The Penguin (HBO 2024): The series that dedicates 8 episodes to the Penguin without Batman

🐧 The Penguin (HBO 2024): The series that dedicates 8 episodes to a Batman villain without ever showing Batman

For 85 years, cinema and television have told the Batman universe through the prism of its hero. All villains, all allies, all locations were staged through the eyes of the Dark Knight. In September 2024, HBO broke this logic with a decision as simple as it was radical: to make eight sixty-minute episodes dedicated exclusively to the Penguin, without ever filming Batman, without even mentioning him. The result redefined what a superhero series can be. The Penguin is not a minor spin-off — it is probably the best television adaptation of the Batman universe ever produced, awarded at the 2025 Emmys, a direct sequel to Matt Reeves' The Batman 2022, and the probable matrix for the upcoming cinematic sequel.

This article traces everything you need to know about the series: Colin Farrell's astounding performance, unrecognizable under four hours of daily prosthetics, the eight-episode narrative structure that transforms Oswald "Oz" Cobblepot into a mafia boss worthy of Coppola, the expansion of the Reeves' Universe initiated by The Batman, Cristin Milioti's central role as Sofia Falcone Gigante, and why this series permanently changes how Hollywood approaches DC adaptations. By the end, you'll know exactly where The Penguin fits in the Batman timeline, how to watch it to get the most out of it, and why it remains the most important DC event of 2024-2025.

📺 Why The Penguin is a major TV event

To understand why The Penguin is more than just another series in the saturated landscape of superhero adaptations, one must gauge what it dares to do. No other comic villain had ever alone carried a premium television series. Gotham from 2014-2019 featured a gallery of villains, but centered around a young Bruce Wayne. Pennyworth told Alfred's story. Neil Gaiman's The Sandman is not Batman. Batwoman remains a classic hero. The Penguin is unique: eight episodes dedicated exclusively to a character that mythology has always presented as secondary, with no presence of the opposing hero.

HBO took this gamble for a specific reason. In 2022, Matt Reeves' The Batman relaunched the DC cinematic universe in a dark, realistic, adult noir direction. The film's success ($770 million worldwide box office) demonstrated that there was an audience for an grounded, gritty, mafia-style Batman. Rather than waiting for an immediate cinematic sequel, HBO and DC decided to expand this universe through premium television — a model that had already worked for Better Call Saul at AMC or Andor at Disney+. The series was intended to delve deeper into a character already introduced in cinema without repeating the film, and to narratively prepare for the cinematic sequel The Batman – Part II, expected in 2027.

The gamble paid off beyond expectations. At the 2025 Emmy Awards, The Penguin won several major awards, including best performance for Cristin Milioti and several technical awards. Critics compared it to The Sopranos, Breaking Bad, and Coppola's The Godfather. This is probably the first time a Batman adaptation has been mentioned in the same sentence as masterpieces of American crime drama. To understand the full trajectory of the character who carries the series, a detour through the complete history of Oswald Cobblepot provides the mythological context.

🎭 Colin Farrell unrecognizable: four hours of prosthetics every day

The most immediately striking element of The Penguin is Colin Farrell's physical transformation. The Irish actor, who briefly appeared as Penguin in The Batman 2022 (five minutes in total), reprises the role for the series' eight episodes with an industrial-level makeup application. Four hours of prosthetics per day. Face entirely reconstructed with latex. Widened jaw. Bulging nose. Added scars and imperfections. When Farrell arrives on set in the morning, the makeup team starts at 5 AM so he can be ready for the first shot at 9 AM. This industrial protocol lasted six months of filming.

Why such a physical investment? Because the performance only works if the viewer completely forgets Colin Farrell. The series relied on a risky gamble: to turn a usually comical character (the classic Penguin from comics and Burton 1992) into a tragic crime lord worthy of Tony Soprano. To achieve this transition, the actor could not be recognizable. The makeup literally had to erase Farrell to bring Oz Cobblepot to life. It was at this cost that the performance broke free from any reference to previous versions of the character.

