The Penguin Season 1 (Complete) | TV Series

Oswald Cobb rises in Gotham’s underworld, clashing with Sofia Falcone amid a post-flood power struggle.

Review

The Penguin Season 1 is an eight-episode crime saga that spins a gritty, character-driven yarn out of Matt Reeves’ The Batman universe, proving Gotham’s depths don’t need the Caped Crusader to captivate. Colin Farrell’s Oswald “Oz” Cobb, a disfigured mobster with a limp and a dream, claws his way up from Carmine Falcone’s shadow, delivering a career-defining performance—scarred, snarling, and achingly human under Mike Marino’s prosthetic wizardry. Cristin Milioti’s Sofia Falcone, fresh from Arkham, matches him blow-for-blow, her ferocity and fractured psyche stealing scenes (Episode 4’s “Cent’Anni” is her Emmy bait). The plot kicks off post-The Batman flood, with Oz seizing a power vacuum, juggling Maroni blackmail (Clancy Brown’s Salvatore) and Sofia’s vengeance.

Showrunner Lauren LeFranc crafts a Sopranos-esque slow burn—think diner shootouts, a chilling kid-soldier twist, and a finale where Oz’s betrayal of Sofia (sent back to Arkham) cements his ruthless reign. Rhenzy Feliz’s Victor Aguilar adds heart as Oz’s protégé, though his arc ends abruptly. Visually, it’s a noir feast—rain-slick streets, shadowy penthouses—though pacing dips mid-season (Episode 5’s drug-trade slog). Posts on X laud Farrell and Milioti, with a 95% Rotten Tomatoes score backing the hype, but some fans gripe about Batman’s absence. It’s not flawless—subplots like Francis Cobb’s decline (Deirdre O’Connell) overstay their welcome—but it’s a gangster epic that stands tall, teasing Oz’s next clash in The Batman Part II.