Reviewer Rating: 4.3/5.0
4.3
We finally got some of Ozzie Cobb’s backstory in Penguins season 1, episode 7, and it wasn’t pretty.
Not that we could have assumed it would be anything else, but “Top Hat” does reveal what makes Oz the Land of Oz, well…Oz.
When Colin Farrell said a while back that we’d end up hating Oz by the end of Penguin , he wasn’t kidding.
There’s a difference between dislike and dislike, and Ozzy and I have been riding the “dislike” train together for a while. But after getting a glimpse into his childhood? All I can say is that he is more twisted than I thought.
This guy doesn’t cross the line of morally gray anti-hero – he’s an out-and-out villain without a shred of hope for redemption.
Whatever happens in Penguin’s season finale will only seal his fate as Gotham City’s filthiest, most unforgivable scum.
If you haven’t seen this episode yet, be warned: major spoilers ahead.
Now, where do I start – Sal Maroney or Ozzy’s brother?
In the world of Oz, Sal Maroney almost feels like the lesser evil, and that’s saying something. Because if the Oz backstory has taught us anything, it’s that nothing is sacred—not family, not loyalty.
One thing that has bothered me since the beginning of Penguin is how the writers kept giving Oz these easy outs.
For a man who constantly complained about his lot in life, he was indeed able to overcome some impossible circumstances.
Do you remember the Castillo massacre in the second episode of the first season of “Penguins”? This was just one of many instances where Oz miraculously slipped away unscathed.
Now it’s happened again.
I mean, I know Maroney is an older guy, and yes, he’s angry, but is he going to come down with a heart attack? hurry up. This is a cheap move.
Of course, this fits the plot, giving Oz a chance to tell this story of conquest to his gang of brainless lackeys and make himself look like the big bad boss he desperately wants to be.
But the reality is, without that convenient heart attack, Maroney would have crushed him. Cripple him, maybe even kill him before Sophia gets the chance.
But here we are.
Thrall falls dead and Oz wins again so he can put on a twisted little show for his bunch of idiots.
It doesn’t matter since most of them will catch fire anyway, but still.
Watch Ozzy flex like a criminal mastermind while almost being worshiped at his every move. This is not evil. It’s almost like a cult. These people don’t even have an idea of their own.
Honestly? I have zero sympathy for any of them.
If the writers are trying to equate the real mob with the ragtag crew of Oz, they’re missing the point.
Yes, there are real thugs and some low level thugs, but they are usually sharp enough to think for themselves. Oz’s crew, on the other hand, will follow him off the cliff.
He’s like the Roy DeMeo of Gotham — look him up if you haven’t heard of him.
DeMeo is a vicious bastard who leads a twisted group of followers who carry out his orders without question.
That’s exactly the vibe Ozzy is delivering, except he’s surrounded by idiots who think he’s some kind of savior.
DeMeo, by the way, was eventually killed and found frozen in a box with multiple gunshot wounds to the head.
We can only hope (writers, please don’t disappoint us like Maroney did when he had his heart attack) that Oz has a similar ending.
Then there’s Vic. Oz, who is so “compassionate”, sent him on a mission to collect reinforcements when everything was about to explode.
Why? So doesn’t Vic suffer when all else fails?
please. If you believe this behavior, you are just like Vic – completely ignorant.
Oz wasn’t protecting him; He just knew Vic was expendable and drove him away. Oz may pretend to think of Vic as a son, but when push comes to shove, he certainly won’t.
Speaking of misplaced compassion, let’s talk about Sophia.
She had every reason to take Vic out, but surprisingly, she didn’t. That’s not all that shocking, though. Sophia’s compassion is both her strength and her weakness.
Her only target is Oz, and unlike him, she’s not interested in dragging other people down just because they’re associated with her enemies. That’s why she also didn’t let Gia go down in the gas attack at the Falcone mansion.
However, here’s the thing. I think she made a huge mistake.
I’ve said before that Sophia’s compassion will be her undoing.
She had the chance to have Dr. Rash “deal with” Gia, and if she had taken the chance, Gia could have been dealt with without bloodshed. Dr. Rush could have wiped Gia’s memory and eliminated the threat without anyone getting hurt.
But no, Sofia had to go over, open her mouth, and reveal her thoughts to the little girl.
Why does she keep talking? I have no idea.
But sooner or later that soft spot of hers would come back to bite her. Mark my words, this “Gia problem” isn’t going away anytime soon, and it’s all because Sofia has once again let her emotions get in the way.
We finally meet Rex Calabrese, the smooth-talking mob boss Oz idolizes. As I said before, Ozzy can keep dreaming because no matter how hard he tries, he will never be Rex Calabrese.
Frances did have a relationship with Rex, but it didn’t seem romantic – though I wish they’d explored that dynamic more. Maybe they will. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
Anyway, I have zero sympathy for Frances. She is just as mean as her son.
Sure, you could argue that she played a role in shaping him, but that doesn’t mean she’s the only reason he’s the way he is.
Let’s be honest. In families with multiple children, there are always favorites.
Whether parents admit it or not, children always know. Oz certainly did. He saw how Francis treated his brothers, but most kids wouldn’t kill their siblings like he did.
Jack and Benny aren’t mean to Oz, and they certainly don’t control their mother’s feelings. Their only crime was being the “favored” one in a family where Oz couldn’t stand being last in line.
His jealousy runs deep, and we also see Vic’s jealousy in Penguins Season 1 Episode 6.
Could the brothers hiding in the overflow tunnel represent something when they were being tracked by flashlight? Maybe a little. I mean, Ozzie tries to follow them down the ladder, but chickens out after almost falling over – understandable, right?
But he closes the door knowing it’s raining and he’s probably going to drown? That’s the next level.
You couldn’t pity him even if they did laugh, and I honestly can’t remember if they did.
Oz didn’t lock them in the tunnel just so they could laugh at him (although his twisted mind was wired that way). This is to eliminate his “rivals” so that he can focus all of his mother’s attention on himself.
He protects his mother not out of love, but out of love. He protects her to keep his murder of his brother a secret.
As for that moment with Top Hat, the movie Oz and his mom watched supposedly inspired his Penguin persona? I don’t know if I should call it clever or forced.
Like water and oil, even if it does explain where the idea for his costume in Batman lore came from. It just doesn’t work for me, even if it “makes sense” for his character.
Now, with one episode left, we’re gearing up for the final showdown between Oz and Sofia.
I’m still rooting for Sofia to win, but the writers keep handing the victory to Oz and I’m not exactly holding my breath.
Over to you, TV fanatics. Has your opinion of Oz changed since the first episode of Penguin Season 1? And who will stand out in this war? Hit the comments with your thoughts.
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