The Penguin (TV series)

The Penguin is a 2024 American television miniseries creatued by Lauren LeFranc, based on the comic book character created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. The series, spinning off from The Batman, chronicles Oswald "Oz" Cobb's rise to power in Gotham's criminal underworld following the events of the aforementioned film.

Season 1

After Hours [1.01]

Oz: Now, Carmine, he was a... He was a great man. You got some big shoes to fill. Not too big, I mean... Manageable shoes.

---

Alberto: You know what I like most about you, Oz? You are who you are, and you couldn't change if you tried.

Oz: Ain't that what makes me fun?

---

Alberto: I dunno, man. You think I could be as good as him? Get his kinda respect?

Oz: Your father? Sure, boss. If you want. But there are different kinds of power. When I was a kid, there was a gangster, real old-school type -- Rex Calabrese. He was a big deal, at least in my neighborhood. He helped people. If someone in your family was sick, he'd find you a doctor. Short on rent, front you the cash. Knew everyone's names, too. I dunno how he kept 'em all in his head, but he saw you on the street, he'd call out to you, ask how you were. Felt like he meant it, too. When I'm fourteen or something, he has a heart attack and dies, still holding his cigar. In my neighborhood, they threw a parade in his honor. A friggin parade... I mean, it wasn't fancy, but it was the gesture. The show of love, of what he meant. Can you imagine, to be remembered like that? Revered?

Alberto: What is this? You want me to be like some small-time asshole?

Oz: ...Nah, that ain't what--

Alberto: For what? Would that make it easier for you to take what's mine? Or is this you? What you want?

Oz: No.

Alberto: [laughs] Holy shit, it is! This is your dream. It's so sweet, too! And so pathetic. You really think people would make a float of your dumb face and march it down the street chanting your goddamn name? "Oh, oh, Oswald Cobb! Remember him? What a guy!" What a little bitch.

[Oz shoots Alberto. Laughs, briefly. Realizes:]

Oz: Aw... fu--

[Cue title card]

---

Oz: You're gonna do everything I say, or else I'll murder you and, uh... anyone you care about. You got it?

Vic: Yeah.

Oz: Beautiful! I feel better. You feel better?

Vic: Yeah.

Oz: Good.

---

Oz: You're handing the Maronis or someone fuckin' worse the keys to the kingdom! Don't you get that, Johnny?

Vitti: The last thing I need is a goddamn gang war! Now Milos asked you here as a courtesy, because he's a courteous guy. I am not. You will do as you're told.

Milos: You're free to leave.

Oz: Well, wait a second... What if I could fix it? This? Y'know, I mean, at the end of the day, this is all about money, right? Maybe we don't see eye-to-eye on every little thing. Y'know, maybe you don't like me... That's fine. I'm an acquired taste. But I make you money.

---

Sofia Falcone: You think they're wondering if it's really me? Well, I would! What, is the psycho killer here's just roaming around free? Having a salad? What'd the Gazette call me? The Hangman? Well, the guards insisted that I read every article, that I see all the stories. If only I'd been a dutiful daughter... Are you nervous, Oz?

Oz: Nervous?

Sofia: I'd hate for you to feel nervous with me. Because despite what you might think, I don't blame you. Y'know, if you hadn't gone to my father... He left you no choice.

Oz: Yeah, sure, but... I could've done something--

Sofia: Let's not do that. Daddy is dead, and we are... untamed.

---

Sofia: You know, Oz, people underestimate you, but not me. I've always known you were capable of more.

---

Oz: Shit, Ma, this is Vic--

Francis: Get out!

Oz: He's gonna help take car of you! Just in case I need to handle some thing while we're gone, alright?

Francis: Huh. "Vic".

Oz: Yeah.

Francis: What, is he a nurse?

Oz: Well, kinda.

Vic: No, I'm not a nu--

Oz: Well, he's got nurse-like qualities, alright?

