The Penguin
By Sioph W. Leal
HBO’s The Penguin picks up right after the events of Matt Reeve’s 2022 The Batman. This time, Lauren LeFranc brings us more into the underbelly of Gotham, with Oz “The Penguin” (Colin Farrell) being the focus of the limited series. The Penguin shows how the most vulnerable and underprivileged people suffered the most in Gotham’s devastation. As The Penguin begins to seize control of Gotham, the Falcone’s struggle to keep their grip on Gotham with the timely release of Carmine Falcone’s daughter from Arkham Asylum, Sofia Falcone (Cristin Milioti).
Instead of making The Penguin a cliché of a backstory, LeFranc creates a fascinating series by creating an intriguing dynamic. Many writers and showrunners usually lean too heavily on justifying their villain by making the viewer feel sympathetic towards them, but LeFranc shows a masterclass in balancing making viewers feel compassionate towards The Penguin while also being reminded of his ruthless side. As the episodes progress, viewers will be in awe of The Penguin’s scheming, which is a great testament to Farrell’s performance.
The Penguin may focus on Oz, but this is as much Sofia Falcone’s story as it is his. Another character that greatly benefits from LeFranc’s perfect balance of sympathetic and malicious character is Sofia Falcone. Contrasting to The Penguin being born into poverty, Sofia was born into wealth with a seat at her infamous crime family’s table waiting for her. Like The Penguin, Sofia must fight for what is hers and what she believes is owed, and Milioti delivers a brilliant performance alongside Farrell that is a treat to watch.
Performances in The Penguin are one of the main draws, but the complexity of LeFranc’s story is what sets it apart from shows of a similar genre. It would have been so easy to put The Penguin and Sofia into the mob stereotypes, but giving them complex archetypes furthered by contrasting childhoods shown in flashbacks, The Penguin makes it one of the most interesting comic book adaptations.
One of the issues with the many adaptations of the Batman comics is how repetitive it can feel, but The Penguin stands alone in making it feel like a fresh, distinctive taste on the tumultuous city. Corruption is, and always will be, one of the biggest parts of Gotham’s personality. While the series doesn’t have the cinema budget to showcase this on the scale it needs, it can be forgiven for the performances from Farrell and Milioti.
The Penguin is a masterclass in balancing sympathetic and malicious characters. The story's complexity distinguishes it from similar shows, as it avoids mob stereotypes and presents intricate archetypes. The Penguin adds a new dimension to Gotham, emphasising corruption as an important aspect of the city's character. Despite lacking the necessary cinematic budget, Farrell and Milioti's performances make The Penguin a pleasure to watch.
The Penguin premiers on HBO, 19 September 2024