The Penguin Review 2024 Tv Show Series Cast Crew Online
“The Penguin” is set one week after the events of Matt Reeves’ 2022 movie “The Batman,” but it would be too simplistic to call it a villain origin story. Instead, HBO’s limited series — created by Lauren LeFranc — revolves around the rise of Oz “the Penguin” Cobb (an unrecognizable Colin Farrell), whose fixation on power blossoms into something so grotesque it becomes uncontainable. A masterful examination of criminality, the show is twisted, disturbing and deeply enthralling.
LeFranc’s robust narrative picks up after the Riddler’s attack on Gotham in the film. With the most vulnerable and underprivileged neighborhoods in the city decimated, and Oz’s boss Carmine Falcone dead, Oz decides this is the perfect time to strike. Quickly piecing together a risky, poorly thought-out plan, he begins seizing control of the underworld while the Falcones scramble to restructure and maintain their decades-long hold on Gotham. Though sinister in his thinking and boasting a gift for gab, Oz fails to anticipate two things as he works feverishly to propel himself to the top. The first is an encounter with Victor Aguilar (Rhenzy Feliz), a teenager displaced by the floods, whom Oz initially intends to scare but instead takes under his wing. The second is the return of Sofia Falcone (a mesmerizing Cristin Milioti), whom Oz used to drive when he worked for Carmine. Sofia’s release from Arkham Asylum on the eve of her father’s murder isn’t something that even Oz could have prepared for.
Despite losing so much in the Riddler’s attack, Vic is gentle-hearted and fearful, and has a stutter. Yet Oz senses something in his new protégé that once brewed inside him — a desire to fit in somewhere. Oz uses Vic’s vulnerability to build a bond with him. Across eight episodes, their father-son relationship showcases glimmers of who Oz could have been if Gotham and his mother, Francis (a fantastic performance by Tony winner Deirdre O’Connell), hadn’t hardened him long before he reached manhood. Feliz brings such tenderness to Vic that in spite of the heinous activities he participates in, the viewer can readily forget how diabolical Oz’s plans are.
Chronically underestimated because of his appearance, lack of social standing and the disability that causes him to limp, Farrell portrays a man whose mind spins at a dizzying pace. Determined to seize the reins of the city at any cost, Oz manipulates everyone around him, including Vic, whose desire for family solidifies his loyalty to his boss. More than an exploration of Oz’s mindset, which includes his obsession with status, plum-colored vehicles and Eve (Carmen Ejogo), a sex worker and his companion, the series reveals what arises when society’s ills go unchecked.
As much as “The Penguin” is Oz’s story, it is also Sofia’s tale to tell. Oz was molded by despair and hardship, but as his worthy adversary, Sofia harbors deep rage and anguish rooted in something else entirely. The Falcones have long presided over Gotham, and Sofia was born into privilege and wealth. Yet the drama demonstrates how the highest and lowest classes cannot exist without each other — and can manifest the same perversities. Oz is quick-thinking and chameleonic, whereas Sofia’s monstrosity shows up differently. Though she first appears on-screen in an angelic snow-white suit, Milioti’s Sofia is a calculated, thoughtful woman who’s driven to stand at the center of power. The juxtaposition of the pair across the show — including flashbacks from their contrasting childhoods and their reactions to losing or gaining dominance — is among the most compelling aspects of “The Penguin.”
The city of Gotham is also a significant character here. “The Penguin” illustrates how corruption, abuse and the hoarding of wealth can fester, choking the life out of some citizens while elevating others. Unpacking the inner workings of Gotham, from the mayor’s office to Oz’s underworld, the show reveals the villainy that manifests and thrives at all levels.
As much texture as there is in Reeves’ and LeFranc’s world, the work of makeup artist Michael Marino — who transforms Farrell into a kingpin as pitiful as he is dreadful — cannot be overstated. The city and his chosen life have hardened Oz. He knows he’s an acquired taste, but his narcissism allows him to use others’ sympathy to his advantage. And it enables him to press forward even when his back is against the wall.
Though “The Penguin” revolves around Oz’s compulsion to achieve power and status, it’s also about cycles of trauma. People like Oz and Sofia don’t sprout up out of nowhere; their environments foster them. Criminals must learn to adapt to survive those more volatile than them. But withstanding brutality forces transformations. After all, devils aren’t born; they are created.
