Will the Penguin become Gotham’s boss?

The human side of the villain

But even if “The Penguin” is just as grey, gloomy and rainy as the cinematic epic, screenwriter and showrunner Lauren LeFrance does not make the mistake of turning the main character into a clumsy villain. Although Oz acts as a ruthless opportunist in the gang war and seems to have no promise, aside from all the power struggles, Farrell is also able to tease out the human side of the penguin.

It seems almost absurd when Cobblepot threatens a gangster with a gun one moment and is scolded by his demented mother the next. He looked after her just as carefully as he did his protégé Victor (Rhenzy Felix), whom he picked up off the street and hired as his driver.

“The Penguin” may not be a masterpiece, but the plot lacks dynamism and the villains lack profile. But because the chemistry between Colin Farrell and Cristin Milioti is right, the series’ foray into Gotham City works as an entertaining way to pass the time until the real highlight arrives in autumn 2026: “The Batman 2”.