Gotham plays in the origins story of the Bat-verse and it debuted with much buzz in the US a few weeks ago. Its first episode’s ratings were very good, if not great, matching Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D season 2 debut which has the advantage of being an Avengers film series spin-off. This is, as yet, a stand-alone Batman tale and its ratings have held relatively strong for the ensuing two episodes. Since than it has also proved to be the most talked about new show in America according to a research firm who monitor social media, the most DVR’d new show, and the most pirated. All of which points to a good reason for Nine to get it out there quickly and in prime time, hence the debut after the sure to be huge Block finale.

It’s worth getting on board this show – even if you missed the Sunday’s debut episodes –  as this will be a show that people are talking about.

But what will they be saying? Here are the Gotham goodies for those who can’t stay up on a school night but need the talking points:

WHERE’S BATMAN?

Both Tim Burton’s Batman and Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins started with the back alley murder of young Bruce Wayne’s zillionaire parents by a mugger, leaving him the orphan who grew to become Batman. Gotham does the same, but doesn’t leave him, instead this series explores how young Bruce and his butler Alfred coped in the aftermath, what Gotham City was like and what prompted its criminal elements to orphan Bruce and primarily how a young Detective James Gordon went on to become Batman’s ally Commissioner Gordon.

WHY IS THAT GIRL ACTING LIKE A CAT?

Origins are key to Gotham, and apparently the studios were worried we might get bored with Batman and Gordon, so in the first episode alone we also meet the children and young adults destined to become the super-villains Batman will oppose.

Jada Pinkett Smith as Fish Mooney. Photo: Supplied

There’s a crime boss’s offsider Oswald Cobblepot, who has a funny walk and a penchant for violence – oh and he hates the name the thugs call him: Penguin. There’s the police department’s tech guy Edward Nygma (get it? E. Nygma) who only speaks in riddles, as is literally pointed out on several occasions with lines like “stop talking in riddles.” Then there’s the future Catwoman, Selina Kyle a young street urchin who witnesses the Bruce murder while purched upon a wall, who couldn’t move in a more feline manner if she had an Andrew Lloyd Webber soundtrack and who – just in case you missed it – steals milk and gives it to cats.

 So while they cast Selina very well for her cat movement, the show runners get not points for subtlety. There is also Ivy, the daughter of Mario Pepper, who we only ever see spraying water on plants. And on an actual subtle note, there’s a stand-up comic who we learn almost nothing else about, but I wonder who tells jokes in the Batman world?

Rumour has it some of the less well-known Batman characters will turn up as the series unfolds, including Dr Leslie Thompkins, Bruce’s godmother from the comics who will be a love interest for Gordon.

SO IT’S A SUPER HERO SERIES?

No. Really no. Nary a utility belt or bat-bicycle with training wheels to be seen. Bruce is a kid!

THEN IT’S A NOIR DETECTIVE SERIES?

 No. This is a long way from noir, though a Scandi-noir approach would have been amazing. Still one suspects there is someone in the creative team who thinks this is a throw back to noir of old, in which case they should watch some noir films.

SO WHAT IS IT?

 At one level it’s a traditional buddy cop series, with a new crime each week and two cops, one jaded and near broken, the other wet behind the ears and full of ethics determined to solve crime without getting dirty.

 On another level it’s a pantomime with big villains acting big and cheesy – though not quite back to the days of Adam West and the “Bang! Pow! Wallop!” fist fights. Think the Dick Tracy film but more G rated. This is a world where the girls in the strip bars not only wear clothes but also bright lighting and wholesome music. Where the homeless streetkids are very clean and if anything fat. And where violence and blood seldom come together – except where the Penguin is involved, he’s quite the blood-spiller.

 And it’s a lot angsty teen. Batman has always appealed to the sense of isolation that makes teenagers feel like outsiders. Here, Gordon is played by Ben McKenzie, who was Ryan Attwood in The O.C. and your interest in that show is a good litmus for this.

 It’s a big genre stew at the moment, trying to find its way, much like little orphan Bruce.

WHAT ELSE?

There are a LOT of characters. We haven’t discussed, Gordon’s grizzled partner Harvey Bullock, Montoya and Allen the Internal Affairs wannabes from major crimes, Fish the crime boss who worries her hair might get wet nor the various members of the mafia she seems to report to, Jim’s beautiful fiancé Barbara who is supportive, runs an art gallery and has history with Montoya, and then there is the monster-of-the-week bad guys who turn up each episode to keep Gordon and Bullock in work.

Gotham is a busy metropolis and the creators may have bitten off more than they can chew but it’s certainly not dull, certain to be talked about and now you can pretend you have seen it.

Gotham airs on the Nine Network – Sunday nights at 8:30pm.