A reinvented walk, voice, and character

Beyond the makeup, Farrell completely reinvented the character's body language. The limping gait (the Penguin gets his name from this walk), the deep voice with a New York-Italian accent, the nervous tics, the eating rituals (Oz constantly eats fast food in the series) — each of these details is an acting decision, not a legacy of the classic character. The result is a radically new Penguin, unfamiliar even to fans who thought they knew the character. This reinvention recalls what Heath Ledger did with the Joker in The Dark Knight — starting from scratch, ignoring previous versions, creating an entirely new figure.

🌃 The expanded Reeves' Universe: the series as a link

The Penguin does not exist in isolation — it is a direct sequel to The Batman 2022. The series begins a few days after the end of the film. Gotham is flooded due to the final explosion caused by the Riddler. Mayor Don Mitchell Jr. is dead. Carmine Falcone was assassinated in the film's last scene. Mafia power in Gotham is completely vacant. It is into this void that Oz Cobblepot sees his opportunity: to become the city's new crime boss. The series tells exactly how this ascent unfolds, day by day, manipulation after manipulation, murder after murder. This thread is found in Carmine Falcone: origins, criminal empire, and legacy of the crime boss who shaped Gotham.

This direct narrative continuity with Reeves' film gives the series a unique function in the history of DC adaptations. It is neither a prequel nor a standalone sequel — it is a MIDQUEL, a story that takes place between The Batman 2022 and the upcoming sequel The Batman – Part II in 2027. This narrative structure allows for an in-depth exploration of the universe without interfering with the hero's main plot. Batman himself is mentioned by other characters (especially Sofia Falcone who knows him from Crime Alley), but never filmed. This enforced absence of the hero forces the writers to portray Gotham as a real city — not as a theater for Batman, but as a complex ecosystem where the mafia, corrupt police, politicians, media, and working classes interact. To grasp the social dimension of this post-flood Gotham, references to Crime Alley and disadvantaged neighborhoods are recurring in the series.

Narrative bridges with The Batman 2022

Several characters from The Batman 2022 return in The Penguin. Carmine Falcone is dead but his children Sofia and Alberto are central to the series. The Maroni clan, mentioned in the film, becomes Cobblepot's main antagonist. The Riddler, imprisoned in Arkham, does not appear physically but his shadow looms over the first episodes through references to the flood he caused. This referential density rewards viewers who have seen the film, without making the series incomprehensible for newcomers. See also the analysis of differences between The Batman 2022 and the Nolan trilogy to contextualize this series' universe.

📚 Eight episodes: the structure of a Gotham Godfather

The series is structured into eight sixty-minute episodes, broadcast weekly between September and November 2024. This structure deliberately echoes that of classic HBO series (The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire, The Wire). The pace is slow, contemplative, almost theatrical. Murders rarely occur and always have consequences that shape subsequent episodes. No gratuitous cliffhangers. No spectacular twists for the sake of spectacle. This rare narrative discipline in the superhero genre has helped elevate the series to the level of great television drama.

The dramatic arc can be summarized in one sentence: Oz Cobblepot, Falcone's despised lieutenant, takes advantage of his boss's death to attempt a hostile takeover of Gotham's mafia. To succeed, he must eliminate or neutralize all rivals: Sofia Falcone (the deceased's daughter, legitimate heir), the Maroni clan, the Russians, the Triads, and several temporary allies who betray him during the season. Each of these obstacles becomes an episode. Each episode also deepens Oz's psychology — his childhood, his relationship with his mother suffering from Alzheimer's, his teenage protégé Vic Aguilar (Rhenzy Feliz, also a remarkable performance). This dual narrative — criminal rise AND psychological portrait — is what distinguishes the series from a simple mafia thriller.

Episode 4 as an emotional pivot

Episode 4, titled "Cent's the Same to Me," is unanimously considered the series' peak. Focused exclusively on Sofia Falcone's character and her past in Arkham Asylum, it interrupts the main plot to deliver a poignant flashback of ten years of the heroine's life. Cristin Milioti delivers a performance that will earn her the 2025 Emmy for best actress in a limited series. This narrative daring — interrupting the main arc for an entire episode to deepen a secondary character — is typically HBO and unusual in superhero series. It is also what transforms The Penguin into an auteur work rather than a mere commercial extension of the film.

