The Penguin is far removed from anything resembling actual superheroism, a pure mob drama that deals with the aftermath of the events of Riddler flooding Gotham

HBO's The Penguin is the rare franchise spinoff that manages to stand on its own, thanks in no small part to Cristin Milioti and Colin Farrell's volatile lead performances.” Multiple over-the-top characters and twists A TV-grade look that pales in comparison to The Batman A one-dimensional version of Gotham City Every second of The Penguin should be eye-roll-inducing.

Played by Colin Farrell under pounds of prosthetic makeup, the character anchors the latest superhero series, a bridge between “Batman” films that aims to be more than a mere brand extension.