The Penguin Episode 1: "After Hours" recap and review

The best way to start a spin-off is to connect it to the source material. Sometimes the viewer hasn’t seen the previous project and needs to know what’s happening. That’s what The Penguin did in the first couple of minutes.

The Penguin begins with the flood of Gotham caused by Riddler toward the end of The Batman to give a quick look at the city. This was well done and showed the audience they were getting a show that pays attention to detail. Then, instead of dwelling on the past, they get right to the star of the show, Oswald "Oz" Cobb.

WARNING! Minor spoilers ahead!

In any universe, Oswlad knows where the bodies are buried. He isn’t physically stronger or faster than anyone and looks unassuming. Instead of taking it personally, he uses it as an advantage. We see this as Oz goes to Carmine Falcone's secret stash and steals incriminating pictures of powerful people.

It's too bad Alberto Faclone doesn't understand that Oz isn't someone to be laughed at. I meant literally. Oz shoots the newest head of the Falcone Family for laughing at him. Oz immediately regrets it, but it's great for viewers. This is where the show truly starts.

This happens in the first thirteen minutes of the episodes and establishes two things. First, that Oz can be impulsive. Something that will come into play later in the series. Second, that no one should underestimate him. Both are important things to note as The Penguin continues.

"Nine times out of ten these top-tier guys wanna meet face to face to feel big, so I make myself small, they feel better about themselves, and I get to go back to work." -Oz Cobb

As the story continues, you see the kind of person Oz is. Yes, he’s a deplorable person who sells drugs and kills people. That part shouldn’t be forgotten. However, he’s liked by the people who work for him. The sex workers smile when they see him. His crew isn't afraid to talk about what’s gone wrong. He even has people to go to when he needs an alibi. While all that is good, the most humanizing part came when he met Victor Aguilar.

Victor Aguilar and his friends attempted to steal the wheels of Oz’s car and got caught. Oz is about to kill Vic, then the kid stutters. It looked like Oz saw some of himself in Vic and did more than let him live. He brought him into the life, gave him a job, and took him to his mother's house (something Oz has never done). Like executive producer and showrunner Lauren LeFranc said during an interview, "Why doesn't Oz get a Robin? Batman gets one. So that is where I started."

"Tell me that I'm...that I'm too emotional, and that I have an overactive imagination, and that I shouldn't take things so personally. " -Sofia Falcone

The introduction of Sofia Falcone starts with her appearing subtle and calm but you could tell she was very much in control. She asserts her dominance the second she walks in. The men in the room are quiet. Seeing this, Oz quickly tries to leave. Sofia intercepts Oz and forces him into an impromptu lunch with her. That’s when we see the side that scares people.

It isn’t Sofia eating with her hands. It’s how much she remembers and her attention to detail. She didn’t forget her father paid her to keep her elbows off the table or the guards making her read the articles about her being The Hangman (both heavily play into her personality). She also remembered that her brother pitched an idea to her that Oz said was his own.

As they're having this conversation, something in her eyes changes and you’re reminded that she’s the daughter of a crime kingpin who was raised at his knee. She knows the game inside and out. Later, Oz understands that Sofia is the one person his games don't work on, at least for now. We'll have to wait and see if even she's not immune to the games of Oz.

Overall, this was a fantastic first episode. Did it need a Thursday premiere? Probably not, but maybe this is Max and HBO experimenting with releasing shows on different days of the week. Nevertheless, this was the right way to start a show.

The Penguin establishes all of the characters perfectly. Oz is shown to know who he is and what he looks like. It may have taken years to get the confidence to use this as a strength, but he did it. He understands that important men need their egos stroked and that he can’t look weak in front of them.

Victor Aguilar is the perfect character to be Oz’s protege. He doesn’t understand Oz’s life but Vic appears to be a quick study. More importantly, Vic seems loyal. When Oz needed him to do something drastic, he didn’t hesitate and got the job done. Vic getting things quickly will be a key factor in Oz’s rise or fall. Pay close attention to everything he does throughout the series.

When it comes to Sofia, things are going to get more complicated as the story progresses. She’s either crazy, dealing with past trauma, or both and more. How that's going to play out should be interesting. You don't get sent to Arkham Asylum and survive without being dangerous and clever. The latter being the most important.

Sofia learns her brother's fate, but not how it happened. That doesn’t permanently absolve Oz of the deed. She’ll eventually start to see how things connect back to Oz. By then, it may be too late but Oz should beware. Sofia could prove too unstable to solve problems diplomatically. Stay tuned to Caped Crusades to see if and when that happens.

Did you watch the premiere of The Penguin? What did you think? We want to hear from you. You can email us at entertainment@fansided.com.