The last time Batman had a live-action TV show, its star was Adam West. Much has changed since then, not just with Batman but with the world. The world has become darker, grittier, and more violent, with events like 9/11 and the Cold War sharpening the knife. Batman has changed with the world around him, and that darkness is a big factor in the latest Batman adaptation.

The latest adaptation of the Batman comic books, the TV show Gotham, premiered on September 22. It has received positive reviews, with an 8.4 on IMDb for the first three episodes. The show offers a darker take on the traditional material that has proved popular with fans ever since Frank Miller’s 1986 comic The Dark Knight Returns.

However, while that particular comic takes place in a futuristic Gotham City, the show Gotham delves into the characters’ origins before they became the icons that we now know. Some of Bruce Wayne’s classic comic book villains like The Penguin, Catwoman, Poison Ivy, and even the Riddler make appearances. Viewers who want Batman swinging across the skyline may be disappointed, so far, Batman isn’t in this show. Gotham begins before Wayne has turned twelve years old, and he is not yet capable of fighting the widespread crime of Gotham on Batman’s scale

The first three episodes are called “Pilot,” “Selina Kyle,” and “The Balloonman.” Each episode focuses on a certain character, and develops their story while teasing further villains. For example, in the first episode Poison Ivy, Riddler, and even the Joker are hinted at, while the main plot of the episode mainly follows Detective James Gordon in his effort to find the murderer of Thomas and Martha Wayne.

The second and third episodes have a similar formula: a crime is investigated by Gordon and his partner, Harvey Bullock, while other characters, such as the Penguin, Wayne or Catwoman, have several scenes scattered throughout the episode. This approach works well, allowing time for multiple characters to grow, even ones who have nothing to do with the current plot.

The show is also superbly acted. Each role is perfectly cast for the show, suiting that character’s feel. Two standouts are Ben McKenzie as Gordon, and Robin Lord Taylor as the Penguin, who absolutely steals the show. The Penguin is a wonderfully twisted villain, and Taylor’s performance feels like Moriarty on the BBC’s Sherlock or Loki from The Avengers.

Overall, the show is excellent. It has wonderful plots, great acting, and the city feels like Gotham- a chaotic, sick location that breeds crime. The show’s best moments come with the Penguin’s scenes, but those aren’t the only scenes that keep you watching. Gotham’s  lowest points are scenes with detectives Renee Montoya and Crispus Allen, who mostly play off as annoying, in-your-face cops who are out to destroy Gordon. But those scenes aren’t often, and the show is fantastic 98% of the time.