Colin Farrell returns as Gotham gangster Oz Cobb in the ‘gritty’ second chapter of The Batman saga
Batman spin-off The Penguin has finally landed in the UK and viewers have hailed the series as a ‘masterpiece’. Starring Colin Farell as the titular mobster, the new DC Studios drama is a continuation of Matt Reeves’ 2022 reboot The Batman, which saw Robert Pattinson don the iconic cowl as the Dark Knight.
The eight-part series picks up a week after the film, with Gotham reeling from The Riddler’s crimes which saw the city flooded and crime boss Carmine Falcone assassinated. It follows Oswald ‘Oz’ Cobb – Falcone’s former lieutenant – as attempts to become the kingpin of Gotham’s underworld.
Things are complicated by the return of Falcone’s daughter Sofia (Cristin Milioti), back in Gotham after a stint in Arkham Asylum and staking her claim at the head of the table. Episode one of The Penguin aired on Friday (September 20) and is available on-demand exclusively on Sky Atlantic, which is currently free with Sky’s latest streaming deal.
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For a limited time, Batman fans can get a free trial of the Sky Stream and Netflix bundle for a month. Usually priced at £31, the plan comes with a Sky Stream box, which lets members stream live and on-demand content to the TV using Wi-Fi instead of a satellite dish or aerial.
Sky has brought back its viral free trial, meaning you can bag a Netflix subscription and Sky Stream for £0 for the first month, a saving of £31.
This means members can enjoy binge-worthy shows like House of the Dragon and The Penguin without paying a penny.
The free trial allows viewers to sample the service before committing to a long-term plan while enjoying top Sky titles like House of the Dragon, as well as everything Netflix has to offer. Sky has also slashed the price of its Sky Stream, Sky Sports and Netflix bundle and is throwing in Ultra HD at no extra cost.
The package is at its ‘lowest price ever’ at £42 a month – down from £53 – and saves £216 over the 24-month term if signing up by Monday, September 23. The Penguin is executive produced by The Batman writer-director Reeves, alongside Dylan Clark, Colin Farrell and Lauren LeFranc, who also serves as writer and showrunner.
It marks the first standalone series for its eponymous villain, who first appeared in a 1941 edition of DC’s Detective Comics series. He has since become one of the most iconic villains from Batman’s rogue gallery and was previously played by Danny DeVito in Tim Burton’s Batman Returns.
The character is played by an unrecognisable Farrell in this iteration, with the Irish Oscar-nominee revealing it took three hours each day to transform into the character with the help of prosthetics. Also starring are How I Met Your Mother’s Cristin Milioti as Sofia Falcone – the daughter of the late crime lord Carmine Falcone – with Michael Zegen, Clancy Brown, Rhenzy Feliz and Michael Kelly rounding out the cast.
The Penguin debuted with a Certified Fresh 94 percent Rotten Tomatoes score after 93 reviews. Empire said the series delivers a ‘well-paced and pleasingly unpredictable story’ that feels both ‘necessary and earned’, while The Observer called it a ‘riveting, stylish and fun-as-hell gangster drama’.
Batman fans have been just as impressed with The Penguin and have taken to social media to hail its debut episode as a ‘masterpiece’. Writing on X, @Noah_The_Otter said: “The Penguin [is an] absolutely a masterclass in crime drama and comic book filmmaking.”
@BVengeance267 said: “That first episode was an absolute mind blow. This series is [going to] be a masterpiece. The tone and the brutality this is giving is fantastic.”
@Karthik79956315 said: “Colin Farrell and Cristin Milioti are incredible. The tension and atmosphere were next level. Excited to see where this series takes us.”
@Mr_GJC_23 said: “The first episode of The Penguin [was] exactly what I wanted it to be. Smart, gritty, full of great performances and a story that is a classic Gotham power struggle. Colin Farrell and Cristin Milioti are both tremendous.”
@TweegyBlink said: “The Penguin is peak television. Colin Farrell absolutely nails it and Gotham’s underworld has never looked this good. Matt Reeves’ Batman universe is unreal. Can’t wait for more.”
@JamBudds_YT said: “The Penguin might be the best comic book TV show.”
The Penguin is airing now on Sky Atlantic, try it free here.
Elsewhere, Disney+ has brought back its special offer that lets new and returning customers join the Standard with Ads plan for £1.99 a month for three months if signing up by September 27. With this, members can stream hit shows like the fourth season of Only Murders in the Building, The Bear and new Marvel series Agatha All Along for a fraction of the usual price.
