The infamous city of Gotham is one that viewers have been intimately familiar with for decades now. Gotham City has been portrayed in comics, movies and TV-shows for years. Most fans would associate Gotham City with arguably its most famous citizen Batman, but “The Penguin” takes a different approach. Ozwald “Oz” Cobb is the former lieutenant to the late Carmine Falcone, the city’s former crime boss. The first episode follows Oz as he struggles to take over his former boss’ hold on the city and become a crime boss in his own right.
A Gotham Show Unlike Any Other
“The Penguin” is unlike any other show set in Gotham City, and this is because it is not a superhero story but it is not a supervillain story either. It is a crime story. Although the show takes place in the immediate aftermath of Robert Pattinson’s “The Batman” (2022), Batman is nowhere to be seen in the first episode. According to Colin Ferrell, the actor who stars in “The Penguin,” Batman will not be making an appearance in any of the subsequent episodes either.
The show follows Oz Cobb as he tries to fill the power void that was left in the city after the assassination of criminal kingpin Carmine Falcone, his former boss. He struggles for power as he fights Falcone’s family and former rivals. The show picks up where “The Batman” left off but takes a completely different approach to the story. The series bears much more similarities to the legendary mob movie “The Godfather” or the famous gangster series “The Sopranos” than it does to any other story told in Gotham City, like “The Batman,” “The Dark Knight” or even “Joker.” While the show may not be what viewers were expecting when it comes to a Gotham City story, that does not mean that it is not worth watching.
A Gangster Story Done Right
Even though “The Penguin” takes a different approach to Gotham City than viewers have grown accustomed to, that does not mean that it was done poorly. It cannot be argued that “The Penguin” is not a show about superheroes, it is a show about crime bosses and gangsters. Although, it is one that was done really well and it is certainly worth the watch. It is filled to the brim with impulsive murders, the disposing of bodies, visits to former rivals in prison, drug rings and assassinations. It has all the elements of a classic mob story, and is not lacking much in terms of action, gore and power struggles.
Oz Cobb is a perfect example of a dark, moody and complex character that keeps you rooting for him even after witnessing his twisted actions and sinister motives. Ferrell does a great job of keeping the character grounded and real even with the ridiculous amount of prosthetics that the character is donned in.
Overall, “The Penguin” plays a different tune compared to past Batman and Joker installments, but it is certainly a crime show worth the watch. With just one episode released, the story has already gotten so intricate and gripping that it will certainly keep audiences on the edge of their seats as they watch the rest of the series.
j.heaton@dailyutahchronicle.com
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