The Penguin Season 1 Episode 3 Review: Bliss

The Penguin Season 1 Episode 3, “Bliss”, not only manages to be an emotionally moving episode through the perspective of Victor, but it finally starts moving the pieces for Oz and Sofia Falcone’s master plan.

While both previous episodes, “After Hours” and “Inside Man”, focused on Oz weaving his way past the Falcones’ way of justice, this episode changes things. Instead, its character-centric focus on Victor and his past gives further context not only as to why he’s embraced this lifestyle, but also his present decisions.

What results is an intriguing look into the idea of people shaping their circumstances and vice versa, with Victor in the spotlight. This begins in its few opening scenes where they’re set before The Batman, displaying Victor’s hesitancy to become one of Squid’s gang members.

Here, we learn that Victor isn’t necessarily alright with living in this small apartment with his family despite what his father says. He wants more from life, turning to his girlfriend and her suspicious friends, including the felonious Squid. Unfortunately, this turn couldn’t have been timed worse for him as it coincides with Riddler’s bombings throughout Gotham.

Not only is this a tragic moment for Victor as it leads to the death of his family, but it’s an important turning point in his life. The life he’s  been given now is one that he didn’t want to get involved in. Yet, Victor knows that he could do more for himself and that’s why he begins looking to Oz for help.

Victor is living under Oz’s shadow at this point and Sofia Falcone knows it when she visits Oz in his apartment. Though her interaction with Victor is brief, it shows that he’s still living in fear because he’s not in control. Even when Sofia tries to get him to light her cigarette, Victor still doesn’t want to fully indulge himself in that lifestyle.

The only thing that’s holding Victor back from fully being a criminal is his dedication to his girlfriend, who he finds out is still alive. He still deeply cares about her, letting her stay in Oz’s apartment as a guest while Oz and Sofia enact their plan.

However, Victor’s concerned about her leaving for California given what’s happened to their neighborhood. She knows they both hate it here, but they have to survive one way or the other. This drives the overarching problem of the episode, which plays off the meaning of the title, “Bliss”, perfectly.

Victor has two ways of finding happiness: he can either find it emotionally by moving with his girlfriend or stick with Oz for financial gain. It’s a continuous inner conflict that could shape Victor for better or worse as The Penguin continues on.

Speaking about the mastermind, Oz takes somewhat of a backseat due to the priority of developing Victor as a character. Of course, that doesn’t mean that “Bliss” doesn’t do anything with him.

In fact, The Penguin Season 1 Episode 3 further showcases the charisma Farrell has put into this character through his negotiations with the Triads. He’s essentially turned into a spokesperson for Sofia Falcone, which she seems to accept at the moment. Yet, you can’t help but think that Sofia has a bit of distrust in Oz.

This distrust was put on full display in “After Hours”, where Sofia literally stripped down Oz of everything. Her inner ruthlessness and ambition somewhat blinds her to see what Oz really has in store for the Falcones and the Maronis. Still, she believes Oz is the only way to success due to everyone else in her family dismissing her potential.

That’s why, though she’s initially hesitant to listen to Oz’s plan, she has to give into him in the end. However, she doesn’t let herself underestimate what Oz can do as seen later with a close confrontation between him and Johnny Viti.

In between the segments of Oz and Sofia hatching their schemes, Victor remains worried to tell Oz the truth about his personal situation. His confidence has changed since the previous episodes, but not enough to let Oz know about his girlfriend.

In those scenes, the camera lingers just enough to let us into Victor’s eyes. He’s desperate to say something, yet he knows that Oz might likely kill him since he knows more now.

He manages to hide it long enough when both of them eat in decadence together. Unfortunately, Victor’s fears show themselves when Oz and Sofia return to the Triads later that night.

While Oz and Sofia successfully introduce their new drug, also called Bliss, to the Triads, Victor roams throughout the dancefloor as a roamer. However, his trauma really sets in in the most vicious way possible, causing him to drop all the goodies.

Though the montage may be a little over-stimulating, it’s still a harrowing moment for Victor. Time is running out for Victor to make that choice, which collides with the overarching narrative as Oz finally confronts Victor yet again.

Does it feel like a rinse and repeat of the many times Oz wanted to kill Victor? Sure, but it’s extremely personal this time since it involves his girlfriend, Victor’s way of safely escaping. The resolution of this confrontation is even more tragic as Victor decides to use Oz’s car to make it to his girlfriend before it’s too late.

The emotions definitely swelled up for me in these final few moments as Victor watches the bus leave. It’s a tried-and-true moment that makes you feel bad given what Victor’s gone through previously. It makes you want to see him win in the end, but it gives you this gut feeling he’ll be forced to stick around.

In the end, he does, though not without interfering in a deadly confrontation between Oz, Sofia, and the Maronis. The action definitely picks up as Victor makes the save for his boss yet again even though leaves Sofia behind. It goes all classic “mafia” fighting here, yet it’s all so brooding with the grimier tone.

The ending of The Penguin Season 1 Episode 3 finally brings things to a climactic turn as it hints that Oz and Sofia’s partnership has halted. What could happen in the next episode remains shrouded in mystery. Nonetheless, “Bliss” successfully shapes Victor into a complex character while increasing the tensions between all three leads.

Stray Thoughts:

• This might be the first time that Oz has actually been referred to “The Penguin” in this universe. The way that it’s done is a bit sad though since Viti is basically calling him a joke.
• This episode also hints at the fact that Sofia’s moniker, the “Hangman”, wasn’t something that she accepted. There’s definitely more to this and I think it’ll be explored in the next episode for sure.

What did you think of this episode of The Penguin? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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

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