On The Penguin Season 1 Episode 3, we delved into Vic’s backstory in a way that illuminated many of his present-day actions and motivations.
This week, the show explored a deeper, darker mystery by fleshing out the enigmatic Sofia Falcone.
It’s not easy to evoke sympathy for a ruthless drug lord and alleged serial killer, but the writers accomplished exactly that with the show’s most harrowing hour to date.
TV Fanatic writers Lisa Babick, Whitney Evans, Thomas Godwin, and Tyler Johnson discussed Sofia’s past, her family, and her shocking act of revenge in this week’s round table. Take a look:
Obviously, this episode was all about Sofia. How did her backstory influence your view of her relationship with Oz and her role within her family?
Thomas: Oz did what any low-level, knee-jerk henchman would do, and Sofia probably should have known that. But this was before just about everyone meaningful in her life, including her father, threw her under the bus.
Now, I think it’s a matter of how her trust issues will affect her relationships and control of a diminished Falcone empire. I also think it is interesting how Oz’s decision ultimately helps Batman, though Batman is almost a complete non-entity in this show.
Oz’s decision results in the chain of command being broken, with most higher-ups dead at Sofia’s hand and protracted internecine warfare.
Whitney: I’m glad we got this hour to give us the whole scope of Sofia’s story before we met her upon her release from Arkham. She was betrayed by all the people in her life, and no wonder she wants to take back control of her life and the family that should have been hers.
I’ve been more indifferent toward Sofia overall, but this hour was heartbreaking in so many ways. She never stood a chance in that family.
I wouldn’t trust anyone if I was Sofia. She needed Oz because she could use his ambition to her advantage, but you could tell she never fully trusted him, and she had every reason to keep him at arm’s length in a lot of ways.
Lisa: I’ve always liked Sofia, and this episode only deepened my understanding of her. Her story was truly heartbreaking, and I agree with Whitney — it’s no wonder she ended up with so much rage. The betrayals by her father and Oz shaped who she is now.
I don’t think she ever wanted this life, but the men around her left her no choice. Right now, I’m not convinced she’s interested in taking over the Falcone empire for good. It feels more like she’s driven to right the wrongs done to her, and Oz is definitely at the top of that list.
Tyler: One of this show’s greatest strengths is fleshing out what could be one-note characters into dynamic, three-dimensional human beings.
We’ve previously seen the writers pull off that magic trick with Oz and Vic, and with this week’s episode, they may have transformed Sofia into the show’s most nuanced and sympathetic figure. On a show full of “villains,” she might be the closest thing to a hero.
We also learn a bit about Sofia’s father, Carmine, who, like most of the Falcones, is even more evil than we previously thought. Does the new information change how you feel about the family’s war with the Maronis?
Thomas: Not really. Within the parameters of the show, we don’t know much about the Maronis. It’s very likely they have some skeletons in the closet as well.
Whitney: It doesn’t change my feeling about the Maronis because, as Thomas said, we don’t really know anything about the Maronis. I’m sure the Maronis have issues too, but man, that Falcone family is pretty brutal.
Lisa: I’m with Thomas and Whitney on this. Carmine’s a monster, but as for the war with the Maronis, we just don’t know enough about them yet. We’ve only gotten some insight from Nadia and the ring in the first episode, so it’s hard to judge.
Right now, the war feels secondary, especially with Penguin playing both sides. Who knows? We might even see the Maronis and Falcones join forces against Oz, considering Sofia’s the last true Falcone standing (and Viti, but his days seem numbered).
Tyler: It’s certainly possible that the Maronis are as brutal as the Falcones (if not worse). But to me, the level of internal conflict within Sofia’s family adds an interesting wrinkle to the conflict between the two clans.
The Falcones could wind up being their own worst enemies, which certainly complicates their situation.
This episode introduces Summer Gleeson and Magpie, and it spends a lot of time in the infamous Arkham Asylum. In some respects, it leans more heavily on the previously established Batman canon than the earlier installments.
Would you like to see more of Gotham’s famous figures and locales, or do you prefer the more independent, semi-standalone mob drama approach that we’ve seen thus far?
Thomas: So far, these contributions are pretty small-scale and don’t change anything about the story. Magpie could have been replaced with (insert random name here), and the scene would have had the same effect in terms of Sofia’s character arc. It felt like a neat little cameo and nothing more.
Whitney: Both appearances didn’t really lead to a whole lot, but it’s fun to have established characters from the Batman universe pop in to almost remind you that while the superhero may not be present, he IS a central part of this world. But I’m enjoying the show as it is and don’t necessarily need all the famous figures and locales to show up.
Lisa: It’s definitely a treat for hardcore Batman fans who love seeing nods to the universe’s deep canon, but it’s not a necessity for The Penguin. The show is about the Penguin, after all, and it stands on its own without needing to lean heavily on established Batman lore.
As for Magpie, I agree with Thomas — it felt like a quick cameo that didn’t add much beyond being the girl who ended up with her head bashed in by Sofia.
