Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

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

The Penguin is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of HBO and Warner Brothers Home Entertainment with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.00:1. Captured with a variety of Arri cameras and finished at 4K (both data points courtesy of the IMDb), this is an incredibly striking looking 1080 presentation, though I'll cut to the chase and recommend those interested with the appropriate home theater setups to opt for The Penguin: The Complete First Season 4K, as it offers arguably helpful HDR / Dolby Vision and also features Dolby Atmos audio. That said, the video presentation on this 1080 version is consistently commendable in both palette reproduction and general detail levels. While the 4K UHD version probably offers at least a bit more shadow detail, with that one niggling qualm aside, this 1080 version certainly provides excellent detail levels in relatively brightly lit moments, and even in some considerably dimmer ones. Fine detail on everything from Farrell's astounding makeup to practical sets and costumes is typically great throughout all episodes. It looks like a touch of CGI may have been used (weirdly for some establishing shots featuring ominous skies), and those may not look particularly believable, but on the whole the gritty version of Gotham on display here is rendered with appropriately disturbing detail levels.

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

I'm frankly cheating just a bit with my 4.5 score above for the 1080 release's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, as I am sometimes wont to do when 1080 and 4K releases of the same title offer different audio codecs. The Atmos track on HBO's 4K release of this title is definitely the way to go if you have the appropriate equipment, but that said, the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track on these discs is regularly ingratiating, providing at times really impressive surround activity with regard to ambient environmental sounds in particular. The urban setting provides some standout moments of background clamor and various "weather events" also engage the surrounds. The series features some fun (and intentionally funny) source cues, all of which receive spacious placement around the soundstage. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional subtitles in several languages are available.

The Penguin: The Complete First Season 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.

Packaging features a slipcover.

The Penguin: The Complete First Season 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 here. Technical merits are solid and the supplements engaging. Recommended.