The Penguin It is a TV miniseries composed of 8 episodes conceived by Lauren LeFrancand is based on the DC Comics character Oswald CobblepotThe Penguinone of Batman’s archenemies. The miniseries, created by Warner Bros. Televisionis the spin-off of the film The Batman (2022) directed by Matt Reeves – who serves as executive producer here – and Colin Farrell who reprises the role of Cobblepott. The other protagonists are Christin Milioti (Tracy of How I Met Your Mother) And Rhenzy HappyThe series will debut on HBO Max in America on September 19, while here in Italy it will arrive on September 20 on Sky and Now TV.
Gotham City, from another perspective
A week after the events of The Batman (2022), Oswald Cobblepott (aka Penguin) is determined to step out of the sidelines and take what he wants: the control of the underworld of Gotham. Cobblepott will do anything to take on the role of Crime Lord of the city, and will have to face several obstacles and adversaries who have the same goal as him.
There is no hero without a villain. There is no good without evil. Not surprisingly, they are two sides of the same coin and therefore neither is less important than the other. One of the reasons that have fueled the popularity of the Batman character is the presence of his fearsome enemies. Their history, their psyche and their motivation have always distinguished these characters and this has always made them intriguing, sometimes even more than Batman himself.
Matt Reeves, director of “The Batman” and the sequel coming in 2026, has done what his “predecessors” had not done. Namely, bring out some key characteristics of the protagonist (for example, his investigative skills) and analyze his psychological journey in various stages, representing well the transition from “vigilante thirsty for revenge” to “hero”. A hero ready to illuminate the dark tunnel in which Gotham finds itself.
The character of Batman is close to Reeves’ heart, and it shows, so much so that he managed to find a compromise between the comic spirit and its authorial imprint, which falls into a much more realistic touch possible and which recalls the thriller genre, taking inspiration from films such as “Seven” by David Fincher. A way to involve almost every possible audience.
Not only does he want to explore this world better from Wayne’s point of view, but he also wants delve into the slums of Gotham and explore its dirtthrough the eyes of those who are stuck inside. If with Batman, the backbone that is placed between the upper and lower levels of Gotham, every type of crime is explored, this time instead With The Penguin you look at Gotham from below.
A piece of the Reeves puzzle
From the first 5 episodes, you can see the intent of the miniseries. The Penguin is a series that it acts as a bridge between the first film and the upcoming second, with the intent of broadening the horizons and exploring aspects that could be cumbersome in the storyline of Robert Pattinson’s Batman. It was probably a good idea, and above all a necessary solution, because in this way space is given to characters that would never take on a larger role in the films, and one could see narrative twists developed at a slow but contextualized pace.
This falls within the Reeves’s modus operandias with The Batman. Even if he is not directing he remained in the production, and his touch is perceived both from a technical and narrative point of view. The technical department is the same as the film, composed of a dark photography that reflects the slums of Gotham and a calm and small-step direction.
Indeed, Oswald’s storyline takes its timeso much so that we can try to understand his point of view and his desire for redemption, after years remaining in the shadow of the former bosses of Gotham. Behind that power-hungry criminal, there is still a man with a bizarre appearance who, after having been through a lot and having remained in the shadows, seeks redemption, and is willing to do anything to achieve his goal.
Not just Cobblepott
The miniseries does not only focus on the story of the Penguin played by Colin Farrell. About the acting of the latter, this time there was some step back. While there is good character writing, the acting was a bit lacking, and Farrell sometimes didn’t seem to be trying very hard. However, he finds the right balance between the characters present and you get to explore the various subplots of them.
Not only Cobblepott, but also the characters of Sofia (convincingly played by Christin Milioti) and of Victor (well played by Rhenzy Happy) have their importance and the right characterization.
Despite the deliberately slow pace, there are some scenes where it seems like they want to speed things up, but that doesn’t jar too much. The Penguin It’s a series that doesn’t bore and that he deserves his chancedespite having some technical flaws. To better understand the direction Reeves is taking, it is necessary to see this in-depth story that will surely fit into the puzzle he is putting together.
#Penguin #Review #spinoff #series #Batmans #Penguin