Tyler: I wouldn’t say I dislike superhero movies. In fact, I really enjoyed The Batman. But I’ve been feeling a little burnt out on them in recent years.
So I definitely wouldn’t mind if this show stuck with the gritty mob stuff and mostly eschewed the comic book lore. Obviously, we’re still in the Batman universe, but the writers have taken such an interesting, unique approach thus far.
I’d hate to see them compromise that by veering too far in the direction of typical DC fare.
The acting took center stage here, not only because of Cristin Milioti’s stunning performance but also because of Mark Strong’s debut as Carmine (John Turturro played him in The Batman).
What are your thoughts on this stacked roster of talent, and were there any acting moments that stood out to you in this week’s episode?
Thomas: It took a minute to recognize Mark Strong with hair (are there any movies or shows out there where he’s not bald?), but I felt like he was just as effectively sinister as Turturro. Both play the role with a generally calm demeanor, with the smallest undercurrent of malevolence.
The acting moment that stood out to me was when Sofia was committed. The scene was brief but conveyed much — I knew that it was going to be nothing but madness from there on out, and it was difficult not to empathize with her character at that point.
Whitney: Cristin Milioti was incredible in this hour. The Penguin is truly the Colin Farrell show, but Milioti more than holds her own opposite him, and she’s a force during this episode.
You could truly see the change throughout the hour, from a somewhat naive daughter to a wrongfully convicted prisoner to a released prisoner, understanding she can’t go back and can only make a way forward.
I loved the whole dinner scene because I am a sucker for awkward dinners in television and movies. If I don’t want to cover my eyes at least once, then it’s not awkward enough!
But Milioti was subtly gleeful, heartbroken, and determined when she faced off against the people who helped destroy her, and I loved everything about that scene and the way she played it. Cheers!
Lisa: I agree with Whitney — Milioti’s performance was phenomenal this episode. Her range was on full display, from her innocence during the charity luncheon speech to her shock and disgust as she realized the depth of her father’s and Oz’s betrayals.
The dinner scene was a standout, but I also found her reaction to Alberto’s news that she wasn’t leaving Arkham especially powerful; it felt like the moment that truly flipped a switch in her.
Even after everything, including the bullying and shock treatments at Arkham, Sofia showed she hadn’t lost who she is inside, though she’s clearly become someone new.
Tyler: I’ve always enjoyed Milioti’s work (everyone should check out her performance in Palm Springs if they haven’t already!), but I was still surprised by the level of talent on display in this episode.
Obviously, she was the star of the show this week, but this is a cast that consistently fires on all cylinders. I’m also a fan of Michael Zegen’s, so I’m glad he’s been able to return in flashbacks.
Lastly, this episode concluded with yet another wild ending. Was Sofia’s act of revenge justified? What do you make of her decision to spare Gia?
Thomas: Sofia sparing Gia was a direct parallel to Oz sparing Vic. The two characters have much in common, and the show does a fantastic job of showing the audience what could have been and what is. Both Sofia and Oz are capable of profound cruelty, but there is a glimmer of humanity in both.
In a fictional sense, it’s easy to justify Sofia’s revenge, but it is an act of mass murder, nonetheless. Her revenge isn’t satiated either, with her sparing the most insufferable of the bunch, Johnny Viti. I imagine he has very little worth looking forward to from here on out.
Whitney: Justified? In a world like this, sure. Sofia’s own father threw her clean under the bus, and everyone at the table (sans Gia) directly or indirectly helped and was never someone she would be able to trust or work with moving forward.
So, for her to be the true head of the family, her only real choice was to literally be the only one left.
Sparing Gia definitely felt like a parallel to Oz and Vic, but it also just felt like a callback to the Sofia we met in the beginning of the episode. She still has that Sofia inside of her.
Lisa: I think Sofia saw Gia as an innocent who didn’t deserve the same fate as the others. Gia was born into the Family but wasn’t involved in betraying Sofia, so there was no reason to punish her.
As for Sofia’s act of revenge, I do think it was justified, but the way she went about it—using gas instead of a more violent method — shows that she doesn’t have the same taste for brutality as Oz.
She’s been through too much violence herself. When it comes to Oz, though, that’s a different story.
I don’t see a real parallel between Sofia sparing Gia and Oz sparing Vic. Oz’s “compassion” is surface-level at best; he’d sacrifice Vic or anyone else to save himself. There’s a reason he keeps Vic around, but I doubt it’s for anything good.
Tyler: This show keeps finding ways to deliver those bonkers twist endings. It reminds me of Breaking Bad in that way.
It’s no easy feat to continually ratchet up the tension week after week, but thus far, this show has pulled it off. As for Sofia’s act of revenge — well, it was extreme, but she lives in an extreme world.
And the writers definitely knew what they were doing when they had her rescue Gia. They had just spent an hour fostering compassion for Sofia, and it all would have been for naught if she’d killed a kid.
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