‘The Penguin’ “Certified Fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes, Surpasses ‘Agatha All Along’

Many fans were initially skeptical when Colin Farrell was cast as Oswald Cobblepot, a.k.a. The Penguin, in Matt Reeves’ The Batman. Concerns arose over whether Farrell fit the character’s look, but the costume designers worked wonders, and Farrell delivered an outstanding portrayal of the villain. His performance was so well-received that HBO quickly greenlit a standalone spin-off series.

Titled The Penguin, the show premiered on September 19, 2024, and has garnered overwhelmingly positive reviews from both viewers and critics. It’s been hailed as a worthy sequel to Reeves’ film and an exceptional example of world-building, with fans even declaring it the best pilot episode of all time.

Despite facing strong competition from Disney’s Agatha All Along, Gotham’s infamous criminal managed to outshine the competition and has become one of the biggest hits on television, earning an impressive score and a “Certified Fresh” rating.

The Penguin premiered on September 19, 2024, on HBO Max, and the initial reactions to the series were incredible. It launched with an impressive score exceeding 90% before stabilizing at 89% from critics and 88% from fans as of this writing.

Remarkably, the series earned a “Certified Fresh” badge within just one day, highlighting its quality and viewer appreciation. Here’s what the critics are saying:

“The Penguin” offers an intriguing push and pull between the grotesque and the grounded, a street-level crime drama nonetheless full of cartoonish mob stereotypes and over-the-top characters with elaborate axes to grind.

– Clint Worthington, RogerEbert.com

A superhero spinoff series serving as a Trumpian allegory at all is worth appreciating, as is Farrell burying his disarming charms behind 50 pounds of latex without concealing his considerable talents.

– Ben Travers, IndieWire

If The Penguin had to act tightly in service of a larger narrative, I doubt it would have as much snap and personality as it does. Which may be the Penguin’s dream realized: from chaos comes order.

– Richard Lawson, Vanity Fair

This is a five star series that mafia film fans will adore. It’s very much an Italian-American gangster Penguin, with Farrell finding the sweetest of evil spots between Tony Soprano and De Niro’s Vito Corleone.

– Martin Robinson, London Evening Standard

It manages to tell an entertaining crime saga without leaning too much on the absent Dark Knight — although it still ends up falling prey to some of the weaknesses inherent in Batman adaptations.

– Christian Holub, Entertainment Weekly

It’s noteworthy that The Penguin has outperformed its major competitor this week, Agatha All Along, with a significant lead over the Marvel series. While Agatha All Along also received a “Certified Fresh” rating, its score is much lower, and the excitement around it isn’t as strong. This is a considerable win for DC, but it’s great to see both shows succeeding!

What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments below!

Liked this article? Join the community on Reddit for the latest Marvel & DC news!