PremiumThe Penguin Review (Ep 1): Gotham’s never felt more real, and Oz has never been more raw
The Penguin is not just another story about a Batman villain; it dives deep into the very essence of Oz Cobb—his insecurities, intelligence, fear, and rawness.
Last Updated: 09.25 PM, Sep 20, 2024
The Penguin Review: Story: Gotham has suffered its worst floods, triggered by the Riddler at the end of The Batman Part I, who set off multiple blasts, breaking the city walls and flooding Gotham. Oz Cobb, aka The Penguin (Colin Farrell), is living through the aftermath of these events. The death of Carmine Falcone has thrown the city's criminal underworld into chaos, and now The Penguin must make his next move to seize control of Gotham. But wait—did he just kill someone? And is that Sofia Falcone (Cristin Milioti) back from Arkham Asylum? Oz now faces a new threat, becoming a villain on the run from other villains.
The Penguin Review: Analysis:
The interpretation of Batman in The Batman franchise as a detective rather than just a superhero has sparked debate among comic nerds and gaming fans. Matt Reeves’ vision, as seen in The Batman, deviated from the traditional portrayal of Gotham and its Caped Crusader, with some hailing it as visionary while others dismissed it for straying too far from the expected tone. However, Reeves’ version of Gotham, which resembles the real world and shows Batman as a flawed human—sweating, smudging his kohl—gave a refreshing edge to the character, who had previously been portrayed primarily as a rich superhero. Reeves’ take, like Christopher Nolan's, humanized Batman, bringing depth to the character in ways Zack Snyder's portrayal did not.
Fast-forward two years, and we return to Gotham, as shaped by Matt Reeves once again. But this time, the focus isn’t on Bruce Wayne, but on Oz Cobb, aka The Penguin. Oz is struggling to make it big in Gotham, fully aware of how the world has changed and is now crumbling around him. Amidst the floodwaters, mud, and debris, he must execute his plan to rule the city. But are the Falcones still major players? The Penguin approaches Gotham in a manner reminiscent of The Sopranos. The show doesn’t miss Batman, because this is a Penguin story, and while Oz is an anti-hero, he is very much the hero of his own story. His character isn't given unnecessary dramatics, but there's fear, empathy, and even love in his eyes (you’ll see it).
For a brief moment, he is humane. Created by Lauren LeFranc, with Matt Reeves, Dylan Clark, and Colin Farrell serving as executive producers, The Penguin cleverly explores Gotham without Batman. Now, it's not about good versus evil—it's about evil versus more evil, and you have to choose sides. Episode one makes it clear that the writing is smart, not relying on The Batman Part I or the broader Batman lore to build its audience. You could view The Penguin as a Sopranos spin-off with a Batman crossover, and it would still be a top-tier show. This is what makes the writing so clever. Even if you're new to the superhero genre, you'll still understand and appreciate the show and its nuances.
In The Batman, Matt Reeves carefully avoids portraying the power divide and societal disparity as token representations. Instead, he makes you see the broken world while elite criminals drive around in their fancy cars. The opening of The Penguin starkly contrasts the lives of Gotham's elites with those of the marginalized who have been devastated by the floods. One boy from the marginalized community seizes an opportunity for power, aspiring to do something ‘big.’ The show explores how lack of resources can create villains out of people who once had nothing. As Sofia tells Penguin, he has climbed the ladder too quickly. She cannot stand seeing someone who was once crushed under her family's power rise to rule them. This is never explicitly said, but the writing communicates it brilliantly.
This brings us to Gotham, a city usually depicted as dark, with its skyscrapers illuminated by lights and bridges casting shadows. But here, we see sunlight for an extended period, which is fascinating because we’re not used to it in Gotham. Even more impressive is how the light doesn’t take away from the dark tone of the material. The humor in the show is well-placed, and Colin Farrell’s performance as Penguin is breathtakingly good, even beneath layers of prosthetics that make you forget Colin is underneath. He doesn't let anything hinder his performance, portraying a character who is evil yet, at times, reveals a softer side.
Cristin Milioti’s portrayal of Sofia Falcone, with her intimidating gaze and powerful presence, is a brilliant addition to the cast. Her character brings a chilling element to the story, and her performance is balanced and engaging. Few female characters from the Batman lore have been explored in live-action, and watching Sofia dominate the screen as the ultimate badass is refreshing. Rhenzy Feliz as Victor Aguilar is a promising character, and it will be exciting to see how he evolves throughout the season.
However, The Penguin moves quickly in its first episode, which raises concerns that it might lose momentum or become harder to digest as it progresses. Hopefully, the show avoids that common pitfall.
The Penguin Review: Verdict:
The Penguin tells the story of one of Batman’s most feared villains fighting other villains. The evil versus more evil concept is intriguing, as is Colin Farrell’s brilliant performance. This is Gotham as we haven’t seen it in over a decade.
The Penguin premieres on September 20, 2024, with one of its eight episodes. New episodes will drop every Friday on JioCienma 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.