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, film 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, or even mentioning him. The result redefined what a superhero series could be. The Penguin is not a minor spin-off — it's probably the best television adaptation of the Batman universe ever produced, an Emmy 2025 winner, a direct sequel to Matt Reeves' The Batman 2022, and the probable matrix for the upcoming film sequel.
This article covers 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 mob 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 views 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 grasp what it dares to do. No other comic book villain had ever solely carried a premium television series. Gotham in 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, without the 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 crime thriller direction. The film's success ($770 million worldwide box office) demonstrated that there was an audience for a grounded, gritty, mob-centric Batman. Rather than waiting for an immediate film 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 deepen a character already introduced in the film without repeating the film, and to narratively prepare for the upcoming film 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 mob 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 total), reprises the role for the eight episodes of the series with an intensely demanding makeup process. Four hours of prosthetics daily. A completely reconstructed latex face. 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 take 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 rested on a risky bet: to turn a generally comical character (the classic Penguin from the comics and Burton's 1992 film) into a tragic mob boss 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 is at this price that the performance was liberated from any reference to previous versions of the character.
A reinvented gait, voice, and character
Beyond the makeup, Farrell completely reinvented the character's body language. The waddling 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 actor's decision, not an inheritance from the classic character. The result is a radically new Penguin, even alien 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 bridge
The Penguin does not exist in autonomy — 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 murdered in the film's last scene. Mob power in Gotham is completely vacant. It is in 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 by manipulation, murder by murder.
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 the universe to be explored in depth without interfering with the hero's main storyline. Batman himself is mentioned by other characters (especially Sofia Falcone who has known him since Crime Alley), but never filmed. This forced absence of the hero obliges the screenwriters 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, mentions of Crime Alley and disadvantaged neighborhoods are recurrent 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 the 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 great HBO series (The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire, The Wire). The pace is slow, contemplative, almost theatrical. Murders are rare and always have consequences that shape subsequent episodes. No gratuitous cliffhangers. No spectacular plot twists for the sake of spectacle. This narrative discipline, rare 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 competitors: 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 noted performance). This dual narrative — criminal rise AND psychological portrait — is what distinguishes the series from a simple mob thriller.
Episode 4 as an emotional turning point
Episode 4, titled "Cent's the Same to Me," is unanimously considered the series' peak. Centered exclusively on the character of Sofia Falcone and her past in Arkham Asylum, it interrupts the main plot to deliver a moving flashback on ten years of the heroine's life. Cristin Milioti delivers a performance that would earn her the 2025 Emmy for Best Actress in a Limited Series. This narrative audacity — 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-winning performance
While Colin Farrell is the visual revelation of the series, Cristin Milioti is its dramatic revelation. Known until then for lighter roles (notably How I Met Your Mother), Milioti completely shifts genre to embody Sofia Falcone Gigante. Her character is probably the most complex in the entire series: daughter of the murdered mob boss, interned for ten years in Arkham Asylum based on false accusations orchestrated by her own father, freed to reclaim her criminal inheritance — 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 revenge and redemption, between violence and tenderness, between madness inherited from Arkham and rediscovered lucidity. This oscillation leads to several memorable scenes, particularly in the aforementioned episode 4. To gauge 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 struggle against patriarchal mob 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 familial 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 mediocre 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 to comparable spin-offs for Joker, Catwoman, or other secondary figures. James Gunn, who is leading the upcoming new DCU, has already announced working on similar series for Clayface (the horror film planned 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 emerges strengthened by The Penguin, not weakened. This logic reverses that of the DCEU in the 2010s where each film scattered attention from subsequent ones. To understand the coherence of the Reeves universe as a whole, the context of all Batman films in the complete chronology 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, reality-anchored format 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 precise narrative function in the Reeves ecosystem: to prepare 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 and turns 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.
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 watched The Penguin. This viewing obligation, which could have seemed like a chore, becomes a pleasure thanks to the intrinsic quality of the series. For future viewers who will discover the Reeves universe in order, the optimal path is now: The Batman 2022 → The Penguin (8 episodes) → The Batman – Part II 2027. Other important figures in 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, finished season. In practice, critical and commercial success could prompt 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 dive into 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 later. 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. 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: wait for The Batman – Part II in 2027. In parallel, several comic book readings considerably 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 essential 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's the first superhero series to reach the prestige level of major HBO television drama — not a flattering comparison, but a real inscription in the same creative family as The Sopranos, The Wire or Breaking Bad. Second, it demonstrates 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's the performance that transforms Colin Farrell from a respected actor into a memorable figure in a career — his physical transformation into Oz Cobblepot joins that of Heath Ledger as the 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 start with Gotham's crime — with the economic and political structures that make this city a unique terrain. This bottom-up approach, from the 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 tells 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 subterranean 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. Differences between The Batman 2022 and The Dark Knight trilogy positions the founding film in the history of Batman cinema. All about the cast of The Batman details the complete cast of the film. 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 material 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.