# The Penguin was amazing!

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-penguin-was-amazing/1007503
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Tags:** tv-shows-scripted, hbomax-wb-dc
**Created:** [September 20, 2024, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-penguin-was-amazing/1007503 "2024-09-20T02:17:54Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)
#### Post date: [September 20, 2024, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-penguin-was-amazing/1007503/1 "2024-09-20T02:17:54Z")

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I was blown away by the first episode. A really great crime story. Looking forward to see where it goes.

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### Author: ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)
#### Post date: [September 20, 2024, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-penguin-was-amazing/1007503/2 "2024-09-20T02:27:49Z")

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And here I thought you were talking about your culinary experience at an exotic restaurant.

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### Author: ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)
#### Post date: [September 20, 2024, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-penguin-was-amazing/1007503/3 "2024-09-20T02:47:39Z")

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> [@Quimby](#):
>
> A really great crime story. Looking forward to see where it goes.

I haven’t watched _The Batman_, which I understand took place right before _The Penguin_. Should I watch Batman before I start Penguin?

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### Author: ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)
#### Post date: [September 20, 2024, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-penguin-was-amazing/1007503/4 "2024-09-20T02:51:00Z")

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> [@Northern\_Piper](#):
>
> And here I thought you were talking about your culinary experience at an exotic restaurant.

I have it on good authority penguin is inedible. It just tastes really, really bad.

I haven’t watched the series yet, but when I watched the Batman movie I was surprised to learn Colin Farrel was the Penguin. I never would have guessed had I not seen his name in the credits.

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### Author: ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)
#### Post date: [September 20, 2024, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-penguin-was-amazing/1007503/5 "2024-09-20T02:57:19Z")

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It will definitely spoil the end of the movie since it set afterwards but they do summarize everything you need to know so you won’t be lost. If you don’t mind knowing how The Batman ends before you see it, you can start here.

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### Author: ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)
#### Post date: [September 20, 2024, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-penguin-was-amazing/1007503/6 "2024-09-20T10:46:24Z")

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> [@Quimby](#):
>
> If you don’t mind knowing how The Batman ends before you see it, you can start here.

Great, thanks.

I actually started watching The Batman last night!

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### Author: ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)
#### Post date: [September 20, 2024, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-penguin-was-amazing/1007503/7 "2024-09-20T14:34:39Z")

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Really good and darker than I was expecting. To someone who is only a casual Batman fan and is most familiar with Burgess Meredith’s quacking portrayal, holy cow is CF’s Penguin menacing. Outstanding job, Colin!

The flip side of that is I was a bit distracted trying to “find” him under the makeup. For the first several minutes I didn’t even realize it was him and thought I was mistaken and he wasn’t acting in it, only producing. I’m sure that’s a “me” problem and hopefully I’m over it now. I’m definitely looking forward to the next ep.

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### Author: ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)
#### Post date: [September 20, 2024, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-penguin-was-amazing/1007503/8 "2024-09-20T15:40:44Z")

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I read that he hated the makeup and that is the main reason this will only be a one season show.

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### Author: ![Scoobysnax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@Scoobysnax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scoobysnax)
#### Post date: [September 20, 2024, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-penguin-was-amazing/1007503/9 "2024-09-20T17:40:05Z")

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I am trying to remember, did Oz get his foot mangled in the Batman? It has been a while since I watched it.

Although he does a great job, I am a bit surprised that they picked such a high profile actor and then made him unrecognizable.

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### Author: ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)
#### Post date: [September 20, 2024, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-penguin-was-amazing/1007503/10 "2024-09-20T17:58:02Z")

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> [@Scoobysnax](#):
>
> I am trying to remember, did Oz get his foot mangled in the Batman? It has been a while since I watched it.

Probably not. I have actually just started watching _The Batman_ today after watching the first episode of _The Penguin_, and he already has the nickname when he first appears in the movie. And the nickname comes from his weird walk coming from the bad foot.

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### Author: ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)
#### Post date: [September 20, 2024, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-penguin-was-amazing/1007503/11 "2024-09-20T18:08:55Z")

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> [@Scoobysnax](#):
>
> Although he does a great job, I am a bit surprised that they picked such a high profile actor and then made him unrecognizable.

