Inside Man (The Penguin)

Last updated
"Inside Man"
The Penguin episode
Episode no.Episode 2
Directed by Craig Zobel
Written byErika L. Johnson
Cinematography byDarran Tiernan
Editing byMeg Reticker
Original air dateSeptember 29, 2024 (2024-09-29)
Running time56 minutes
Guest appearance
  • Aria Shahghasemi as Taj Maroni
Episode chronology
← Previous
"After Hours"		Next →
"Bliss"
List of episodes

"Inside Man" is the second episode of the American crime drama television miniseries The Penguin , a spin-off from the film The Batman . The episode was written by co-executive producer Erika L. Johnson, and directed by executive producer Craig Zobel. It was first broadcast on HBO in the United States on September 29, 2024, and also was available on Max on the same date.

Contents

Set shortly after the events of the film, the series explores the rise to power of Oswald "Oz" Cobb / Penguin (portrayed by Colin Farrell) in Gotham City's criminal underworld. Oz finds himself allied with a young man named Victor (Rhenzy Feliz), while also having to deal with the presence of Sofia Falcone (Cristin Milioti), who wants answers regarding her brother's disappearance. In the episode, Oz cooperates with Salvatore Maroni's (Clancy Brown) crew to rob one of the Falcone's trucks, while Sofia's uncle Luca (Scott Cohen) arrives to take care of the crime family.

According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 0.299 million household viewers and gained a 0.04 ratings share among adults aged 18–49. The episode received positive reviews from critics, who praised its performances, hijacking sequence and character development, although some expressed criticism for its pacing.

Plot

Sofia undergoes therapy and suffers a panic attack after hallucinating Alberto's murder. She storms out of the therapist's office, intending to avenge her brother's death.

Oz visits Maroni again, who is angry over his actions. Oz defends his decisions and convinces Maroni to continue their partnership by helping with a drop shipment that will be taken by Maroni's crew. However, Oz is surprised when Johnny Viti appears and forces him to go in the armored truck instead of the car. Maroni's crew arrives and intercepts the truck, killing many of Falcone's henchmen. Oz barely escapes alive and claims his innocence to Viti. However, Sofia is certain that someone within their crew is cooperating with Maroni. Falcone's brother, Luca, is brought in to take Carmine's place as boss of the family and warns Sofia to stay out of their business.

Oz is called to his mother's house, after his landlord reports that her dementia has been worsening. Oz refuses to get her into permanent care and keeps paying him to stay with her. After Alberto's funeral, Sofia bribes retired GCPD detective Marcus Wise, formerly on her father's payroll, to investigate the heist, and the man finds Ervad, one of Maroni's henchmen. Maroni's wife, Nadia, assigns Oz to retrieve Ervad before they can get him to talk. Oz sneaks into the Falcone household, which is hosting the reception for Alberto's funeral. During this, Victor tries to sneak jewels inside Viti's car to expose his affair with Luca's wife but is forced to flee when Falcone's bodyguards see him.

Oz finds the basement where Ervad is kept, but upon being informed by Victor that he was seen, he is forced to kill Ervad with a switchblade. When Sofia and Luca find the corpse, they place the house in lockdown and force everyone assigned to the truck, including Oz, into a room. Oz plants the knife on Sofia's enforcer Castillo; Sofia tries to shoot him, but Luca intervenes and executes Castillo himself. Feeling that Sofia is clouded by her vendetta, Luca decides that she will be sent to Italy until their business is settled. That night, Oz makes Victor dig a grave for the bodies of Ervad and Castillo, warning him to stay focused or he will end up just like them. He is later called and meets with Sofia at the Falcone family crypt. She asks him for a partnership to wipe out the Falcone family hierarchy so she may step in and take complete control.

Production

Development

Executive producer Craig Zobel directed the episode. Craig Zobel Deauville 2012.jpg
Executive producer Craig Zobel directed the episode.

