Ep 3. The Balloonman

In the third episode of Gotham's first season, titled "The Balloonman," we are introduced to a new type of vigilante roaming the streets of Gotham - a man who is releasing the city from its corrupt bureaucrats and politicians by attaching them to large helium-filled balloons and setting them free into the sky. Naturally, the police department is baffled by this new addition to their already tense line of work as they attempt to track down the mysterious vigilante.

The episode begins with a wealthy city councilman, Jason Skolimski, being released into the sky via a large balloon while shouting for help. As the episode progresses, we find out that Skolimski had been embezzling funds from the city for years, and this was the Balloonman's way of getting revenge.

As the police try to track down the Balloonman, we see the strained dynamic between Jim Gordon and his partner Harvey Bullock. Bullock is skeptical of Gordon's straightforward approach to justice and warns him that the higher-ups will not take kindly to his stubbornness.

Meanwhile, Fish Mooney's plot to take down Fish Mooney's plot to take down Falcone is still in motion, and she enlists the help of James Gordon to obtain information from a corrupt police officer. Mooney still doesn't trust Gordon completely, and their interactions raise many questions about Gordon's integrity.

After another city official is released into the sky, Gordon starts to put the pieces together and realizes the Balloonman is using the vigilante justice system to take down the corrupt politicians of Gotham. Gordon's partner, however, is convinced that the Balloonman is a criminal himself and is responsible for the death of one of the corrupt officials.

The episode comes to a head with Gordon finally tracking down the Balloonman, who is revealed to be a mild-mannered financial advisor named Davis Lamond. Lamond believes that the current system allows the corrupt officials of Gotham free reign at the expense of its citizens and that he needs to enact his particular brand of justice to make a difference.

Of course, Gordon is faced with a difficult decision - should he arrest the Balloonman for taking the law into his hands, or allow him to continue in his crusade against corruption? Ultimately, the decision falls on Gordon's conscience, and his decision will have lasting repercussions on the city of Gotham.

Overall, "The Balloonman" gives viewers a unique take on the typical vigilante story, one that raises tough questions about justice and the morality of taking the law into one's hands. With strong performances by the show's core cast and an intriguing plotline, this episode successfully sets the tone for what's to come in future episodes.