Unveiled: The Penguin's Secret Ally Revealed

Ah, Gotham! It seems these days, it’s a shadow of its former self—completely outdone by flooded streets and new villains, and frankly, just trying to keep its head above water, literally. In the latest venture known as The Penguin, we find ourselves amidst the rubble, peering through the metaphorical rain-soaked windows at a city that’s clearly seen better days. Showrunner Lauren Lafranc has revealed that what we see in these opening episodes is merely a teaser of the delightful chaos that Gotham is set to undergo through the series.

The show kicks off just after the end of The Batman—you know, that film with a cathartic ending that sent shockwaves through the city’s criminal underbelly. With Carmine Falcone dead and the power vacuum wider than ever, Gotham is brimming with new mischief-makers eager to take the reins. Episode 1 doesn’t shy away from the grim truths, particularly when it gives us a taste of Victor Aguilar's backstory. And while Batman has had his fair share of adventures without donning the cape, most of those adaptations have had a mediocre hit-or-miss kind of quality. Yet, LaFranco assures us that Batman's absence will only serve to highlight Oz Cobb’s rise and Gotham's tragic decline—which is basically an emotional rollercoaster masked as a crime drama.

With Episode 1 nestled snugly in the timeline just a week post-flood, the narrative spares no expense in illustrating the sheer devastation wreaked on the lower-class neighborhoods. As LaFranc puts it, “Gotham has always been considered a broken city, and certainly, at the beginning of our show, it’s more broken than it has been before.” It’s like Gotham is that friend who shows up to brunch wearing the ugliest sweater, and we’re all just politely pretending everything is fine.

Then, there’s Victor Aguilar, portrayed by the charming Rhenzy Feliz, who instantly scores brownie points from the audience as Oz Cobb’s somewhat hapless sidekick. Their chemistry practically oozes off the screen, and let’s be honest—Feliz is one of the episode’s shining stars, outshining even Colin Farrell’s Penguin. We dive into an emotional moment during Episode 6, and there’s already a palpable fear that Aguilar might not make it out of this season alive, which is just cruel considering we’re all just getting to know him! But fear not, since it’s confirmed that he’ll stick around at least until Episode 7. Spoilers, sweetie!

In Lafranc's master plan, the subtleties of Gotham’s neighborhoods, each with their tragic stories, serve as essential chapters of the unfolding tale. She emphasized the importance of showing the emotional weight of loss on communities. Cobb's interaction with his mother and the closing scene between Oz and Victor paint a gritty picture, one that the visual effects team enhances like a really bad filter on Instagram—one that’s on the very edge of being too much. But hey, when it comes to grief and resilience, sometimes, more is more.

The Penguin is already poised as the perfect precursor to the upcoming The Batman sequel, one where chaos reigns supreme in Gotham, and villains are sprouting like weeds in a long-neglected garden. As if we needed more drama on a Sunday night—seriously, can’t a city get a break? Catch all the unfolding drama every Sunday at 9 P.M. ET on HBO, where Gotham just can't seem to catch a break. And remember, in a world where everything's falling apart, at least you can count on some deliciously dark humor to float your boat.