The Penguin (2024) – A Review of Episodes 1-3

I recently watched the first three episodes of the TV series The Penguin, which is currently showing on Prime.

In this crime drama, Colin Farrell returns in his role as the notorious Gotham City gangster, Oz Cobb.

Oz is manipulative and determined to redefine his status following the death of the criminal kingpin, Carmine Falcone.

The Cast

Colin Farrell’s portrayal of Oz in The Penguin is outstanding.

The impressive prosthetics make it almost impossible to believe that Farrell plays the character, completely transforming him into the role.

Oz emotes a Tony Soprano vibe except that his home is Gotham and not New Jersey.

Cristin Milioti plays Sophia Carmine. The character emotes a Wednesday Adam’s “I am dead on the inside” vibe and I loved every second of it!She executes the role perfectly.

The story reminds us that Sophia was recently released from Arkham Asylum after serving time for killing seven women.

Michael Zegen plays the role of Alberto Falcone, the next in line to become head of the Falcone family. He makes brief yet impactful appearances in Episodes 1 and 2.

Rhenzy Feliz plays the role of Victor Aguilar. He becomes entangled in Oz’s world after he and some of his friends attempt to break into Oz’s car.

The relationship that develops between Oz and Victor is powerful. It is even more remarkable, especially given that Oz is not a heroic or admirable character.

Clancy Brown plays the role of Salvatore Maroni (Sal).

Sal is the boss of the rival family, Maroni. Oz visits Sal in prison, and it becomes clear that Sal neither trusts nor respects him. Despite his dislike, Sal forms an unwilling alliance with Oz when he accepts the ring.

Other memorable cast members include: Michael Kelly as Johnny Viti; Dierdre O’Connell as Francis Cobb; Scott Cohen as Luca Falcone; Carmen Ejogo as Eve Karlo, and Shohreh Aghdashloo as Nadia Maroni.

The Timeline

The Penguin series takes place right after the events of The Batman. At the end of The Batman, there were several bombings and the seawall around Gotham City caused massive flooding. The chaos that ensued overwhelmed the city.

Falcone and Maroni Families

The rivalry between the Falcone and Maroni families is a central conflict in Gotham City’s criminal underworld, characterized by a fierce struggle for power and control.

Carmine Falcone, known for his strategic and politically connected approach, clashes with Salvatore Maroni, who uses brute force and street-level aggression to expand his influence.

At the start of The Penguin, Carmine is dead, and Sal is in prison, but the rivalry between the two families lives on.

What Next?

With three episodes down and six more to go, I am excited to see how the plot and characters evolve.

I am looking forward to watching Oz’s journey as he rises to power within Gotham’s underworld.

Have You Watched The Penguin? What do you think about the series!