One episode of ‘The Penguin’ is already better than ‘The Batman’

Matt Reeves sunk his directorial prowess into the DC Universe and strived to deliver the darkest and grittiest Batman audiences had ever seen. Still, the critically acclaimed The Batman isn’t without faults, and one episode of The Penguin already surpasses it.

The Penguin, which stars Colin Farrell as Oz Cobb, debuted on Rotten Tomatoes at 93%, well above The Batman’s initial 85%. Of course, comparing a TV show to a movie is a bit like comparing apples to oranges. However, it gets significantly easier when both properties are set in the same universe and feature the same characters. Critical scores aside, The Penguin still manages to deliver a fresher story than The Batman.

The Penguin offers a unique POV

Okay, let’s get the obvious out of the way first. Yes, The Penguin feels like Gotham’s version of The Sopranos. Oz’s v-neck shirts and leather jackets don’t help the Tony Soprano comparisons, but that’s par for the course with any mob-centered crime drama. While the story of a mid-level gangster grappling for power isn’t new, the concept of depicting it through Penguin’s perspective is.

The subject of most Batman media is usually Batman. The motivations of his rogue’s gallery filter through his perspective by default. They’re bad guys doing bad things—plain and simple. The Penguin, on the other hand, seeks to add nuance. Oz is very much a “bad guy doing bad things,” but we get a better “why.” The first episode introduces his mother, Francis (Deirdre O’Connell), and details Oz’s long-simmering dream of becoming a respected mobster.

While Penguin is one of Batman’s most famous foes, he isn’t necessarily the most complicated, but you wouldn’t know that by just watching The Penguin. Creator Lauren LeFranc and Co. give Oz emotional depth that quickly surpasses Robert Pattinson’s moody, brooding Caped Crusader. The version of Bruce Wayne we meet in The Batman is young and freshly damaged. It’s a unique take on the character, but it falls flat nonetheless. Externally, his detective skills get a little better. Internally, he is pretty stagnant. And just saying it’s “Year 1 Batman” shouldn’t excuse the lack of character development.

By contrast, The Penguin’s first episode showcases the full spectrum of Oz’s character. He shoots a man in cold blood just for laughing at him, then confesses the deed to his mother after she scolds him for lying. In the meantime, he bonds with Victor Aguilar (Rhenzy Feliz), a young criminal who Oz undoubtedly sees some of himself in. Farrell’s compelling performance in The Batman carries over to the series and perhaps captures Reeves’ more realistic take on Gotham better than any other villain could.

I thank The Batman for giving us this version of Penguin, and that’s where the gratitude ends. For a three-hour-long movie, The Batman didn’t deliver what it promised. Awkward pacing and hollow dialogue resulted in a bland thriller instead of a riveting tale of an early Batman finding his identity. One episode in, and The Penguin proves itself well-paced and well-acted. It promises an exploration of Oz’s rise to power in Gotham’s criminal underworld, and so far, it’s delivering.