I still remember how shocked I was when, after coming out of The Batman screening, I went to IMDb and realized that Colin Farrell played the role of Penguin. Actors often talk about disappearing behind their characters. Farrell vanished behind heavy makeup that rendered him unrecognizable, so much so that there were moments in The Penguin when I paused the video and looked carefully at the titular crime boss to find traces of the actor playing him. It's still a bit difficult to believe that Farrell is Penguin, so one of the things you do while watching the show is praise Michael Marino from the makeup team. He is the man responsible for the transformation magic. But this compliment comes with a downside: The makeup overpowers the acting.
Consider the Penguin from Tim Burton's Batman movie. He looked ghoulish, but we didn't focus on the powder, the costumes, for a long time. The makeup blended with the acting. Here, it sticks out so proudly that it becomes distracting. As a result, we observe this new Penguin from the outside, which means he never feels funny or menacing. When Penguin is scolded by his mother, Francis (Deirdre O'Connell), and when he tells her to take her pills, the criminal becomes a responsible son, and you detect some humor, some awkwardness in the scene, but don't fully respond to it. Similarly, when, after a "car accident," Penguin gives a creepy, triumphant smile, you don't find him unhinged. This is an external performance - you merely react to superficial details like facial expressions and makeup wizardry.
Something similar can be observed in the case of Cristin Milioti. As a serial killer who has just been released from Arkham Asylum, Milioti's Sofia makes all the right scary faces but eventually comes across as a cosplayer (like Farrell's Penguin). The colors of the Gotham City are muted in The Penguin - it seems to be nourishing evil creatures of night. Someone like Rhenzy Feliz's Victor then is bound to fall towards the dark side. He is introduced as a thief, but we feel as if he can change in the presence of good company. Of course, this teenager won't find a saint in a place like Gotham City. Victor has already teamed up with Penguin - he had no other choice. One can notice sparks of buddy comedy, though they never come to the foreground with intensity.
I have just watched the first episode of The Penguin. It might improve in the coming weeks. Nevertheless, for now, I can only say what I felt while watching the premiere, which can be summed in one word: "Okayish." I didn't find it terrible. The episode merely sets up the table by introducing us to various characters and their motives. It's unexceptional. Episode 1 is simply all right.
Final Score – [5.5/10]