'The Penguin' Season 1 Episode 3 Spoiler-Free Review

Oct 9

The newest episode of The Penguin is out, and it has changed everything! I honestly didn’t think that this show could get any better, but after seeing the newest episode, I feel like I need to go back and change the ratings of my other two reviews. This episode not only changed the pace of the show but it also gave us some much-needed information. WARNING!! Contains spoilers for episodes one and two!!

In episode two, we see more of Oz’s struggles with his mom’s deteriorating health and the lack of respect that he commands from the family. This episode also focused more on Sofia and how her family is treating her now that she is out of Arkham. It was also made clear that she was charged as a serial killer named The Hangman, but there were plenty of hints that she might actually be innocent. We also saw Oz frame Sofia’s bodyguard as her brother’s killer, and the pair decided to pair up and take down the Falcone family.

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Episode three followed a similar structure to episode two by focusing on a character other than Oz. This time, we got to see more of Victor’s past, and we learned what happened to his family during the events of The Batman. There was also a new character introduced that led Vic to have to make a major decision about his future. This episode also gave us our first look at what the “new drug” Sofia and Oz keep mentioning is, and it is definitely not what anyone was expecting. It was also confirmed whether or not Sofia is The Hangman and who turned her in ten years earlier. This episode really dove into who Vic and Oz are and what their relationship actually is. Up until now, it has felt like Vic has no choice but to stay with Oz, but when that idea is questioned, Oz makes Vic’s reality very clear. This was the first episode to focus more on answering questions than moving the drug plans forward, which was really nice. I also enjoyed the cliffhanger ending of this episode because it makes me more excited to see what is in store for our characters next week.

In each of my reviews, I have bragged about how amazing the costuming, makeup, and acting are, and while those things are still true, they weren’t what made this episode so great. What really stood out in this episode was the phenomenal writing. It cannot be understated how incredible the writers did with Vic’s journey through this episode, ultimately leading to a decision he can never come back from. The stakes have never felt higher for these characters, and the way that they worked in Vic’s past with his current situation was perfect. There is no other show that has ever been written so well and thought out so thoroughly. There are no plot holes in this show, and as a fellow writer, I know how impossible that is to achieve. I have no idea how the rest of the show is going to live up to this episode, but I am so excited to find out!

All-new episodes of The Penguin are out every Sunday at 9 pm Eastern on Max.

Rating: 10/10

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