REVIEW: The Penguin – Episode 1, “After Hours”

Review: The Penguin – Episode 1, “After Hours”

PenguinsMatt Reeves' HBO miniseries expands The Batmanis receiving a similar response to the film that spawned it. It's receiving near-universal praise, as “grounded” superhero fare always does, but is it really that good? Based on the premiere episode, “After Hours,” I don't see it, at least not to that extent. It's not bad, and some of its aspects are entertaining and have the potential to get even better as the eight-episode run goes on, but it can't escape its central problem: its main character.

following the murder of crime lord Carmine Falcone at the end of the year The BatmanGotham City's Mafia underworld seeks to fill the power vacuum. A number of men emerge to take charge: Alberto Falcone (Michael Zegan), Carmine's drug-addict son; Sofia Falcone (Cristin Milioti), Carmine's possibly insane daughter who has just been released from Arkham Asylum; Johnny Vitti (Michael Kelly), Carmine's underboss; and Salvatore Maroni (Clancy Brown), Carmine's main rival, who languishes in Blackgate Prison after losing control of the organized crime scene to the Falcone family. Caught in the middle is Oswald Cobblepot… sorry, Oz Cobb, who struggles to survive in a suddenly turbulent sea of ​​hungry sharks who see him as nothing more than a minnow. But will this growing chaos be his undoing or give him a chance to take power?

I don't remember if this was mentioned in the movie or not, but Penguins The title character's last name is established as “Cobb” instead of “Cobblepot” in an effort to make the character more “grounded”, According to producer Dylan ClarkI hate this kind of thing; these people want to capitalize on the popularity and symbolism of these characters and their worlds, but they're so self-confident that they think it's beneath them, so they water down the fantasy elements to make it more “high-minded.” This is why the symbol on Batman's chest looks less like a bat in each adaptation. It can be done to some extent, but it's a fine line to walk, and Matt Reeves' Batman world crosses that line way too far for my tastes. (It also bothers me that so many comic book fans eat it up, like they think it validates their fandom, but to each their own.)

Penguins It does this often, playing to its own tune, picking and choosing what it wants from the comics and making whatever changes it needs to in a way that makes you think you're watching something other than a comic book adaptation, god forbid. And it works most of the time – certainly more so than before The Batman – transforming elements taken from the page into compelling new interpretations. But in one instance, the show becomes a trite mockery of everything that's come before, and unfortunately, that's Colin Farrell's Penguin (I'm sure he'll never be called on the show). He's the same broad, silly look that Farrell has in the movie, and not only is it annoying in itself, but it clashes with the rest of the overly-serious tone. Farrell's performance is like a caricature of Danny Aiello, a lousy comedian doing an exaggerated impression of a movie gangster. It was already bad enough The BatmanBut now he's the main character and he's in almost every scene. Pharrell hinted in the past That he finds such roles beneath him, that this isn't “serious acting,” and that he does it for the money. It shows in his performance, and he clearly underestimates the material, which is probably what Matt Reeves and company saw in him. Even when the show is at its best, Farrell ruins it with his hammy line delivery and awkward, exaggerated facial movements, and I don't think that problem will go away just because it's his show.

***SPOILER***

Also, this version of the Penguin is not a very engaging character. The premise of the show sets you up for a brilliant manipulator who pits all these criminal factions against one another in order to rule Gotham's crime world. And I think the show believes it's doing that to a degree. The problem here is that Oz Cobb isn't all that intelligent – in fact, he's a bit of an idiot. He's a slave to his emotions and impulses, and the way he avoids trouble usually relies on blind luck. In the opening scene of “After Hours,” Oz bumps into Alberto Falcone, who's about to become the new head of the family, and when Alberto mocks him while drinking, Oz shoots him. I know this is supposed to be shocking and immediately raise the stakes, and it does, but it also makes Oz look like an instant idiot. Now, he has to struggle to hide this, and again, he gets lucky when he finds some rowdy kids trying to steal the hubcaps off his car and is able to force one of them to help him. He also impulsively steals Alberto's ring, which he took from rival boss Sal Maroni. This helps him later, but again, it's just luck. Oz didn't know he'd need the ring; he just took it for the sake of it, which was stupid because if the Falcone family found him with the ring, they'd know he killed Alberto, and he'd be dead. He's not even planning to make a power play; he just wants to stay alive long enough to escape. It's his mother who convinces him to come up with a Machiavellian plan to take over the families. It's hard to support a character like this or care about his success.

On the other end of the spectrum is Sofia Falcone, played brilliantly by Cristin Milioti. This is a different version of Sofia from the comics, certainly physically. But she's just as devoted to family, only this time, she's more loyal to her brother Alberto than her father. And it works, mostly because Carmine was killed The BatmanNow that Alberto is dead, Sofia wants to find his killer and take revenge, which puts Oz in a spot of bother. Sofia has also just gotten out of Arkham Asylum, and Milioti plays her with a sense of mystery. You're never quite sure if Sofia is really crazy or if she's just pretending to be crazy to keep people off balance, and her strange antics could either be a pretense or the work of a psychopath. While Alberto is missing, Johnny Vitti is in charge of the Falcone family, and he and his lieutenant seem willing to tell Sofia what to do and where to go, at least when she's home. Is Sofia playing the role of a mentally deranged woman so she can try to wrest control from Johnny? Or maybe she really is as crazy as she seems. I don't know yet, but finding out is the biggest aspect. Penguins That's what I'm most interested in. Whenever Milioti is on screen, she takes over the show, and Sophia feels like she's more dangerous than anyone else in the realm of Oz. Frankly, I want the story to be about her.

Everyone else is fine. No one really stands out, even great actors like Clancy Brown and Michael Kelly. However, that's not necessarily the show's fault; it could be because “After Hours” is the first episode, and Penguins It's to put the pieces in place for the payoff later. And that's fine; I'm willing to wait and see what happens on this score. Now that Oz's move has begun, I think he'll have more say in everyone as he manipulates them, giving them more opportunities to stand out. And while I've been fairly negative, I don't dislike the show. The look and filmmaking are quite good; Penguins was filmed in New York City (and partly at the famous Silvercup Studios), and it shows. It's the kind of realism I don't mind, and the feel of renaming Gotham City to New York works, probably partly because Penguins tries too hard to differentiate itself from the comic book origins. There's also a timeless aspect to this version of New York/Gotham that I appreciate; when Oz and his new partner, Victor Aguilar, tour the seedy part of town or when Oz sits in his car in front of the diamond dealership that's across the street from him, it could be today or in the '70s, and it creates a nice atmosphere. There were also moments that made me laugh, such as the use of a certain Dolly Parton song; many of Farrell's attempts at humor fail, but these are really funny. And, finally, a constant sense of danger pervades “After Hours,” in which Oz constantly feels like his number might be called. One advantage of his silly portrayal is that he always seems like he's outmatched and a hair's breadth away from certain death, especially when he's in a scene with Sofia. Ultimately, that's enough to keep me watching, and I think they could make something of it PenguinsThey just need to get the penguins organized.

Tell us how you felt about the series premiere? Penguins In the comments!

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