THE PENGUIN - EPISODE FIVE REVIEW & BREAKDOWN

Warning: This review contains heavy spoilers!

What is there to say that hasn't already been said about The Penguin? The spin-off series, now highly regarded as one of the best comic book movie shows of all time even before its completion, has proven itself time and time again in its ability to deliver beautifully-executed, compelling narratives that take relatively unexplored characters and breathe an immeasurable amount of life and depth within them. Coming straight off the heels of its best episode yet, The Penguin proves that it has no intention of slowing down whatsoever, and plants the roots for a third act sure to blow its audience's minds.

THE STORY

Episode Five brings us right back to the night Sofia learned of Oswald's betrayal, making this the third perspective of that crucial event so far. This time, we follow Oz and Victor as they make a quick escape from the scene, eventually destroying the plum-colored car that Oz held in such high regard. Meanwhile, the police attempt to uncover the murder at the Falcone household, but their trail runs dry when the investigation yields no results. Now unburdened from the cops and her abusive family, Sofia shoots Johnny Viti, gathers the remnants of her father's Empire and unifies them under a new name: The Gigante family (After her mother)

When Oz's meeting with the Maroni family turns sour, he kidnaps Sal's influencer son (Aria Shahghasemi) and holds him hostage in exchange for the Bliss mushrooms. The deal goes awry when the Maronis try to kill Oz, yet he retaliates by burning Sal's wife and son alive, activating the warehouse's emergency cooling system and allowing him to make his escape. However, Oz woefully discovers that not only did 90% of his product get destroyed in the cold, but Sal also managed to escape from Blackgate Penitentiary, subsequently on the hunt for the man that killed his family. Nowhere is safe for Oz and his men anymore, so he orders Vic to bring his mother to a place nobody would look for.

From there, part of the episode is dedicated to Vic and Oz's mother, as he brings her to his old neighborhood of Crown Point. After just barely managing to escape the sightlines of one of the neighborhood's most feared gangsters, the pair make it safely inside one of Vic's friend's apartment, in which they await Oz's return. A heartbreaking exchange between Oz and his mother ensues soon after, where she hints to the death of some of his brothers in the past, and firmly denounces him as her son. While the news hits Oz hard, he still has work to do, and the episode ends with him and his crew setting up a temporary base within the abandoned tunnels of Gotham City...

THE TENSION

Episode 5 of The Penguin is the series' most intense episode yet, constantly grappling with the fearful possibility that our favorite characters won't make it out alive. Sofia's speech to the ex-Falcone mob is both powerful and nerve-racking, eventually building up to the scene's culmination of Johnny Viti's sudden death. Oz burning the Maroni family alive is horrifying in its own right, but also subsequently adds an extra layer of tension as the audience slowly becomes aware of the target put on his back due to his actions. Finally, Victor and Oz's mother sneaking past Squid (Jared Abrahamson) had me clutching my seat at numerous occasions, especially since Vic seems to have some long-standing history with the notorious Crown Point gangster.

The bombardment of stakes in this episode renders the entire show even more compelling than ever, as it remains unclear who will survive and who will bite the grotesque dust in another of Oz's brutal kills. Not only does this add believability, but it moreover makes the audience more attached to the show's characters and its narrative in general.

THE EMOTION

Even though its fresh off the heels of the show's most devastatingly depressing episode so far, "Homecoming" manages to one-up the sadness due to a deeper exploration between Oswald and his mother. In a way, their relationship is one of the show's driving forces, as Oz's desperate dream of rising to power is mostly due to him wanting to give his mother a better life. That's why the gut-wrenching delivery of "What kind of son can't provide for his own mother?" hits the audience like a truck; we're essentially watching a part of Oz's dream die in a single conversation.

If The Penguin can manage to successfully balance dark comedy, haunting spectacles and deep, disheartening realizations as well as Episode 5 for the rest of its runtime, there's no doubt in my mind that the show as a whole will continue to be remembered fondly.

VERDICT/WHAT'S NEXT?

Although not quite on the same level as the former episode's quality, The Penguin still somehow manages to set the bar at the highest possible level each time. The tension in the narrative has never been higher, there are plenty of tear-jerker moments sprinkled throughout the runtime and it still feels the show has only just begun to unleash its surprises.

Although it was said to be confirmed otherwise, one can only wonder if Oz's intrusion in Gotham's tunnels will lead him to a second confrontation with another Gothamite cave dweller...

9.5/10