Max’s new hit TV series, The Penguin, is a spinoff from 2022’s The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson as the titular character. This series dives into Gotham City’s underworld introducing a fresh new set of characters as seen through Oswald “Oz” Cobb’s (The Penguin’s) perspective. He had a small role in the film yet is now the focus of this miniseries which serves as a continuation of the film and set up for The Batman: Part II.
Set shortly after the events of The Batman, Oz, played by Colin Farrell, attempts to climb the ranks in Gotham City’s crime world. He has a lot of ambition and goals in his mind; he works for the Falcone crime family yet doesn’t feel respected. His nickname “Penguin” is due to his deformed appearance and penguin-like walk. To make matters worse, Sofia Falcone (Cristin Miloti) a.k.a. “The Hangman,” a serial killer, is released from Arkham Asylum and attempts to take control of her family. Meanwhile, Oz hires a low-level thief Victor “Vic” Aguilar (Rhenzy Feliz) and begins mentoring him, teaching him the inner workings of Gotham, and scheming with him to take down the Falcones.
The show’s character work is its most unique aspect. Other crime dramas try to paint their characters as flawed yet relatable, showcasing their backstory to try to get the audience to sympathize with them. Not in this show. Everyone is a messed-up scumbag; it’s a matter of determining who is the lesser of two evils. Multiple episodes open with or even cover characters’ pasts; a standout is the fourth episode Cent’Anni which is all about Sofia’s backstory and recontextualizes the audience’s expectations of her character so far.
Just like The Batman, the show looks amazing. The production design, lighting, and costumes are all reminiscent of the film. One notable difference is more scenes take place during the day, yet it doesn’t hinder the show’s quality. After all, Gotham City is filled to the brim with gangsters, murderers, and thieves. All of them, including the show’s characters, are going to have to go outside at some point; they don’t fight crime at night, unlike some heroes.
The Penguin is a gritty, dark crime drama that shows there’s more to be explored in The Batman universe. While it won’t likely win over any new viewers who found the film to be too slow, it does provide a preview of what’s to be expected in the sequel and demonstrates that comic-book characters without a bunch of powers and/or super technology can be interesting as long as they’re in the right creative hands.