DC Sets Up Batman’s Most Powerful Enemy

Six episodes in The penguinDC’s Batman spin-off has already cemented itself as the best live-action DC property ever made for the small screen. Crucially, the narrative also justifies the decision to make it a TV show rather than a film set between Matt Reeves’ first and second Batman films. It is, in effect, like a historical drama, as epic as the most glorious stories of Rome, with the same thirst for blood, betrayal and power that Game of Thrones.

The penguin Episode 6 begins with Oz on the rise, working in his new underground base of operations (and no, Batman hasn’t realized it yet), with a grand plan to protect his interests: criminal unification. The “Gold Summit” of the title refers to a meeting between Gotham’s gangs (no two notable parts, unsurprisingly), but the episode is about much bigger stories that affect all the major players.

“Gold Summit” once again is an episode that defines the story, taking the plot towards its climax, but there is no compensation in the entertainment factor. This show does tension extraordinarily well, both in terms of intimate and larger-scale interactions: watching Francis Cobb beg Oz for dramatic intervention in his illness, or Sal Maroni and Sofia discuss their losses, is treated with the same reverence as watching Oz Convince your potential new business partners to rewrite Gotham’s hierarchy. The comic book moments are great, but the character moments are better.

Oz becomes the real penguin in episode 6

How Episode 6 Shows the Penguin’s Story Coming to Its Finest

It was only a matter of time before Colin Farrell’s Oz took its propaganda to a grander platform. We’ve seen him groom Victor over several episodes to buy into his worldview – which comes to a head here, of course – and now, after all that practice, we have the main event.

The penguin did a remarkable job of dismantling the idea of ​​Batman without ever having to include him. In his absence, we have seen compelling evidence that his inability to solve Gotham’s real problem – poverty – is a growing issue. Episode 6 addresses this even more openly, underlining the idea of ​​Oz as a man of the people: a great protector.

The titular “Gold Summit” is the first real confirmation of Oz as Gotham’s crime lord, and not just the slightly cartoonish figure whose reputation is something of a joke. The fact that it comes right after a dramatic loss in the first half of the episode is further proof of how quickly The penguin moves the elements of the story. And when Farrell is as good as Oz is struggling to survive, you really can’t blame the storytellers.

The ending is an inspiring setup for the final two episodes: at this point, we know that Sofia is just as dangerous as Oz, even if her interactions with Eve don’t live up to expectations, and we know Oz’s vulnerabilities. And Deidre O’Connell has done an excellent job of really selling Francis’s tragedy as well as his strength: seeing them interact will be a great moment.

There are very few happy stories in this universe, and almost every triumph comes with a stunning downside, and we’re starting to see more than that. This entire journey is about exploring the cost of Penguin’s rise and whether it will be worth it.

Sofia Gigante is an irresistible presence

Cristin Milioti is excellent even when the material demands less of her

Sofia Gigante, of course, still has excellent value for money. She’s relaxing without having to do much: the most rewarding moments come with her subtle disdain for Oz’s taste and his clearly disgusting cologne. Placing her alongside the much more actively angry Sal Maroni in episode 6 adds even more payoff. They are very different, united by their hatred of Oz, and their union of convenience is an interesting development for both of them.

Sounds like Milioti’s ad performance. She’s obviously been excellent elsewhere, but this is the best work of her careerand even without the flashier material of episodes 4 and 5, she’s irresistible when she’s on screen. There is a cool demeanor to her that is all the richer for knowing what she is capable of, and a perfect observation of a predator with infinite confidence and very little to lose. Her final scene builds magnificently because of everything that has come before and the promise of what may come next.

The Penguin’s supporting cast continues to shine

This isn’t just the Farrell and Milioti show

O’Connell’s description of not only his weakened mind, but also his fear about what he is losing and his conviction not to allow himself to lose too much is a painful reminder for anyone who has ever seen someone go through this kind of painful illness. She continues to deserve a lot of credit for her performance and is completely convincing both as Oz’s manipulator and as his driving emotional force.

Victor’s story remains exciting, going against the trend of auxiliary characters who only serve to advance the protagonist’s story. The most impressive thing about The penguin is that he’s obviously a walking narrative device – because of what he means to the story of Oz – but he also has his own agency and his own conflict. This comes to a head in episode 6, and it’s refreshing to see someone in this universe deal with violence without a kind of perverse pragmatism. And despite John Turturro’s comments about the series’ violence, the way Victor’s “big moment” plays out uses violence in the same shocking way that it punctuates other episodes. It’s not about glorifying or sanitizing violence, it’s about the impact it has on real people, in contrast to the way Oz and the criminal underworld accept it as normal.

While it took a little longer than I would have liked for Clancy Brown’s Sal to feel meaningful, there’s a lot more here for him to work with. He’s a terrifying figure in full flow and with the muscles to support Sofia’s more cerebral villainy.. Interestingly, however, Sofia continues to be the more threatening of the two, because the show chooses to make her more restrained. Sal becomes a little indifferent to his message of thoughtful action, but the idea works well without alienating him.

When TV awards season rolls around, it will be a huge shock if The penguin It doesn’t take top honors, but the supporting cast deserves the same praise. They’re all set up in a way that makes their stories matter as we move into the final episodes, and there’s a lot to look forward to.

New episodes of The Penguin are released every Sunday on HBO.