Editor's note: The below recap contains spoilers for The Penguin Episode 4.
Last week's episode of The Penguin finally saw Oz Cobb (Colin Farrell) and Sofia Falcone (Cristin Milioti) working together to sell a new street drug known as Bliss in an act of rebellion against the new heads of the Falcone crime family. The two ally themselves with the Triad crime syndicate after blackmailing Falcone underboss, Johnny Viti (Michael Kelly), into supporting their move. However, their rivals have been hot on their tails, and the third episode ends with Oz and Sofia being held at gunpoint by Nadia Maroni (Shohreh Aghadashloo) and her men. Thankfully, Victor Aguilar (Rhenzy Feliz) creates a distraction, giving Oz the chance to get away at the cost of leaving Sofia behind. Perhaps the biggest takeaway from last week's episode was the revelation that Oz Cobb had snitched on Sofia to her father, Carmine Falcone (Mark Strong), who had her locked up in Arkham Asylum as a consequence. Episode 4, titled "Cent’anni," gives us a closer look at Sofia's tragic backstory and whether the origin of her moniker as "The Hangman" is even deserved.
A New Carmine Falcone Makes an Entrance in 'The Penguin' Episode 4
The episode begins by recounting the final moments of the previous installment, but this time told entirely through Oz and Sofia's perspectives. Nadia threatens the two, claiming that she already knows about Bliss and that the Maronis will be taking over the operation. Sofia is completely unaware of Oz's dealings with the Maronis, but also has very little time to process the information before Victor crashes his car into the scene, leading to an exchange of gunfire before he and Oz take off. Sofia quickly dials her psychiatrist, Dr. Julian Rush (Theo Rossi), but falls unconscious before the call ends.
The episode then flashes back to 10 years prior, where Sofia is speaking at a charity gala about her mother's mental illness and eventual suicide, as Oz, her driver, watches on proudly. Oz escorts her out of the event, and the two share a cigarette. Their dynamic seems much less tense than what we'd previously seen, Sofia isn't the unhinged sociopath from the prior three episodes, and her conversations with Oz don't feel like they're carried by survival instinct, but out of mutual respect and admiration. When Oz walks away to get the car, Sofia is approached by reporter Summer Gleeson (Nadine Malouf), who informs her about a string of women who all died of suicide by hanging, the same way as her mother. One of the women was Yolanda Jones, who worked at the Iceberg Lounge, and many of the other women who were found dead also worked at businesses that were owned by Carmine Falcone. Sofia rebuffs Summer, retreating to the car in disgust and disbelief, and orders Oz to drive away.
Later, while looking at a family portrait at the Falcone estate, Sofia flashes back to the memory of discovering her mother's body as a child. Her recollection is interrupted by her father, who summons her to dinner with him and Alberto (Michael Zegen). During the meal, Carmine berates his son for not looking into Congressman Hill's financial holdings, while complimenting Sofia for being much more reliable. Just then, Alberto receives a text on his phone and abruptly leaves. Carmine continues the conversation one-on-one with Sofia, telling herthat he wants her to become the head of the family when the time comes. Sofia brings up the subject of her mother, adding that she never recalled her being sick, but Carmine claims that she was just good at hiding it, and that he did all he could to help her.
We've known for a few weeks now that Mark Strong would be filling in for John Turturro, who played Carmine Falcone in The Batman, but this marks the first time we've actually seen him as the character in action. It's a weird casting change, as Strong and Turturro have two very different acting styles. However, Strong isn't attempting to do an impression of Turturro, and instead makes the character his own, and because this is a flashback set before the events of the movie, it does prove to be effective. While yes, Turturro coming back would've been best, Strong still stays true to the character.
