The Penguin The Penguin on HBO - General Discussion

[squeekness]

Probably would, lol.

 

[The Shape]

Really hoping "Julian Rush" isn't Scarecrow.

I don't like Theo Rossi at all for this kind of role.

 

[Sithborg]

Given the themes of The Batman and Penguin, yeah, the Court of Owls seems rather obvious to tackle. Probably just going to look a bit more like the Harley Quinn version than the comic version...

Dr Simp is clearly someone. Whether he will be Scarecrow or someone else, who knows. But his device is a little too... villainy for him not to be someone. I personally kind of like changing the names in some of these characters.

 

[Sawyer]

Honestly, if Theo Rossi was going to be anybody, I think it would’ve demanded a bigger “moment” than just a blink-and-you-miss-it bit of set decoration that happened four episodes in and was never explored any further.

 

[Kane52630]

Listening to all the interviews from the showrunner, it just seems like they were originally gonna have Theo Rossi be Scarecrow or someone adjacent and abandon it just like how they abandoned the idea of Batman showing up in the show.

 

[TheGDBatman]

Listening to all the interviews from the showrunner, it just seems like they were originally gonna have Theo Rossi be Scarecrow or someone adjacent and abandon it just like how they abandoned the idea of Batman showing up in the show.

Came here to say this. I can’t remember if I heard it on House of R or the final Penguin podcast, but he isn’t Scarecrow. It was something planned that eventually changed (and for the better, given his fairly shallow role. Scarecrow deserves much more).

 

[solidsnake86]

Came here to say this. I can’t remember if I heard it on House of R or the final Penguin podcast, but he isn’t Scarecrow. It was something planned that eventually changed (and for the better, given his fairly shallow role. Scarecrow deserves much more).

It could be a few things. Maybe he was originally intended to be scarecrow but after watching the dailies it changed. Or it could just be that they didn't want to take the attention away from the penguin and Sofia.

There was also a very large break in between filming because of the strike so they could have retooled a few things.

It's interesting because Theo Rossi is not a big name actor but also not completely unknown that I'm surprised he would take on this role.

We have heard rumours of a pitches for a scarecrow solo film or he could have been part of the now defunct Arkham series. But plans change.

 

[Still Wynning]

This diva

Grateful for this show giving me another new celebrity crush.

 

[J.Drangal]

I personally didn't spot the owls shaped curtains or the mess on Rush's desk, so I have to come to terms with the fact that I would be a lousy Batman...

More seriously, I'm far more intrigued by the former than the latter.
Or let's say I hope Dr Simp doesn't end up being the scarecrow... but I think things are now clear that he's not.

 

[Karelia]

Oh man, I so hope we get Court of Owls in this story somewhere. Batman is going to have to learn how to fight a bit better to take on Talon!

Not sure I have commented since the finale, but what an incredible ending to the series/season(?) With this and Superman & Lois delivering, I am a happy DC fan!

 

[theastsunnn]

The show was entertaining to watch, but didn’t elevate the penguin character. Only saying that in terms of I still would never have interest in seeing him fight Batman as the main villain. He hasn’t entered that exclusive club. Seems he’ll still be pretty easy for Batman to take down. But any character can be written into a great main villain for a movie

 

[RokMeAmadeus]

I'd prefer he just stays an original character because the name changing is a bit redundant and I really can't place him as any one particular existing character lol

 

[The Lazarus Pit]

Penguin is better than The Batman. Wild to admit that. But true.

 

[Kane52630]

The show was entertaining to watch, but didn’t elevate the penguin character. Only saying that in terms of I still would never have interest in seeing him fight Batman as the main villain. He hasn’t entered that exclusive club. Seems he’ll still be pretty easy for Batman to take down. But any character can be written into a great main villain for a movie

So according to you, a true Batman villain must physically fight Batman? That seems... very limiting creatively.

 

[SwordOfMorning]

I don't think The Penguin is anywhere close to the quality of The Batman. Even the episodes of the show I ****ing love are pretty distant from that. Partially a taste thing but most of what Penguin does is just fundamentally less interesting - take how it portrays the mafia for example: in The Batman there's a really gross, malevolent quality and something almost Satanic about Falcone (they make what he is more overt in The Penguin but it's already there in The Batman, just as a disturbing and well seeded implication). It avoids a lot of obvious tropes and stereotypes whereas in The Penguin they're just... cartoon Italian gangsters. It's fun stuff but it's a lot more tropey and obvious.

Some of the really, really strong character work for Oz is getting there though. Particularly the really exciting, propulsive first episode and the stellar last fifteen minutes.

 

[Deck Rickard]

Honestly, I don’t even feel the need to compare the two. I loved The Batman and I loved The Penguin. They flow perfectly to me as one really great, continuous story that focuses on amazing characters. I just want to spend as much time in this batverse as I can.

 

[RokMeAmadeus]

Honestly, I don’t even feel the need to compare the two. I loved The Batman and I loved The Penguin. They flow perfectly to me as one really great, continuous story that focuses on amazing characters. I just want to spend as much time in this batverse as I can.

Exactly. It's all connected and we're witnessing in real time the best live action Batverse ever created either way. The quality is consistent.

My only concern is that the general public potentially still isn't likely to care about the movies, preferring to see more seasons of this show.

 

[theastsunnn]

So according to you, a true Batman villain must physically fight Batman? That seems... very limiting creatively.

I didn’t word my message properly, but no not a villain that can only physically fight Batman. There are only a handful of those guys or gals. Penguin still just came across very street level. Batman should be fighting city threats. Even though the gang war got pretty big. Joker is a wild card, bane can break Batman, riddler is smarter, Two face is a former friend, penguin is just a guy and the police can deal with him.

 

[Sithborg]

One thing that can't really be argued is that Reeves is creating Gotham as a very unique city. Whereas Nolan just said "****, just make it Chicago".

 

[squeekness]

Honestly, I don’t even feel the need to compare the two. I loved The Batman and I loved The Penguin. They flow perfectly to me as one really great, continuous story that focuses on amazing characters. I just want to spend as much time in this batverse as I can.

This is how I feel as well. I loved them both equally.

 

[AndrewGilkison]

The trade off to "make it Chicago" is the production value of The Dark Knight leaped massively forward compared to Batman Begins because it didn't have to use as many sets and sound stages.

This is the thing about doing fictional superhero cities like Gotham in live action. The more stylized you go with the design, you need more effects work to bring it to life. CGI, matte paintings, models, etc. And it never feels as big as a real city. Go back and watch the Burton Batman movies and see what I mean.

 

[SwordOfMorning]

I will never, ever understand thinking Begins looks better than TDK. Yeah, I guess it's just Chicago but Chicago is substantially more beautiful and visually interesting in that movie than most stylized setbound "cities" as far as I'm concerned.

 

[WayneMB]

well. Reeves somehow made it feel like a big city. and the CGI was good.

also. we hating on sound stages now? lmfao

 

[SwordOfMorning]

well. Reeves somehow made it feel like a big city. and the CGI was good.

also. we hating on sound stages now? lmfao

I never said I hated it lol, I think The Batman looks gorgeous. I think 89 looks gorgeous, I think Returns looks gorgeous. I also prefer location shooting and think Chicago looks amazing in TDK and is my personal favourite Gotham. I like the extremely claustrophobic, paranoid tight atmosphere The Batman has as a result (partially) of them totally retooling their shoot to accommodate pandemic restrictions.

 

[Sawyer]

Yaaaaaaaasss