Common Sense Media Review
By Polly Conway
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Dark crime drama from villain's POV is tense, violent.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Penguin
What's the Story?
In THE PENGUIN, Oz Cobb (Colin Farrell) is a mid-level crime boss working for the Falcone family. When its patriarch and his son die, Cobb sees an opening for him to gain more power. He ropes in a fresh face, Victor Aguilar (Rhenzy Feliz), to be his driver and to teach him the ways of Gotham City's underbelly. Cobb hopes to introduce a new drug to Gotham, even more menacing than the current crop of "drops," an addictive substance people use like eye drops. Meanwhile, the remaining Falcone sibling, Sofia (Cristin Milioti), is fresh out of Arkham Asylum and has doubts about exactly how her brother died. Cobb also has to deal with his beloved mother who suffers from dementia but still pushes her baby to make it to the big time. Will The Penguin come out on top?
Is It Any Good?
There's no rooting for good guys in this underworld drama, which is a challenge. But The Penguin's Cobb is a compelling underdog, and despite his nature, you hope he gets a win. The addition of some dark humor to Gotham's notoriously dreary world helps (turns out The Penguin is a cilantro hater but loves a good slushy). Under all the prosthetics, Farrell shines through and brings a striking vulnerability to his power-hungry but perpetually downtrodden character. Legendary character actors like Clancy Brown, Mark Strong, and Michael Kelly pop up as The Penguin's shady cohort, and Milioti brings a steely but unhinged resolve to Sofia Falcone.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why The Penguin is the way he is. How has trauma affected him and his choices? Is there ever any excuse for violence?
What do you think about dark reboots of what were once comics for kids?
TV Details
- Premiere date : September 19, 2024
- Cast : Colin Farrell , Cristin Milioti , Theo Rossi
- Network : Max
- Genre : Drama
- TV rating :
- Awards : Emmy - Emmy Award Winner , Golden Globe - Golden Globe Award Nominee
- Last updated : September 15, 2025
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