Later, Oz drives Alberto and Sofia to the Iceberg Lounge, where Sofia asks her brother whether their father ever had any relationships with the women who worked at the Lounge's underground club, 44 Below. Alberto becomes increasingly suspicious, but Sofia adds that he gets to see a completely different side of their father that she has never interacted with. Ultimately, Alberto denies knowledge of anything, but we also see Oz eavesdropping while sitting in the driver's seat. That night, Sofia meets up with Summer, with the latter showing the former autopsy photos of the dead women, noting that all of them have the same bruises around their necks, which are far more complex than rope marks. Sofia, in denial about her father's involvement, accuses Summer of coming up with conspiracy theories to move up the ranks at the Gotham Gazette, and orders Oz to drive away. Oz questions what Sofia's motives are, but she replies by saying that she does not believe anything Summer is telling her.
Sofia Becomes "The Hangman" in 'The Penguin' Episode 4
At Carmine's birthday party, Oz approaches Sofia, much to her surprise, and tells her that her father wants to see her in his office, where Carmine reprimands her for talking to the press. Knowing that Oz has told her father about her meeting with Summer Gleeson, Sofia tries to talk her way out of it, denying any interaction with the reporter since the charity event. Carmine continues to interrogate his daughter, revealing that Summer is working with the Gotham City Police Department on an open investigation surrounding his culpability in the murders. He accuses Sofia of doubting him, and she finally breaks down, revealing that she saw scratches on his hands the day her mother died. Carmine attempts to gaslight Sofia by claiming that she is sick and orders Oz to drive her home.
Oz tries to apologize to Sofia on the drive, claiming that he was only trying to look out for her. A heartbroken Sofia tells Oz that he broke her trust purely to earn the notice of her father and move up the ranks in the family. Then, GCPD cars surround the vehicle, and Sofia is placed under arrest. It's revealed that Summer Gleeson has been murdered, and Sofia is being charged for it, as well as for the deaths of other women who were found dead by hanging. Sometime later, Sofia is visited by her lawyer and Alberto, who show her the newspapers that have dubbed her "The Hangman."They reveal that Carmine has framed her, claiming that she has had a long history of mental illness, and that other members of the family, including Luca (Scott Cohen) and the Vitis, wrote letters to the judge confirming it. Sofia is told that she will be undergoing a psychological evaluation, which she accepts, thinking it'll be a simple process that will prove her sanity. However, her lawyer tells her that the court has approved the ADA's request to send her to Arkham State Hospital, where she'll remain for six months in the leadup to her trial. The lawyer leaves the room to let the siblings talk to each other, where Sofia breaks down before being taken away by police officers.
At Arkham, Sofia is placed under the eye of Arkham's chief psychiatrist, Dr. Ventris (T. Ryder Smith), and his associate Julian Rush, who will be conducting her psychological evaluation. She's also placed under court-order mandatory isolation, restricting her from visitors and any contact with the outside world. Sofia pleads with both doctors, attempting to tell them that she's innocent, but is ignored. After she's locked up in her cell, an inmate named Magpie (Marié Botha) talks to her through the vent, asking her whether she's really "the Hangman." At the mess hall, Magpie is given a red-colored drug that we've now come to know as Bliss, lulling her into a euphoric, complacent state as Sofia looks on, before Abby (Syd Skidmore), an unchained patient, approaches her, accusing her of murder, and begins to attack her.
’The Penguin’s Cristin Milioti Has Been Preparing To Take Over Gotham Her Entire Life
Milioti also reveals which music artists were on her playlist for Sofia Falcone.
Sofia Embraces Her Dark Side in 'The Penguin' Episode 4
Hours later, Sofia wakes up back in her cell, battered and bruised from the attack, to find Julian standing over her. We learn that Sofia previously went to therapy after her mother's murder, with Julian claiming that grief can often lead to anger. Sofia calmly tells Julian that her father is framing her, but he doesn't seem to believe her. She is led back to the mess hall, where Abby is brought out in chains, cruelly mocking her by repeatedly calling her a killer. Sofia is handed a fork and freed from her restraints, realizing that she is being tested by Dr. Ventris. As Sofia approaches Abby, she is knocked down and Abby snatches the fork instead, pleading with Sofia to "end it." Sofia watches in shock as Abby stabs herself in the neck multiple times before being dragged away by the guards, where she is forced to undergo electric shock therapy.
