After Hours

As a Batman fan, I'm pretty biased, but if you measure the quality from purely a series standpoint, it's an incredibly well done introductory episode. I can see why they wanted to bridge the film into this and give Colin Farrell the reigns as the iconic penguin character he continues to play. It's better than most crime thrillers of the last decade in its first episode. That says something. The production level is stunning as well with the settings in Gotham being as palpable as possible. You really don't even care that Batman isn't in this because it gives you the perspective of the penguin which is a nice breath of fresh air.

**"A Gangster Masterpiece: Colin Farrell Soars in Explosive First Episode of *The Penguin*****

Rarely does an actor disappear so completely into a character as Colin Farrell does in the debut episode of *The Penguin*. From the moment he graces the screen as Oz Cobb, it's clear that Farrell is reveling in the opportunity to embody one of the most complex and multifaceted figures in Gotham's underworld. His performance is nothing short of a masterclass in gangster cinema, echoing the iconic portrayals found in the legendary works of Scorsese and Coppola.

Farrell's Oz Cobb is a throwback to the gritty, charismatic mobsters of classic New York films, evoking shades of De Niro in *GoodFellas* or Pacino in *The Godfather*. There's a captivating duality at play here-on one hand, the audience is repelled by Cobb's ruthless, cold-blooded nature, but on the other, they can't help but be drawn in by his sharp wit and undeniable charisma. Cobb feels like a man you'd both fear and admire, an unpredictable figure in a crumbling city.

Where *The Penguin* diverges from its predecessor, *The Batman*, is in its stripped-back, raw aesthetic. The sweeping cinematography and operatic visuals of Matt Reeves' film are noticeably absent, leaving a grittier, more intimate portrayal of Gotham's dark underbelly. This choice works in favor of the series, making the violence and power struggles feel more personal, even though it lacks the grandiosity fans may have expected. Reeves, who takes a step back as producer here, allows the series to develop its own unique tone, and while it may not match the cinematic intensity of *The Batman*, it compensates with a deep dive into its characters' psyches.

The episode excels in portraying a Gotham that feels lived-in, grimy, and relentlessly unforgiving. Every corner of the city oozes tension, and Farrell's Penguin sits right at the center of it all, a man clawing his way to the top of a collapsing empire. The dialogue is sharp, with shades of the Scorsese-like banter that adds a layer of authenticity to the criminal machinations unfolding on-screen.

Fans of classic gangster dramas will find much to love here. Oz Cobb isn't just a villain; he's a tragic figure, driven by ambition but burdened by the weight of his own insecurities and trauma. Farrell plays him with a gleeful menace, giving viewers the impression that he's relishing every moment of chaos his character creates.

What *The Penguin* may lack in the stylistic bravado of its film counterpart, it makes up for in character-driven intensity. Colin Farrell doesn't just play Oz Cobb-he becomes him, and in doing so, he elevates what could have been a standard spin-off into something far more gripping. If the first episode is any indication, *The Penguin* is setting the stage for a dark, thrilling descent into Gotham's criminal underworld. Buckle up-this is one gangster saga you won't want to miss."

It's got everything you could ask for from a pilot episode. It ties in perfectly to The Batman, it builds the character of The Penguin further and does it really well, it establishes the supporting cast (or at least some of it) well...heck, it even humanises The Penguin/Oz pretty well by giving us a look at his relationship with his mother.

The cast are really well chosen, with Colin Farrell especially showing why he was such an inspired choice for this role. It shows again why this, far more grounded, take on the Batman mythos is so badly needed.

I eagerly await the rest of the series now, and hope they can continue to keep the quality this high.

If there was ever hope that storytelling after The Sopranos and Breaking Bad would return, here it is.

This first episode had me locked in from start to finish. The many layers it slowly unravels opens so many doors for these storylines and scenarios to be unveiled.

I have never been so satisfied with a pilot as I have with this episode, in several years, and many attempts.

This captures the rawness and dark elements of what makes DC so surreal and ominous yet so emotionally impactful.

I can't say enough about how blown away I am by all the performances. The cast makes me anxious for another episode because it truly seems that they have got it right, and that is a lasting affect.

The setting is brilliant. The colour schemes that MAKE it Gotham. The tiny nuances and appreciations that they give us, the viewer, has me beaming and thriving with respect.

I have to reitterate what a great job was done by the casting department as well as the cast themselves. Everything here just seems to click.

The perfect elements and the right amount of everything at just the right time, to tie you in emotionally. Its downright gripping.

I am ridiculously excited for the next episode.

Very, very few shows have ever left me with such anticipation after the first episode. And this one seems to do it so effortlessly, but that is the magic of all that was put into this affair.

(Just an example of some shows that had incredible debuts/pilots and went on to become some of the most intense and revered shows in television history: the aforementioned The Sopranos, Justified, The Shield, Breaking Bad, The Americans, The Walking Dead, and all these shows went on for several seasons and absolutely crushed it. The Penguin is next on the list of greats, bank on that)

The show is just brilliant, Colin Farrell disappears completely into the character of Penguin with the accent, the walk and mannerisms and he delivers a slam dunk performance with every spoken line and scene acted. The supporting cast is great as well with Cristin Milioti in particular stealing every scene she's in playing a completely unhinged, psychotic but incredibly intelligent character as well. Was nice seeing the veteran Clancy Brown as well playing the villainous Salvatore Maroni although only for a brief few minutes but his performance was certainly a memorable one too. The shots of Gotham City are amazing and could easily fit into the next Batman movie with every scene telling a part of the city's story. This first episode is full of thrills and just great lines and scenes you could rewind over and over again and just be amazed at. Can't wait for the next episode!