PremiumThe Penguin Episode 1 highlights: Gotham Knights Easter Egg to Sofia Falcone’s entry - Everything that stands out in this episode
Colin Farrell’s The Penguin is now rolling, and we witnessed the first episode today. Here we try to compile the madness of that episode.
Last Updated: 06.07 PM, Sep 20, 2024
The return to Gotham was something the fans of the live-action film The Batman have long been awaiting. Following the story of the Robert Pattinson-starrer film, director Matt Reeves turned executive producer and created The Penguin with Lauren LeFranc. Starring Colin Farrell as Oswald Cobblepot, also known as Oz Cobb, The Penguin is now on screens, and the world is appreciating the show for all the brilliance it brings. There is so much packed into this one episode that feels like The Sopranos set in Gotham—you can’t grasp it all at once. Like an Easter egg that hints at a group that could make all of this even more exciting. So, read on to know everything you should about this brilliant episode.
The Penguin released its first episode, titled “After Hours,” today. The title is quite interesting because the show takes off from the point where The Batman ended. The blasts triggered by Riddler have flooded Gotham, Carmine Falcone is dead, and now Oz Cobb wants to become the new kingpin of the city. But will the surviving Falcones let him take that position? Enter Sofia Falcone, the villain who is about to give our villain a cat-and-mouse chase. Episode one establishes the story as a Penguin vs. Hangman tale and brings many real-world elements into Gotham to make it more convincing. Here are the highlights of the first episode. Stop right here if you haven't seen it yet, because we talk spoilers after this point.
The Penguin Episode 1 Highlights
Alberto Falcone Is Dead Too
The Penguin works well because the first episode doesn’t bother with slowly introducing the characters. The creators know the audience is familiar with the basics, so there’s no need for that. We see Oz kill someone in the first ten minutes, and that someone happens to be Alberto Falcone, the son of Carmine Falcone. This means Oz kills the new kingpin. The moment is shocking because this death, which happens in the first few minutes, is going to dictate the course of the entire first season. The show elevates to new heights right here.
Sofia Falcone Out of Arkham Asylum
Alberto’s absence for a long time, and The Penguin driving around in a car with a bullet mark on it, of course, draw the attention of the Falcones, who invite him to their den. But little does Oz know who he is about to meet there. Enter Sofia Falcone! Yes, you read that right. Hangman aka Sofia is out of Arkham Asylum and back home, waiting for her brother. But then, he’s already been killed by Oz, who is standing right in front of her. She even tries to torture him but in vain. It will be interesting to see Sofia develop as a character.
Salvatore Maroni Gets an Offer
Salvatore Maroni is in Blackgate Penitentiary, where Oz Cobb goes to meet him on his mother’s advice. We soon learn that their love-hate relationship has been going on for a while, and Maroni is done with The Penguin ditching him multiple times. The Maronis are the longstanding enemies of the Falcones, and The Penguin sees this as an opportunity. Right when Maroni rejects Oz’s offer to shift the base of his drug operation and join forces, Oz gives him Alberto’s ring, telling him that he might be more than Maroni thinks.
The Batman Easter Egg
Now, this is the most interesting part because it could either be the creators being cheeky or a hint of the madness to come. When Alberto is dead, and The Penguin is on his way to dispose of the corpse, he takes out Alberto’s phone and checks his calendar. In the calendar, there’s a meeting marked “GOTHAM KNIGHTS.” Yes, you read that right. This could just be an Easter egg, or maybe we’ll see them in the next seven episodes.
Who Are the Gotham Knights?
Think of Gotham Knights as the team that fills the void to save Gotham in the absence of Batman. They are a superteam that fights crime alongside Bruce Wayne, and in his absence. They were introduced in the comics in 2000 in Batman: Gotham Knights. This team typically includes Robin, Nightwing, Batgirl, and other crimefighters trained by Batman. We later saw Oracle and Catwoman join them. While there is no clarity on whether we will see them in the live-action world or not, if we do, we are indeed in for a treat.
The Penguin premieres on September 20, 2024, with one of its eight episodes. New episodes will drop every Friday on JioCinema in India, available in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Bengali, and Marathi. Stay tuned to OTTplay for more information on this and everything else from the world of streaming and films.