The Penguin is exceptional crime drama built around a deeply unsympathetic protagonist whose path to power involves sustained graphic violence, manipulation, and betrayal. Colin Farrell's performance is transformative. The content: TV-MA graphic violence throughout, organized crime depicted as an aspirational framework, and a moral universe where the least-evil character is still deeply evil. 32/100 Caution — for mature adults who engage dark crime fiction critically.
The Penguin (Max, 2024) follows Oswald Cobblepot's rise from mid-level enforcer to Gotham's criminal kingpin following the events of The Batman (2022). Set over approximately one week in a rain-soaked, decaying Gotham, it is structured as a crime epic in the tradition of The Sopranos and The Wire — character study through sustained violence and moral rot.
Colin Farrell is unrecognizable under prosthetics and delivers a performance of genuine depth. The show also features Cristin Milioti as Sofia Falcone — arguably the show's most compelling character — whose traumatic backstory adds significant psychological complexity.
Graphic violence. The Penguin earns its TV-MA rating with sustained violent content — people burned alive, beatings, shootings depicted with visceral realism. This is not stylized comic-book violence but gritty crime drama violence.
Moral universe. The show asks you to invest emotionally in a character's rise to criminal power. Unlike The Wire (which uses similar darkness to indict systemic failure) or The Sopranos (which explicitly deconstructs mob mythology), The Penguin primarily asks you to root for Oz Cobblepot, which requires a level of moral elasticity that Christians should approach carefully.
Sofia's storyline involves severe abuse and trauma depicted seriously — not gratuitously, but unflinchingly. This content is handled more thoughtfully than typical prestige TV abuse storylines but is still difficult viewing. Available on Max. See our Christian TV Reviews hub and compare with The Sopranos for the genre standard.