👑 Cristin Milioti as Sofia Falcone: the other Emmy-worthy performance

If Colin Farrell is the visual revelation of the series, Cristin Milioti is its dramatic revelation. Previously known for lighter roles (notably How I Met Your Mother), Milioti completely shifts gears to portray Sofia Falcone Gigante. Her character is probably the most complex in the entire series: daughter of the assassinated crime boss, interned for ten years at Arkham Asylum based on false accusations orchestrated by her own father, released to reclaim her criminal heritage — without knowing if she wants to follow the path of crime or break free from it.

This moral ambiguity is what makes Sofia more interesting than Oz himself at many points in the series. Where Cobblepot is a relatively linear tragic figure (he rises, he rises, he eventually falls), Sofia constantly oscillates between vengeance and redemption, between violence and tenderness, between madness inherited from Arkham and newfound lucidity. This oscillation leads to several memorable scenes, particularly in the aforementioned episode 4. To fully grasp the depth of the character, the context of Arkham Asylum — where Sofia spent ten years — is essential.

Sofia also shares with other strong female figures in Gotham a dimension of fighting against patriarchal mafia structures. Like Catwoman in The Batman 2022 (Selina Kyle is also Sofia's hidden sister, revealed in the film), Sofia embodies the possibility of female emancipation within male criminal circles. This proto-feminist dimension of the character, unexpected in a series centered on a male antagonist, partly explains the critical enthusiasm for the series. To understand the family connection between Sofia and Selina, the mention of the Falcone sisters illuminates the entire structure of the Reeves' Universe.

🎬 Why This Series Changes the Face of DC Cinema

Beyond its intrinsic qualities, The Penguin has a structural impact on the superhero film industry. Before 2024, DC TV adaptations were either average-quality CW series (Arrow, The Flash) or ambitious but uneven projects (Titans, Doom Patrol). The Penguin is the first DC series to achieve the prestige level of major HBO productions. It proves three things that will permanently change future DC productions.

First, that a villain can carry a series without the hero. This demonstration opens the door for comparable spin-offs on Joker, Catwoman, or other secondary figures. James Gunn, who is leading the upcoming new DCU, has already announced plans for similar series for Clayface (the horror film scheduled for 2026 could serve as a possible pilot) and for Arkham Asylum.

Second, that a cinematic universe can expand through TV without diluting the original film. The Reeves' Universe is strengthened by The Penguin, not weakened. This logic reverses that of the DCEU in the 2010s, where each film dispersed attention from subsequent ones. To understand the coherence of the Reeves' universe as a whole, the context of the Batman films in the complete timeline is illuminating.

Finally, that a mob drama can sustain 8 episodes without resorting to superhero conventions (supernatural combat, gadgets, costumes). The Penguin is, technically, closer to The Sopranos than anything DC has produced before. This legitimization of the adult format rooted in reality opens the way for future adaptations that can break free from genre constraints. This is probably the most lasting effect of the series on the industry. The gallery of Gotham villains is full of characters who could carry similar series: Black Mask, Hugo Strange, or even Two-Face would deserve their own series.

🔮 The Penguin and The Batman Part II: The Bridge to 2027

The series has a specific narrative function within the Reeves ecosystem: preparing for the film sequel. The Batman – Part II, scheduled for 2027, will have to contend with a Gotham that The Penguin has profoundly transformed. Without revealing the precise twists of the series finale, it can be noted that the end of Season 1 leaves Gotham in a radically different political and criminal state from where the film left off. The mayor has become dependent on Oz. Sofia Falcone has embarked on an unpredictable trajectory. Mafia power is restructured around a new hierarchy. When Robert Pattinson dons the Batman suit again in Part II, he will have to navigate this reconfigured Gotham — not the one he left at the end of the first film. For more on this topic, see also What to rewatch before The Batman Part II? The fan preparation guide.

This direct narrative continuity is a huge creative investment from Reeves and his team. It implies that viewers who want to fully understand The Batman – Part II will benefit from having seen The Penguin. This viewing requirement, which could have seemed a chore, becomes a pleasure thanks to the intrinsic quality of the series. For future viewers discovering the Reeves universe in order, the optimal path is now: The Batman 2022 → The Penguin (8 episodes) → The Batman – Part II 2027. The other important figures of the Reeves' Universe — such as the Riddler or Catwoman — will likely see their treatment enriched by the repercussions of the series.

