“The Penguin” midseason review: Gotham’s depravity sprints full speed ahead

By Ben Konuch

“All of a sudden, you’re on my side? Look at that! My little helper? You’re desperate. Scrambling.”

“The Penguin” starts off strong. Its first episode shows nuance, great writing, intriguing characterization of its main players and justifies why we needed to explore more of Gotham from the streets instead of perched upon its rooftops. But as “The Penguin” expanded its episode count from one to four, it’s proving that every strength the premiere showcased is just the tip of the iceberg. Halfway through “The Penguin,” I’m realizing that this might be one of the best DC projects of recent years and is certainly one of the greatest character studies I’ve seen on television.

Since we left Oz in episode one, a lot has happened. While he may have escaped Sofia’s blame for the murder of Alberto, the brewing gang war between the Falcones and the Maronis proves to be more dangerous than Oz anticipated. Playing both sides is never clean, and when he fails to both provide the Maronis with access to drug shipments and earn the full confidence of the Falcones, he must frantically shift blame not just to survive, but to manipulate trust.

When this plan succeeds, and Oz gains the grudging ear of Sofia, he finally learns the secret to the Falcone childrens’ plan for Gotham: Bliss, a drug that Sofia encountered in Arkham, which has profound implications for the future of the drug trade. As Oz and Sofia try to gain each other’s trust as well as allies to overthrow the Falcones, Victor and Sofia grapple with their respective pasts and struggle to determine where their futures will lead.

When both realize exactly who they should be and make their respective choices, Gotham will never be the same.

While “The Penguin” has many strengths, from its tight, impactful moments of violence to its beautifully grimy world and the cinematography that showcases it, its character writing remains the strongest weapon in its arsenal. While Oz is shown in the premiere to be a master manipulator, the subsequent episodes flesh out what that looks like and how he must be three steps ahead when everyone in Gotham suspects Oz of being a two-timing con man. Oz’s ability to think on his feet, trust his instincts and see the bigger picture set him aside from most of the Falcones and Maronis – and most of Batman’s rogues gallery – and establish him as the most dangerous viper in Gotham.

Victor is a fascinating case study in “The Penguin,” functioning as the closest thing to a good character this series has to offer. His struggles are wrapped in his identity and who he becomes in a post-Riddler Gotham. Will he let the life he had, one of family and morality, become his future? Or will he embrace the life Oz offers him, full of death and deceit but tantalizing power and opulence? Or will Vic somehow thread the line between the two, becoming Oz’s ally and a criminal in the gang power struggle while still holding onto his soul? Only time will tell.

Sofia, on the other hand, is easily the most fascinating character of the series. Serving as both a foil and a complement to Oz, Sofia also mirrors Vic. While Vic is torn between his new future and a sweet and nostalgic past, Sofia is running from a past that haunts her at every turn. When that past is finally explored in episode four, it creates a terrifying depiction of the horrors of Arkham and how monsters can be created, not just born. Whether Sofia capitulates to that past or weaponizes it to now serve her own purposes proves to be one of the most captivating plotlines of “The Penguin,” and provides one of the most unsettling yet satisfying narrative moments of the series so far.

The genius of “The Penguin” as a villain origin story is that it dodges most of the ways these stories take place. This is neither a story about a villain who was only misunderstood to be evil in the vein of “Maleficent,” nor is it a tragic but conscious downfall of a character who could have broken the trajectory life put them on but didn’t, such as “Joker.” But in “The Penguin,” Oz, who the story is about, is really the story’s true antagonist, while the series’ “antagonist” in Sofia is actually the story’s “misunderstood” villain. It’s a masterful somersaulting of tropes that serves as a breath of fresh air into a tired genre and marks the series as something truly unique. You’re never quite sure whether to cheer or mourn when characters succeed.

So where do we go from here? I don’t know. I don’t know who Vic will become, how Oz can take back power, and what kind of new regime Sofia will usher in. I can’t wait to see how Bliss transforms Gotham and how we can explore more of Oz’s complex layers. And that is the greatest strength of “The Penguin;” every episode has ended with me more excited for the rest of the series than the episode before it. In a “Batman” spinoff without Batman, I’m not feeling his absence affect the story nor am I just waiting around for the next big easter egg to drop on screen. I’m fully invested in this world and these characters, and I’m on the edge of my seat waiting to see where their story goes.

Maybe that’s the beauty of “The Penguin,” in that it shows you that this world is so much bigger than just Batman or even just the Penguin himself. Gotham is at the center, and every character, no matter how small, has a story that I can’t wait to explore.

I give “The Penguin’s” first four episodes a combined score of 9.5/10

Episodes one through four of “The Penguin” are now streaming on Max

Ben Konuch is a senior Strategic Communication student who serves as a writer for Cedars A&E and as their social media lead. He enjoys getting sucked into good stories, playing video games and swing dancing in the rain.

Images courtesy of Max