Matt Reeves‘ The Penguin landed on HBO on September 20, 2024. Set directly after the events of 2022’s The Batman, Colin Farrell reprises his role as Oz Cobb, a medium-level gangster in Gotham. After the murder of Carmine Falcone, Oz sets out to take control of the criminal empire in Gotham.
Right out the gate, The Penguin has been praised by critics and audiences. Many have likened the series to The Sopranos, a remarkable compliment seeing as David Chase’s show is widely considered to be one of the greatest series ever made. So, let’s break down the first episode of The Penguin and what assess what critics and TV fanatics are saying about what could possibly be HBO’s next big achievement.
*Editor’s note – Spoilers ahead
The Penguin Picks Up Its Pace with Speed and Precision
For those who haven’t seen 2022’s The Batman, the opening episode of The Penguin lays everything you need to know out on the table in its preambling scene. Via a series of news reports, we learn of Gotham’s current state after a series of explosions went off across the city at the hands of The Riddler, creating mass level of urban decay. However, the affluent outskirts have remained untouched, enabling the elite to continue thriving. Meanwhile, in the criminal underbelly of the city, after the death of Carmine Falcone, his son Alberto has taken the throne. To that, Oz looks over the collapsing city as the narrative is fed to the audience, creating a brooding sense of foreboding. From here, the pace picks up swiftly.
Oz sets out to get his hands on a damming folder we suspect he will later use to blackmail some Gotham public figures. As he is about to leave, he is met by a tweaking Alberto, who is trying his best to stay away from Gotham’s infamous Drops drug. The two sit and have a drink together and Alberto lays out a plan to upscale the drug world. When Oz offers him some advice on his new role as the boss, Alberto laughs at him, belittle him and calling him pathetic. On impulse, Oz shoots him dead. The camera moves in on his scarred complexion and just as he utters the words “Oh f***”, the frame cuts and the title card appears: The Penguin – creating one of HBO’s finest series openers of the last few decades.
Oz Bears Resemblance to Another Iconic HBO Mob Figure
Following the premiere of The Penguin, herds of viewers and critics have drawn intriguing parallels between the series and the iconic crime drama series The Sopranos, with Digital Spy even dubbing it “the spiritual Sopranos sequel we didn’t know we needed.” What sets The Penguin apart is its stark shift away from traditional superhero tropes. As of yet, Batman makes no appearance, allowing the narrative to delve deeper into the gritty underbelly of Gotham’s criminal world. Instead of capes and costumes, the series leans into the complexities of its characters, focusing on power struggles, moral ambiguity, and the personal motivations behind criminal enterprises. This grounded approach transforms The Penguin into a compelling crime drama that explores themes of ambition and survival in a city rife with corruption.
There are some similarities to The Sopranos, however, it doesn’t feel like a copycat show at all. The first thing to point out is Oz’s relationship with his ailing mother, a tough old woman who lives in the outskirts of Gotham. While she appears as a slight burden to Oz (forgetting to take her meds), she is also his biggest champion. This is a stark difference between Tony Soprano and his mother, who ultimately wanted to see him fail, not prosper. In fact, she even tried to have him killed. Whereas Oz’s mother pushes him to conquer, no matter what criminal lengths he must go to in the process.
Other similarities are merely tropes that could be associated with any gangster movie or TV show – the accent, the dress code, and a penchant for violence. However, Oz is much more of a street gangster – sporting jewellery and gold teeth – something you wouldn’t see from the more polished Tony Soprano. Yet, the biggest difference between The Penguin and The Sopranos is the status of the protagonist. At the beginning of The Sopranos, Tony is already established as a respected figure in the Mafia, taking over the reins as boss. In The Penguin, Oz is under-appreciated and down-trodden by the family he works for. Yet, a spark lies deep inside that showcases he is ready to step up, even if it means creating a war between two families. This cunningness represents the Penguin we came to know in the comics – a slippery criminal who thinks outside the box to rise amongst his own shortcomings.
The Penguin Gets His Own Sidekick
While Batman’s steadfast companion Robin has long been a part of the superhero lore, the HBO series takes a unique approach to Oz’s character by incorporating a sidekick into his narrative. It adds an interesting layer to a character traditionally portrayed as a lone wolf in the comics. In this episode, we meet Victor Aguilar (Rhenzy Feliz), a character who initially sees Oz as someone to rob – an act that would typically be a one-way ticket to a harsh consequence in Gotham. Instead, their encounter marks the beginning of an unexpected partnership.
After Victor attempts to steal Oz’s car, he quickly learns that underneath the villainous exterior lies a shrewd operator who values loyalty and usefulness over sheer animosity. What follows is a darkly comedic sequence involving the disposal of a body, which serves as a testament to Oz’s unyielding nature and the lengths he will go to in order to maintain his empire. Victor finds himself embroiled in Oz’s world when he is coerced into helping move Alberto’s body, a task that signals the beginning of a complicated relationship. As the episode progresses, Oz and Victor’s dynamic evolves; what begins as a relationship rooted in coercion gradually morphs into something more nuanced. By the end of the episode, we witness a moment of levity that encapsulates their bond: a shared slurpy. This comedic beat is a delightful contrast to the darker undertones of the storyline and offers a glimpse of their budding camaraderie, hinting at the potential for a complex friendship. Until the next episode lands, check out our list of every Colin Farrell Oscar snub of his career.
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