Michael Chiklis comes to “Gotham” in Monday’s episode, playing GCPD Captain Barnes who comes in to help protect the city after the Villains have decimated the department.
Chiklis is no stranger to police roles and comic book roles, having famously played Det. Vic Mackey on the FX drama “The Shield,” and Ben Grimm, a.k.a The Thing, in the 2005 version of “The Fantastic Four” and its 2007 sequel.
“[‘Gotham’] sort of felt like Cinderella’s slipper,” Chiklis told TheWrap. “It’s cops and robbers, which I’ve done a ton of that kind of stuff, meets comic book world. So it’s a wonderful hybrid of familiar work for me.”
Barnes is called into action after a devastating attack on the GCPD headquarters leaves dozens of police officers dead. “Thus far in the series it’s been this brazen ass-whooping that the villains are putting Gotham through,” Chiklis said. “My guy comes in to essentially kick ass and take names and push back.”
He also said that Barnes quickly develops a relationship with Det. Jim Gordon. “He sees [Gordon] moving down that terrible path of ‘ends justify the means’ law enforcement, and he’s not into that because of things he’s been through in his own past,” he said.
In a clip from the episode (below), Gordon and Barnes put together an “Untouchables” style task force of Gotham Police Academy recruits to take the fight against the Villains to the streets.
And with the death of Cameron Monaghan‘s Jerome in last week’s episode, it’s anybody’s guess as to whether or not Chiklis’ character ends up becoming The Joker.
“You’ll have to tune in,” he said with a laugh.
