The Penguin

Farrell STEALS this series. He's impressive. There is nothing in the character that even hints of Farrell. The NY dialect, the sway and limp, the attitude : you'd swear it was another person. The amazing prosthetics are very realistic and adds to the character.

The show is gritty and graphic. There is nothing cartoonish about it. Well-written and taut. This makes a great counterpart to Christopher Nolan's Batman. In fact, I'd say this blows Marvel's line out of the water.

I'm hoping that their might be a season 2, but I know that this is limited. It's a shame. HBO has a legitimate hit on their hands.

I've been waiting for The Penguin ever since it was first announced it was going to series and I can tell you it's every bit as good as I expected. Colin Farrell is absolutely terrific as Oz Cobb a.k.a. The Penguin. He was a standout on The Batman and is even better in a lead role. On top of that Cristin Milioti is just as good as Sofia Falcone. The two of them fight to see who is the #1 gangster in Gotham and to "bring order in all the chaos." Some people were worried that a supporting character like The Penguin couldn't carry a show and it wouldn't work not having Batman or Bruce Wayne but fear not because this is more than just villain character on a superhero show, it's a great crime drama on its own. It's a gritty, violent crime drama that's so fun to watch unfold. I hope we get more stories like this from this world.

Great acting, great set piece, very good character development, no boring bits, interesting premise. The only weak thing is the troubled teen he took under his wing, however, that is only due to the way in which the teen was recruited. It's a solid 8/10 but I've given it 10/10 to offset the insane 1/10 ratings.

Also IGN gave this show a 5/10 which had me disappointed because I really liked how The Penguin was portrayed in The Batman, and seeing as how IGN has given terrible shows 7/10 in past.. I had very low expectation coming into this. Oh boy.. was IGN wrong lol

Anyway, I hope whoever is reading this will give it a whirl and see for themselves.

Absolutely nailed the tone and atmosphere. Gritty and grimy and dark, but Farrell is able to capture that glimmer of charm Gandolfini's Tony Soprano did.

There are similarities to the sopranos especially in tone. A lot of dark stuff goes down in this opening episode, but there's still comedic moments that match the tone and don't undermine it.

Where to start with Farrell. Amazing is the right word. Love to see talented star actors go all in on roles like this, and the makeup/cgi or whatever exactly they did with transforming him into the penguin physically not only passes the eye test, it looks incredible realistic. There is always the risk that if the make up job isn't good enough or is just a little off, it can completely distract. In the penguin, it adds to his performance and the overall quality of the show because it's such a damn good job. And Farrell as an actor is completely immersed in this role. I'm maybe a little biased because he is one of my favorite actors prior to this show, but I think this is going to get him well-deserved accolades.

I never really tune into new shows right away because I like to watch the episodes all at once, but I wanted to see how this one actually came out.

Didn't disappoint, in fact blew me away. Kudos to everyone involved with this project.

The new HBO show The Penguin, a spin-off of Matt Reeves' The Batman (2022), is an exciting dive into the criminal underworld of Gotham City. Helmed by Colin Farrell as the titular character Oswald Cobblepot, aka The Penguin, this series expands on the gritty, noirish tone set by the film and offers fans a fresh yet familiar experience in the Batman universe. Unlike most superhero-related content, The Penguin focuses on the darker, more human elements of Gotham's criminals, moving away from the caped crusader to spotlight the rise of one of Batman's most notorious foes.

Storyline Set immediately after the events of The Batman, the series explores Penguin's journey to fill the power vacuum left in Gotham's criminal empire. With Carmine Falcone dead and Gotham's infrastructure in chaos, Penguin seizes the opportunity to climb the ranks, determined to assert control over the city's crime syndicates. His transformation from an underboss to a major crime lord is the primary focus, which gives The Penguin a mafia-drama vibe more akin to The Sopranos than a traditional superhero show.

The show smartly avoids relying too heavily on Batman's shadow, allowing Penguin to truly shine as a lead. Without the overbearing presence of Gotham's protector, it creates a new and interesting dynamic, where Oswald is free to operate in a morally ambiguous space. This narrative shift feels fresh for the genre and adds depth to the Gotham crime world without focusing too much on superhero spectacle.

Colin Farrell's Performance Colin Farrell's portrayal of Penguin is nothing short of remarkable. Physically unrecognizable in his prosthetic makeup, Farrell fully inhabits the character with a nuanced performance that balances the brutality of a mob boss with the insecurities and ambition that drive him. The Penguin is no longer just a caricature of a deformed, umbrella-wielding villain; instead, he's depicted as a ruthless, calculated player in Gotham's criminal hierarchy, making him both terrifying and strangely sympathetic.

Farrell brings layers to the character, moving beyond the stereotypical villain portrayal. His Oswald Cobblepot is shrewd, manipulative, and ready to break bones, yet he's also a man driven by a deep-rooted inferiority complex and desire for respect. Watching him navigate the treacherous waters of Gotham's crime world is compelling and provides a grounded approach to the character, making The Penguin a fascinating character study.

Gritty Atmosphere and Tone In terms of atmosphere, The Penguin maintains the same gritty and rainy aesthetic that fans loved in The Batman. The dark, crime-ridden streets of Gotham are beautifully shot, with an emphasis on realism over comic book extravagance. The show's tone is grim, violent, and loaded with tension, reminiscent of neo-noir crime thrillers. Every scene is soaked in the corruption and decay of Gotham, and it feels as if danger lurks in every shadow.

The production design is top-notch, with set pieces that feel like a natural extension of Reeves' Gotham City. The dingy clubs, run-down alleys, and opulent crime lord mansions all add to the immersive feel of the show. The cinematography, with its moody lighting and cold color palette, enhances the show's foreboding atmosphere, making Gotham feel like a character in its own right-alive, pulsating, and full of menace.

Supporting Cast and World-Building While Farrell steals the show, the supporting cast also deserves recognition. Characters like Sofia Falcone and Salvatore Maroni (portrayed by Cristin Milioti and Clancy Brown, respectively) add layers to the Gotham crime landscape, each vying for power in the post-Falcone world. Their interactions with Penguin help expand the world and keep the narrative engaging.

Moreover, the show fleshes out the criminal network of Gotham in a way that hasn't been fully explored in previous Batman films or shows. By focusing on the mob world and its intricate dynamics, The Penguin gives fans a new look at Gotham's power structures without constantly resorting to capes and gadgets.