Chris Connor reviews the seventh episode of The Penguin…
The Penguin’s previous episode ended on a tense cliffhanger with Vic and Oz’s mother Frances in Sofia’s view as she and Sal continue their quest for vengeance against Oz. Instead of tackling this upfront, the penultimate episode spends its first ten minutes filling us in on some of Oz’s backstory, showing his childhood and relationship with his two brothers and his mother, adding context to the present-day events and reframing how we see the relationship with Frances. These segments show some of the formative moments that helped shape Oz into the man he would eventually become, rather than feeling like a throwaway these sequences, short as they are do add to the show’s narrative and Oz’s arc.
In the present day Frances has been apprehended by Sofia and the majority of the episode is somewhat of a standoff between Oz and his crew with the drugs while Sofia holds Oz’s mother. We see a desperation in Oz we haven’t often seen previously as he is forced to try and keep two steps ahead, in spite of Sofia’s unpredictable nature. The thrilling denouement in particular is a fantastic back-and-forth between Colin Farrell and Cristin Milioti, the whole series building to this moment.
There is more action in this episode than earlier episodes, feeling closer to The Batman in tone and spirit but never a pale imitation. As has been so often the case The Penguin has stepped out of the shadow of the film that spawned it. It has been surprising how few overarching links there have been to the film and it will be fascinating to see what seeds (if any) are sowed for its sequel. The finale promises to be one for the ages as Oz and Sofia head to a climactic showdown.
The Penguin’s penultimate episode is another strong episode in a series that keeps building momentum and is never afraid to take some unexpected risks. We certainly wouldn’t have expected a ¼ of the episode to be taken up by flashbacks but they feel organic and add to the main plot. It has built a gripping plot, carried by its central pair of performances from Farrell and Milioti. With plenty to wrap up in its finale we can only hope it has the conclusion it deserves.
Chris Connor
