TV Review: ‘The Penguin’ Premiere Demonstrates The Power Of Being Unpredictable
by Frank Martin
Superhero stories often fall into the trap of predictability. A lot of them follow similar paths and so they can become monotonous and routine. Villains don’t have this same problem because they are, by definition, malicious and do bad things that defy reason, logic, and even self-interest. The Penguin‘s first episode highlights this beautifully as Colin Farrell‘s depiction of the character — called Oz Cobb here — is wild and raw. The opening scene demonstrates that he is carelessly impulsive, and this tone is carried through to the end, leaving the audience questioning what he’s going to do next.
The series picks up pretty shortly after the end of The Batman: following the Riddler’s (Paul Dano) attack, parts of Gotham City were left in water-logged ruin and the chaos spread to the criminal underworld in the wake of Carmine Falcone’s (John Tuturro) murder. His son, Alberto (Michael Zegen), is set to take his place as the criminal kingpin in Gotham. Oz unexpectedly encounters him in the remnants of the Iceberg Lounge. The chance meeting starts off well, but Alberto quickly devolves into mocking Oz, who chooses to respond by killing him. The rest of the episode sees Oz trying to hide the murder while increasing his standing in the Falcone organization.
That first scene sets the stage for Oz in a great way. It reveals him to be impulsive and submitting to his anger. So right away, the audience knows that he can snap at a moment’s notice. In order to get rid of the body, he recruits a young man named Victor (Rhenzy Feliz), whose fate is always in question. This lingering sense of dread hangs over the episode and creates tension in every scene. Oz is a ruthless and unpredictable criminal destined for greatness. Watching it unfold without knowing how is what made the first episode so enjoyable.
The Penguin streams Thursdays on Max.
