HBO Review: ‘The Penguin’ Promotes Oswald Cobb to the Main Character in His Story

Spin-offs are always a gamble, because they typically take a character who had a supporting role in a film or series and give them their own platform, begging the question of whether they were appealing only in small doses or the promotion is well-deserved. The DC Universe is expansive enough, with close to a century of comic books to provide inspiration, for many different players to take the spotlight. Following the success of Matt Reeves’ The Batman, one of the most memorable members of the ensemble, The Penguin, gets his chance to shine.

Oswald Cobb (Colin Farrell) has new opportunities in Gotham following the death of Carmine Falcone. His first meeting is with Carmine’s son Alberto (Michael Zegen), who isn’t fond of the opportunist criminal, and he soon sets his sights on Alberto’s sister Sofia (Cristin Milioti), fresh out of Arkham Asylum and determined not to be disrespected. Working with and against many different organizations seeking to fill the void left by Carmine’s death, Cobb takes every chance he can to position himself in a way that will benefit him, with the assistance of Victor (Rhenzy Feliz), a teenager who unwillingly becomes Cobb’s driver and right-hand man but grows to develop an affinity for his ruthless boss.

That Farrell is starring in this show will startle anyone who hasn’t seen the film since he’s completely unrecognizable. The way he walks reflects the condition of his foot, carrying himself as someone who suffers from a physical disability but also enjoys lurking in and emerging from the shadows. He’s most definitely a villain but still ends up in enough precarious situations that audiences will surely root for his success, especially since, manipulative and self-serving as he may be, he’s considerably more even-keeled than any other options, notably the vengeance-prone and unpredictable Sofia.

Farrell, who nearly got nominated for an Emmy this past season for a radically different performance in the Apple TV+ series Sugar, is doing excellent work here. It’s just not a case of him being buried under layers of makeup and prosthetics, but turning into someone very much unlike anyone he’s ever played, far from Sugar and his Oscar-nominated work in The Banshees of Inisherin. He also creates a portrait of a character motivated by desire for power and control but capable of softer sentiments, like caring for his ailing mother and teaching his new apprentice how to advocate for what he’s really worth.

Paired with Farrell, Milioti more than holds her own. After achieving worldwide fame for joining How I Met Your Mother in its final season, Milioti has demonstrated her comedic prowess in follow-up parts like Palm Springs and her dramatic potential in FX’s Fargo. While the latter show had humor baked into it, this performance lacks that in a compelling way, with her tapping into Sofia’s fury at being mistreated and imprisoned pushing her to fight even harder to cement her place in whatever system is going to take over in her father’s absence.

The cast also includes a number of players who have more minor roles and occasional spotlights, like Michael Kelly as a key competitor for both Cobb and Sofia, Shohreh Aghdashloo as another power broker, and Scott Cohen and Clancy Brown as people in high places who Cobb needs to placate in order to give himself a fighting chance at staying ahead – and alive. The vibe is somewhat reminiscent of Luke Cage with so many villains, all of whom have different motivations and are more than willing to betray each other in order to survive.

This series continues the look and feel of The Batman, painting a darker picture of an already grim superhero world. When Victor considers trying to leave Gotham for something else, there’s a sense of hopeless inescapability that takes hold, helping to explain Cobb’s determination to be the one in charge. Those not read in to this comic book world should still find plenty of access points thanks to its strong plotting and web of intriguing characters. Not having the Dark Knight around isn’t a loss since this version of The Penguin is more than interesting enough all on his own.

Series Rating: 8/10

Awards Buzz: While past DC shows like Peacemaker, The Sandman, Doom Patrol, and the entire CW Arrowverse block didn’t end up earning mainstream accolades, this one has an added prestige from Farrell’s involvement and could end up earning top bids for the show, him, and Milioti, as well as in numerous technical categories.