Given the endless waves of comic-book content nowadays, it was easy to dismiss The Penguin, the latest DC series, as nothing more than another trite adaptation prior to its debut. Then came the first episode, which exceeded practically everyone’s expectations. The show maintained its quality thereafter, despite my persistent doubts it would stick the landing. After the finale, it’s safe to say The Penguin is one of the best shows of 2024.
Despite its superhero setting, The Batman spinoff is a gangster series first and foremost. It’s like The Sopranos but set in Gotham, which, interestingly enough, is located in New Jersey. It only alludes to the Caped Crusader and features no city-ending stakes. Instead, The Penguin tells a personal story about a man vying for power in the criminal underworld and how he’ll do whatever it takes to rise to the top.
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