The Penguin Season 1 Episode 1 Review: After Hours

The Penguin Season 1 Episode 1, “After Hours”, might be one of the best reintroductions to a live-action DC Comics world in a while.

Sure, it may have taken two years for Matt Reeves and company to return to the world of The Batman. However, “After Hours” is able to make a grand return not by trying to tie loose ends but by forming new character dynamics.

Given the fact that this series follows directly after the events of the film, there’s a lot of potential to build off of. In its opening moments, it immediately encapsulates you with a direct confrontation between Oz and Alberto Falcone, the heir.

With Carmine Falcone, Oz’s boss, dead, it’s clear that both men would want to take advantage of the situation. Yet, there’s this intensity between Oz and Alberto that’s enhanced by their own personal greed and motivation.

From Alberto seeing through Oz’s lie to Oz trying desperately to cater to Alberto, the dramatics are definitely played higher. When it reaches that climactic moment and goes into the title card, it creates a tension that consistently sticks throughout.

The tension shows when Oz eventually leaves the Iceberg Lounge and incidentally encounters a group of thugs trying to steal his car. This scene introduces us to Victor, who initially seems like a low-life like Oz.

However, Oz is essentially using Victor for his own gain, which could further influence his decisions in the future. This entire sequence between Oz and Victor deftly balances the drama and comedy of “After Hours.”

The two trying to prep Alberto’s corpse for hiding lends itself to some weirdly funny banter about Oz’s criminal lifestyle. It shows that The Penguin can have a humorous fondness to it even in the bleakness of it all.

All of this ultimately collides when Oz holds Victor at gunpoint. It’s a chilling moment when you realize that Oz sees everyone as disposable, yet he has this soft spot for some. Colin Farrell’s hesitant expressions say it all: Oz is more than just part of Gotham’s scum, even if that’s the only side he really shows.

The other, more careful side comes in the form of Oz’s relationships with his mother, Francis, and his “lover,” Eve.

“After Hours” gives us some scenes of calm between Oz, Eve, and his mother as Oz tries to prepare for the consequences. While the banter between Oz and the two is there to push the story forward, there are specific moments that truly show what Oz is really like.

In the scenes where we see them both together, Francis really gives Oz as much love as he does to her. Despite her medical problems, they both show that they truly care for each other despite Francis being somewhat hard on him.

In a way, Francis’s slight bitterness for her situation plays into The Penguin‘s main idea. We know that they both care for each other, but what type of care is truly hiding underneath the seems?

As for Oz’s relationship with Eve, they both know that Oz is taking advantage of everything Eve has. However, she’s ultimately forced into this one-sided dynamic because she has nowhere else to go, much like Victor. Both Eve and Victor have to leech off Oz, and it’ll be interesting to see how they do so as the show continues.

Where Oz truly gets into his criminal element is when he later meets up with Sal Maroni at Blackgate. The cuffs between Oz and Sal, both literally and figuratively, nearly get off.

This scene really captures Oz’s more intellectual side as he aggressively negotiates this uneasy deal with Sal. Both men clearly know the game, but Sal’s trust in Oz can only get him so far. In doing so, Oz tries to weave his way into Sal’s mind.

As one of the darker moments of “After Hours”, it was a pretty captivating sequence. Both Farrell and Clancy Brown do a great job of convincing you that Oz and Sal can’t necessarily trust each other. It’s only when Oz presents Alberto’s fancy ring that really catches him by surprise.

With all of these new relationships forming, you’d expect The Penguin to slice its timing into bits that follow respective storylines. However, Oz’s influence and hand of power never ceases to be dismissed.

Due to the overarching central focus around Oz, these arcs have the needed consistency. This is evident when Sofia Falcone enters the picture, who is intricately brought to life by Palm Springs‘s Cristin Milioti.

Sofia Falcone might initially seem an emotionally reserved character, given her brother’s demise. However, her taking charge even when Oz tries to undermine her shows that Sofia isn’t really the monster others describe her to be.

There are a few hints that Sofia knows what Oz did to Alberto, yet she successfully hides it by appealing to Oz’s good nature. It’ll be interesting to see if or when Sofia lets all her rage out.

As a first episode, The Penguin Season 1 Episode 1, “After Hours,” truly sets up the show’s larger narrative while carefully pacing its character dynamics. With its one-hour runtime, this episode is a compelling showcase of what Oz can truly be capable of. I am really captivated by Oz’s new mission and how complex the show will make him.

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The Penguin airs Sundays at 9 PM ET/PT on Max.

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