There’s a power struggle in Gotham’s underbelly and The Penguin is here to seize it all.
This review was made possible by advance screeners of episodes 1-8 provided by HBO. This is a spoiler-free review of THE PENGUIN, which premieres September 19 on HBO and Max. A spoiler review of the first episode will publish September 19 at 10:00PM EST and thereafter reviews for episodes 2 – 8 will publish at 10:00PM EST on the Sunday night of each respective episode debuts.
Set one week after the explosive events of The Batman, The Penguin focuses on Oz Cobb’s (Colin Farrell) rise to power in Gotham. In The Batman, crime lord Carmine Falcone (John Turturro in the film and Mark Strong for the series) dies at the hands of the Riddler resulting in a power vacuum in Gotham’s underworld. This is no easy task for Oz as there’s a few power players on the chess board he would need to contend with. The two heirs to the Falcone empire: Alberto (Michael Zegen) and Sofia (Cristin Milioti), Falcone’s underboss Johnny Viti (Michael Kelly), Salvatore Maroni (Clancy Brown) and a slew of Gotham’s gangs including The Triads to name a few. But the one player Oz is in constant battle with is himself. Oz is brash, a weasel, smart but a manipulator, liar, burden with ambition but underestimated by all and most of all impulsive. Its these traits that allowed Oz to survive Gotham, and throughout the series you’ll see how far he’ll go to achieve his goal.
Showrunner Lauren LeFranc crafts a pedigree crime drama set in Matt Reeves’ Batman Universe. The show stands on its own without the need of the Batman showing up. This is a testament to the writing and portrayal of each character whether familiar or created for the show. Colin Farrell owns this character. Colin’s transformation to the Penguin was a highlight in The Batman. In the series, Colin is able to expand more of the character. You sympathize and root for Oz and within a flick of a switch you want him buried in an unmarked grave. Though, Colin wasn’t a fan of the prosthetics (masterfully crafted by Mike Marino) you can tell he had fun with this role.
Enough about Oz, the standout character is Cristin Milioti’s take on Sofia Falcone. Sofia is a tragic character, who like Oz, is dispensable regardless of her lineage. She comes into the series after a recent 10-year stint in Arkham Asylum for a series murders and needs to rebuild herself within the eyes of her family and the city of Gotham. Cristin is a tour de force. Though this is Colin’s show, your eyes will fixate on Cristin whenever she’s on screen. I hope to see more of her in a future series or in The Batman: Part 2.
Rhenzy Feliz is another stand out. He portrays Victor Aguilar, an original character created for the series. He’s a Hispanic-American teenager who was directly affected by the Riddler’s bombing of Gotham’s reservoir. Fate would pit him with the Penguin after unknowingly trying to steal from the notorious gangster’s plum-colored car. Rhenzy serves as a guide for the audience and a bit of a conscious for the Penguin. Though Victor sees himself as a nobody without ambition, Oz clearly has a soft sport for him because he sees himself in him especially how they both share an impediment. Though it’s clear Oz is protective of Victor, Victor is yet another dispensable pawn.
There’s a lot to gush over and say about this series though I will spill into spoiler territory if I continue. The acting, cinematography, and set designs are top notch and expands on Matt Reeves’ world. Though there’s a lot of good things in this series, it does suffer from a few minor grievances. There are times where characters are able to escape situations too easily due to the plot. Some of the set designs, though great, feel small. This is Matt’s Gotham after all yet there are times you’re reminded this is an HBO series with less of a budget. Another issue I have is the look of Gotham after the flood. I’ve experienced one too many storms/floods in my time and I know how structures should look after the fact. Here, its an overlooked flaw that may not be noticeable to some.
The Penguin serves as a great continuation to Matt Reeves Batman Epic Crime Saga. With a stellar cast and fast paced plot, viewers will be eager to watch how the next episode unfolds. There’s a lot to be said about the stellar cast. Colin Farrell IS the Penguin whether he likes the suit or not. Cristin Milioti shines whenever she appears on screen and there’s not enough that could be said about Rhenzy Feliz. The biggest flaw in all of this we would need to wait until 2026 to come back into this world, depending on if Matt Reeves ever finishes the script.
Rating: 4/5
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