TV REVIEWS: FTN Reviews Batwoman Season 3 Episode 12: We’re All Mad Here

It’s honestly sad when you can get to the season finale of an episode…and you don’t really care what happens in it. And that’s where I’m at with Batwoman this season. Because after multiple weeks off, “We’re All Mad Here” continues to dig its grave at the cost of characters both old, new, and familiar.

For example, the first several minutes of this episode was that of a delusion by Alice in which she did get the buzzer (in a very easy and dumb way), used it, was Beth again…and then realized in “horrifying fashion” that it didn’t work.

The reason this didn’t work was two-fold. First, Alice hadn’t had any delusions for many episodes. Even stating how Mary was her cure. Second, even when she did have delusions, they weren’t full-blown ones like this. They were small, localized, like when she saw an Arkham guard talking to her when they weren’t there, or when she felt “bugs in her skin”. But this was a full-on fantasy, which she had never done before. So why did it escalate now when she honestly had her chance to get what she wanted?

Furthermore, the idea of using Mouse and Ocean in her delusions was brilliant…but poorly timed. It would’ve worked more if they were there from day one instead of just showing up now because “she didn’t deserve it”. Except, by most accounts, she honestly does deserve it. She deserves it a heck of a lot more than Marquis, that’s for sure. And then when she DOES get the buzzer…she waits to use it until AFTER she’s out of the place where everything is going down…and of course…runs right into Sophie and Luke. …because of course she does. Alice in her delusion used the buzzer right away. But suddenly…that wasn’t good enough for her? Right…

Ironically, one of the best parts of the episode…was Marquis. Yeah, I know, I can’t believe it either. The Faux-Joker (he’s not even close to a Joker in my book) honestly had his best episode since his “emergence” because he actually had a concrete story that made sense. He went after the Black Glove society who “tried to fix him” and paid them back for their own crimes. The reason I liked this was not just because Marquis acted like a true villain (and not a knockoff), but we got to see some key members of Gotham high-society. Barbara Keen (with multiple references to James Gordon Jr., who basically is what Marquis REALLY is and not Joker), Mario Falcone, and even Jeremiah Arkham. And him turning the tables on them was fun, and I’m glad that some of these big players are still alive.

But, like with Alice, they stumbled in key spots. Like how they HAD to connect Marquis to the day of Alice’s “birth” (even though it WASN’T her birth if you recall the lore of season 1 and 2), and how Marquis played the “villain card” of wanting to torture his prey instead of killing them…just like Joker and others have one time and time again. He even shot her saying he HOPED it wouldn’t kill her…even though Ryan was maskless at the time.

On that note, how dumb was it that she unmasked in a room full of three people (we didn’t see her free Falcone or Arkham…) that would absolutely not keep that secret? Just saying. And then Marquis left even though he wasn’t close to being beaten. All so…he could get into the Batcave? Are we really supposed to care about what this could lead to? Did the writers forget that Kate while brainwashed did the EXACT SAME THING last season that setup season 3? And according to the trailer, Marquis big plan is to “blab about Ryan’s identity”. …so? So what? Jada already broke the “public’s trust” in Batwoman with that press conference she did. Why should Ryan care about this now?

Meanwhile, Mary tried to atone for her sins…and decided for a while that Alice was to blame for it all. Even though Alice tried to get her OUT of Gotham as Poison Mary and not to the woods where she killed that hunter. So yeah, let’s blame Alice. And yes, she thanked her later…but it didn’t stop her from blaming her before…even though she was willing to help her escape the law before…so…what’s your game here, Mary?

And the less I speak on Sophie and Wilder being a couple…? The better. It’s just…not good, at all. If you’ve watched Peacemaker? Adebayo had loads less screen time with her love in Keeya and had WAY more chemistry with her than Sophie and Wilder…it’s just not good compared to the WAY better relationships that Batwoman, LOT, and other shows in the Arrowverse have had with their LGBTQ+ couples.

In the end, “We’re All Mad Here” did baby steps to progress something things, and went in the opposite direction with others. At present, Batwoman Season 4 hasn’t been confirmed. And if it doesn’t happen? I won’t be sad.

2.5/5