TV Series Review: The Penguin (2024) *No Spoilers*

While we wait for an eternity (well an eternity in movie fan years anyway) for The Batman Part 2, sequel to Matt Reeves acclaimed, The Batman (2022), we have, what is essentially a direct sequel with The Penguin, a limited. eight episode, TV Series set within a week or two of the end of the first film.

Unfortunately it's a direct sequel to Colin Farrell's Penguin rather than Robert Pattinson's, Bruce Wayne/Batman. Fortunately that's the only real disappointment I have with this series.  

Right from the first episode The Penguin establishes itself as a show for grown ups who enjoy actual character development, that hooks you in, is thought provoking, and raises questions that you expect will be answered as the story unfolds.

After the events of The Batman, there is something of a power vacuum left in Gotham's crime world that Oswald 'Oz' Cobb a.k.a. The Penguin, sets out to fill using his experience, quick thinking, and his ability to hustle his way into and out of a situation.

Along the way we get an intriguing backstory of where Oz came from, and what lead him to a life of working for mobsters. 

Colin Farrell, just like in the movie, completely disappears into the role of Oz. Even though you know Colin is there, under a mountain of prosthetics and makeup, you never give it a thought that Colin looks (and sounds) nothing like Oz. He's just 'Oz' at all times.

Unexpectedly we get another, equally intriguing underworld character, Sofia Falcon, played by Cristin Milioti, who emerges as something of a force of nature. It's almost incomprehensible that Cristin is able to match Colin's performance, without sitting in the makeup chair for anywhere near as long as him. She really gives it her all as a very formidable crime boss in her own right.

There are other compelling characters, with one or two cameo's from the first film (not Robert though - which is not a spoiler. Matt Reeves made sure people knew Batman wasn't in the show before it's debut). I'm not going to go over them, or give my thoughts on individual episodes.

If you liked The Batman, this is all that and more. It brings plenty of new ideas to The Penguin as a Batman villain, and makes his character much more complete. You're almost sympathetic to him by the end, except you're not. There's no anti-hero story here. He's all villain.

While there are some action set pieces scattered through out this is really a metaphorical chess match. It's all about the people, specifically the underworld of Gotham, and where everyone fits in. It's not just Oz, you'll learn quite a bit about other crime syndicates in the city too, and where they stand in the pecking order.

I enjoyed the series quite a bit, looking forward to each episode as they dropped each week. There's not a single episode here that exists just to pad the series out. They're all strong, and they all matter to the overall story arc.

While I'll reiterate that Matt Reeves' The Batman, and by extension The Penguin are a little too grounded, and lacks a fun factor, for my taste, I'm still very glad this version of the characters exist.

This serious take lacks re-watch-ability for me. Don't get me wrong, I would enjoy this on a re-watch, I'm just not compelled to want to re-watch stories that are largely more doom and gloom, than fun, superhero adventure. (That's what The Flash is for me, even though, it too, has a doom and gloom aspect, it doesn't forget that being a superhero should be fun too. I've watched that film more than Matt Reeves and Christopher Nolan's Batman movies combined).

That said, I'm looking forward to more of Matt Reeves, Batman universe. It's a great take on the characters, that doesn't rely on going from action piece to action piece, instead, taking the time to tell actual stories, and develop believable characters. I just wish Matt would work a bit faster.

If that's your jam, then you'll, almost certainly, enjoy The Penguin.