As a devoted viewer of The Penguin and a longtime fan of Gotham City, I must admit that the season finale left me with a bittersweet feeling. On one hand, the emotional depth and tour de force performances were simply outstanding, but on the other, the Bat Signal appearance at the end felt like an unnecessary intrusion.
Heads up, fellow fans! If you haven’t caught up with The Penguin’s season finale on HBO or streamed it through Max, I must warn you: There are some major spoilers ahead!
Following its debut, The Penguin appeared poised to shine as a favorite amidst the 2024 TV lineup, and the intense crime drama created by Lauren LeFranc certainly didn’t disappoint. In fact, the season finale was packed with profound emotions and outstanding performances from Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Deidre O’Connell, Rhenzy Feliz, whose last scene was particularly heart-wrenching. For over an hour, it was a grade A+ show.
However, to be frankly over-the-top (yet without a drop of saliva), the climax’s almost flawless conclusion is almost ruined by the show’s brief link to Matt Reeves’ upcoming Batman film(s) – the Bat Signal. But honestly, it was just 1.5 seconds long, which I wish hadn’t occurred at all.
Why Give Fans The Bat Signal Now?
From the start, the creative minds behind “The Penguin” made it clear that Robert Pattinson’s Batman (or Bruce Wayne) would not appear in the series, choosing instead to maintain a more realistic, crime-drama focus. However, subtle hints like references to The Riddler and shared cast members suggest that this show takes place within the same universe without fully abandoning it.
Despite this, many viewers either weren’t aware of the decision or chose to disagree with it, as the absence of Batman references has been a topic of intense debate among fans. Some, including myself, believe that excluding Batman is reasonable given that the vigilante is still establishing himself in Gotham City during The Penguin’s timeframe, making it unlikely for him to monitor Oz’s area consistently.
However, some people think that incidents like Oz’s underground operation blowing up would certainly catch Batman’s notice. Therefore, this group might find satisfaction in seeing the signal appearing in the final moments. Yet, I suspect many would view it as coming too late and insufficient.
Instead of introducing it earlier in the season, it might have given fans the impression that it was a signal for the appearance of the Caped Crusader before the end of the season, leading to more disappointment when it didn’t materialize. However, not having it at all this season and focusing solely on Oz would solve the problem.
The Letter To Sofia Was Already A Perfect Callback
I truly think the episode stuck the easter egg landing, if you want to call it that, with the letter from Selina Kyle that Dr. Rush brought to the once-again institutionalized Sofia, teasing their potential future relationship in Matt Reeves’ The Batman: Part II or a potential second season of The Penguin. I loved the series going that route, since I admittedly hadn’t thought all that much about their familial ties before now, since I wasn’t sure if Sofia would even survive beyond the finale.
If Milioti doesn’t reprise her role as Sofia Falcone, it would be disappointing, but the potential for Sofia to interact with Zoë Kravitz’s Selina – whether through collaboration or conflict – is a tantalizing prospect that fans can savor until new projects emerge. This idea has the potential to flourish in the imaginations of fans in various ways.
However, the appearance of the Bat Signal in the sky doesn’t provide any additional details about the nature of the crime or crisis at hand. It seems there’s no hint suggesting that either Oz or Eve Karlo have noticed it from their penthouse windows either.
A Shot Of A New Bat-Device Or Vehicle Would Have Worked Better
In the hypothetical scenario where The Bat Signal didn’t appear in “The Penguin,” but instead made its debut there, I could understand that being somewhat intriguing. However, given our prior familiarity with it from “The Batman,” even a fresh design would fall short of making a significant impact.
Even I might have felt a bit excited if the HBO series had concluded with a brief glimpse of an initial Batwing model or a futuristic Batmobile speeding past Oz’s penthouse instead. Granted, introducing more complex vehicles at this stage could be premature, but my suggestion is simply that the ending should have offered something intriguing for Robert Pattinson’s Dark Knight character to ponder upon, if it was meant to leave us contemplating him in any way.
In my last glimpse of The Penguin, it reminded me of Gotham’s series finale with its climactic proto-signal beam and the solitary image of Batman in his costume for the first time. This closing sequence stirred up debate initially, but given the show’s development, this type of unveiling felt fitting. It left the vigilante’s subsequent adventures purely within viewers’ imaginations.
Although it’s uncomfortable to admit, I believe it’s best for us to confront the heart-wrenching scene where Francis, with tears in her eyes, stares out of the window, struggling to express her deep misery. Meanwhile, Oz boasts arrogantly, making another woman express pride in him. This is a situation so torturous that even Batman, with all his years of training, wouldn’t be able to resolve it.
Essentially, that radiant phenomenon in the sky isn’t so much a symbol of hope as it is a reminder that even heroes can’t rescue every soul. Moving on, I’m running late for my rendezvous with Dr. Rush, and let me assure you, he won’t be hearing any of my major secrets.
R.I.P. Victor Aguilar. We hardly knew ye, but want to avenge your murder all the same.
Read More
Sorry. No data so far.
2024-11-11 06:37