We now live in an era where comic-based media has become the status quo from films and television where several streaming platforms are duking it out with a variety of intellectual properties mostly due to Marvel Studios and DC Comics.
While the latter has proven that the old saying, quality over quantity is true especially regarding Penguin, a spinoff from 2022's The Batman. When going in, I had some reservations, but after watching the 8-part episode, Penguin more than succeeded my expectations! It's like DC's Sopranos with a tinge of Breaking Bad.
Actor Colin Farrell resumes his titular role from the Matt Reeves directed sleeper hit, as Ozwald Cobb, who tries to rise up within the ranks of Gotham's underworld from starting out stealing from his former gang boss Carmine Falcone, to aspiring to establish his own criminal empire by selling "shrooms" and of course he's met with serious opposition from the Falcones and the Maroni gangs during his climb to the top.
Developed by Lauren LeFranc originally for HBO, The Penguin is the best new series of 2024 in my humble opinion, the writing is smart, there are no filler episodes and unlike Joker Folie A Deux, this lower budgeted DC Studios project delivered and its mostly due to character study as the background, and motivations between the main protagonists, peels back several layers during story progression.
This mature series does not shy away from violent content and heavy themes that plays like a Greek tragedy with Oz’s purpose in life was to appease his mother, although at times, he's a bit contradictory as some of his motivations are self-serving to the extent of withholding truths even to the extent of putting his loved ones in harm’s way. During the conflict between Oz and former heir to the Falcone syndicate Sofia, played brilliantly by Christin Milloti questions, who is the real monster.
Plenty of the credit goes to Director's Craig Zobel and especially Helen Shaver who filmed one of the series’ more memorable episodes "Cent'Anni".
After going through eight episodes, I was left wanting more. However, the continuation of Oz's storyline may be featured in The Batman sequel slated for 2026.
Afterwords:
Its interesting to compare the critical and commercial success of the penguin in comparison to the lackluster reception from Joker Folie Deux which cost three times as much than this limited series, proving that with the right talent, and necessity, a series can outperform a big, budgeted film when usually it was the other way around.
I said it once and I’ll say it again that television is the new cinema, thanks to streaming and the ability to flesh out more storytelling without the need for too many whiz bang special effects which in most cases is window dressing for a underutilized film project.
I would be remised if I didn’t mention that since the penguin has left an indelible mark on television, which was mostly produced by very talented female writers, directors and so forth can we do away with the "DEI" argument?
In this guy's case "DEI" should be the acronym for "Dumb" "Erratic" "Incel"!
While it's great that companies, film and television studios are embracing diversity based on race gender and orientation, there was no need to slap a label on it as if you're enacting the "Avengers initiative" instead hire the best of the underrepresented collaborators and workers.
There is a big difference between the showrunner at Penguin and Star Wars The Acolyte. It's not necessarily about gender in this case, but pure talent.
You can catch all episodes of the penguin only on MAX.