Pennyworth: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.5

Pennyworth: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Movie Review

Before They Were Butlers.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III June 25, 2020

Further proving that comic-themed movies and TV shows still have some gas in the tank, Bruno Heller and Danny Cannon's Pennyworth examines the Englishman most famously known as Bruce Wayne's loyal butler. Set in 1960s London, we're first introduced to charming young Alfred Pennyworth (Jack Bannon, Endeavour), a former soldier in Britain's Special Air Service who currently works as a nightclub doorman and bouncer. He's attempting to establish his own security firm but avoids violence, largely due to PTSD and the death of a fellow soldier nicknamed "Spanish" (Ben Wiggins), so Alfred usually takes small jobs that sometimes include former SAS mates "Bazza" (Hainsley Bennett) and "Dave Boy" (Ryan Fletcher, Outlander). Things brighten up after he meets lovely Esme (Emma Corrin, The Crown), a dancer at the same nightclub who takes a liking to Alfred but is unaware of his violent past. As his client list grows, so do the moral detours of Alfred's job and it's not long before he's forced to turn down a few on principle.

One thing's for sure, though: he's skilled enough to handle almost anything.

At least that's how it starts. Without venturing too far into spoiler territory, Pennyworth undergoes a drastic tonal shift right around the halfway point, as the death of a prominent supporting character spins Alfred into a deep depression; this, combined with a jarring "months later" time jump, means that almost everything from here on out plays out much different than the initial setup. It's an uncomfortable shift but feels necessary in hindsight, as this mostly satisfying ten-episode run takes countless opportunities to surprise and disarm viewers who thought they'd be breezing through a straight-laced origin story for one of Batman's most understated but iconic supporting characters.

Another surprise about Pennyworth is its resistance to play up fan service and other easy references to the Batman universe. Even more than last year's Joker, it doesn't bombard us with constant seeds and "what if?" scenarios, instead assembling more of a self-contained universe that could have just as easily stood on its own with a few name changes. Of course some familiar franchise names are not only present but central to the plot, such as young forensic accountant Thomas Wayne (Ben Aldridge, Fleabag) and agent Martha Kane (Emma Paetz), both of whom admire Alfred's unique skill set and enlist his services on several occasions. Incidentally, Thomas and Martha are separately involved in the underground "No Name League", a group that, among other goals, aims to dismantle the "Raven Society", an ultra-secret terrorist group with multi-layered plans to violently overthrow the British government. This particular segment of Pennyworth's serialized Season 1 plot is a bit tough to sort out in the early going, but you'd better try anyway: it's a major component of the story as everything lurches forward episode 10's dramatic, surprising climax.

I'll admit, though, that the whole "secret society" aspect of Pennyworth is one of its less compelling elements, as are some of its more colorful and over-the-top supporting characters such as the sadomasochistic Bet Sykes (Paloma Faith, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus) and her somehow comparatively normal sister Peggy (Polly Walker, Rome). While fine in small doses, Pennyworth relies too heavily on these narrative components and spins its wheels when it could be organically building up other sections of Alfred's inner circle, such as his SAS mates and his slightly eccentric but likable parents Mary (Dorothy Atkinson, Mr. Turner) and Arthur (Ian Puleston-Davies, Tin Star). While some of these detours feel a little drawn out, other aspects of the story feel extremely rushed (especially during the first three episodes), which cements my belief that Pennyworth's weakest elements are pacing and an ability to recognize what really works. Even with those handicaps, this is respectable stuff for a series that (a) is mostly built from scratch, and (b) has plenty of room to grow. As a whole, it's a pretty durable first run that plays a bit better than expected.

Originally airing between July and September 2019 on MGM's Epix streaming service, Pennyworth's dense narrative is still ripe for binge-watching before Season 2 starts in the near future. Non-subscribers will appreciate Warner Archive Collection's brand-new Blu-ray set, which collects all ten episodes (most of which run approximately 50-60 minutes apiece) on three dual-layered discs. Although no bonus features are included, the A/V presentation is reliably strong and the price is right too, making it a decent blind buy for die-hard Batman fans and casual viewers alike.

Pennyworth: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Although the period-specific production design of Pennyworth looks outstanding, this digitally-shot series still features the somewhat flat and CG-assisted appearance of most modern television shows. Within those specific boundaries, though, Warner Archive has delivered a solid-looking visual presentation that gets the job done: wide and establishing shots showcase a very respectable amount of image detail, as do extreme close-ups and brightly-lit exterior scenes. Depth and textures are somewhat limited in other areas, especially with lower light levels or less vivid color palettes. Shadow detail can be a little questionable as well, with occasional signs of crush and banding on harsh gradients and dimly-lit hallways. Still, it's almost impossible to weed out where source material issues end and format limitations begin, and neither should be held against the native 1080p transfers. Warner Archive's typically terrific disc authoring keeps these issues to a minimum, as each dual-layered disc features 3-4 episodes; this is more than enough room to breathe, with episodes often running at a very high bit rate. Overall, I'm convinced that this is just about the best Pennyworth can look on Blu-ray, which is likely even more impressive than its streaming counterpart.

Pennyworth: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Likewise, this DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track doesn't swing for the fences, but does exactly what it needs to at almost every turn. Although much of Pennyworth is dialogue-driven, its (often unexpected) moments of action and suspense elevate this from an almost entirely front-loaded experience into something that flirts with big-screen sonic spectacle. Though rarely overwhelming, the placement of key effects in rear channels gives many scenes a stronger presence and overall atmosphere, which also holds true for composer David E. Russo's original score. Normal conversations, though dialed back in both channel separation and overall weight, are nonetheless crystal clear and balanced nicely in the mix. LFE is reserved mainly for the score, as well as a few stray explosions and heavier shootouts.

Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included during all 10 episodes. These are formatted nicely and do not suffer from any obvious sync issues, but they're placed a little low and barely fit inside the 2.00:1 frame.

Pennyworth: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This three-disc set arrives in a standard-width hinged keepcase with attractive cover art and no inserts of any kind. No bonus features are included, either, which is a little disappointing but pretty much expected.

Pennyworth: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Though it reads like an origin story for Batman's loyal retainer, Pennyworth limits franchise references and fan service while creating a unique and mostly self-contained universe. The grounded stories and period-specific production design also stand in contrast with the majority of supernatural comic-themed programming that has dominated movies and shows during the last few decades. With a full second season long since confirmed (but not yet wrapped, for obvious reasons), it'll be interesting to see where things go from here. For now, Warner Archive delivers another no-nonsense Blu-ray set that should thrill anyone who didn't catch Pennyworth on MGM's Epix streaming service, as it features all ten episodes on three discs with a solid A/V presentation and a pretty sweet price tag. Recommended.