In Penguins Season 1 Episode 3, we delved into Vic’s backstory, shedding light on many of his current actions and motivations.
This week, the show explores a deeper, darker mystery by fleshing out the mysterious Sofia Falcone.
It’s not easy for a ruthless drug lord to inspire sympathy allegedly Serial killer, but the writers pulled it off in the show’s most poignant moment to date.
TV Fanatic writers Lisa Babik, Whitney Evans, Thomas Godwin and Tyler Johnson discuss Sofia’s past, her family, and her shocking act of revenge in this week’s roundtable . Take a look:
Obviously, this episode is all about Sophia. How does her backstory affect your view of her relationship with Oz and her role in the family?
Thomas: Oz did what any low-level, knee-jerk follower would do, and Sofia probably should have known that. But that was before almost everyone of significance in her life, including her father, threw her under the bus.
Now, I think the question is how her trust issues will affect her relationships and control of the weakening Falcone empire. I also think it’s interesting how Oz’s decision ultimately helps Batman, even though Batman is almost a complete non-entity in this show.
Oz’s decision resulted in the chain of command being broken, most of the top brass dead at Sophia’s hands, and the civil war protracted.
Whitney: I’m glad we got this time to fully understand Sofia’s story before we meet her after her release from Arkham. She has been betrayed by everyone in her life. No wonder she wants to take back control of her life and the family that should be hers.
I’ve been relatively cold towards Sofia in general, but this moment was heartbreaking in so many ways. She never had a chance in that family.
If I were Sophia, I wouldn’t trust anyone. She needs Oz because she can use his ambition to her advantage, but you can tell she never fully trusts him, and she has good reason to keep him at arm’s length in many ways.
Lisa: I’ve always liked Sophia and this episode deepened my understanding of her. Her story is truly heartbreaking and I agree with Whitney – no wonder she ended up so angry. Her father’s betrayal and Oz’s betrayal shaped her into who she is now.
I don’t think she ever wanted this life, but the men around her left her with no choice. Now, I don’t believe she’s interested in taking over the Falcone Empire for good. It feels more like she’s motivated to right the wrongs that have been done to her, and Ozzy is definitely at the top of that.
Taylor: One of the show’s greatest strengths is fleshing out one-note characters into dynamic, three-dimensional characters.
We’ve seen the writers pull off this magic with Oz and Vic before, and in this week’s episode, they’ve transformed Sophia into perhaps the most nuanced and sympathetic character on the show. In a show full of “villains,” she might be the closest thing to a hero.
We also learn a bit about Sofia’s father, Carmine, who, like most Falcones, is more evil than we previously thought. Has the new information changed your perspective on your family’s war with the Maloneys?
Thomas: Not really. Within the parameters of the show, we don’t know much about Maronis. Chances are they have some secrets, too.
Whitney: It doesn’t change how I feel about the Maloney family because, as Thomas said, we know nothing about the Maloney family. I’m sure the Maronis have their problems too, but the Falcone family is very cruel.
Lisa: I agree with Thomas and Whitney. Carmine is a monster, but as for the war with the Maronites, we don’t know enough about them. We’ve only gotten some insight into Nadia and the ring in the first episode, so it’s hard to judge.
Right now, the war feels secondary, especially with the Penguins playing both sides. Who knows? Considering Sofia is the last true Falcone (along with Vitti, but his days appear to be numbered), we might even see Maronis and the Falcones team up to take on Oz.
Taylor: It’s certainly possible that the Maloneys were just as brutal (if not worse) than the Falcones. But for me, the level of conflict within Sophia’s family adds an interesting wrinkle to the conflict between the two families.
The Falcones could end up becoming their own worst enemy, which certainly complicates their situation.
This episode introduces Summer Gleeson and Magpie, spending a lot of time in the infamous Arkham Asylum. In some ways, it relies more heavily on the previously established Batman canon than earlier entries.
Would you like to see more of Gotham’s famous characters and scenes, or would you prefer the more independent, semi-independent gangster drama approach we’ve seen so far?
Thomas: So far, these contributions have been fairly minor and don’t change anything about the story. Magpie could be replaced with (insert random name here) and the scene would have the same effect as far as Sophia’s character arc is concerned. It feels like a neat little cameo and nothing more.
Whitney: The two appearances don’t really lead to much, but it’s interesting to see established characters from the Batman universe pop up, almost reminding you that while the superhero may not exist, he’s a central part of this world. But I love that this show doesn’t necessarily require all the famous characters and scenes to be present.
Lisa: It’s definitely a treat for die-hard Batman fans who like to see homages to classics from deep within the universe, but it’s not a requirement for The Penguin. After all, the show is about the Penguin, it stands on its own and doesn’t need to rely heavily on established Batman lore.
