The results are in, and we here at TV Fanatic have concluded that the first episode of Penguin season 1 more than lived up to the months of hype surrounding Max’s new gangster drama.
Yes, we’re talking about “gangster drama.” Despite ties to DC’s Batman series, Colin Farrell’s gangster antihero has more in common with Tony Serprano than the Joker.
That’s not the only surprise for viewers who know little about the show’s tone or premise.
In the first hour of its release, “Penguin” surprised the audience with its twists and turns of the storyline and refreshing tone. (A “gritty” drama full of humor! Our prayers were answered!)
TV Fanatic staffers Whitney Evans, Thomas Godwin, Lisa Babick and Tyler Johnson recently got together to Discuss the premiere of this exciting new series.
Did you watch “Batman” before watching “Penguin”? If so, does it contribute anything to your understanding or appreciation of pilots? If you recommended this show to a friend, would you encourage them to go see the movie first?
Thomas: I did watch The Batman and now I would urge them to watch that movie first because I’m not sure what’s going to happen later in the season.
While the first episode is great as a standalone episode, Batman gives some things a deeper meaning.
Such as flooded downtown areas. It both explains Batman’s absence and gives a reason for the current situation.
Lisa: I did watch “Batman” before watching “Penguin.” Even though it’s a long movie, I think it’s worth watching it to understand the connections, especially since it’s a bridge between the first film and the upcoming 2026 film.
However, I don’t think watching this film is a requirement for enjoying Penguins.
As an independent film, it works well enough that you don’t need to know all the backstory of that particular film to understand and “get into it.”
Whitney: Okay, so I hadn’t seen Batman before watching this one. But I’m a huge fan of Tim Burton’s Batman, and Batman Returns is one of my top five favorite movies of all time.
So, it’s not that I know nothing, but there are things I may not have realized that I would have understood if I’d seen the movie.
That being said, the pilot episode was great and made me want to watch the entire movie despite being so long.
Taylor: As early as March 2022, when “Batman” was released, I watched it in the theater.
I’m glad I saw this movie first because I was probably a little confused by all the drowned out downtown/seawall terrorism talk, but I think the writers of Penguin did a great job of making the pilot accessible to newcomers. We’ll see if they can keep this momentum going as the season progresses.
I’d recommend that anyone interested in watching “Penguin” watch “Batman” first (if only because it’s of a much higher quality than recent superhero movies), but it’s certainly not a prerequisite.
How do you think DC fans will react to the fact that this isn’t a superhero show? (The pilot had zero mentions of Batman!)
Thomas: Given that the title and focus of the show excludes Batman, I don’t think so. I do think they’ll want to at least make a cameo at some point. It would be great if Batman became an adversary in his own universe.
Lisa: I really don’t think anyone thought this would be a superhero show because it’s about one of Batman’s thieves.
Additionally, the producers have made it clear that Batman will not appear, which I personally think is a good choice. The reason I say that is we all know Batman is behind the scenes. Even if he is not present, his presence is there.
I think not having Batman around makes the plot and the inner workings of the underworld richer.
It allows for better development of the characters and their problems without being interrupted by superheroes just when we get to the interesting parts – in other words, it’s like it’s raining on Cobb’s parade.
Then again, we all know Batman watches quietly from the shadows, so why ruin the fun now? I’m sure this will happen in Batman 2.
Whitney: Penguins isn’t a superhero show, which is exactly why I wanted to watch it. I was immersed in a crime drama with an obvious villain and set in a world I already knew.
I think many people may feel the same as me. I don’t hate superhero shows, but they’re usually not my cup of tea. There are only a few people I have invested in. Coincidentally, one of them starred Lenzi Feliz!
On the other hand, there were probably a lot of people expecting something different, although the promotion did a good job of highlighting what the show was about.
Taylor: I agree with Whitney that the promotional materials convey the tone and focus of the show well.
That said, I’m guessing a good portion of the audience is still expecting the Caped Crusader to make a cameo at some point.
I suspect they were disappointed when Pattinson didn’t show up. After all, Joker — despite having nothing to do with the show’s universe — has done a great job of this lately, building expectations: Modern audiences know villains don’t need to be defined solely by their relationship to their enemies.
What surprised you most about pilots? What are your big questions ahead of episode two?
Thomas: Penguin empathy and occasional short-sightedness.
He’s smart, but he’s creating his own problems to solve. He also felt sorry for the would-be car thief and decided to let him live, which was enough to get fans rooting for the notorious villain.
Lisa: I’m surprised Cobb let someone he didn’t know – Vic – into his circle so quickly. Cobb was too trusting and it could have been his undoing.
But in doing so, Cobb also showed his desperation and desire for acceptance. Vic is a good kid who enjoys being around someone as knowledgeable about crime as Cobb, but he’s easily influenced.
