Ty Watches "The Penguin"

Last week RD texted and asked if I had seen "The Penguin" yet. I told him I had not, but I wanted to. He said the first episode was pretty epic, and I trust his opinion on things like this, so I decided that I was going to watch it that day.

I'm glad RD told me about this because this show is pretty damn great. I saw "The Batman", where this version of The Penguin was first featured, but he was barely in the movie. And that is a long, long movie. So, when it was announced that they were going to do a series featuring this version of The Penguin, I was interested. I feel that, when given the proper material, Colin Farrell can do some great work. That is happening here for sure. Farrell is excellent in this show. He is also unrecognizable. The makeup people are doing a bang up job. Farrell has been transformed into what I have always envisioned this villain to like. He has messed up teeth, with some gold teeth peppered in there. His limp is due to a foot injury and him having to wear a brace. He over dresses. He tries too hard on his look. They nailed it. Farrell also makes this version sound like a true New York crime boss. He has the accent down to a T. He sounds and acts like a true New Yorker, or at least tv and movie versions of New Yorkers.

Farrell is not alone here on the show. Cristin Milioti is playing a new villain, at least to me, Sofia Falcone/Gigante. She is tough. She takes no prisoners. The episode when we see her backstory, how she got to where she is in today's version of the show, her performance should be studied in acting classes. This is a masterclass. I'd be shocked if she doesn't get award consideration for this performance alone. But, she continues to shine with each passing episode. She terrifies me. But I also cannot look away from what her character is doing on the show. I'm also enjoying Rhenzy Feliz as Victor Aguilar. His role could have been cliched. He could have been a typical kid that, due to dumb luck, found himself working for The Penguin. But he adds layers to his portrayal. He has past issues that haunt him. He has personal stuff that he hasn't fully dealt with in his life. He ended up working for Oz by pure happenstance. but what they have done so far with him has been pretty damn great. These three really bring this whole show to life.

And, if you are reading this thinking it's just another superhero show, think again. I thought that for a second, but after watching the first episode, that's not the case. I'm almost caught up on the show, and to this point, this is a crime show that happens to have characters that share names with comic book people. This is as hardcore as "The Godfather" or "Goodfellas". This is akin to gangster movies that my mom watches and that I have come around on big time since I was a kid. I never think about this as a DC show or a superhero/super villain show. The only time that comes to mind is when they flash the DC logo after each episode. This is not that. This is a hard crime drama that also happens to be incredibly violent.

"The Penguin" is a very good show that has gotten better, for me, with each passing episode. I highly recommend checking it out. It's good stuff. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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