Review 39 — The Penguin Episode 1 (19/9/24), Dir. Craig Zobel
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I know I’m a bit late writing this, but I’ve been swamped with other things. However, I couldn’t let that stop me from appreciating this brilliant show. Normally, I wait until all episodes are out before writing a review for a TV show, but the first episode was just too good not to start right away.
For each episode, I’ll dive deep into the details, breaking down my thoughts and predictions. I’ll wrap everything up in a final post at the end of the season.
So, without further delay, let’s jump right in!
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I’m really hyped about this show! I like to think of it as the WandaVision of “The Batman” DC Universe. Just like how it kicked off a good multiverse saga, I feel this show has the same potential.
I loved The Batman. It was a great Year 2 depiction of Batman, and the mystery aspect, the tech, and the action were all well done. There was a fantastic blend of darkness, realism, and a constant sense of thrill that kept you hooked. From the first episode, the tone feels similar to The Batman movie, which is a good thing. It might not come as a shock, but you will be surprised by how bad some recent DC projects have been before Gunn and Safran took over.
Back to the episode, it’s a solid start. It shows that a power struggle is present, just as it was foreshadowed at the end of The Batman. Oswald “Oz” Cobb(Colin Farell) is portrayed as someone often doing the hard work, the right-hand man, but not necessarily the guy pulling the strings. You root for him because you want him to succeed, even though he’s a bad guy. When Falcone’s son showed up, wanting to take control despite having major drug and alcohol issues and just being annoying, I actually wanted Oz to kill him, and to my surprise, he did.
It could seem predictable if you over analyze it and nitpick, but if you just enjoy the ride, it’s a lot of fun.
The scene where he disposes of the body, along with the one with Victor, initially planning to use him as a scapegoat but then seeing Victor’s potential to become his right-hand man, was interesting.
The conversation with Sophia (Cristin Milioti, love her!) was brief but really compelling. Oz’s dialogue was sharp, and while Sophia believed him, she couldn’t quite figure out the truth.
She’s skeptical because she knows how her family operates. I think she probably never really knew her family because she was fed only good things about them or just chose to ignore the bad, which speaks volumes as she could either be a psychopath or just naive.
Oz refusing to sit despite his injured leg seems to be a matter of pride. His openness with his mother adds another layer, as even the talk about Alberto and the mafia from when he was young shows how much he values good relationships.
Oz talking to Maroni and giving him his ring back while Maroni is dumbfounded because it was Carmine’s hints that he might be plotting something.
Sofia blaming him for letting her kill the teenage boy, even though she was the one who pulled the trigger, comes across as hypocritical and psychotic.
The entire sequence of the car crashing, with Alberto’s body in the trunk, the finger cut off, and “payback” written on it, essentially clears Oz of any wrongdoing. The finger, on which the Maroni ring was present, essentially says that the Maroni’s took payback, which shows smart thinking.
It’s a strong start to what looks like a gritty, chaotic journey, and I’m going to be there for all of it.
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Check this out on Medium.
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