As for Magpie, I agree with Thomas – it felt like a quick cameo that didn’t add much other than being the girl who ended up getting hit on the head by Sophia.
Taylor: i won’t say i dislike Superhero movies. I actually really like Batman. But in recent years I’ve grown a bit tired of them.
So I definitely wouldn’t mind if the show stuck to gritty thug content and mostly eschewed comic book lore. Obviously, we’re still in the Batman universe, but the writers have taken such an interesting, unique approach so far.
I don’t want to see them compromise on this and lean too much towards typical D.C. fare.
The performance takes center stage, not only because of Cristin Milioti’s brilliant performance, but also because of Mark Strong’s first appearance as Carmine (John Turturro played him in “The Batman”).
What do you think of this talented list of actors?
Thomas: It took me a minute to recognize Mark Strong with hair (are there any movies or shows where he’s not bald?), but I think he’s just as sinister as Turturro. Both play their characters with a cool demeanor, with the smallest undercurrent of malice.
The most standout performance moment for me was when Sophia got into it. The scene was brief but conveyed a lot – I knew everything was going to be crazy from that point on and it was hard not to sympathize with her character at this point.
Whitney: Cristin Milioti was incredible in this moment. “Penguin” is indeed Colin Farrell’s show, but Milioti not only holds her own among his opponents, but she’s a force in this episode.
In this hour, you can really see her change from a naive daughter to a wrongfully convicted prisoner to a freed prisoner who understands that she can’t go back and can only move forward.
I loved the whole dinner scene because I’m a sucker for awkward dinners in TV and movies. It wouldn’t be embarrassing enough if I didn’t want to cover my eyes at least once!
But Milioti showed subtle joy, heartbreak, and determination as she faced those who helped destroy her, and I loved everything about that scene and the way she performed it. cheers!
Lisa: I agree with Whitney – Milioti did a great job this episode. Her range is on full display, from her innocence during her charity lunch speech to her shock and disgust when she realizes the depth of her father’s betrayal with Oz.
The dinner scene was compelling, but I also found her reaction to Alberto’s news that she wasn’t leaving Arkham to be particularly strong; it felt like that moment that really flipped a switch for her.
Even after everything she’s been through, including Arkham’s bullying and shock treatments, Sofia shows that she hasn’t lost her heart, even though she’s clearly become a new person.
Taylor: I’ve always loved Milioti’s work (everyone should check out her performance in Palm Springs if they haven’t already!), but I was still surprised by the level of talent on display in this episode.
She’s obviously the star of this week’s show, but this cast is always on fire. I’m also a fan of Michael Zegen, so I’m excited to have him back in the flashbacks.
Finally, the episode ends on another wild note. Is Sophia’s act of revenge justified? What do you think of her decision to spare Gia?
Thomas: Sofia forgives Gia just as Oz forgives Vic. The two characters have a lot in common and the show does a great job of showing the audience what could have been and what is. Both Sophia and Oz have extremely cruel sides, but both have a sliver of humanity in them.
It’s easy to defend Sophia’s revenge from a fictional perspective, but it’s still an act of mass murder. Her revenge wasn’t over either, as she spared the most insufferable man of the bunch, Johnny Vitti. I guess he has nothing to look forward to from now on.
Whitney: Does it make sense? In a world like this, of course. Sofia’s own father threw her completely under the bus, and everyone at the table (sans Gia) helped directly or indirectly, but was never someone she could trust or move forward with.
So, her only real option to become the true head of the family is to be the only one.
Letting Gia go definitely feels like a parallel to Oz and Vic, but it also feels like a callback to the Sophia we met at the beginning of the series. She still had that Sophia in her heart.
Lisa: I think Sofia thinks Gia is an innocent person who doesn’t deserve the same fate as others. Gia is from the family but took no part in betraying Sophia, so there is no reason to punish her.
As for Sofia’s act of revenge, I do think it was justified, but the way she did it – using poison gas instead of more violent methods – suggests she doesn’t enjoy brutality as much as Oz does.
She has experienced too much violence herself. However, when it comes to Oz, things are different.
I don’t think there’s any real parallel between Sophia letting Gia go and Oz letting Vic go. Oz’s “compassion” is superficial at best. He’s willing to sacrifice Vic or anyone else to save himself. He keeps Vic around for a reason, but I doubt it does any good.
Taylor: This show keeps finding ways to deliver those crazy twist endings. This reminds me of Breaking Bad.
It’s not an easy task to keep ratcheting up the tension week after week, but so far, the show has succeeded. As for Sophia’s act of revenge – well, it’s extreme, but she lives in a world of extremes.
The writers certainly knew what they were doing when they asked her to rescue Gia. They had just spent an hour cultivating compassion for Sophia, and it would all be for naught if she killed a child.
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