, it was really jarring to me that he was just plain out evil instead of just a rough cop. I expected that from Flass but not Bullock. I have accepted it now, but I kind of wanna know where they plan on going with the character in season 2. If they want to attempt to redeem him in any way or fully lean into the fact that he is just flat out corrupt.
I also think that suspect handcuffed to the desk was probably a prostitute 😅 they don’t flat out say it and she’s not really dressed like a prostitute, but I can’t imagine why else she would be handcuffed there
She could’ve been a serial jaywalker…
Either way it doesn't justify leaving her in a building that's about to be BLOWN TO HELL
Heres the thing:
we dont know for 100% that Bullock murdered Firebug. We see a zoom to a gun, see it fire, see Firebug fly out the window, then after he lands we see Bullock walk up to the window looking concerned.
I believe that Bullock did not fire that shot and that it was Flass, and Bullock was going to see if Firebug survived. Bullock throughout the series was always somewhat hesitant and typically needed coercion from Flass to really act. What if he is actually playing both fields?
hopin for a redemption arc for Bullock. yea he's corrupt now, but knodding in the direction of comic redemption would be a great touch, and a way to turn the tide (albeit very slightly) on the corruption that dwells within the lawbringing wing of Gotham
Can't wait to see what season 2 will bring
When I first watched the series I found myself conflicted about the Bullock situation, because on one hand I really liked the corrupt cop storyline they told but on the other I really like BTAS Bullock and think a character like him would really fit in the Caped Crusader world. And then I got to thinking if there were any cops in DC who were kind of unlikeable in a charming way to the audience, not the most put together, and on the rougher side but also genuinely have good intentions and would never fall in line with police corruption and one candidate came to my mind: Guy Gardner. Since Caped Crusader has already shown a willingness to use characters that would become heroes as long as they don't have any powers through having Plastic Man as a photographer it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility to have Guy transferred from Baltimore to Gotham as a new cop who actually wants to do some good and over time become part of Gordon's inner circle. Do I think it's likely to happen? No, but it'd be cool if it did.
4:44 This Bullock is true to the text. He was originally corrupt in the comics.
Uh... I thought I was up on idioms from the UK. In America, it's 'selling someone down the river' and 'sending them up the river'. The first involves a betrayal, but originated in slavery. The second is unrelated and involves the physical location of a prison...
Never rule out the possibility that I was speaking too quickly and said the wrong thing. It happens more often than I'd like!
I wonder if Bullock's design could be a hint that he might become a reluctant ally in the next season, or if it really was a misdirect from the beginning.
Also, I kind of like Flass's suit in this new series. With a few tweaks it could've very easily been a Riddler costume. Great way of symbolizing that he's no better than the costumed villains people normally associate with batman.
It really depends how season 2 is handled. there were some significant shifts for the characters in the series... it could well be that depending on how season 1 was received, season 2 could potentially shift, but it could also be that there is a plan in play we don't see yet. considering Tim and company were willing to kill off several iconic characters, i think what probably might happen is that flass and bullock could very easily end up the victims of their own corruption finally coming to bite them. corruption might initially spare them too much in the way of consequences for their actions, but i can see its very likely that flass and bullock might end up the target of someone with an agenda of bringing 'true justice' to Gotham, or might even just have a grudge with those 2 specifically. I imagine season 2 starting with Gordon working to change Gotham PD, starting by stripping flass and bullock of their authority and influence. this is a test and a punishment for bullock and flass... both are separated from each other and forced under the purview and close supervision of people gordon can trust. if they cannot behave themselves and tow the new line Gordon is drawing in the sand, he will toss them out of Gotham PD. no more badge to use as a shield. no more police privileges. and the next time they end up in trouble with the law... they go into prison with all the other people who have ample justification to gut them in prison. and from that moment, we see bullock and flass paired with different partners... though depending on how things go, it could be bullock and/or flass could end up dead. depends on how their story might play out in the next season.
I haven't read the comics but the first time I saw Bullock was on the show Gotham and I really liked him there.
I was actually expecting Bullock turning heel on Flass at some point, proving at the very least that he wasn't just Flass's patsy. Maybe next season.
It’s been a while we seen anything about Arnold flass from Batman media in recent years. I wonder what would his dcau design would look like if they went with the dark and mature route. Also John DiMaggio as bullock is awesome.
I really felt Bullock was done dirty in this series but I'm glad they shone a light on just how crooked Flass is