Gotham

Before Batman, there was Gotham.

RELEASED 22 Sept 201472h 55m · 100 episodes★ 7.6 TMDB

Everyone knows the name Commissioner Gordon. He is one of the crime world's greatest foes, a man whose reputation is synonymous with law and order. But what is known of Gordon's story and his rise from rookie detective to Police Commissioner? What did it take to navigate the multiple layers of corruption that secretly ruled Gotham City, the spawning ground of the world's most iconic villains? And what circumstances created them – the larger-than-life personas who would become Catwoman, The Penguin, The Riddler, Two-Face and The Joker?

Why it matters in DC

Jim Gordon's early career moves the focus to Gotham's institutions and the people who become its familiar villains. The series is useful as a separate exploration of the city before an established Batman dominates its conflicts, rather than a universal prequel to every Batman film.

Watch these first

4 titles to watch before Gotham — 5h 10m in total.

Justice League: The Flashpoint ParadoxOptional background1h 21m★ 7.9
Justice League: WarOptional background1h 19m★ 7.4
Son of BatmanOptional background1h 14m★ 7.1
Batman: Assault on ArkhamOptional background1h 16m★ 7.3

Opens the planner with just these titles, so you can set your own pace.

How these titles are selected

Story prerequisites are curated. Likely prerequisites are inferred from sequel numbering or explicit synopsis references. Recommendations are earlier stories in the same continuity; background picks are separate adaptations. Series lists cover whole shows, not an episode-by-episode watch order.

Explore the full viewing guide

Where it fits in the DC universe

Gotham is title 12 of 24 in our Live-action Elseworlds viewing sequence. Gotham uses Jim Gordon and a young Bruce Wayne to explore its own version of the city before an established Batman. It is not a universal prequel to the Batman films. Its seasons establish the relevant histories of its villains and institutions without needing to fit the Dark Knight trilogy or Reeves saga.

Explore this viewing sequence