Summary
The Penguin’sfourth episode was a standout for the series, according to several key metrics. The HBO series about the infamous DC villain will end up having a total of eight episodes, but the mid-point marked a season-high for the TV show.
The Penguinsees Colin Farrell return as Oswald Cobblepot, a character he first portrayed in Matt Reeve’sThe Batmanopposite Robert Pattinson. At this point in Reeves’The Batmanuniverse, Oz is not yet the fearsome villain from DC’s Rogue Gallery, butThe Penguinpromises to get him there as he attempts to make a name for himself among the warring crime families of Gotham in the wake of the Riddler’s attack on the city. Another key player in the series is Cristin Milioti’s Sofia Falcone, who is introduced as the daughter of thedeceasedThe Batmanvillain, Carmine Falcone. Episode 4 ofThe Penguinwas a backstory-heavy episode for Sofia, covering her time in Arkham Asylum and explaining how she came to earn the name The Hangman. Things culminated in an explosive finale that saw Sofia enact ruthless revenge on the Falcone family.
The Penguin Gains Impressive Numbers
While not all episodes ofThe Penguinhave been released yet, Episode 4 has proven to be a record-breaker for the HBO show. Titled “Cent’Anni”,The Penguin’sfourth episodedrew in 1.7 million viewers in the United States, according toa report from Collider. This marked 100,000 more viewers than the previous week’s episode, which totaled 1.6 million. But that’s not the only bar the latest episode has surpassed.
The PenguinEpisode 4 is also the highest ranked of the series on IMDb, with an exceptional average score of 9.5 from 12,000 reviews. For reference, the second-highest scoring episode ofThe Penguinis Episode 3 with a 9/10. That score also places Episode 4 ofThe Penguinon IMDb’s highest-rated episodes of all time list and on par withSuccession’sfinal episode (Season 4, Episode 10) and Zendaya’s Emmy-winning performance inEuphoriaSeason 2, Episode 5.The Penguinhas been a winner for HBOin general, with the series premiere scoring more viewers in a 4-day period than any other HBO series sinceThe Last of Us, including the corporation’s other major franchise IP,House of the Dragon. At the rate it’s going, it wouldn’t be surprising to seeThe Penguinsweep nominations in multiple Emmy categories next year.
The question now is whetherThe Penguincan maintain its stellar audience numbers throughout its remaining four episodes.Robert Pattinson’s Batman is not expected to cameoin the series, but it seems thatThe Penguinis doing just fine without the enticement of the Caped Crusader. A mid-season trailer forThe Penguinhighlights a bitter war between Oz and Sofia, as the latter seeks to get revenge on her former driver for killing her brother, Alberto Falcone. Fans already know the infamous mob boss Oswald Cobblepot becomes in DC Comics, but it seems that his journey to get there won’t be an easy one inThe Penguin.
The PenguinEpisodes 1-4 are available to stream on Max. New episodes are released on Sundays at 9 pm.
The Penguin
Created by Lauren LeFranc and starring Colin Farrell, The Penguin builds on 2022’s The Batman. The Max series chronicles the eponymous villain’s attempt to reach Gotham’s criminal peak, rising through the underworld in the middle of a power struggle.
