THE PENGUIN - EPISODE SEVEN REVIEW & BREAKDOWN

Warning: This review contains heavy spoilers!

It's that time of the week again, and The Penguin has returned with another episodic addition to its roster of exceptional episodes. DC's "Sopranos-esque" mob thriller has kept a tight hold on fans and critics alike over the past few weeks, and has continued to deliver high quality storytelling in its current runtime on HBO Max. With only two episodes left until the show's highly-anticipated finale, does 'Top Hat' manage to continue The Penguin's trend of back-to-back masterpieces, or does it fall flat right before the finish line?

THE STORY

Episode Seven begins with another of the show's masterfully-constructed flashbacks, this time putting us in the shoes of a young Oswald Cobb (Ryder Allen). Living in Crown Point with his mother and two brothers, he gets a brief interaction with his neighborhood's admired gangster, Rex Calabrese (Louis Cancelmi), and marvels at his undisputed wealth and power. After collecting money for their mother, the three boys decide to play "flashlight tag", a juvenile game which quickly turns south as they make fun of Oz for not being able to climb down the ladder of a sewer drain properly. Although they soon apologize, Oz locks them in the sewer without any hesitation, leaving them trapped through a vicious storm that ultimately results in their deaths.

Back in the present, Oz soon finds out about what happened to his mother and goes toe-to-toe with a vengeful Salvatore Maroni, a fight which leads to the old gangster suffering a fatal heart attack. Seemingly unable to accept that defeat, Oz unloads an entire speech upon his dead opponent, eventually shooting him in the chest and acting as if he won the fight himself. He calls Sofia and offers her a deal: Give him his mother back, and he'll give her the bliss operation. Without many options left, Sofia reluctantly accepts.

After an eye-opening conversation with the last remaining Falcone, Gia, Sofia realizes that she's been playing her father's game all along. Instead of subduing to Oz's demands, she expertly tricks him and plants a bomb inside his warehouse, resulting in the second devastating disaster to hit Crown Point in one year. The episode ends with a tragic promise that young Oswald made to his mother; that he'd become successful enough to give her everything she deserves.

THE GOOD

Episode Seven of The Penguin, like many in the show's roster, is elevated by the actors' performances. This time around, Ryder Allen gives a surprisingly accurate and engaging portrayal of a young Oswald, to the point where I was left wondering if the showrunners had genuinely used a younger version of the character himself. His scenes shared with Oz's pre-diagnosed mother (Emily Meade) almost rival those with Colin Farrell and Deidre O'Connell, who also deliver exceptional performances as always. Oz's bitter, angry speech at his dead rival is purposefully hilarious and worrying at the same time, as audiences will likely pick up on Oz's deteriorating mental state from the moment he opens his mouth.

The episode's pacing is top notch, and the flashback sequences feel perfectly integrated into its hour long runtime, much like episodes Three and Four. It seems The Penguin has mastered the art of splicing its narrative to fit in a TV format, something which many Marvel Cinematic Universe shows are still struggling to do. Adding onto the episode's strengths is its gorgeous cinematography (especially during the Crown Point bombing), and its continuously engaging characterization, which cements Oz as a ruthless villain with no regard for anyone but himself and his mother.

THE "BAD"

Much like the show's previous entry, 'Top Hat' only has a few small problems holding it back from perfection. For starters, Victor was entirely absent during the episode, excluding one scene where Oz asks him about his mother's location. Although his absence is mentioned a few times (perhaps building up to something in the finale), it still felt rather disappointing to see the show's deuteragonist sidelined yet again, especially when his story feels just as interesting as Oz's. With only one episode left, I can't help feeling a bit nervous that the "superhero finale" curse will strike his character, and his arc will feel rushed as a result.

Furthermore, I would've liked to explore more of Oz's relationship with his brothers, as well as his admiration of Rex. Both are subjects that are only briefly touched upon, which feels a bit strange considering they've been instrumental to Oz's development so far. There's still a possibility that the golden-age gangster will appear in a flashback during the show's finale, although with so much left to conclude, it merely seems like blind optimism.

VERDICT/WHAT'S NEXT?

It's no surprise that The Penguin's newest episode is still incredibly made, regardless of a few grievances. Its performances, cinematography, pacing, characterization and more have already rendered the show as one of the best in the comic book media sphere, as well as having crafted a powerfully-compelling evildoer for Matt Reeves' future Batman projects. 'Top Hat' hammers the idea down that Oz should NOT be rooted for, and with only one episode left, the question of what he'll do next is one that'll surely run laps around audiences' heads in anticipation for its release...

8.5/10