The Penguin (max)(2024)

I'm trying to think if there is another example of a live-action DC series I have been so immediately on-board with. Just a DC show that knocked it right out of the park in the Pilot, and I was sold entirely. I think I mostly felt that way for each of the original DC Animated Universe Bruce Timm cartoons, but I can't think of another live-action DC show that had such a great and promising start.

Stargirl maybe? Maybe, but certain nowhere NEAR this level. And that show DID quickly go downhill.

To be fair, DC does NOT have a ton of great live-action series to its name. But of the few I've liked like Superman & Lois and Pennyworth, it took a few episodes to get there. The Penguin just knocked my socks off right out of the gate.

I love that Oz loves Dolly Parton. He's going for an affect with Vic here, and 9 to 5 is kind of spoiling it.

We are in for a treat. If what Colin Farrell has said is true, this will be this show's only season. But based on this, it will be a MEMORABLE one. That was amazing. 5 stars.

That was pretty great.

The reason Oz has a shot at the Gotham Game of Thrones and Sophia Falcone does not is she's crazy. And she handles the fact that people are (rightly) scared about her serial killing-ass poorly. Her grossly stuffing her face at the funeral reception because she was angry everyone was staring is why she is not cut out for this. Yes, she's cut-throat. But she's unstable and impatient.

So is her uncle for shooting the guy Oz framed before hearing him out. It was clever for Oz to publicly blame someone else before planting the knife on the patsy. A stupider villain would have planted it on the guy he blamed. But what if that guy successfully convinced the Falcones Oz planted it? But the guy who pulled Oz off from the fight had no actual idea where the knife came from.

I really like and dig this show. Oz Cobb is a ruthless, manipulative criminal scumbag who will step on anyone to get ahead. But I still both like him and sympathize with him. And that's almost certainly due to Colin Farrell's performance. 4 stars.

I like this show. It's dark, but it's not TOO dark. The fact that Oz is furious at Vic but lets him go is somewhat predictable. The fact that Vic only takes the car to silently watch his girlfriend go off and she isn't killed is a pleasant surprise. A nastier show with no redeeming virtues would have Oz personally murder her to limit Vic's life options. But is that necessary? Would it help Vic and Oz's arc? Of course not. So the show is measured and sensible instead of obvious and tacky. And maybe in a different pop culture landscape that would not be something worthy of praise. But we live in the age of House Of The Dragon. I'll take any tiny speck of decency I can fucking get.

Seeing Vic with his wonderful family is kind of breaking my heart. Learning it's a flashback and they died during The Batman is even worse.

I love Oz telling Vic if he does anything stupid he'll sense it.

Sophia is not impressed with Vic.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I don't have any money." God, this show is fucking BRILLIANT. Isn't it? Why haven't I seen that scene before? It's a no-brainer really.

Oz, Sophia is not gonna trust you now. Mrs. Moroni came at the worst possible time. And the week after next week's flashback episode will be a gas because there is no apparent way for Oz to explain this to Sophia. And yet, I'm sure he will, which is the selling point of both the show and the character.

He's using Sophia but maybe one of the reasons she might buy his bullshit next week is him letting his guard down and telling her betraying her was worth it for a guy like him. Oz was not bullshitting Vic. He believes The Life is the only way for guys like them to get a fair shake. And yeah, it was worth it. And he said he was sorry, and I believe he meant it when he said it, betraying her AGAIN five minutes later or not.

I love his and Sophia's negotiation with the Triad leader. Sophia builds the sale up and Oz closes. She's Barack and Oz is Michelle. Also the Triad dude is Marvin Candle and I'm geeking out.

When Oz and Sofia claimed Jon Vitti's support I laughed. I was like "How the fuck are they gonna pull off THAT trick?" Oz is all like "Admit it. You're having fun." And oh, yeah, the pictures.

I think what Vitti said was as nasty as what Falcone kid in the Pilot said to him. Vitti is very lucky to be alive. Of course, so is Oz. The House of Cards would have blown over quickly had he actually killed him.

