Series Review: The Penguin
Nothing good survives in Gotham
Summary 🎥
The Penguin (2024) follows Oswald 'Oz' Cobb's rise to power as a Gotham crime boss.
Oz's story picks up where The Batman (2022) leaves with Gotham recovering from a terrorist attack. The criminal underworld has a power vacuum. Oz now takes the chance to seize power, but other newcomers stand in the way. With his new ally, Vick, they must eliminate all the other players if they hope to have it all. Has Oz finally met his match?
Can this duo reach the top before their enemies bury them in Gotham?
Upside 👍
A crime drama that does for the Penguin what The Dark Knight (2008) did for the Joker.
The setting and tone of the show are similar to those of the Batman movie. Gotham is a harsh place where nothing good survives. Oz's character is fantastic. This character's incarnation is grounded in reality and is far more of a threat than the other versions. The story has a classic mob story feel that makes you almost forget it's based on Batman characters.
The story, makeup, action, and lore are top-tier.
Downside 👎
There are no downsides to this series for me.
It may be hard to believe, but I didn't find any episode boring or full of filler. The story itself wasn't overly complicated. If there was any downside, it was that Vick was pulled deeper into the criminal world. Even then, Vick didn't have many options, so at least he was climbing the ladder. Overall, it all worked for me.
Your mileage may vary, but this show hit all the right notes.
Verdict ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Love or hate him, the Penguin is who he is, family or not.
It's an engaging story that almost has you rooting for Oz until you remember what he is, a villain. Oz doesn't care about anyone or anything but himself. He is one of the worst people on the planet, and the show does a great job of reminding you of it, even if you have some empathy due to his upbringing. The truth is so terrible that he even lies to himself. This show has no heroes, only survivors in an awful environment.
A must-watch if you love crime dramas with a supervillain twist.