As a seasoned Batman fan and someone who has witnessed the Caped Crusader navigate the dark alleys of Gotham City more times than I can count, let me tell you this: The Penguin is a breath of fresh air that manages to both surprise and captivate viewers.
Initially, the news that Colin Farrell would once again play Oswald Cobblepot in a streaming series following 2022’s The Batman sparked some apprehension. After all, we’ve witnessed the downfalls of extending popular superhero film franchises to television, such as Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD not living up to the MCU or Inhumans being less than impressive. However, HBO’s The Penguin appears to be a stark contrast to those shows, boasting an outstanding cast and a narrative that seamlessly continues the world of The Batman, rather than feeling like an afterthought.
In collaboration with Lauren LeFranc and Matt Reeves, The Penguin series delves deeper into the universe established by The Batman, offering an authentic expansion. Moreover, it vividly portrays Gotham City in ways a movie might not be able to fully capture. Spanning eight episodes, this limited run not only explores the character of Oswald “Oz” Cobb, formerly known as Cobblepot, and his driving forces, but also sheds light on the broader aspects of Gotham following The Riddler’s detonation of the seawall gates, as depicted in the movie’s conclusion.
In Gotham, many lives have been ruined by bombings and catastrophic floods orchestrated by Paul Dano’s Riddler, leaving only the wealthy elite unscathed. However, it is amidst this chaos that various characters (either newly introduced or familiar ones like Oz) find opportunities to flourish.
The setup for The Penguin is simple. In the aftermath of Riddler’s destruction of Gotham and the death of Carmine Falcone in The Batman, life and crime is in a tailspin. Oz, complete with Farrell’s fat suit and tough guy wannabe mob boss accent, sees the opportunity to install himself as the most powerful man in Gotham’s underworld.
Introducing Sofia Falcone, played by Cristin Milioti, who is Carmine’s daughter. Recently released from Arkham, she’s earned a chilling nickname, Hangman, for her unique method of killing victims with a noose. Her main goal now is to protect what’s left of the Falcone family and ultimately take control over the city’s criminal operations.
Milioti’s performance in The Penguin is nothing short of remarkable. Amongst an impressive cast, she truly shines as the most captivating character. Even compared to a stellar portrayal by Farrell, she stands out. Her role is dark, twisted, and brutal, yet she manages to conceal her most gruesome actions behind icy, unyielding eyes. A simmering anger lies just beneath the surface, and the audience can’t help but anticipate when this pent-up fury explodes, unleashing chaos.
As a devoted fan, I can’t help but observe that trust in this series is as fluid as a river, constantly shifting. Yet, from the very start, it’s crystal clear that the power struggle in Gotham won’t end well for any of the characters. The Falcone family’s main adversaries, the Maronis, sense the power vacuum created by Carmine Falcone’s demise as an opportunity to assert their dominance. Led by Clancy Brown’s incarcerated Salvatore, they are determined to seize control.
Certainly, discussing The Penguin without mentioning Farrell’s portrayal seems incomplete. He was impressive in Batman, but his performance here truly shines due to the opportunity to delve deeper into the character and uncover what makes him so intriguing. What fuels Oz, as portrayed by Farrell, is his affection for his mother, Frances (played by Deirdre O’Connell). Whether this love truly propels him towards power or not, remains a question for the audience to ponder.
Over the past few decades, followers of the Penguin character are well aware that his bond with his mom is a fundamental aspect of his personality. In this new portrayal, however, both his relationship with his mother and his origins undergo a twist. Throughout his life, this particular Penguin was essentially the only support his mother had. Now, unfortunately, she’s growing older and struggling with Lewy body dementia. The story shows how much this affects Oz as he struggles to believe his mom will recover and that all his efforts to care for her will ultimately prove worthwhile.
In a chilling portrayal, O’Connell, who was once Foggy Nelson’s mother in Netflix’s Daredevil, exhibits an eerie beauty in her current role. As she grapples with deteriorating mental and physical health, and finds herself fluctuating between clarity and confusion, the audience witnesses the heavy burden she bears. For much of the time, she struggles to comprehend the events unfolding around her, but when she does, she is either left awestruck by her son’s relentlessness or striving to spur him on further.
It’s evident that there’s a more profound problem brewing between them, and Oz’s persistent desire to provide his mother with everything she desires, even when she no longer recognized his presence, is deeply moving. This behavior also provides some insight into why Penguin develops an interest in Vincent (Rhenzy Feliz). He sees Vincent, who has no ties to the crime families, as a blank slate that he can shape into the ideal right-hand man. Whether it’s assisting him in caring for Frances or performing various illegal tasks to gradually introduce Vincent to the criminal world, Penguin aims to immerse him in the underworld life.
Stories like these, which are complex and expansive, would be challenging to portray in a movie such as “The Batman.” Instead, they’re ideally suited for longer-form storytelling. After watching “The Batman,” I knew very little about Oz other than he was a power-hungry villain (with prior character knowledge influencing my thoughts). However, this series has developed him into a fully fleshed-out character. If Oz were to reappear in “The Batman 2,” his depth and complexity would undoubtedly make for a more captivating performance than in the original film.
This series has achieved great creative and storytelling feats, but it isn’t without its flaws. One of the issues that has been discussed is the absence of Robert Pattinson in The Penguin. In contrast to his usual role as Bruce Wayne or Batman, he does not appear in this series at all. Instead, his character seems to have been mentioned only sparingly, just twice out of the eight episodes made available for review.
Despite Matt Reeves, director of The Batman and executive producer of Penguin, frequently expressing his involvement, it’s odd that Batman seems conspicuously absent from the storyline. A week following his fierce battle with The Riddler and valiant efforts to rescue numerous Gotham citizens from catastrophic flooding, his sudden disappearance is puzzling. This absence coincides with increased criminal activity on the streets, as gangs commit various heinous crimes and leave a trail of unsettling fatalities behind.
In comics or movies about Batman, it would be typical for the Dark Knight to make an appearance at a critical moment to save the day. However, in this storyline, criminals seem to operate without much interference from law enforcement. The absence of Robert Pattinson’s character, Bruce Wayne, could have been easily explained by a news report about his disappearance following the city attack. Yet, I found myself questioning several times why Batman wasn’t present during such chaotic events.
Critics have raised concerns about one of the new characters in this show, specifically Julian Rush, played by Theo Rossi who was highly praised for his roles in Sons of Anarchy and Luke Cage. In this series, he appears as Sofia’s doctor but lacks significant impact on the plot. He occasionally assists Sofia with problems, becomes somewhat involved in her life, only to vanish during crucial moments in the storyline. It’s not that Rossi delivers a poor performance; he’s quite engaging. Instead, the issue lies with Julian Rush being a character who doesn’t add much value to the story. The creative team could potentially develop his character further in future projects like The Batman 2 or even a possible second season of The Penguin. However, at present, his inclusion appears largely unnecessary.
Despite some minor flaws, The Penguin remains an undeniable success. After eight episodes, viewers can grasp who Oz is and his aspirations. Simultaneously, there’s a strange mix of empathy and disgust towards him due to his actions. Most significantly, the audience develops concern for Gotham City itself. Witnessing the city suffer under the burden of its criminal overlords, it becomes evident that darker days are approaching. In every Batman tale, Gotham is the true victim; it’s hard not to feel sorrow for it repeatedly.
The Penguin premieres on Sunday, September 19, on HBO. Episodes will also stream on Max.
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2024-09-12 19:09