I honestly agree with Vic that Oz did not need to correct the waiter. And Oz is like "No, YOU should do it." As a person on the spectrum I don't see that the same way. I don't think it was disrespectful. I would find it helpful, and the waiter trying to get me out of an awkward position and saying he understood it. It's very interesting Oz takes it as an offense against a disability. I don't see it that way. And maybe if Vic didn't always stutter he could explain that too.

I like when Oz uses the word "slums" Vic says "Fuck you." Oz isn't exactly being a racist by saying that. But those are the buttons he's trying to push, and Vic fucking resents a white dude doing it. As scared as he is of Oz, he's not gonna let that pass. Notice in that exchange him saying, "Fuck you" releases some of Oz's tension and menace. However angry he is, he approves of the kid sticking up for himself, even against him.

I get why Oz is angry and hurt Vic sees himself as his hostage. But that's what Oz told him he was in the first episode. Yeah, they've gotten to know each other better and even like each other. But Oz has never ONCE said that their situation has changed.

Sophia is NOT the Hangman! Pretty big revelation there. So who is? And do Oz and / or Sophia actually know?

Man, I like this show. It's got edge, and yet it refuses to go too far. I hope that doesn't change in the next few episodes. It might. TV shows have a habit of disappointing me. But the fact that Vic's girlfriend apparently can ride off into the sunset for a happy new life tells me this show might wind up impressing me by the time it's over. No, scratch that. It already has with that. 5 stars.

I was right. Sofia Falcone is crazy. And Arkham drove her there.

I didn't like the episode. The Arkham stuff was too upsetting. It was triggering for me.

Whatever else can be said, Oz is in trouble. I expected him to cook up a half-baked explanation to Sofia, but nope, everything's out in the open now.

Carmine Falcone was a truly evil dude. Mark Strong brings a level of menacing to him John Turturro didn't. And I LOVED Turturro!

Sofia saving the little girl because she is innocent is both kind and cruel. There is a creepiness attached to her tenderness for that reason.

Tough episode. 2 1/2 stars.

This show is turning out to be near-perfect television, so for this episode at least, it feels sort of weird to do a rundown of the good and the bad. It's all good so that would sort of be a short and boring review. Now I won't say short and boring reviews don't have their place. But considering how good this is turning out to be, I might owe you a little better.

The episode's quality is near flawless so I will talk instead about some of the moves and decisions the characters made.

Oz ALMOST did it. The fact of the matter is his plan was sloppy as hell. But he still might have pulled it off if the guard had killed Sal. Because Sal killed HIM and escaped, he's fucked.

One of the things I loved about Colin Farrell's performance is him rubbing into Sal that he killed his wife and son. Oz is clearly frightened in this moment and knows Sal is in a much better position than he is. But after doing that, if he tried to be apologetic about it or downplay it, he'd have NO chance instead of very little chance. The most awkward thing about him being forced to "own it" is that for the first time, Oz himself doesn't not sound convinced of his own badassery. Oz usually believes his own hype. In that instance you could see how scared he was that he had to play that card the way he did. Sal was never supposed to survive. This wasn't supposed to be an issue at ALL.

Sophia has the best hand in the episode. Ironically John Vitti had the worst and only died because he didn't understand that.

Yeah, Sophia's idea of burying the entire Falcone legacy is outrageous on some level. But he earned the bullet in his head because he didn't understand he had no hand to play. If he wasn't going to be 100% supportive, she'd make the case herself. Or at least the satchel of bloody money would make it for her.

I'd be much less optimistic about Sophia's chances (really, her new "family" is just about as green as Oz's crew) if she hadn't found Sal and proposed an alliance to fuck up the Penguin. Again, Oz could have won this whole thing tonight if Sal had died like he had supposed to. Hell, he might have done just as well if Sal had simply survived and not escaped prison. Now Oz is in deep trouble. His bullshit can no longer talk his way out of this. It's far too late for that.

The Police Commissioner struck me as a total creep. Am I alone in thinking that?

