THE PENGUIN - EPISODE TWO REVIEW & BREAKDOWN

Warning: This review will contain heavy spoilers!

It's finally Oswald Sunday, and thus The Penguin returns to HBO Max with a brand new episode! After an extra few days wait (Episode one having been released on Thursday), it's safe to say that fans were itching in anticipation for how the show would continue the previous episode's shocking cliffhanger, and whether or not The Penguin's second episode would uphold the established level of quality set up by the first.

THE STORY

Episode Two of The Penguin begins in Sofia Falcone's shoes, as she suffers a horrific nightmare revolving around her time in Arkham Asylum and the loss of her brother. Notably, the location of the dream is the same visitation cell in which we previously saw Batman (Robert Pattinson) interrogate Riddler (Paul Dano) in Matt Reeves' first film. Soon after, we cut back to Oswald as he speaks with Maroni in prison, seemingly convincing him to start a war with the Falcones and to use him as a 'man on the inside'. He informs Maroni about a movement of Drops, a prominent drug in The Batman Universe, which should be easy pickings for his family.

Next, we're introduced to Carmine Falcone's little brother, Luca (Scott Cohen), who has taken over the operation since Alberto's death. It's immediately evident that Sofia doesn't particularly like the presence of her uncle, as she argues with him about why Alberto's killers aren't "strung up across the city" (a reference to her nickname as 'The Hangman' in Arkham Asylum). She meets with a detective to try and figure out Alberto's death for herself, but it doesn't yield any successful results. Back in Oswald and Victor's side of the story, we learn more about the underling's past, as he used to live in the neighborhood that suffered the heaviest devastation from Riddler's flood. It's heavily implied that he lost someone dear to him in the disaster, but Oswald doesn't seem to pick up on it, as he has his own problems.

After the Maroni set-up with the Drops movement goes awry, Oswald finds out that his mother's dementia is getting worse, adding onto his list of problems. To make matters worse, Sofia is now aware that someone in the Falcone family is conspiring against her, and has kidnapped one of the Maroni family members in order to find out who. Oswald plans to frame Viti, a member of the Falcone family, for Alberto's death, he's forced to improvise when Victor is almost caught. After killing Sofia's hostage, and planting the knife on one of the Falcones he saved during the Drops movement, he successfully regains Sofia's trust and gets himself off her radar for good (Or at least, until she finds out the truth)

It goes without saying that Oswald punishes Victor for his cowardice, and in one of the most disturbing scenes in a recent comic book project, he forces him to lay down on the corpses the two have directly and indirectly killed so far. It's a far cry from the friendly ending they had in the first episode, but it seems as if this traumatic experience has taught Victor one of the most important lessons when working under the Penguin: When shit gets real, hesitation means death.

THE CHARACTERS/PERFORMANCES

The Penguin's Episode Two is primarily a Sofia Falcone-centered story, which simply reinforces why Milioti's performance will be remembered in years to come. While the first episode focused on Sofia's intimidating yet calm demeanor, with only a glimpse of her tortured inner self by the end, Episode Two dives deep into Sofia's deepest vulnerabilities and fears. Not only do we learn more about Sofia's relationship with her brother, who promised her a part in his empire once he took power, but we also discover just how much the public and her own family detest her. Whether it be a group of civilians protesting her release from Arkham, a few wealthy aristocrats muttering behind her back, or even her own cousin shielding her daughter from her, it seems that wherever Sofia goes, her past follows.

That's not to say that Oswald and Victor aren't given a lot more depth this episode, however, because we're still given a lot more depth towards the two characters. Oswald and Victor's relationship is taken to the next level, as even though Oswald may have a soft spot for him, it still won't stop the gangster from being as ruthless as ever. One can only wonder if this will lead to Victor either adopting Oswald's way of life, or if he'll betray his mentor in the end.

THE PRODUCTION

The Penguin continues to impress on all accounts, whether that be through it's gorgeous cinematography, it's sharp and frantic editing during Sofia's dream sequence, or the stellar writing that weaves each of the characters together in new and interesting ways. Although I'll still have to get used to Fraser's absence as cinematographer, as he left such an impactful mark with The Batman, Darren Tiernan's visuals are still breathtaking in almost every scene. While the "slow burn" pacing is a bit more noticeable this time around, it's almost inconsequential compared to the other areas in which this show succeeds.

VERDICT/WHAT'S NEXT?

It's clear that The Penguin is pulling all the stops, and it shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Although slightly not as memorable as the incredible first episode, the second still proved to not only be a stellar addition in the universe created by Matt Reeves, but also an incredible piece of television in its own right. Now that the story is barreling forward at full force, I'm almost certain that the show will only continue to go uphill from here.

9/10