Warning: There may be spoilers, I’ll try to limit them, but you’ve been warned
The Penguin caught my eye when a first saw the trailer a few weeks ago. The time has come and the first episode is available. I sat down to watch it, hopeful but not entirely optimistic. Can they make an entire series about Batman’s arch-villain The Penguin entertaining? Let’s see if episode one “After Hours” gets it started in the right direction.
The Penguin is a new series which takes place immediately after the events of The Batman (2022) movie. Episode one “After Hours” opens with news reports of the explosions destroying the seawall and floodwaters rushing into the city. (Side note: I haven’t watched The Batman, it is now on the top of my watch list)
Oswald ‘Oz’ Cobblepot Cobb looks out over the city from his high rise apartment listening to the news describing the fallout from the explosion and the assassination of crime boss, and Oz’s boss, Carmine Falcone.
As Oz makes his way through the city to Falcone’s nightclub you see the downfall of Gotham City. The streets are filled with garbage, poverty is widespread and crime is everywhere. The city needs a hero, where is Batman?
At the nightclub Oz runs into Alberto Falcone, Carmine’s son and the new boss of the Falcone crime family. Alberto accuses Oz of trying to steal from the family but Oz is able to diffuse the situation. The two have a drink and Alberto lays out how he is going to grow the family business by expanding their drug operations.
The next day Oz is called to the Falcone house and is told to shut down the operation. He tells the under-bosses he has a new drug that will revolutionize the business but they dismiss him and tell him to shut it down.
As Oz is leaving the house he meets Sofia Falcone, Carmine’s daughter, who was recently released from Arkham Asylum. She overheard the conversation and invites Oz to lunch. While at lunch Sofia is distrusting of Oz and inquires about her brother, who is missing. Oz says he doesn’t know, but Alberto is probably on a bender, he has a drug problem.
Oz, realizing the Falcone’s don’t trust him, goes to Blackgate Prison to make a deal with Sal Maroni, the rival crime family, to bring down the Falcone’s
Oz is caught between two crime families and trying to grow his own operation. Who will trust him? Or will he be rubbed out? Stay tuned.
For the most part the series holds true to the comics. They changed the name of Oswald Cobblepot to Oswald Cobb. According to the producers they choose Cobb because Cobblepot didn’t sound like a real name. It’s a fantasy comic book world and they’re worried about the guys last name? Which rarely gets mentioned anyhow? OK.
Sofia Falcone is a minor character in the DC world but is still impactful; she takes over the Falcone crime family after Carmine Falcone’s death. If you read Batman: The Long Halloween, you might wonder how she is alive. She appeared to die in the comic. She didn’t, Sofia came back in another arc called Dark Victory, also written by Jeff Loeb and Time Sale. It’s another fantastic story, if you’re a fan of Batman: The Long Halloween you’ll enjoy Dark Victory.
Loeb and Sale created Sofia Falcone for Batman: The Long Halloween. The Penguin also makes reference to her being in Arkham Asylum. In the trailer she appears in Arkham Asylum, her backstory may be explained during the series. Sofia and Oz have a history and I hope the series explores it fully. She’s calculating and deranged in the comics and Cristin Milioti plays her perfectly in The Penguin.
There are a few references to Batman: The Long Halloween and Dark Victory throughout the episode. It’s a nice touch to the story. It also suggests the showrunners read the comics and have some knowledge of the lore.
Colin Farrell is unrecognizable as Oz, draped in a fat suit, facial prosthetics and gold capped teeth. The makeup department should win an award for their work! Farrell is an excellent actor and does a great job as Oz, he even has a great penguin waddle as he walks. Not comical, believable for a man with a bad leg and foot. When Farrell is on screen I see a mix between the Penguin and Al Capone from The Untouchables. It’s masterful.
The story (so far) is dark, gritty and bloody; like a Batman story should be. While this is a Batman spin-off I don’t anticipate seeing Batman in the series. The Penguin is a show about gangsters and the rise of one of Batman’s arch-villians set in Gotham City. To really appreciate the struggles of each crime family and their impact on Gotham we need to see the impact before setting Batman loose on them.
The Penguin was created by showrunner Lauren LeFranc. She was a writer for the TV series Chuck and writer/ producer for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. She wrote the first episode of The Penguin and the final episode. Matt Reeves, director of The Batman, servers as Executive Producer.
The writing in “After Hours” is stellar. Episodes two through seven are all written by different writers but the pedigree is solid. Writers from Deadwood, Ash Vs Evil Dead, Marco Polo, The Walking Dead and other great series. If the writing can hold up throughout the series The Penguin will be a hit.
I went into this series thinking it would be a mediocre. I was completely wrong! It’s an excellent series. Well, I should say it’s an excellent episode. The character development is good, just enough exposition for each character to give them depth without giving away too much. The episode establishes the players and the conflict, while leaving you wanting more. It’s well written and well acted pilot episode.
If this is the future of the DC Universe, I’m all in. It’s a lot to put on one episode of a show but I’m excited to see how this series progresses.
The Penguin Episode 1 “After Hours” is a strong start to what I hope will be an excellent series.
The Penguin is streaming on MAX with a one episode per week (Sunday) release schedule.
Did you watch The Penguin? If so let me know your thoughts in the comments below or on X. The main Geekster channel is @GeeksterMedia and I’m @MileHighSamurai You can also find me on Bluesky @MileHighSamurai
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