Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		0.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

The Penguin: The Complete First Season 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman March 20, 2025

No, Colin Farrell did not say he never wanted to don the overwhelming makeup and costuming he has to wear to assume the title role of this miniseries. What he actually said was, "I never want to put that [expletive deleted] suit and that [expletive deleted] head on again.” That well reported reaction from Farrell may indicate that this will be the sole season of The Penguin, though there is still talk of an imminent big screen follow up to The Batman, which may or may not augur Farrell, well, putting on that [you know] suit and head at least a few more times. It's kind of interesting in a way how the DC universe, in attempting to branch out in much the same way the Marvel Cinematic (and, let's face it, TV) Universe has, previously offered a quasi-"solo" turn for another iconic Batman villain, the Joker, and if online reportage is to be believed, there are other projects in development that may feature such stalwarts as Bane and Deathstroke, seemingly skipping over higher profile subjects like The Riddler and/or Catwoman. Randy Miller III's The Batman Blu-ray review mentioned how that film's atmosphere was at least as important as any putative storytelling, and the same might be the case with this miniseries, though there is probably more of an actual propulsive narrative offered in the eight episodes, albeit with the longer running time (when compared to a feature film) almost inevitably relying on "atmospheric padding" at times.

One of the reasons that Farrell's tenure in this role may not be as "limited" as the series under discussion is the fact that Matt Reeves is on record as stating that while The Penguin picks up pretty much from the exact point The Batman ended, the miniseries was also supposedly specifically designed to pave the way (and/or part the seas, as the case may be, considering the breaching of Gotham's seawall) for the next installment in The Batman. That potentially tangential aspect aside, though, the basic story here finds Oz Cobb (Colin Farrell, basically unrecognizable) having a fit of pique early in the first episode which pretty much then catapults a (very black) "comedy of errors" forward that sees Oz in an unlikely mentorship position to a struggling street kid who has dreams of being a gang member, Vic Aguilar (Rhenzy Feliz). While the surface tale here would seem to be a document of Oz's rise to power and assumption of the title of The Penguin, there's also a simultaneously compelling narrative involving Vic's "maturation" (for better or worse).

When stripped back to their basics, the "origin stories" of both The Joker and The Penguin, at least as they have been relatively recently reimagined, are actually not all that different, and in that regard I kind of comically thought after reading about Farrell's reluctance to experience the gauntlet of transformation to become the character again that maybe the producers should just go to Joaquin Phoenix, since Farrell's makeup arguably makes him look more like Phoenix than Farrell. Joking aside, what gives The Penguin some of its most distinctive flavor and which arguably sets it part from recent representations of The Joker is a whole "crime family" (or families) element, which brings in a kind of Godfather Trilogy angle, or, perhaps vis a vis the series' emphasis on strong women characters, a Sopranos angle. In that regard, Cristin Milioti's Sofia is a regular scene stealer throughout the show.

There are some obviously intentionally shocking moments doled out through the course of the story. Two might be thought of as shocking bookends. The first is that aforementioned moment of pique which ends up cascading into any number of unforeseen consequences, but in a way, it's the other bookend tragedy that will no doubt provide the biggest gut punch the series probably has to offer.

The Penguin: The Complete First Season 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Note: While this is a standalone 4K release without 1080 discs, I am offering screenshots from HBO's standalone The Penguin: The Complete First Season 1080 release as I think it actually provides a better representation of the look of the palette in particular, rather than offering screenshots from the 4K disc which are by necessity downscaled to 1080 and in SDR. Because this release does not include 1080 discs, the 2K video score above has been intentionally left blank.

The Penguin is presented in 4K UHD courtesy of HBO and Warner Brothers Home Entertainment with an HEVC / H.265 encoded 2160p transfer in 2.00:1. Captured with various Arri cameras and finished at 4K, this is a very striking looking presentation, though it's unrelenting darkness (as in actual dimly lit material) is one of its most defining stylistic characteristics. In that regard, this format's HDR / Dolby Vision definitely allows more shadow detail to peek through the duskier material. The HDR grades also bring some really interesting highlights to the glut of yellow tinged material, making some moments a bit more "golden hour" looking, but probably just as often tipping things over into a slightly sickly, unreal quality which is perfectly suited toward the material. Detail levels are excellent throughout, with the caveat alluded to above about shadow definition. Fine detail on Farrell's incredibly impressive makeup is really pretty fantastic looking, and things like fabrics on costumes and sets offer precise patterns and virtually palpable textures. What I'm assuming were a few CGI enhanced shots may not have convincing realism, but the practical recreation of a down and dirty Gotham is excellently (if disturbingly) rendered here. Digital grain is rather subtle overall, something that I personally prefer.

The Penguin: The Complete First Season 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

HBO and Warner Brothers seems to be taking a cue from the folks at Disney, offering not just standalone 4K UHD or 1080 releases (as opposed to a combo pack), but offering different audio codecs on the separate formats well. HBO's 1080 release of The Penguin features a really impressively immersive DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, but these discs up the ante (in more ways than one) with Dolby Atmos tracks. The Atmos presentation offers the same kinetic surround activity in several action (or action adjacent) sequences, and the glut of urban material regularly provides good verticality for things like traffic noises and background clamor. But even in relatively quieter moments, as in the opening montage of supposed news stories getting viewers up to speed with the story, there's rather nice placement throughout all of the surround channels to create a really spacious and enveloping soundstage. A later momentarily quiet interchange between Oz and an early victim also provides some nice background immersion courtesy of torrential rain. A glut of at times intentionally anachronistic source cues also provide nice beds of surround activity. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. While HBO's 1080 release has a surplus of optional subtitle choices, the 4K release offers only optional English subtitles.

The Penguin: The Complete First Season 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Disc One

• Inside Gotham offers brief EPKs for each episode:

Inside Gotham #1 (HD; 6:02)




Inside Gotham #2 (HD; 4:28)




Inside Gotham #3 (HD; 4:57)

• Introducing the Penguin (HD; 5:09) focuses on the character's "emergence" from the events in The Batman.


• The Origin of Oz (HD; 4:06) was evidently shot when Farrell was still enthused about the character, and, yes, that's a joke. Maybe.


• Welcome to Gotham (HD; 4:23) looks at the portrayal of the city as a virtual character.

Disc Two

• Inside Gotham

Inside Gotham #4 (HD; 5:42)




Inside Gotham #5 (HD; 6:28)




Inside Gotham #6 (HD; 7:43)

Disc Three

• Inside Gotham

Inside Gotham #7 (HD; 8:19)




Inside Gotham #8 (HD; 8:07)

• Gotham Re-Envisioned (HD; 4:45) offers more "urban" background information.


• Becoming the Penguin (HD; 3:09) looks at the makeup efforts required to transform Farrell into the character.


• Who Is the Hangman: Portrait of Sofia Falcone (HD; 4:03) pays homage to a character I wouldn't be surprised to have her own spinoff miniseries.


• Hearts of the Penguin (HD; 3:54) offers a look at Oz's relationships with his mother and his lover.


• A Tale of Two Gothams (HD; 3:53) is another featurette devoted to the urban setting, which in this case offers a bit of quasi- suburban material.


• Victor Aguilar: The Making of a Henchman (HD; 7:23) profiles the character whom several supplements mention was designed to offer the viewer an entrée into the story.

The Penguin: The Complete First Season 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Penguin offers an absolute showcase for Colin Farrell, but I have to say it may be Cristin Milioti's Sofia who makes the strongest impression. The production design (including Farrell's unbelievable makeup) is a highlight and is beautifully presented in this 4K edition. Technical merits are solid and the supplements engaging. Recommended.