I was a huge fan of 2022’s The Batman. I particularly loved the hard-hitting fighting that felt like it was straight from the Arkham series of video games. That movie put Robert Pattinson against The Riddler and Colin Farrell’s Penguin. The Penguin is an HBO series based on the rise of Oz Cobb as he tries to become the number one kingpin of Gotham.
How to Download The Penguin
The first episode of The Penguin was released on September 19, 2024 on Max. You can download or stream the show from this digital platform. Click on the Download button at the end of this review.
The Penguin Series Review: A Gangster’s Rise in Gotham City
The Batman director, Matt Reeves is part of the story team here, but this is not solely his project. As I write this, The Penguin has only had a couple of episodes that have aired, so that is what I am basing my thoughts on. The show is going to run for eight episodes and so far, so good.
Colin Farrel once again dons a ton of awesome-looking prosthetics to become Oz Cobb, The Penguin. The opening of The Penguin is awesome, after the death of Carmine Falcone, his son Alberto shows up to take over. There is an issue between Oz and Alberto and Oz blows him away!
The Penguin’s Ruthless Ambition
This is where we really start to see the power-hungry side of The Penguin. The Penguin has eyes on becoming the number one kingpin of Gotham City and he is willing to do whatever it takes to get it. The first couple of episodes do a great job of setting up just how cunning and ruthless Penguin can be.
However, my favorite character so far has to be Sofia Falcone who is played by Cristin Milioti. Fresh out of Arkham, let’s just say that Sofia Falcone may have an issue or two and is kind of insane! I am very excited to see where they take this character, but already, the stuff with her is what I enjoyed the most in the show.
A Gotham Mob Show with Complex Characters
At the end of the day, I would say that The Penguin is best described as a mob show set in Gotham City. You know what? That is such an awesome premise for a TV series and even though we are just a few episodes in as I write this, this is very exciting stuff. I have heard a few people say that Oz Cobb is just like Tony Soprano and I can kind of see where people are coming from here.
As well as the ruthless gangster side of The Penguin. The show also dives into the man, Oz Cobb as well. From having to deal with his mother’s descent into dementia and the insecurities that he has about himself. It is interesting to see the way that Colin Farrell is able to flip the switch and go from relatively normal to flat-out crazy.
Comparing Iconic Penguin Performances
When you think of Batman, Penguin truly is one of his most iconic foes. We have already had three fantastic live-action performances of The Penguin in Burgess Meredith in the 60s Batman TV series, Danny DeVito in Batman Returns, and most recently, Robin Taylor Lord in Gotham. All three are very different interpretations of the characters and I think that Colin Farrell here is able to put his own stamp on the character. This one here I feel leans more into the gangster side of the character. They are all so different, it would be really fun to try and rank them all.
A Strong Start to The Penguin
While the series is still ongoing as I write this, The Penguin has a really strong start and I am excited to see how this all plays out. If you like gangster movies and TV shows and the world of 2022’s The Batman, I am sure you will have a lot of fun with this. I just wonder if we will see the Caped Crusader show up at some point. Even though they have tried their best to say that there is no way it will happen, I do have a little hope.