That's where my thoughts about where things stand with the characters are. I do want to note something. If I ever see Batman go up against Oz in the sequel, I'll be rooting for Oz. And that's not even a question. Colin Farrell admitted he ultimately had a hard time playing the role because the character is so nasty. But his performance makes the nastiness sympathetic, or at least believable. I am still a bit on the fence about Robert Pattison's Bruce Wayne. I actually care more about Oz at this point.

So yeah, that's some great television right there. 5 stars.

The show is so cool. This show is so good.

The scene with Sal and Sophia at the beginning was kind of heartbreaking. Sal just breaking down like that. He's treating her like his daughter and it's a wonder these two lonely people didn't find each other before this.

Oz's scene with his mother in the bathroom was golden. If Colin Farrell and Diedre O'Connell don't put it in on their Emmy reels, I'll be shocked.

It's ALMOST a moving moment when Oz hugs Vic to comfort him after his first kill. But when he leans in and says, "It gets easier," it becomes chilling instead.

Sophia's scene with Eve was also riveting. Part of me is angry she betrayed Oz, but he betrayed her first, so it's no surprise.

The Gold summit (or more like the beer summit) was pretty great too. Popping open the cans was a great affirmation of solidarity and as big of a bastard as Oz is, the dude can make speech.

I'll say this for next week. Oz is going to have to pay for his sins. We know he isn't gonna die, but chances are the price is going to be high.

I loved the episode. 5 stars.

I didn't like the flashback. I'm not saying it didn't explain a lot. But I feel like it explained too much. I don't feel the idea that Oz was a sociopath going back to being a little kid is all that interesting an idea. It's been done before. A lot.

I think Sophia misread the room by basically admitting everything to Gia. Regardless of what she thinks, that little girl will never thank her for that.

I love that Oz is outraged Moroni died of a heart attack during their fight. Yes, he's mad he didn't get to kill him. But he seems equally frustrated Sal never made good on his promise to kill HIM. Which is both hilarious and super weird.

Francis' scene with Sophia is great because Francis refuses to bend the knee, and Sophia is equal parts amused and impressed by her. The mouth on this old broad. Sophia suggesting she was the one who made Oz into a monster isn't exactly accurate, but a grown woman begging her preteen son to give her everything she ever deserved also meant the kid was never gonna grow up emotionally healthy either.

The bomb at the end was a good surprise because it wasn't what you were expecting. You were actually expecting something far worse. Which is why Oz doesn't see it coming.

I feel like the flashbacks make everything a little too pat there regarding Oz always having been a monster. I think the show was more interesting before they showed that. 3 1/2 stars.

That went down dirty and I wouldn't have it any other way.

God, the scene with Eve at the end. Shudder.

Oz making Sophia the patsy and putting her back in Arkham is worse than killing her.

Even when Oz is killing his only friend I feel this weird sympathy for this total monster.

The thing Sophia orchestrated with his mother was appalling. And Oz cares about her more than anyone. Except himself. Even if it meant her losing a finger he can't admit what he did, even if she already knows.

She said every last thing he never wanted her to say to him, and basically became a vegetable before she could take it back. Oz's scene with her in the hospital room was both real and heartbreaking. And he'll never have what he truly wants.

I do want to point out something I either missed last week, or didn't fully appreciate: Oz was one creepy little kid. I am not usually repulsed by children but the kid they got, smiling sweetly at his Ma, promising her all kinds of bullshit in that thick accent of his is a special level of cringe. Yeesh. Let Rex take him home, Francis. You'll be better off.

Sophia looks him in the eyes at the airport and knows he's won. Those are not the eyes of a defeated enemy. Cool moment. And yes, him leaving her alive to take the fall was a pleasant and twisted surprised. Fate worse than death there for Sophia Falcone.

Her arson scene says she was never playing with a full deck either. Maybe we're all safer with her in Arkham anyways.

That was a pretty operatic finale that left it all out on the table, hit the highs and lows, and shows Oz as both a man and a monster, and sometimes both at once. This is definitely one of my favorite live-action DC shows of all time. 5 stars.