The episode was written by co-executive producer Erika L. Johnson, and directed by executive producer Craig Zobel. It marked Johnson's first writing credit, and Zobel's second directing credit. [1] Zobel's involvement was reported in October 2022, when he was confirmed to direct the first episode. [2]

Filming

For the truck hijacking sequence, the crew only had two nights to film it. Zobel said that they "wanted to have something that felt a little bigger and a little more reflective of the character he is in the movie." The crew found a location below a bridge, and Zobel found the experience "hectic" while filming it. [3] For the scenes where Oz moves around the truck, Zobel said "we had the grip department and the special effects department put big long two-by-fours under the truck and just shake it up with that. Sometimes, the oldest ways work." [3]

Post-production

The visual effects team had developed a type of flash prop gun for use on set during the FEMA heist scene, primarily to ensure the safety of the crew. The prop emulated the behavior of the real gun, and the flashes of light from the trigger allowed the team to better enhance the effects during post. [4]

Reception

Viewers

In its original American broadcast, "Inside Man" was seen by an estimated 0.299 million household viewers with a 0.04 in the 18–49 demographics. This means that 0.04 percent of all households with televisions watched the episode. [5] This was a 23% increase in viewership from the previous episode, which was seen by an estimated 0.242 million household viewers with a 0.06 in the 18–49 demographics. [6]

Critical reviews

"Inside Man" received positive reviews from critics. The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 100% approval rating for the episode, with an average rating of 7.9/10 and based on 9 critic's reviews. [7]

Tyler Robertson of IGN gave the episode a "good" 7 out of 10 and wrote in his verdict, "Oz thrusts himself (and those around him) down a winding path of misdirection and chaos in another solid episode of The Penguin. “Inside Man” loses some of the momentum of the series premiere, but a pair of tense sequences and knockout performances from the main cast keep it from falling flat." [8]

William Hughes of The A.V. Club gave the episode a "B" grade and wrote, "there's fun to be had watching Cobb run the numbers on the various people he might pin his mole activities on, ultimately dismissing Michael Kelly's Johnny Vitti as just too damn hard to frame. But this is an episode of TV that's less about what's happening now than what's happening next, and the ultimate effect is leaving me less interested in what I just watched than what'll arrive next week." [9]

Andy Andersen of Vulture gave the episode a 3 star rating out of 5 and wrote, "Our sophomore episode of The Penguin puts us through the first real phase of Oz Cobb's plan to takeover the Falcone Empire. If you're coming into this thing looking for a quality Sunday-night HBO crime show, the proceedings will prove efficient, if not underbaked. But where “Inside Man” may come off as paying thin gangster-cosplay lip service to its The Sopranos / Boardwalk Empire -baiting HBO time slot, The Penguin continues to make inspired use of the comic-book IP torch it’s been tasked with carrying." [10] Josh Rosenberg of Esquire wrote, "For starters, I already like the direction the series is taking, with the Penguin stumbling up the ladder of success. Does he have good ideas? Is he quick on his feet? None of those questions matter! The Penguin has luck on his side. He's the kind of guy who just spouts words until a threat on his life turns into a job opportunity. If you ever wonder throughout the series why no one simply kills the Penguin — trust me, they're trying." [11]

Joe George of Den of Geek gave the episode a 4 star rating out of 5 and wrote, "As with the premiere, Milioti provides the perfect partner to Farrell as Oz, and every scene between the two characters crackles. By the time the episode ends with Sofia holding an unnerving smile as proposes a partnership with Oz, The Penguin starts to make a name for itself by embracing its pulpy heart." [12] Sean T. Collins of Decider wrote, "With these characteristics, The Penguin does an excellent job conveying why an S-tier liar and killer like Oz Cobb isn't running Gotham City already. Thus far, his gifts have all been expended in a desperate scramble from the bottom to the, let's say, lower middle." [13]

Nate Richard of Collider gave the episode a 8 out of 10 rating and wrote, "This week's installment may also not be as explosive as the first episode, but the pacing and structure keep The Penguin moving at the perfect speed, leaving us wanting more as soon as the end credits roll." [14] Lisa Babick of TV Fanatic gave the episode a 4.5 star rating out of 5 rating and wrote, "Oz might want to rethink his “it's a helluva lot more fun to dance” line he tossed at Sofia Falcone on The Penguin Season 1 Episode 2 because the dance will only get more twisted." [15]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carmine Falcone</span> Fictional DC Comics character

Carmine Falcone is a villain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, portrayed as a powerful mob boss, an enemy of Batman, and an acquaintance of the Wayne family. He has also been sometimes depicted as the illegitimate father of Catwoman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alberto Falcone</span> Comics character

