THE PENGUIN Poll And Spoiler Discussion: What Did You Make Of HBO's THE BATMAN Spin-Off Series?

THE PENGUIN Poll And Spoiler Discussion: What Did You Make Of HBO's THE BATMAN Spin-Off Series?

The Penguin finished up with a shocking final episode this last Sunday, and we want to know what CBM's readers made of HBO's The Batman spin-off series overall...

By MarkCassidy - Nov 12, 2024 04:11 PM EST
Filed Under: The Batman

There was quite a bit of anticipation for The Penguin following the massive success and popularity of The Batman, but we're not sure anyone was expecting the HBO series to strike such a chord with viewers, and a lot of fans seem to feel that the show might actually better than Matt Reeves' film.

Not everyone was won over, however, and some have criticised the violent spin-off for attempting to emulate other villain-focused crime dramas such as The Sopranos and Breaking Bad(?), while falling short.

Others are of the opinion that The Penguin never really felt like it was playing out in the same universe as The Batman, and that an appearance from (or even a couple of mentions of) the Dark Knight would have helped to establish a similar tone.

The Penguin's finale episode, "A Great or Little Thing," aired on Sunday, and the show concluded with Oz Cobb finally ascending to the top of Gotham's criminal underworld after sending Sofia Falcone back to Arkham and ruthlessly killing his loyal protégé, Victor.

Oz now believes he's untouchable, but the final shot of the Bat-Signal illuminating the skyline makes it clear that the Caped Crusader will soon be paying him a visit.

We want to know what you made of this first season (more have been discussed, but not confirmed) of The Penguin, so be sure to vote in the poll at the link below.

SuperSurvey.com

The Penguin stars Colin Farrell (Oz Cobb), Cristin Milioti (Sofia Falcone), Rhenzy Feliz (Victor Aguilar), Michael Kelly (Johnny Viti), Shohreh Aghdashloo (Nadia Maroni), Deirdre O’Connell (Francis Cobb), Clancy Brown (Salvatore Maroni), James Madio (Milos Grapa), Scott Cohen (Luca Falcone), Michael Zegen (Alberto Falcone), Carmen Ejogo (Eve Karlo), and Theo Rossi (Dr. Julian Rush).

The eight-episode DC Studios drama series continues The Batman epic crime saga that filmmaker Matt Reeves began with Warner Bros. Pictures’ global blockbuster The Batman, and centers on the character played by Farrell in the film.

The series is executive produced by Matt Reeves, Dylan Clark, Colin Farrell, Lauren LeFranc, who writes and serves as showrunner, Craig Zobel, who directs the first three episodes, and Bill Carraro. Based on characters created for DC by Bob Kane with Bill Finger, the show is produced by Reeves’ 6th & Idaho Productions and Dylan Clark Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television, where Reeves and 6th & Idaho are under an overall deal. Daniel Pipski also serves as executive producer.

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MosquitoFarmer
MosquitoFarmer - 11/12/2024, 4:32 PM
So, are people still complaining that he's not the real Penguin cause his last name is Cobb?
fanboy03191
fanboy03191 - 11/12/2024, 4:38 PM
@MosquitoFarmer - Hey families shorten names all the time. I still maintain it was Cobblepot in his family’s past.
MosquitoFarmer
MosquitoFarmer - 11/12/2024, 5:24 PM
@fanboy03191 - I just find it silly that people pick on something so overall minute when the show, and Farrell in particular, was so good.
fanboy03191
fanboy03191 - 11/12/2024, 5:28 PM
@MosquitoFarmer - Ah. Yeah. Personally I don’t like the change but it didn’t affect my enjoyment of what is a great addition to Batman mythology.
Malatrova15
Malatrova15 - 11/12/2024, 5:29 PM
@MosquitoFarmer - its still Cobblepott ...for a man so insecure of what people thinks of him makes sense to shorten his name to something more maga
NonPlayerC
NonPlayerC - 11/12/2024, 7:51 PM
@MosquitoFarmer - yeah it didn’t ruin the show for me but every time it was mentioned it just threw me out of the moment. Instead of staying engrossed in the show I just had a split second “why’d they change it thought”. I agree it’s silly but I also think it’s silly to change it in the first place. The only thing I didn’t like about the show is they went so hard on the mommy issues, but overall it was great. One of the better shows I’ve watched this year
McMurdo
McMurdo - 11/12/2024, 4:33 PM
It was fantastic with far better writing and characterization than The Batman. Lauren Lefranc is just a better writer than Reeves and she really shoulda co wrote his sequel so we don't simply end up with more of the same.
CAPTAINPINKEYE
CAPTAINPINKEYE - 11/12/2024, 7:26 PM
@McMurdo - I think you just need to cope harder and everything will be all right.
😜

And that’s how that’s done.
TheRationalNerd
TheRationalNerd - 11/12/2024, 4:39 PM
It's going to be super hard for me to see another director take on these villains and protagonists. I really wish The Batman was part of the DCU. But it's realism is what will steer it away from that franchise.

The show runner, writers and cast all did fanatstic and I never thought The Penguin would become a fan favorite Batman villain .

I'm really looking forward to the Two-Face series next.
DENNISsystem
DENNISsystem - 11/12/2024, 4:41 PM
@TheRationalNerd - they’re gonna have to take some serious liberties with his origin since they can’t use Salvatore Maroni anymore because..reasons.
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 11/12/2024, 6:58 PM
@TheRationalNerd - people think that because one thing is grounded, gritty and realistic that it can't exist in a universe where silly, unrealistic things happen in other movies and shows.

