The Penguin episode 3 raises the stakes of The Batman spin-off show, as tensions continue to rise in Gotham. Sofia Falcone makes her move with a new drug operation, Oz continues to sweet talk his way through any issues, and young Victor faces a difficult decision. It continues to be a fresh take on the beloved comic book character, here played by Colin Farrell, as noted in our The Penguin review, being more gangster drama than superhero action blockbuster.
There's plenty to unpack so we dive into it all below, including any Easter eggs you might have initially missed. Warning! The following features spoilers if you've not yet tuned in, and don't want to know anything that happens, come back later. If you need a refresher on last week's instalment, check out our guide to The Penguin episode 2 recap and Easter eggs.
Victor's dilemma
Episode 3 starts with a flashback to events set at the same time as The Batman, but this time focusing on Victor. He meets his girlfriend and we see his life at home with his family in Crown Point, one of Gotham's poorest neighborhoods. His dad is uneasy as to who Victor has been spending time with due to their criminal connections, but later that night Vic meets his pals anyways. From a rooftop, the group watch the Riddler's bombs explode and collapse his apartment building, killing his family.
We then return to the present timeline, where Oz offers Vic the official role as his driver, offering to pay the teenager $1,000 a week for his services. As Oz takes a call, Victor is forced to spend time with Sofia Falcone, who questions him about his past. She then tells Vic to stay in, asking Oz to drive her instead that night, "just like old times".
Sofia takes Oz to the base of her drug operation, showing him the rare, mushroom spores they are using to create their new product – which they later dub 'bliss'. She asks him to find a distributor for the substance.
Elsewhere, Vic uses the downtime to meet up with his girlfriend, lying to her about what he's been up to. She tells him she's leaving for California as there's nothing left in Gotham for them now, with their families dead. She invites Vic along, but he says he doesn't think Oz will let him go, though he promises to figure it out.
Sofia comes home and is told to go to Sicily, being given a plane ticket by Johnny Viti who says the instruction has come from Cousin Luca, the new head of the family. The next day Oz takes her to meet another crime family, a triad, who initially are untrusting of Cobb given previous encounters. However, Oz lies saying Viti is supporting the endeavor and they ask for a call from him to confirm this statement.
A night of 'bliss'
As Vic waits for Oz and Sofia, he gets pulled over by cops, bribing them to go away. Oz is delighted when Vic tells him what happens over lunch, then telling a waiter off for interrupting Vic as he struggles with his stammer. At the restaurant, Oz then approaches a woman who is sleeping with Viti, who he reunites with later on when he and Sofia crash the pair's sexual tryst. They threaten Johnny, saying they know he's sleeping with his boss' wife, wanting him to make the call they promised the triad.
Later that night at a club, they start selling bliss, with Vic in charge of looking after the drugs. Initially the triad leader is unsure about joining forces, but Sofia delivers a persuading argument detailing how it was used to subdue patients in Arkham and that whoever peddles bliss would control the drug trade.
Vic is haunted by flashbacks to the Riddler's explosions on the dancefloor, dropping the drugs. He heads to the bathroom to get his head together, where he bumps into Oz. Victor reveals that he is thinking of meeting up with his girlfriend and the two get into an argument, with Oz claiming that he isn't holding him prisoner. An upset Vic then heads to the bus station but simply watches his girlfriend board it, deciding not to go with her.
Outside the club, Oz has a confrontation with Sofia, before apologizing for everything that has happened to her. A car then arrives with armed men, and out steps an angry Nadia Maroni who reveals she's been watching Oz. Arriving at the scene, Victor notices Nadia holding Oz and Sofia at gunpoint, so he crashes a car into the armed men. Oz jumps into the car making his escape and when Vic asks whether they should save Sofia too, he urges them to leave her.
The Penguin episode 3 Easter eggs
The Hangman: Once again there are a few references to Sofia Falcone's alter-ego the Hangman, her serial killer identity in DC Comics. At one point Oz tells Vic you shouldn't believe everything you hear in the media, when the teenager raises concern about spending time alone with Sofia.
The Batman: The episode begins with a flashback to the events of 2022's The Batman, but this time from the perspective of Victor who sees The Riddler's bombs explore. We learn that this caused the death of his family.
The Penguin airs weekly on Sky and NOW in the UK and on HBO and Max in the US. Stay up to date with our The Penguin release schedule.
For more streaming picks, read our lists of the best movies on Max and the best shows on Max that you can watch right now.
