Maybe you haven’t watched HBO’s “The Penguin” yet because you never watched Matt Reeves’ “The Batman” and have no interest in the post-Nolan Batman era. Maybe you haven’t watched because the Penguin is not a villain you’re as interested in as the Joker or Harley Quinn. Or maybe you haven’t watched because you had no idea that it was Colin Farrell playing the Penguin underneath all that makeup. If any of these reasons is holding you back, now is time to get caught up because you’re missing the surprise hit of the year, and the best gangster show since “Peaky Blinders”.
Set between the events of Reeves’ “The Batman” and the forthcoming sequel, the series brings fans into the gritty world of Gotham’s criminal underbelly through the eyes of Oswald “Oz” Cobb, (dropping the name Cobblepot for a less comic-like moniker). The events at the end of “The Batman” have left Gotham without a true crime boss, leaving a vacuum for a number of potential heirs to scheme for the throne. Cobb starts to make his play despite the obvious handicaps that give him his penguin-like physical presence and his volatile impulse control. As the first season of “The Penguin” unfolds, its intense character-driven drama and confident performances are emerging as some of the most compelling aspects of television this year, positioning “The Penguin” as a prime contender for awards consideration.
Just before the premiere of the fifth episode, the cast and creative mind behind The Penguin gathered for a press room at New York Comic Con (NYCC), offering a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the show and reflecting on their characters’ journeys. The panel featured some of the show’s standout performers, including Cristin Milioti (Sofia Calpone), Michael Kelly (Johnny Viti), Clancy Brown (Salvatore Maroni), Deirdre O’Connell (Francis Cobb), Rhenzy Feliz (Vic Aguilar) and creator, writer and showrunner Lauren LeFranc. With the second half of the season soon to reveal its twists and turns, it’s clear that “The Penguin” is a captivating ride that will keep audiences on edge.
At the helm of “The Penguin” is showrunner LeFranc, who has masterfully woven the rich and dark tapestry of Gotham into a series that is as much about the world-building as it is about the characters’ personal stakes. LeFranc spoke about the challenge of bringing such a well-established universe to life while making it feel fresh. “We had to balance between honoring the world that Matt Reeves and his team created with ‘The Batman’, while also making sure that the story we’re telling is our own,” LeFranc explained. “It’s not just a typical comic book adaptation. It’s a deep dive into what drives these characters—their pain, their ambition, their need for control.”
To explore the visual language that underscores the tension in key scenes, I asked Lefranc about her approach to cinematography and shot composition. She shared: “Oz is a wild man. He moves, he shakes, and he’s always on his back foot. The handheld camera felt natural for him, with its improvisational and unpredictable quality. But with Sofia, who is more slow and methodical, we moved the camera differently—sometimes using rails to create intimacy or distance, depending on the emotional needs of a scene.”
When asked about the evolution of the show, LeFranc teased that there’s even more to come: “The first few episodes set up a lot of groundwork, but the second half of the season really takes it to the next level. You think you know where it’s going, but then things get much more complicated, and we introduce even more layers to these characters. I can’t wait for audiences to see what’s next.”
At the heart of the series is the Penguin himself, Oz Cobb, played by Colin Farrell, but a number of other characters shine in their respective storylines. Cristin Milioti’s portrayal of Sofia Falcone, daughter of Gotham’s crime lord Carmine Falcone, is already being hailed as one of the season’s standout performances. Milioti’s gripping turn in Episode 4—airing just before NYCC and delving into Sofia’s descent into madness—has both audiences and critics buzzing about a potential Emmy nomination. Milioti spoke about how she approached playing Sofia, especially in the pivotal episode 4. “There was something really empowering about playing a character who is so put-together and knows exactly what she wants,” she shared. “But that can also be a challenge because she has to always stay in control, which creates a lot of tension for the character… There’s a scene in episode 4 where you really see Sofia’s fragile side, but you also see her deep desire for power. She’s always playing chess, and that moment shows just how far she’s willing to go. I’m really proud of that performance.”
On the fan reaction to her performance thus far, Milioti added, “If anyone is feeling a modicum of what I felt watching “Batman Returns” —if they root for the character, feel seen, or transported—it’s a dream to be able to do that… I’m such a big Batman fan and dreamt of being a villain since I was a kid, so that was already rewarding in its way. But you never know how something you’re a part of will turn out… To see the reception has been mind-blowing.”
Equally compelling is newcomer Rhenzy Feliz’s turn as Vic, a character caught in a morally gray world after the tragic loss of his family during the events of “The Batman” film. Rhenzy remarked on the unpredictable nature of his role, saying, “Vic’s in a really precarious position in the world of ‘The Penguin’. He’s not a typical hero, and he doesn’t have a clear moral compass. That’s one of the things I love about him: he’s constantly shifting between allegiances and trying to figure out what his place in Gotham is.”
Another crime boss vying for power, Clancy Brown plays the terrifying Sal Maroni. Brown, known for his roles in “The Shawshank Redemption” and “Carnivàle”, brings his signature intensity to the show. “My expectation was it would be just as atmospheric as ‘The Batman’,” Brown recalled. “But when I read a few scripts, I realized it’s a deep dive into the psychologies of twisted people, and I loved that. It just kept getting more intense. Honestly, you haven’t seen anything yet.”
For Michael Kelly, who plays Johnny Viti, the allure of “The Penguin” was the opportunity to work with a stellar cast and a highly talented production team. “When I got on set, I hadn’t worked with Craig Zobel before, but I was familiar with his work. And then you see all these people working, and it’s like, Wow. It was the best of the best in every department. So it was just a thrill, man.”
After the press room, the cast, including Colin Farrell, took the stage at NYCC for an engaging hour-long panel. They unveiled an exclusive trailer teasing the second half of the season, promising fans that the stakes will intensify as the battle for Gotham’s criminal throne heats up. Will the mantle fall to the Maronis, the Falcones, one of Batman’s rogues gallery in the form of the Penguin? One thing for sure is that Emmy voters will be watching.
“The Penguin” is now streaming on HBO.