Sofia begins to gradually lose her grip on reality as the doctors at Arkham continue to abuse her despite her pleas of innocence. Julian questions Dr. Ventris, realizing that Sofia may be telling the truth, but his theory is quickly shot down. Six months later, Sofia receives a visit from a heartbroken Alberto, who tells her that Dr. Ventris has deemed her mentally unfit to stand trial. Alberto promises Sofia that he'll try everything that he can to fight for her, but Sofia ignores Julian as he apologizes, claiming that he had tried to stop Ventris from writing the report. Back at the mess hall, Magpie giddily tells Sofia that she no longer has to lie to get drugs from Dr. Ventris. Emotionally numb, Sofia asks Magpie whether she is spying on her, but Magpie ignores the question and continues talking nonsense, to which Sofia finally snaps and attacks her, bashing her head into a table. Sofia realizes that Ventris is watching and once again pleads her innocence, but is then given a sedative.
Back in the present day, Sofia awakens in Julian's office, where she is given food and a change of clothes. Sofia opens up to Julian, claiming that she feels like an idiot for believing Oz, and admits she should have killed him when she had the chance. Julian encourages Sofia to flee to Italy, which is what she was initially instructed to do by Luca. In response, Sofia begins to intimidate Julian, questioning why she should believe him after being lied to and gaslit for the last 10 years in Arkham. Sofia leaves, telling Julian that he is right and that she "needs a fresh start."Sofia returns to the Falcone estate and walks in dressed to the nines as Luca is leading a family dinner. The room goes silent as Sofia sits down at the table, calmly pouring herself wine and serving herself pasta and meatballs. As Luca begins to address the family, Sofia interrupts him to give her own toast, bringing up the last time they were all together at Carmine's birthday party. Sofia berates her family for writing letters to the judge, backing the groundless accusations that she was mentally ill — Alberto, by contrast, was the only one who tried to help her. Sofia concludes her toast by declaring her intentions to leave and start a new life.
A few hours later, Sofia wakes up Carla Viti's daughter, Gia (Kenzie Grey), and leads her to the greenhouse, where she gives the young girl a slice of cake and reminisces about how she and Alberto used to sleep in the greenhouse as children. She asks the nervous child to spend the night with her, to which Gia reluctantly agrees. The episode ends with Sofia waking up the next morning, instructing Gia to stay put, and walking through the mansion, where it's revealed that she has killed most of the family via carbon monoxide poisoning. She walks into Johnny Viti's room, where it's revealed she left the window open so that he would survive the night,
It feels surreal to have The Penguin airing at the same time as the theatrical release of another Batman-related project, Joker: Folie à Deux, yet here we are. While Todd Phillips' musical sequel may have failed to deliver the goods, this week's episode of The Penguin may just be the series' magnum opus. While some may be a tad disappointed to hear that Colin Farrell takes a backseat in this installment, it results in the episode being all the more effective, as we witness the tragic downfall of Sofia Falcone.
Many, myself included, have already been rooting for Farrell to dominate during next year's Emmys, and while that is still the case, Milioti's performance in this episode is nothing short of magnificent. Milioti portrays Sofia's downfall in a way that feels incredibly raw with a deep understanding of her character. She is without question the best live-action Batman villain we've ever seen, and while her character's methods are surely sinister, you still can't help but root for her in some ways. Storylines about gang wars, rats, and drug-running all take a backseat as "Cent’anni" narrows in on what the series has been doing best: its character work. It's going to be hard for the remaining four episodes of The Penguin to top this, but if this is any indication, we're in for a wild and satisfying ride.
The Penguin is available to stream on Max in the U.S.
Episode 4 of The Penguin proves to be the series' strongest hour yet, with Cristin Milioti giving an Emmy-worthy performance.
- Cristin Milioti takes her portrayal of Sofia Falcone to a whole new level, giving us a better understanding of why her character is the way that she is.
- While it may be disappointing that John Turturro was unable to return as Carmine Falcone, Mark Strong proves to be a damn fine replacement.
- Episode 4 tackles topics such as the mistreatment of the mentally ill with much more nuance than expected.
- Wait, are we rooting for Sofia now?
Watch on Max
Comments
Post a Comment