---

Francis: Don't you see, dear? What you did wasn't impulsive; it was instinctual. You shot that junkie pissant because you wanted to. Just like that. Oh, you're so close now, to having everything you ever wanted, everything you deserve. You wanna run? You wanna hide? No... This city is meant to be yours, sweetheart. What are you gonna do to get it?

---

Oz: Listen, uh, the tenement where you live, Vic? I know it's gone. Nothing on Sixth was left standing. Alright, I don't know if you have family or people in there, but you made it. You're standing right here. Now, I've been where you are, and you heard my ma, I mean this... This is one of those moments, you know, where you gotta ask yourself "What kinda life do I want?" You wanna spend your days thinking small, stealing rims, barely getting by... or do you want more for yourself? You saw how the Falcones live. Can you imagine living like that, huh? In a mansion? Maids and butlers and shit? And they don't even know what they got 'cause they always had it? Never hungry, born full... Not us. The world wasn't built for guys like us. That's why we gotta take whatever we decide is ours. 'Cause no-one's gonna give it to us, I mean, not without a fight. Now, I could've killed you -- I could've put you out of your misery, but I didn't. 'Cause you need a guy like me, Vic. But I gotta know... No bullshit. Can I count on you to pull through?

Vic: Yeah, I... I can do it.

Oz: Huh?

Vic: I can do it.

Oz: I know you can. What, do you think I hire any schmuck off the street? No!

---

Salvatore Maroni: What is it you're really after, Oz?

Oz: I just told you what I'm after, what do you mean?

Maroni: I know who you are. I know what you are. I don't work with people whose loyalty is for sale.

---

Sofia: It's a terrible feeling, isn't it? There's nothing left to hide behind. The guards at Arkham stripped us bare every morning. It was humiliating, being turned into a thing. But after a while, I just started to think "Well, what's it matter? There's nothing left anyway. But my brother? My brother visited me every week, and every week he said that there was something left, and that he was gonna help me fight to keep it. I-- I just wonder how you see me, Oz. If I am more than a thing to play with.

---

Sofia: You are so good at talking your way out of things, even at the cost of someone else's life. Especially then, right?

[Sofia's loops piano wire around Oz's left armpit.]

Oz: The fuck are you doin'? What are you doing?!

Sofia: Well, my father isn't around anymore, to reward you with fancy suits and stupid cars...

Oz: Sofia...

Sofia: And a club that he lets you believe is yours.

Oz: Sofia--

[The henchman pulls on the string, cutting into Oz's armpit. Oz screams in pain.]

Sofia: It's just you and me now, okay. So I want you to think. I want you to really think. Am I crazy? is it all in my head?

[The henchman pulls again. Oz screams.]

Sofia: Tell me. Tell me. Tell me that I'm too emotional and that I have an overactive imagination, and that I shouldn't take things so personally. But first... Tell me he's alive.

---

Oz: Jesus, Vic, relax! We just put the Maronis back on the map. If Sal's got a problem with that, then... fuck him. I don't need him. I don't need any of 'em. From here on out, there's no more playing it safe. Drops are yesterday's game. I'm gonna get whatever the hell's in that shipment, I'm gonna run this goddamn city, and I want you in on it.

Vic: Really?

Oz: Yeah, you earned it! Y'know, for the most part. And guys like us? We gotta stick together.

Cast

• Colin Farrell - Oswald "Oz" Cobb/The Penguin
• Cristin Milioti - Sofia Falcone / The Hangman
• Rhenzy Feliz - Victor "Vic" Aguilar
• Deirdre O'Connell as Francis Cobb
• Clancy Brown - Salvatore Maroni
• Carmen Ejogo - Eve Karlo
• Michael Zegen - Alberto Falcone
• Berto Colón
• James Madio - Milos Grapa
• Joshua Bitton
• David H. Holmes
• Daniel J. Watts
• Ben Cook
• Jayme Lawson - Bella Reál
• Michael Kelly - Johnny Viti
• Mark Strong - Carmine Falcone

External links

• Encyclopedic article on The Penguin (TV series) on Wikipedia
• The Penguin quotes at the Internet Movie Database
• The Penguin at Rotten Tomatoes