Following Matt Reeves’ 2022 film The Batman’s massive financial and critical success, expectations were high for the inevitable follow-up. However, the form in which the follow-up would take was unexpected. There were rumblings of an Arkham-centric show that would eventually be canceled and plans for a sequel tentatively called The Batman Part II are well underway. Before all that, though, is The Penguin— a brand new HBO series centered around Oswald Cobb immediately following the events of The Batman. 

The Penguin is a masterclass in worldbuilding and storytelling created by showrunner Lauren LeFranc and executive produced by Matt Reeves, Dylan Clark, and Craig Zobel. Gotham City has always been as much of a character as a lived-in and fully realized backdrop. With The Penguin, LeFranc and the rest of the team behind the series craft a gripping drama in the city’s underbelly, away from Bat-signals or smoky rooftops. With the events of Reeves’ film leading to a power vacuum in the criminal underworld, Oswald “Oz” Cobb (Colin Farrell) is set on taking what he thinks is rightfully his, no matter who he has to cheat or swindle to do it.

Also in the running as the next big name to take control of Gotham’s criminal element is Alberto Falcone (Michael Zegen) and his sister, Sofia Falcone (Cristin Milioti), children of the notorious criminal Godfather played by John Turturro in The Batman. On top of that, there’s also Salvatore Maroni (Clancy Brown), still in prison, waiting to make moves of his own. Plenty of moving pieces in The Penguin make it very easy for this eight-episode season to buckle under the pressure of following up such a successful film.

Thankfully, it’s clear right from the first episode’s opening scene that Colin Farrell and the rest of the team behind the series are more than up to the task. The Penguin isn’t concerned about being in the shadow of The Batman and instead revels in the darkness that comes with the territory. Oz is an entirely different lead, and Colin Farrell loses himself even more into the despicable character. The series explores its titular character’s mentality and internal machinations and doesn’t disappoint. Oz’s rise to power is as much of a crime story as it is a psychological examination of what fuels the Penguin’s lust for power and preference for violence and treachery.

Showrunner and writer Lauren LeFranc does an incredible job not only keeping in line with the thematic blueprints of Matt Reeve’s take on Bruce Wayne but also leaving her distinctive mark on Gotham City. Perhaps one of the most intriguing aspects of the series is the perspective of the Penguin through the lens of Victor “Vic” Aguilar (Rhenzy Feliz), a young man displaced by the Riddler’s terrorist attack who, through unfortunate circumstances, finds himself taken under Oz’s wing as his right-hand man. The series does an incredible job of showing Oz’s personal life through the eyes of Vic as we watch Oz grapple with the consequences of dangerous power plays while also trying to take care of his mother, Francis (Deirdre O’Connell). 

It would be remiss not to mention prosthetic and make-up artist Mike Marion’s contributions. Marino evolves the Penguin’s look with subtle attention to detail, making the Farrell look as unrecognizable as ever. None of the performance is lost in the makeup work; the scars and deformities tell a story of their own that speaks volumes to the Penguin’s inherent nature.

Related: ‘The Batman’ Spoiler Review: “An Epic Crime Thriller”

Perhaps one of the most impressive aspects of the writing of The Penguin is the strength and compelling nature of the female characters at its center. Sofia Falcone opens up an entirely new and surprising side of the Batman mythos. Sofia is at the center of the Falcone crime family’s struggle to keep its hold on the city, making the subplots to the series just as entertaining and thrilling whenever they shift away from the Penguin. 

Cristin Milioti is as much of a powerhouse actor as Colin Farrell, providing some of the most tense moments of the season that will leave viewers at the edge of their seats. The crime element briefly touched upon in The Batman is shown in all of its hideous glory in The Penguin, more than justifying this series’ existence. Despite being an adaptation of a (sometimes) corny comic book villain, make no mistake– The Penguin is an HBO Crime Drama through and through. While a few exciting gunfights and action sequences are sprinkled throughout the series, The Penguin is more character-driven than anything else and isn’t afraid to push the envelope with its darker, straight-up, evil story beats.

The strong relationships built throughout the eight episodes drive the series’ most cathartic moments. Conversations are as brutal as fist fights, and the build-up rewards viewers’ investment in the series. Directors in the series, such as Craig Zobel (responsible for the first three episodes of the season), use the incredibly talented cast to its fullest potential and deftly handle the dark story beats with grace so as not to leave too bad a taste in viewers mouths, but instead leave them feeling engrossed and taken aback in the best way possible.

The production designers, costume department, cinematographers, and writers don’t skip a beat in making The Penguin feel like a seamless transition from The Batman. Gotham City is aesthetically the same, and the color tones, camera work, and set designs all feel like an extension of what was created on Matt Reeve’s ambitious 2022 production. Don’t expect it all to be a retread, though– as The Penguin explores new territories and time-of-day settings in its episodes, so does Gotham evolve, giving viewers an entirely new look at the iconic fictional city.

While some questionable narrative threads or breaks in the story can sometimes disrupt the momentum of a given story point, The Penguin is an incredibly impressive series. While it may feel like comic book adaptations have taken a step back in quality over the recent years, this series proves there’s potential to transform the stories on the page into something meaningful, gripping, and tragic. 

Colin Farell’s performance as Oz grips you anytime he’s on screen. As charismatic as he is grotesque (inside and out), the actor, much like in the thematic arc of the show, proves that his character is more than worthy of being at the center of it all. The Penguin is a stellar continuation of The Batman Epic Crime Saga. It will most definitely send reverberations through whatever Matt Reeves, Lauren LeFranc, and the rest of the creative team have planned for future movies and television shows.

Rating: 9/10

The Penguin Premieres Thursday, September 19th on HBO and Max.