Alberto Falcone is a fictional comic book villain appearing in books published by DC Comics, in particular the Batman books. In addition to being a mobster, he has also made appearances as the Holiday Killer, a serial killer featured in Batman: The Long Halloween and Batman: Dark Victory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sal Maroni</span> Fictional DC Comics character

Salvatore Vincent Maroni is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with Batman. The substantial character is portrayed as a powerful mob boss and gangster of Italian descent in Gotham City and an enemy of Batman. Maroni is most famous for disfiguring Harvey Dent, setting the stage for the young district attorney's transformation into the supervillain Two-Face.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fish Mooney</span> Fictional character

Maria Mercedes "Fish" Mooney is a fictional character created by producer and screenwriter Bruno Heller for the television series Gotham, portrayed by actress Jada Pinkett Smith.

"All Happy Families Are Alike" is the 22nd episode and finale of the first season of the FOX series Gotham. The episode was written by series developer Bruno Heller and directed by Danny Cannon. It was first broadcast on May 4, 2015 in FOX. In this episode, the mob war between Carmine Falcone and Salvatore Maroni is coming to a brutal end while Oswald Cobblepot and Fish Mooney face off in their final confrontation, putting James Gordon in the middle of both conflicts. Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne sets out to find evidence that his father had a secret life before his death.

"Arkham" is the fourth episode of the television series Gotham. It premiered on FOX on October 13, 2014, and was written by Ken Woodruff and directed by TJ Scott. In the episode, detectives Gordon and Bullock try to save the council of Gotham, which is threatened after a dispute for the known Arkham Plan is in progress. Meanwhile, Cobblepot indulges more in Maroni's mafia.

"Viper" is the fifth episode of the television series Gotham. It premiered on FOX on October 20, 2014 and was written by Rebecca Perry Cutter and directed by Tim Hunter. In the episode, detectives Gordon and Bullock are investigating a new street drug that causes euphoria and then death. Meanwhile, Cobblepot works his way deeper into Maroni’s inner circle and Fish Mooney continues to plot to take down Falcone.

"Penguin's Umbrella" is the seventh episode of the television series Gotham. It premiered on FOX on November 3, 2014 and was written by series developer Bruno Heller, and directed by Rob Bailey. In this episode, the mob war escalates while Cobblepot reveals a new component of his manipulative strategy, forcing Gordon to deal with the consequences of his decision to spare Penguin's life.

"The Fearsome Dr. Crane" is the fourteenth episode of the television series Gotham. It premiered on FOX on February 2, 2015 and was written by John Stephens, and directed by John Behring. In this episode, Gordon and Bullock investigate homicides where the victims are killed with their greatest fear. Meanwhile, Maroni begins to question his relationship with Cobblepot after a tip.

"They Who Hide Behind Masks" is the third episode of the fourth season and 69th episode overall from the Fox series Gotham. The show is itself based on the characters created by DC Comics set in the Batman mythology. The episode was written by co-executive producers Steven Lilien and Bryan Wynbrandt and directed by Mark Tonderai. It was first broadcast on October 5, 2017.

"The Blade's Path" is the fifth episode of the fourth season and 71st episode overall from the Fox series Gotham. The show is itself based on the characters created by DC Comics set in the Batman mythology. The episode was written by Tze Chun and directed by Scott White. It was first broadcast on October 19, 2017.

"Queen Takes Knight" is the eleventh episode and midseason finale of the fourth season and 77th episode overall from the Fox series Gotham. The show is itself based on the characters created by DC Comics set in the Batman mythology. The episode was written by executive producer John Stephens and directed by Danny Cannon. It was first broadcast on December 7, 2017.

<i>The Penguin</i> (TV series) 2024 DC Studios miniseries

The Penguin is an American crime drama television miniseries developed by Lauren LeFranc for HBO. Based on the DC Comics character of the same name, it serves as a spin-off sequel to the film The Batman (2022), following Oz Cobb's rise to power in Gotham City's criminal underworld. LeFranc serves as the showrunner of the series, which is produced by DC Studios in association with Warner Bros. Television.

"After Hours" is the series premiere of the American crime drama television miniseries The Penguin, a spin-off from the film The Batman. The episode was written by series creator Lauren LeFranc, and directed by executive producer Craig Zobel. It was first broadcast on HBO in the United States on September 19, 2024, and also was available on Max on the same date.

