The Penguin first reactions call it a "near-perfect mobster story" and a "spiritual sequel to The Sopranos"
The reviews are in
Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Want to add more newsletters?
Every Friday
GamesRadar+
Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.
Every Thursday
GTA 6 O'clock
Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.
Every Friday
Knowledge
From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.
Every Thursday
The Setup
Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.
Every Wednesday
Switch 2 Spotlight
Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.
Every Saturday
The Watchlist
Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.
Once a month
SFX
Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!
The first reactions for The Penguin starring Colin Farrell have arrived – and some people are calling it one of the best comic book TV shows of all time.
The new series sees Farrell reprise his villain role from Matt Reeves' The Batman as he attempts to seize control of Gotham. Created by Lauren LeFranc, The Penguin also stars Cristin Millioti as Sofia Falcone, Clancy Brown as Salvatore Maroni, Michael Zegen as Alberto Falcone, and Michael Kelly as Johnny Vitti.
"A masterful examination of criminality, The Penguin is twisted, disturbing, and deeply enthralling," Variety wrote.
"The Penguin is a brilliantly crafted crime thriller that turns Colin Farrell’s Penguin into one of the best live-action comic book villains of all time," said DiscussingFilm.
"The Penguin series floored me. A near-perfect mobster story that lived up to everything it promised," another journalist tweeted. "Gritty, compelling, vicious. With some psychological thriller embedded in its ferocious power struggle. Colin Farrell & Cristin Milioti fired on all cylinders."
"The Penguin is a splendid addition to Matt Reeves's Batman universe. Darker, grittier, and bloodier, this TV-MA crime drama feels like The Sopranos in Gotham, with Colin Farrell turning in unrecognizable, spectacular work," said another. "Cristin Milioti steals the show as Sofia Falcone. Exciting, powerful character drama that gets you to hate and sympathize with everyone."
"I've watched all eight episodes of The Penguin and it's the best superhero-universe TV series I've seen since Daredevil, and perfect for those who wanted an R-rated version of The Batman," one person tweeted.
Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox
"The Penguin is an astonishing continuation of the grimy world Matt Reeves created in The Batman," wrote CinemaBlend's Sean O'Connell. "And also, its own riveting exploration of an unpredictable criminal. Colin Farrell does incredible work."
"The Penguin is the spiritual Sopranos sequel we didn't know we needed," wrote DigitalSpy.
Our own review says, "More gangster saga than comic book adaptation, The Penguin is a fresh take on its titular villain, but it’s Cristin Milioti who really shines as the brutal and captivating Sofia Falcone."
The Penguin is set to hit Max on September 19. For more, check out our list of the best new TV shows coming your way in 2024 and beyond.

Lauren Milici is a Senior Entertainment Writer for GamesRadar+ based in New York City. She previously reported on breaking news for The Independent's Indy100 and created TV and film listicles for Ranker. Her work has been published in Fandom, Nerdist, Paste Magazine, Vulture, PopSugar, Fangoria, and more.