I thought the same thing and then I thought it’s because he’s the producer. I still don’t really know but he is _nailing_ it. Maybe he’s a big fan or maybe he just wanted a challenge.

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### Author: ![planetcory](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/planetcory/32/1032_2.png) [@planetcory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/planetcory)
#### Post date: [September 20, 2024, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-penguin-was-amazing/1007503/12 "2024-09-20T18:24:28Z")

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It’s a common misconception because the limp was most obvious as he waddled around after that crash. But, if you look closely, he was limping from the very first scene at the club. It was more subtle. Plus, per Falcone: he’s always been ‘just a gimp in an empty suit.’

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### Author: ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)
#### Post date: [September 20, 2024, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-penguin-was-amazing/1007503/13 "2024-09-20T19:06:56Z")

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What’s the story behind his mangled foot? 🤢 Was he born that way or is it the result of some deliciously twisted accident?

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### Author: ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)
#### Post date: [September 20, 2024, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-penguin-was-amazing/1007503/14 "2024-09-20T19:40:11Z")

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I just assumed he was born with a club foot.

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### Author: ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)
#### Post date: [September 20, 2024, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-penguin-was-amazing/1007503/15 "2024-09-20T19:50:44Z")

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> [@Odesio](#):
>
> I have it on good authority penguin is inedible. It just tastes really, really bad.

The eggs on the other hand…

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### Author: ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2024, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-penguin-was-amazing/1007503/16 "2024-09-25T18:00:28Z")

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I was puzzled as to why the first episode is being repeated during ten days and the second episode doesn’t drop until that ten-day mark. This article explains in detail all these aspects of the timing:

> [@](#):
>
> … _The Penguin_ 's strange ten-day gap between the first two episodes is a combination of trying to tie in with Batman Day, wait out HBO’s Industry, and also getting a little bit of a jab in at Marvel. …

> **[Here's When to Expect The Penguin's Next Episode (Hint: It's Not What You...](https://movieweb.com/the-penguin-release-schedule/)**
>
> The Penguin took on Agatha All Along.

I’m not the biggest fan of these Gritty Reboots—I liked Tim Burton’s mythic-weirdness takes on comic-book characters, and these (_Penguin_; _The Batman_ (2022) movie; _Joker_; etc.) are not that.

But the first ep was well-made; I’ll give them that.

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### Author: ![SwissMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@SwissMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwissMan)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2024, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-penguin-was-amazing/1007503/17 "2024-09-29T18:26:39Z")

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Finally got around to watching the first episode today. Pretty great all around, I thought. Cristin Milioti could be the standout of the cast; she plays her character very well, with the psychotic rage percolating just below the surface. I hope we get a flashback episode showing how she ended up in Arkham and what happened there.

A couple of fun Easter eggs in the episode; I’m surprised nobody noted the sign for “Burgess Jewelry” outside Oz’s apartment. Clancy Brown’s appearance as Maroni is great, given his prior history with DC (as the animated voices of Two-Face and Lex Luthor).

I also thought it was apropos that Brown first shows up directly after the scene where Oz and Victor are watching Rita Hayworth in _Gilda_; Clancy Brown was one of the prominent co-stars of _The Shawshank Redemption_, which features Hayworth and _Gilda_.

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### Author: ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)
#### Post date: [September 30, 2024, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-penguin-was-amazing/1007503/18 "2024-09-30T19:04:34Z")

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Episode 2 was great also. I am glad this is only one season though, there is only so much tale you can tell before it ends with “and then a guy dressed as a bat shows up and delivers non lethal brain trauma to mentally ill criminals”.

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### Author: ![TPWombat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbce88/32.png) [@TPWombat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TPWombat)
#### Post date: [September 30, 2024, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-penguin-was-amazing/1007503/19 "2024-09-30T19:47:34Z")

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Cristin Milioti is _incredible_

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### Author: ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)
#### Post date: [October 7, 2024, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-penguin-was-amazing/1007503/20 "2024-10-07T20:07:25Z")

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Had avoided the thread because I was a couple episodes behind. Caught up now and it just gets better. A great crime drama. Any Scorsese fan would love this show.

[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-penguin-was-amazing/1007503.md?page=2)