"Bliss" is the third episode of the American crime drama television miniseries The Penguin, a spin-off from the film The Batman. The episode was written by co-executive producer Noelle Valdivia, and directed by executive producer Craig Zobel. It was first broadcast on HBO in the United States on October 6, 2024, and also was available on Max on the same date.

"Cent'Anni" is the fourth episode of the American crime drama television miniseries The Penguin, a spin-off from the film The Batman. The episode was written by supervising producer John McCutcheon, and directed by Helen Shaver. It was first broadcast on HBO in the United States on October 13, 2024, and also was available on Max on the same date.

"Homecoming" is the fifth episode of the American crime drama television miniseries The Penguin, a spin-off from the film The Batman. The episode was written by co-producers Breannah Gibson and Shaye Ogbonna, and directed by Helen Shaver. It was first broadcast on HBO in the United States on October 20, 2024, and also was available on Max on the same date.

"Gold Summit" is the sixth episode of the American crime drama television miniseries The Penguin, a spin-off from the film The Batman. The episode was written by producer Nick Towne and directed by Kevin Bray. It was first broadcast on HBO in the United States on October 27, 2024, and also was available on Max on the same date.

"Top Hat" is the seventh episode of the American crime drama television miniseries The Penguin, a spin-off from the film The Batman. The episode was written by co-executive producer Vladimir Cvetko, and directed by Kevin Bray. It was first broadcast on HBO in the United States on November 3, 2024, and also was available on Max on the same date.

"A Great or Little Thing" is the eighth episode and series finale of the American crime drama television miniseries The Penguin, a spin-off from the film The Batman. The episode was written by series developer Lauren LeFranc, and directed by Jennifer Getzinger. It was first broadcast on HBO in the United States on November 10, 2024, and also was available on Max on the same date.

References

  1. ↑ "The Penguin – WGA Directory". Writers Guild of America West. Archived from the original on July 11, 2024. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  2. ↑ Couch, Aaron (October 7, 2022). "'The Penguin' Enlists 'Mare of Easttown' Director Craig Zobel". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  3. 1 2 Lane, Carly (September 29, 2024). "'The Penguin' Director Breaks Down Episode 2, Colin Farrell's Surprising Choice, and More". Collider . Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  4. ↑ Outlaw, Kofi (September 30, 2024). "The Penguin VFX Team Developed A New Kind of Prop Gun for Safer Shootout Scenes". ComicBook.com . Archived from the original on December 3, 2024. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  5. ↑ Pucci, Douglas (October 1, 2024). "Sunday Ratings: 'The Summit' on CBS Gets Off to Slow Start". Programming Insider. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  6. ↑ Pucci, Douglas (September 20, 2024). "Thursday Ratings: ABC and CBS Share Broadcast Leadership, Prime Video Tops All Outlets". Programming Insider. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  7. ↑ "The Penguin – Limited Series, Episode 2". Rotten Tomatoes . September 20, 2024. Retrieved October 13, 2024.
  8. ↑ Robertson, Tyler (September 29, 2024). "The Penguin: Episode 2 Review – "Inside Man"". IGN . Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  9. ↑ Hughes, William (September 29, 2024). "The Penguin's mob war has us asking: Where the hell is Batman?". The A.V. Club . Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  10. ↑ Andersen, Andy (September 29, 2024). "The Penguin Recap: No One's Untouchable". Vulture . Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  11. ↑ Rosenberg, Josh (September 29, 2024). "The Penguin Episode 2 Recap". Esquire . Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  12. ↑ George, Joe (September 29, 2024). "The Penguin Episode 2 Review: Sofia Falcone Takes Charge". Den of Geek . Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  13. ↑ Collins, Sean T. (September 29, 2024). "'The Penguin' Episode 2 Recap: Lying Is the Most Fun a Goombah Can Have Without Taking His Clothes Off". Decider . Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  14. ↑ Richard, Nate (September 29, 2024). "'The Penguin' Episode 2 Recap: Dirty Little Rat". Collider . Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  15. ↑ Babick, Lisa (September 29, 2024). "The Penguin Season 1 Episode 2 Review: Inside Man". TV Fanatic. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.