Gotham
Gotham's official Facebook cover photo. Facebook/Gotham

There are a lot of icons in the DC Universe and, unsurprisingly, some of those that fans are supposed to be hating end up being villains they grow to love over time. One of these characters is The Joker. Fans have always been critical of how this character should be played and what the actor playing this role has to deliver.

The standards for this role were raised to another level when Heath Ledger took it on for the “Dark Knight” trilogy by Zack Snyder and Christopher Nolan. Ledger delivered such a stunning performance where The Joker was portrayed as an ordinary human, instead of the comical cartoonish jester. After the actor’s untimely demise, fans have been eagerly waiting for what, or who, DC has to offer next.

In the recent “Suicide Squad,” Jared Leto took on the challenge and while his delivery of a classic Joker was quite good, a lot of fans were not impressed. This might have been reflected in the movie’s poor ratings or it could be just because they wanted to see something else. However, when it comes to Cameron Monaghan’s take on Jerome Valeska on the FOX series “Gotham,” who has not been confirmed to be the would-be Joker yet, a lot of fans have a different take.

The episode titled “The Gentle Art of Making Enemies” has been hailed as one of the show’s greatest episodes yet, notes Digital Spy. The episode wrapped up with a showdown at the carnival and a scenic hall of mirrors between the future Batman and the would-be Clown Prince of Crime. This scene was inspired by Alan Moore’s 1988 graphic novel about The Joker’s origin, titled “The Killing Joke.”

However, this recent portrayal of Joker has continued to divide fans. Recently, comparisons have risen from Nolan’s pro-faced version, Zack Snyder’s classic take and “Gotham’s” morbid and over the top style. While this is the case, even those who are not fans of “Gotham” owe it to themselves to observe how Monaghan fills in some big shoes.

There is, indeed, something outstandingly creepy about Monaghan’s take on the supposed Joker. It is striking how he has mastered one of the best Joker cackles ever heard, since the animated days of Mark Hamill. His mangled face and that familiar leer add to the chills that the iconic bad guy had always been known to give its fans. Monaghan talks about his role in a YouTube video. [Watch below]

“Gotham’s” take on the character is way more shrewd than the rest. The show wants to send a message that the Joker is not just a bad guy. He is an embodiment of the idea that under the veneer of a civilised society, there are dark forces that are struggling to break free.

“Gotham” is currently on break and will return April 24 on FOX in the US. It can also be watched in Australia via the SyFy Channel.

Read More: 'Gotham' season 3 spoilers: Young Bruce Wayne gets closer to being Batman; Edward Nygma unleashes the Riddler in new trailer

Read More: 'Gotham' season 3 episode 14 winter finale spoilers: Jerome goes after Bruce and Alfred’s safety is endangered; Nygma and Penguin square off in ‘The Gentle Art of Making Enemies’

Cameron Monaghan Talks About Jerome's Return | Season 3 | GOTHAM ​

Source: YouTube/Gotham