WISE Score
Avg. Tomatometer
The Sopranos meets Gotham City in a brutal, brilliant crime saga that makes the Penguin actually terrifying.
95%
95%View →The Penguin is a rare bird: a spin-off that might actually be better than the movie it came from. It's a dark, damp, and bloody descent into the Gotham gutter that feels more like a prestige HBO mob drama than a comic book show.
It is brilliant, well-acted, and incredibly tense, but it’s also relentlessly grim. If you’re looking for 'fun' Batman action, look elsewhere. This is a cold-blooded look at how a monster is made, and it’s one of the best things on TV right now for adults.
This is strictly for older teens (16+) and adults. It’s a hard R-rated vibe that leans into the darkness of the crime genre, so keep the younger kids far away from this one.
This is a gritty mob drama centered on betrayal, murder, and the pursuit of power. While there's a complex bond between Oz and his mother, it's often manipulative and toxic rather than emotionally healthy.
The world-building is top-tier. Colin Farrell's physical transformation is a feat of creative makeup, and the show reimagines a comic book villain as a grounded, terrifying figure in a realistic urban decay setting.
Hardcore violence, torture, gore, and constant profanity. This is adult-oriented prestige TV with zero concessions for younger viewers. It is definitively unsafe for children to stumble upon.
As a character study, it's masterful. It explores themes of class, the cost of ambition, and the psychology of trauma. It’s highly entertaining for adults who appreciate sophisticated, dark storytelling.
If you’re coming to this because your teen just finished a standard DC blockbuster and wants more Gotham, check the brakes. This isn't a costume drama; it’s a grime drama. While it picks up right after the seawall collapse, it shares more DNA with a mid-2000s HBO mob epic than anything involving a cape. If you need a refresher on why this specific corner of the universe feels so much heavier than the cartoons, our guide on The Batman: Why This Caped Crusader is Darker Than You Remember lays out the tonal shift that started with the film.
The show earns its high scores by being relentlessly committed to a specific, miserable vibe. There are no soaring scores or heroic rescues. Instead, you get a city that feels like a wet basement. It’s visually impressive, but it uses that beauty to show you things that are objectively ugly. Critics and fans on Reddit have called it a "standard bearer" for a reason: it doesn't blink.
While the show is named after Oz, Cristin Milioti’s Sofia Falcone is the engine that actually drives the tension. Her performance is a powerhouse turn that turns the "mob daughter" trope into something far more volatile and sympathetic. The dynamic between her and Oz isn't a typical hero-villain rivalry; it’s a race to see who can be the most ruthless while convinced they are the victim.
This is where the "monster-making" comes in. The show forces you to watch how trauma and a "demoralizing reputation" turn people into predators. It’s compelling television, but it’s heavy. We’re talking about depictions of mental health and parental manipulation that stick with you long after the credits roll. It’s the kind of show where you might find yourself rooting for a character, only to realize three episodes later that they are the absolute worst.
Parents often see a DC logo and assume there’s a ceiling on how bad things can get. The Penguin shatters that. It leans into visceral violence—think point-blank executions and torture—that feels much more personal than a CGI building falling down. Much like how this show’s "superhero" label is still a massive trap for parents, The Penguin uses the trappings of a comic book world to tell a story that is strictly for the 16+ crowd.
If your teen is into high-stakes political thrillers or gritty crime sagas, they’ll probably love it. But if they’re looking for the "fun" of the Batman universe, they’re going to be disappointed. This is a cold-blooded look at the criminal underworld where the "hero" is a man who would sell out his own mother for a seat at the table. It’s brilliant, but it’s hollow in a way that’s intentional and deeply cynical. Use it as a jumping-off point to talk about whether Oz actually cares about Gotham or if he's just another parasite feeding on the chaos.
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