Connor Misko

Staff Writer

Fans of Matt Reeves’ “The Batman” can rejoice as this fresh take on the Batman universe wrapped up its newest installment.

“The Penguin” is an eight-episode miniseries that follows the events of “The Batman.” Created by Lauren LeFranc and starring Colin Farrell, “The Penguin” dives even deeper into the depravity of Gotham and one of its classic villains.

Whether you’re a long time fan of Batman, or are new to the franchise, “The Penguin” can be enjoyable from either perspective. There are several callbacks and references to events that happened in “The Batman,” but the series mostly relies on its own narrative.

The series follows the life of the Penguin and his rise through the criminal underworld of Gotham. The show adapts the Penguin in a fresh way that grounds his character in a dark realism. Colin Farrell breathes new life into the character with his stellar performance.

The miniseries starts off with a literal bang, as the Penguin shoots Alberto Falcone (played by Michael Zegen) after being disrespected by him. The Penguin frantically struggles to dispose of the body, but catches a few kids trying to steal tires from his car. He successfully catches one of the robbers by the name of Victor (played by Rhenzy Feliz), and forces him to help hide the body. The story continues this breakneck momentum all the way through as the Penguin manipulates and corrupts Viktor into doing his bidding. The Penguin’s objective is to soar to the top of Gotham’s underworld, but to accomplish this he needs to escape the clutches of the Falcone family.

The most intriguing aspect of the show is the Penguin’s character. The show does not shy away from exploring how evil and ruthless he can be. Murder, manipulation, greed and narcissism are all fundamental to who he is and how he achieves his goals. Viktor’s character is a prime example of this. He starts off as this unassuming, typical teen that is slowly coerced by him. The Penguin will threaten him one day, and call him family the next. It is equal parts intriguing and disturbing as Viktor’s transformation throughout the show occurs. Viktor goes from fearing the Penguin, to gladly working for him, and eventually viewing him as family and going out of his way to help him.

However, the show finds enthralling ways to humanize the Penguin. It is well established that he is evil, but there are several moments where it’s hard not to root for him. There is a very vulnerable side to his character that the show spotlights. Whether it’s his constant need for his mother’s approval, or his evolving partnership with Victor, the Penguin demonstrates clear empathy. The fact that the writer’s were able to make such a despicable character likable in so many different scenarios speaks volumes to the level of talent that was involved in production.

The juxtaposition between the Penguin’s insatiable lust for power and his love for the people he cares about keeps the audience constantly guessing what he’ll do next. The Penguin is not only the protagonist of this story, but in some ways he’s also the underdog. His adversaries are numerous and powerful. Whether it’s Sofia and the Falcone family, or the Maroni crime family, death lurks everywhere he walks on his way to the top. The Penguin is a character that audiences will love to hate, but still be captivated by nonetheless.

Milioti’s performance as Sofia was nothing short of stunning. Her laser-focused stare and cold and calculating voice help construct a terrifying adversary for the Penguin. In order for a character to stand toe-to-toe with him, they’d need to be just as ruthless, and Sofia fits the bill perfectly. Her experience in Arkham Asylum was one of the most haunting scenes in the entire show and really showcased how corrupt Gotham is. The audience is forced to sit and watch a once perfectly fine person be emotionally and psychologically broken for trying to do the right thing.

After her experience in Arkham, she wishes to get her revenge on the people who did that to her. Just like the Penguin, she will stop at nothing to achieve what she wants. Her unusual and oftentimes psychopathic behavior makes her a force to be reckoned with. Her character is equal parts horrifying and tragic and was one of the most compelling parts of the show.

The biggest flaw the show has is its pacing in certain sections. While the pacing throughout most of the show is pretty balanced, there’s a very sudden timeskip that happens about halfway through that can catch audiences off guard. Towards the end, there is a certain character death that felt way too convenient for the plot and underwhelming considering the threat that was built up. These issues are extremely miniscule, but are flaws nonetheless.

“The Penguin” is a show ripe with corruption and violence. It highlights the absolute lowest Gotham can get. It cements the fact that there are no heroes in this show. Each character has skeletons in their closet. Batman not being present may be disappointing for some fans, but I think it better suits the narrative not to shoehorn him in for the sake of fanservice.

This miniseries is a must-watch for not just DC fans or Batman fans, but anyone who loves a good crime thriller.