If you have watched the season three finale of FOX’s hit show Gotham, you are surely asking plenty of questions. Is Barbara really dead? How long before we see a zombie-version of Butch? Will Nygma be on ice for very long? Who is going to turn into Harley Quinn?
But let’s deviate from the characters we already know for a little bit. Instead, let’s talk about what new characters we could possibly see when season four rolls around!
With Batman having such a rich history, there are certainly plenty of characters to choose from. Bane is certainly one that I would love to see on the small screen. I think a version of Clayface, before he actually turns into the villain would be interesting. I have a theory about Killer Moth (more on that later this week here at INSC!) possibly showing up. But there is one character that I feel has a good chance to show up in the new season when Gotham is on Thursday nights.
His name is Jonathan Crane, who is better known as the villain Scarecrow. Way back in 2005, Cillian Murphy brought the baddie to life in Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins. In that film, Crane is already a Dr. Crane, as he is in fact a psychologist. But that is not the case quite yet in the world of Gotham.
We have actually already met Jonathan. Back in season one, Charlie Tahan portrayed the Crane boy. He was injected by his father with a serum for fear, as the show was clearly trying to dip into the plethora of Batman villains at its disposal.
By the time season four rolls around, it will have been three years since we have seen the character. A good portion of fans will likely have forgotten we have already met the character (I know I did). Hence, recasting the role is not out of the question. This is where I would like to propose bringing in Jeremy Allen White, best known for his role of Lip Gallagher on Shameless.
White is a 26-year-old actor, which puts him seven years older than Tahan. However, the actor has what some would call “a baby face”, as he can easily be mistaken for a younger age. So it is certainly possible to envision Tahan transforming into White in three years. Plus, the injection of the fear serum can also be used to help explain some extra aging.
Now, let’s take a closer look as to why Lip would make the perfect Scarecrow. On Shameless, White does an amazing job at portraying a character that has plenty of good and bad qualities about him. He is certainly cocky and can be obnoxious. Lip often finds himself in trouble and stands up for what he feels right. He is also extremely intelligent.
Given Crane’s obsession with fear ultimately leads him to that role of psychologist, you would be safe in assuming he is also on the smart side. We know this take on the character was injected by his father, which could lead to him resenting his father. If you are a fan of Shameless, you know how well White can pull that off. Despite despising his father, he seems destined to become him. Sounds a lot like Lip to me once again.
Something tells me Gotham will want us to feel some sympathy for the villain before he goes full baddie. White is great at getting that reaction from fans. But when he wants to be a complete asshole, fans can’t help but see his flaws. This combination and range in acting are what makes White perfect for the role.
Then let’s factor in the look. Tahan had some shaggy hair when we saw him in the role back in season one. Murphy had a similar type of hair style back in 2005. White could certainly pass for an older version of Tahan and a younger version of Murphy. So I would say he has the look down pat.
But this entire idea was actually born from born from another member of the show’s cast. On the show, their version of the Joker is a crazed lunatic named Jerome. Jerome happens to be played by Cameron Monaghan, who plays Lip’s brother Ian Gallagher on Shameless. It is no secret that casting decisions can be impacted by connections to other actors who have shared screentime before.
We know these two have some tremendous on-screen chemistry with one another. So how awesome would it be to see them interact outside of the roles of Lip and Ian?
Now, if I haven’t convinced you yet, picture this. Early in the fourth season, we pay a visit to Arkham Asylum. Here we find Jerome, ranting and spewing some crazy thoughts. As he talks, the camera pans around the room. Jerome begins to talk about the topic of fear. As soon as he says the word “fear”, the camera stops on White as Crane.
Crane, who was committed to Arkham after being injected by his father years ago, lifts his head. “Fear? You want to talk about fear?” is uttered from the mouth of Jonathan. End scene, and end episode.
Pairing these two up inside of Arkham would make for an incredibly entertaining arc in season four. They could team up to help one another escape. That would likely come at the end of the season, after they spend a few episodes throughout the season torturing other inmates.
So what do you think? Would you like to see Jeremy Allen White play the Scarecrow on Gotham? If not, who would you like to see in the role? Tell us in the comments!