So, I could imagine Vic turning on Cobb one day, whether it’s because someone forced his hand (like Sofia Falcone) or he jumped ship seeing that the grass might be greener on the other side.
The big question I want answered in episode two is whether Sophia and Maroni will start working together after Cobb’s trick at the end of episode one.
Sure, they hated each other, but they probably both hated Cobb more. Will Cobb realize he’s not as smart as he thought?
Whitney: I agree with Thomas and Lisa. I was surprised by the amount of empathy the penguins showed at some points because I wasn’t expecting it.
That’s not a bad thing, especially in this day and age, making sure the bad guys have a fleshed out background so they’re more than just cartoon villains.
But he expressed sympathy for Vic and then brought him in, which felt a little silly because he basically did it without asking any questions. It felt rather sudden, like something certain to come back to destroy them both.
Taylor: I know very little about this show. Since I’m more interested in gangster-related crime dramas than superhero content, I was surprised by the focus and tone.
Although I’ve seen Farrell’s portrayal of Cobb before, I was struck again by his transformation.
How was the casting? We’ve already seen Colin Farrell play the character, but what do you think of the newcomer to the series? Can they hold their own against the backdrop of this living legend?
Thomas: You can tell that Renzi is the least experienced and his performance needs some improvement. Hopefully this will be resolved in time. Sofia almost exudes danger and twisted, insane malevolence every time she’s on screen.
Lisa: Everyone has their own. They all work well together.
Whitney: Since I haven’t seen The Batman yet, I have to applaud Colin Farrell’s performance as not only is he unrecognizable, but he’s incredible on screen.
He dominates every scene and you can’t take your eyes off him, even if sometimes you really want to.
I saw someone sharing Thomas’ take on Renzi Feliz, and maybe it’s because I love The Fugitive with all my heart, but I think he’d be a good fit. He and Farrell work well together.
He does a great job of conveying Vic’s range of emotions during a life-changing 24 hours.
Taylor: I was impressed by the entire cast. Everyone involved did an excellent job balancing the comedic and dramatic demands of the script.
I’ve loved Michael Zegen’s work in the past, but, well… I don’t think he’ll be back for episode 2!
Spoiler alert! The pilot episode takes a surprising turn within the first few minutes. How did you react when Oz shot Alberto Falcone? Would you like to see more Game of Thrones -style unpredictability, or would you rather see the current threads survive the first season?
Thomas: There has to be a careful balance. The idea that Penguin has to outwit himself is unique. I’m not quite sure if the show is trying to create an atmosphere of unpredictability or if it’s trying to prove that the Penguin is the architect of his own power block. Regardless, we’ve seen what happens when shows and movies break away from established canon, and this can become a problem later on.
Lisa: Alberto Falcone deserves everything he gets. If Cobb didn’t shoot him because he was arrogant, arrogant, and a wannabe gangster, someone else would. Cobb is the perfect person to do this, not only because the entire series is about his quest for the throne of Gotham’s underworld, but also because his impulsive nature will add unpredictability to the show.
But his unpredictability is very different from Sofia Falcone. She’s a complete psychopath, so having these two opposites together is going to make for a wild ride.
I wish everyone around Cobb got the same treatment as Alberto Falcone. If Cobb is going to be a deranged thief, let him be deranged.
Whitney: I like a bit of unpredictability in situations that make sense. I think Alberto’s death was obviously the catalyst for the season and probably our only big surprise.
I could be wrong, but I think I’d rather see how all these characters destroy each other rather than having to see people die left, right, and center for shock value.
Taylor: Yes, I appreciate the shock of Alberto’s untimely death, but I wish it was more of an inciting incident to the season’s main plot than an indication of what each episode would be like.
The show does a great job of maintaining a sense of reality despite existing in a superhero universe. It’s hard to maintain that tone if characters are dropping like flies every episode.
Plus, the cast of memorable characters, from Sofia Falcone to Vic to Oz’s mom, may be the show’s greatest strength. It would be a shame if we were forced to say goodbye to any of them anytime soon.
Finally, how do you sell Penguin to someone who hates superheroes because he won’t check it out because of the Caped Crusader angle?
Thomas: I would tell them it has more of a Sopranos vibe than Batman.
Lisa: Scarface uses steroids.
Whitney: I would tell them that they didn’t even mention Batman’s name in the first episode, so just pretend he doesn’t exist!
Taylor: I’m just speaking briefly from my own experience: I’m not really interested in superhero stuff, but the first episode of Penguin blew me away. Easily my favorite pilot of the fall so far.
Over to you, TV fanatics! What did you think of the pilot episode of Penguin ? Hit the comments section below to share your thoughts!
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