Instead of jumping right into a direct sequel for The Batman (2022) the next entry we get from this universe is The Penguin, a limited run series based around the titular character we saw in the movie. Crucially, Batman is not included in the series at all so it can focus on what else this unique world has to offer. Those who pay attention to DC TV may already be worried here as “Batman shows without Batman” are plentiful and produced in high quantity and wildly varying quality.
Titans, Gotham, Pennyworth, and Gotham Knights are just the ones we remember off of the top of our heads. For The Penguin, however, we’ve been promised some pedigree thanks to the fact that this is an HBO production and also a smaller run so those involved can focus on that missing quality. The synopsis we’ve been provided is also good news with returning players from The Batman and big hitters in the acting world.
“Continuing the epic crime saga that began with 2022’s Oscar-nominated blockbuster The Batman, The Penguin stars Colin Farrell as Oz Cobb (aka The Penguin), who makes a play for the reins of Gotham’s crime world. The Penguin is directed by Emmy nominee Craig Zobel (Mare of Easttown), and exec produced by Matt Reeves, who directed The Batman,” the synopsis reads. “The eight-episode HBO series also stars Critics Choice Super Award winner Cristin Milioti (Palm Springs, Made for Love, Fargo) as Sofia Falcone, not to mention the likes of Oscar nominee Shohreh Aghdashloo, Clancy Brown (The Shawshank Redemption, John Wick 4), Black Reel winner Carmen Ejogo (Your Honor), BAFTA nominee Mark Strong (Shazam!), and Emmy nominee Michael Kelly (House of Cards).
” South Africans can watch The Penguin on M-Net and Showmax starting this week but we’ve been given an advanced screener of the entire eight-episode shebang which we’ll be covering now, all spoiler-free. So let’s tackle the big question and get it out of the way: Does The Penguin succeed without a Batman? Mostly, yes. Really, and this is a complaint some of those lesser shows are also very guilty of, the biggest reason we miss Batman is from a logical point of view.
Some insane crime-related shenanigans take place in these eight episodes and the fact that Batman doesn’t interfere once makes no sense. It joins many other lacks of logic and weird twists in this show, but it’s the most glaring. On the plus side, for those who don’t actually like superhero tales – and for the older parents who you can’t convince no matter what you try – The Penguin can stand alone as its own crime drama free of Batman, free of DC and free of anything comic book.
If you changed the names of characters and locations in this show it would just be an overall decent to great mob show. Unfortunately, that is a backhanded compliment. It does feel like The Penguin is embarrassed to be part of the superhero pantheon but as fantastic projects like Andor have shown us, you can have these serious endeavours while still being inside of a kinda goofy world.
The best way to describe the overall feel of The Penguin, aside from the trailers on this page, is to go back to The Dark Knight (2008). Those who remember the endless discussion of that movie remarked at the hilarious juxtaposition of hard crime and corruption discussions happening between the likes of heavyweights like Aaron Eckhart and Gary Oldman, only for the camera to swing around and reveal Christian Bale dressed as a damn bat standing awkwardly in the corner. The Penguin tries to be that without that sudden pan to Batman.
As we alluded to The Penguin’s biggest misstep is the writing and how it fails to pull that premise off. Main characters have ridiculous plot armour, twists happen often without setup and there’s a massive thumb on the scale pushing towards “thriller” instead of “crime” in this crime thriller. We can’t help but think back to the Breaking Bad universe and how, famously, the crime in that show is best described as “boring and hard”.
By showing all the effort, blood, sweat and tears that goes into the criminal life, when big events happen in that universe, they hit that much harder. It’s a “you can’t have dessert without eating your vegetables” approach but in this example the vegetables are delicious too. This is an unfair comparison in many ways but it’s an exemplar of why the writing in The Penguin has so many holes in it.
We can’t get into any more details without spilling into spoiler territory, but it’s a real shame that the story and some key scenes weren’t knit together better. On the other hand, we quite enjoyed the dialogue in The Penguin, but that may be down to the exceptional cast. No one in this show put in a half effort, especially the star Farrell who is acting under a mountain of makeup.
If you thought the Penguin costume only worked due to its limited screen time and dark atmosphere of The Batman movie, you’d be mistaken. The makeup, prosthetics and other costuming magic pilled on top of the actor is just about flawless. Combine the gnarled look of the Penguin with Farrell’s talent and you have a real treat on your hand.
The real beauty of this character is that, come on, “The Penguin” is kind of a joke. Both in the real world and in the fiction of the show – he’s a fat guy who waddles around dressed up in penguin-esque cheap suits and this version gives him a huge nose, terrible teeth and a face that not even a mother could love. This identity of a joke that is mistreated by everyone around him is matched by an insane brutality that isn’t just played for brutality’s sake, but a bloodlust that is actually a central pillar of the entire show.
Even if discussion around the show fades we think that this performance – and the work behind the scenes to create this monster – will be talked about for years. Behind Farrell, in terms of screen time, is Rhenzy Feliz playing a criminal youth who the Penguin takes under his wing (heh). Feliz puts in a really great performance and acts as the audience POV character as we discover the criminal underground of Gotham.
As someone who just looks like a regular human and not a penguin creature it’s also easier to relate to Feliz’s performance and you find yourself rooting for him even if that means that the Penguin succeeds too. Milioti as Sofia Falcone completes the trinity of the three most important characters in this show. Her father, Carmine Falcone, was a central element of The Batman, so you can imagine that his daughter plays a similarly big part in this show.
This Falcone, however, probably receives some of the worst treatment we’ve ever seen a single character get in just eight episodes – this character really gets put through the ringer. Like Feliz and Farrell, strong character writing and sheer force of performance help us root for the bad guys. The rest of the cast, as we alluded to, also put in their best and we’re always happy to see Clancy Brown in the flesh instead of just as a voice actor.
We really can’t fault the cast or the character writing, even if the story writing and overall plot are the show’s biggest weaknesses. The set design is immaculate too. Gotham looks like its own city instead of just a real American locale that has been dressed up a bit.
Aiding this illusion is several damage to the city which was caused by the events of The Batman. Again, we can only really praise how this show looks and the effort it must have taken. Something that we’re more in the middle of the road is for the music and the score.
The music is all over the place, pulling from several decades at a whim and feeling disjointed for the effort. The score is too on the noise with loud stingers whenever something dramatic takes place and increasingly grating crescendos used as a crutch to build tension. The Penguin really is a strange melting pot.
It wants to have the bombastic nature of a superhero project but can’t balance it with its more grounded crime elements. The writing falls down often but individual characters can shine. Gotham looks great but doesn’t sound very good.
It’s a show fighting itself all the way to the credits, but we can’t help but enjoy it the whole way through. Without sounding like fence-sitting cowards, we can definitely see how the problems could drag the show into the mud for some, while the positives could elevate it into the stratosphere for others, so we will end with a decent numerical score below and a recommendation that anyone can check this out, regardless of their affinity for DC or The Batman. Fans of The Batman will likely be on board regardless, especially as this show is supposed to be a bridge to the next Batman movie.
FINAL SCORE: 7 OUT OF 10..