A Season 2 Expected?

Officially, The Penguin was announced as a "limited series" — a single, completed season. In practice, critical and commercial success could push HBO to order a Season 2 or a spin-off. Several secondary characters from Season 1 (notably Sofia Falcone) call for a natural narrative continuation. It remains to be seen whether Matt Reeves will want to permanently expand the TV universe or focus on the film sequel. The answer will likely come in 2026, depending on production decisions for The Batman – Part II.

📺 How to Watch The Penguin if You're New to the Reeves Universe

For viewers who haven't seen The Batman 2022 and want to tackle The Penguin, here's the optimal viewing strategy. Three possible options depending on your availability.

Option 1 — Everything in order. First watch The Batman 2022 (3 hours), then follow with the 8 episodes of The Penguin (8 hours). Total: 11 hours over two weekends. This is the royal road that provides the full context, allows you to appreciate all references, and best prepares you for the 2027 film sequel.

Option 2 — Series first, film after. Watch the 8 episodes of The Penguin directly, then go back to The Batman 2022 if the series convinced you. This approach works because the series is understandable on its own (the first episodes quickly recontextualize the stakes), but you will miss several nods and emotional resonances. Suitable for viewers who want to test the tone before committing to 11 hours.

Option 3 — Wikipedia and direct dive. Read a short summary of The Batman 2022 on Wikipedia (5 minutes), then start the series. A low-effort solution that works but significantly sacrifices the experience. Avoid if possible.

What to watch after The Penguin?

Once the series is finished, several natural extensions exist. The most obvious: waiting for The Batman – Part II in 2027. In parallel, several comic readings significantly enrich the experience. The Long Halloween by Jeph Loeb is Reeves' main inspiration for his universe — the Falcone-Maroni mafia is central to it. Batman: Year One by Frank Miller sets the dark-realistic tone that permeates the series. The Black Mirror by Scott Snyder features a Dick Grayson as Batman facing a comparable mob-controlled Gotham. The must-read Batman comics are the best entry point to these readings.

🦇 The Penguin Will Remain a Turning Point in Genre History

In conclusion, The Penguin will go down in the history of DC adaptations for three reasons. First, it is the first superhero series to achieve the prestige level of a major HBO television drama — not a flattering comparison, but a real inclusion in the same creative family as The Sopranos, The Wire, or Breaking Bad. Second, it is the demonstration that a villain can carry a long narrative alone, without the opposing hero — which opens up infinite creative possibilities for the future of the DC universe. Finally, it is the performance that transforms Colin Farrell from a respected actor into a memorable figure in a career — his physical transformation into Oz Cobblepot joins Heath Ledger's Joker in the pantheon of great cinematic incarnations of the Batman universe.

For fans discovering Batman through the series, The Penguin is also an unusual but effective entry point. Rather than starting with the hero, they begin with Gotham's crime — with the economic and political structures that make this city unique. This bottom-up approach, through criminal margins, provides a deeper understanding of why Batman exists and why he is necessary. Without organized crime, there's no need for a Dark Knight. The Penguin precisely recounts this need, showing a Gotham where no official institution can stand up to an ambitious Cobblepot. It is in this moral vacuum that Bruce Wayne, in the background of the series, prepares his return. And it is this underlying urgency that will give The Batman – Part II its narrative power in 2027.

To go further into the Reeves' Universe

For fans who want to delve deeper into the Reeves' universe beyond the series, several complementary articles are available. What are the differences between The Batman 2022 and The Dark Knight trilogy situates the founding film in the history of Batman cinema. All about The Batman's cast details the film's complete cast. The Batman – Part II brings together what is known about the upcoming sequel. To place the Penguin in the general context of Batman villains, the dedicated portrait of Oswald Cobblepot in mythology remains the best entry point. And for collectors who want to extend the physical experience, Batman figurines and the Batman posters collection offer several pieces dedicated to the Reeves' Universe. To structure a complete approach, the ultimate guide to Batman merchandise remains the mandatory starting point.