You could have The Batman and Penguin be canon to the DCU and never once have anything fantastic happen in any of The Batman Crime Saga. It doesn't have to effect the grounded realism of those things at all.

People just can't see how they can co-exist. They obviously don't read comics.
DocSpock
DocSpock - 11/12/2024, 4:42 PM

I think this show was excellent. I liked it better than the movie by far. I wish they would hand another character over to this writing/directing team. Hugo Strange maybe.
Malatrova15
Malatrova15 - 11/12/2024, 5:33 PM
@DocSpock - no...they should do Snowflame, more on Gunn's habits
DocSpock
DocSpock - 11/12/2024, 7:38 PM
@Malatrova15 -

Voted on the worst comic book villain list. Good job.
Forthas
Forthas - 11/12/2024, 4:49 PM
Awesome TV show! Great writing, acting and set peices. I could not be happier with this show. If DC made ALL of their movies and shows like this, DC would be the apex comic book movie studio. This show gave me exactly what I have always asked for - grounded, character driven, dramatic stories. It is the kind of CBM that has always been successful for WB and if they can stick with this style of storie telling...maybe they can turn the sinking DC ship around.
99OPTIMISTPRIME
99OPTIMISTPRIME - 11/12/2024, 4:58 PM
Really good. Hopefully Catwoman finally has a cool supporting character, in Sofia Falcone. Adaptations are often better at fleshing out characters, than the comics are. The writers are more talented, they have more time, and they provide a live-action or animated visual.
TheVandalore
TheVandalore - 11/12/2024, 5:02 PM
Finally started watching. I finished episode 2 last night. It's a solid show I'm very much enjoying, but at this point I don't understand the hype of it being the best comic book show ever. It's a solid 8 for me, but it's not blowing my mind.

But Superman and Lois on the other hand is blowing my mind. Last nights episode was one of the most important episodes of television for Superman as a character, I feel it should be worked into cannon. This season in particular has been damn near perfect in my eyes, but last nights episode was an 11/10. This is how you write Superman. This is how you hand his legacy. And this is how you end a show about Superman. This final season has been so good, I can't wait to see how everything wraps up. I both don't want this show to end and can't wait to see how it does.
ModHaterSLADE
ModHaterSLADE - 11/12/2024, 5:13 PM
Easily one of the best shows of the year. This will definitely be in discussion for Farrell's best role.
FireandBlood
FireandBlood - 11/12/2024, 5:25 PM
Between this and Agatha, we’ve really been spoiled with some great comic book television recently 🙌🏾
Pathogen
Pathogen - 11/12/2024, 6:55 PM
@FireandBlood - I watched the first episode of Agatha and thought it stupid. Does it get better?
ProfessorWhy
ProfessorWhy - 11/12/2024, 5:37 PM
My minor gripe is that the guy who can barely walk, and who had recently been gut stabbed , picked up his mother and tossed her over his shoulder and ran out with her as he engaged in a gunfight...I let it slide tho, I loved this show. Great ending
asherman93
asherman93 - 11/12/2024, 5:41 PM
@ProfessorWhy - There are tales of real life mothers lifting cars off their children in an emergency. Not that surprising Oz would power through the pain to get his mother to safety.
Pathogen
Pathogen - 11/12/2024, 6:56 PM
@asherman93 - Hell, I would. That's my moms, yo.
MuadDib
MuadDib - 11/12/2024, 5:57 PM
All this world building is pointless if it all end with the conclusion of part 3.

I get that officially the new DCU doesn’t start until Superman comes out, but I feel like all these resources would be better spent world building for the shared universe that could potentially continue for decades potentially.
TheNewYorker
TheNewYorker - 11/12/2024, 6:27 PM
@MuadDib - STFU and enjoy what you get. Whiny little bitch.
dancingmonkey08
dancingmonkey08 - 11/12/2024, 7:05 PM
@MuadDib - I have said it before & will say it again, the Batman trilogy needs to be set in the early pre-Superman years of the DCU (if Reeves doesnt do anything extreme, like kill any of the major characters), it can stay realistic & gritty (using the more down to earth villains), then Gunns Batman can be the same Batman but years later, when the Batfamily grew and he can battle the more fantastical villains

So Reeves' Batman can still be its own thing that doesnt crossover with anything else, but evolve into the DCU Batman
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 11/12/2024, 7:05 PM
@MuadDib - they always seem to throw away the stuff that works and make sure we all know it isn't canon and doesn't count smh
vectorsigma
vectorsigma - 11/12/2024, 6:30 PM
This has set a very high bar that looking forward to Daredevil Born Again is another chore.

Humperdoo
Humperdoo - 11/12/2024, 6:44 PM
Love how Hollywood has taken the fun out of Batman. Dark and “realistic” suck. I get enough of reality in reality.
Pathogen
Pathogen - 11/12/2024, 6:56 PM
@Humperdoo - You're lame.
THEDARKKNIGHT1939
THEDARKKNIGHT1939 - 11/12/2024, 6:53 PM
It was great but that bat signal tease at the very end had me like "Yeah, a little late to the party, my guy."
HistoryofMatt
HistoryofMatt - 11/12/2024, 7:10 PM
This was by far the best TV show of the year. Nothing else has come close.

Colin Ferrell and Cristin Milioti need to win every award given for acting in a television series. If they don't, it truly means those awards don't matter even a little bit.
MrDandy
MrDandy - 11/12/2024, 7:45 PM
Fantastic series and both the leads for Oz and Sofia vanished into their roles.

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