As a dedicated fan of both The Sopranos and the DC universe, I must say that watching The Penguin is a must for any Sopranos aficionado. The parallels between these two works are undeniable, and it’s clear that the creators of The Penguin have taken inspiration from David Chase’s masterpiece.
20 years after revolutionizing dramatic television with “The Sopranos,” HBO has now presented its viewers with “The Penguin,” an engrossing dark crime series that shares a similar atmosphere. This show is inspired by the DC Comics character, and “The Penguin” follows the story of Oswald Cobblepot (Colin Farrell), a powerful henchman who was once under the rule of the late Italian-American mobster Carmine Falcone. As he ascends through the ranks, Oswald is making his mark on Gotham City’s criminal underworld.
Starting on September 29, 2024, the TV show “The Penguin” will debut on HBO. This series has garnered so much praise that it now sits at #124 on IMDb’s Top 250 TV Shows, though it still has some ground to cover before matching the status of “The Sopranos” (ranked #9). Both shows delve into the personal and professional lives of organized crime figures and their families, grapple with the perils of mixing business with pleasure, and showcase exceptional performances from morally complex protagonists. Given this, any fan of “The Sopranos” should tune in to “The Penguin” to see how HBO’s crime series legacy continues.
What Is The Penguin About?
The Penguin is an American crime drama miniseries on HBO, produced by Lauren LeFranc. This series, which serves as a spin-off from Matt Reeves’ 2022 film The Batman, maintains the same grim atmosphere, brooding attitude, and somber demeanor as its origin. In this adaptation, Colin Farrell reappears in his role from The Batman, portraying Oswald “Oz” Cobb (formerly Cobblepot in the comics), a high-ranking criminal associate of Carmine Falcone (Mark Strong), a powerful Italian-American mob boss who once ruled Gotham City with an iron grip.>
In the gritty world of Gotham’s criminal underworld, Oz rises through the ranks, boosting his authority and control. However, this rise catches the attention of Sofia Falcone (Cristin Milioti), a dangerous serial killer known as The Hangman, who is out for revenge against her father’s murderer and seeks to overthrow The Penguin as the city’s new crime boss. After escaping from Arkham Asylum, The Hangman sets her sights on these goals. For those familiar with “The Sopranos,” Cristin Milioti might ring a bell as she portrayed Catherine Sacrimoni in three episodes during seasons six and seven of the show.
I found myself deeply immersed in the world of ‘The Penguin’, a series that unfolds just a week after the demise of its patriarch, resonating with me as someone who appreciated ‘The Sopranos’. The show isn’t only about organized crime; it delves deep into the heartwarming and complex dynamics of family. This dual focus, which was a hallmark of ‘The Sopranos’, is what sets ‘The Penguin’ apart. In this story, Michael Zegen portrays Alberto Falcone, a character who, much like Tony Soprano’s nephew Christopher (Michael Imperioli), grapples with the destructive forces of addiction to drugs and alcohol, as he and his sister Sofia endeavor to uphold their father’s criminal legacy.
In much the same way as Tony Soprano’s mother Livia (played by Nancy Marchand) had to move into assisted living due to her declining mental abilities, Oz’s mom is found to have early-onset dementia. The personal struggles they face, including their criminal activities, make their stories in these HBO crime dramas particularly gripping and intense, with graphic violence being a common theme.
What Classic Crime Stories Inspired The Penguin
While Oz Cobb and Tony Soprano bear a striking resemblance, and Milioti’s performance adds to this connection, it’s important to note that the show was inspired by other crime classics rather than just “The Sopranos”. As revealed by showrunner Lauren LeFranc, Brian De Palma’s 1983 Scarface remake had a significant impact on “The Penguin”, as she shared with Deadline.
Matt Reeves crafted the storyline for “Scarface”, focusing on a character’s rise to power. Instead of exploring it as an epic tale of mobsters, I chose to delve into a psychological analysis of this complex individual. While maintaining a touch of grandeur, there’s also a sense of realism, emphasizing that he is merely a man. This differentiates him from previous iterations of the Penguin in the comics, who were born into affluence and renown. Matt Reeves had already established him as an underdog, being second to Carmine Falcone in the movie, but his family background remained unknown. Therefore, it was crucial for me that he originates from humble beginnings, striving desperately for more recognition and social standing.
By making The Penguin a character focused on psychology, the series can be seen as an intriguing counterpart to The Sopranos. Similar to how Tony Soprano ascended through the criminal underworld from humble beginnings, starting a blue-collar construction and waste management company that served as fronts for his illegal activities, Colin Farrell portrays Oz Cobb with the same larger-than-life presence and captivating menace that made Tony Soprano a complex character.
Apart from “Scarface”, producer Matt Reeves has acknowledged that the 1980 British gangster film “The Long Good Friday” served as an inspiration for “The Penguin”. As stated by Deadline, both films share a common theme of being dark and violent crime origin stories. While “Scarface” was based in Miami, “The Long Good Friday” took place in London. This blend of locations with the iconic New Jersey setting of “The Sopranos” enables LeFranc to transform Gotham City’s appearance. In fact, the gloomy, wet Gotham bears a stronger resemblance to Jersey than Miami’s sunny coastline.
Why Sopranos Fans Need to Watch The Penguin
As a dedicated movie enthusiast, let me recommend “The Penguin” to fellow fans of “The Sopranos”. Both series share a similar cast, themes, and a strong influence from crime movies. However, “The Penguin” stands out due to Colin Farrell’s captivating portrayal of a complex criminal mastermind.
In The Penguin, Farrell delivers a powerful and dedicated performance much like Gandolfini’s iconic one in The Sopranos, both for the same network but 20 years apart. Farrell transforms beyond recognition under a fat suit, prosthetics, and heavy makeup, lending DC the same dramatic weight that Gandolfini provided HBO during its early days on television. For fans who remember The Sopranos’ final season, it’s quite a surprise to see Catherine Sac (Milioti) as an adult again, involved in organized crime just like she was in The Penguin 20 years later.
In the scenes I’ve shared with the exceptional Carmen Ejogo, portraying Eve Karlo, Oz’s girlfriend who happens to be a sex worker, there’s an undeniably captivating and unsettling chemistry that reminds me of Tony Soprano’s relationships with numerous strippers and escorts in The Sopranos, like Tone Christensen’s character, Miss Reykjavík, during Season 4.
The Penguin & The Sopranos are available to stream on Max.
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2024-10-03 00:01