The Penguin, Episode 5 Review: Pure and Utter Chaos As Oz’s Rise Begins
After spending last episode learning about Sofia’s harrowing journey to being framed as The Hangman through Oz’s betrayal, the fifth episode of The Penguin, “Homecoming,” brings us right back to Oz’s story.
Caution: This post contains SPOILERS for The Penguin episode 5
Episode 5 picks up at the end of Episode 3, which sees Oz set his Maserati ablaze, reconcile with Victor, and kidnap the Maronis’ son Taj as ransom for the Bliss mushrooms they stole.
Mackenzie Bock, the corrupt chief of police of the Gotham City Police Department last seen in The Batman, is spotted in a news report about the “gas leak” at Sofia Falcone’s home. Sofia is able to talk her way out of trouble and the Chief mentions that Mayor-Elect Bella Reál is looking to eradicate crime in Gotham once and for all.
Meanwhile, Johnny Viti is imprisoned in the Falcone family crypt, where Sofia demands he find her hidden money. When he refuses, she douses him with water, leaving him to freeze. Later, Viti admits he once tried to help Sofia’s mother escape Carmine, leading to an uneasy alliance. He promises to help her gain the respect and army she needs to win the gang war.
As Vic keeps an eye on Oz’s mom, the guard we saw Oz hand money to earlier in the episode attempts to kill Sal. Meanwhile, at the exchange, Oz presents the crook’s wife with her boy but it’s a double cross and a shootout commences. As Sal’s son runs to his mother, Oz drops a lighter and the two of them then burn alive as Oz watches with perverse satisfaction. Things don’t go entirely smoothly, though, because the sprinklers go off and destroy nearly all the Bliss.
Sal was able to survive his attempted assassination and calls Oz, only to learn his wife and son are dead. Dr. Julian Rush offers his loyalty to Sofia who, now calling herself Sofia Gigante, shoots Viti in the head and declares the Falcone family dead before tipping out a bag of cash and buying the loyalty of her family’s men.
Oz argues with Eve Karlo as Vic and the villain’s mom hide out in Crown Point. Sofia meets with Sal and suggests they team up to kill Oz. After a heated exchange with his mother about their new surroundings, Oz claims the city is responsible for the death of his brothers but it’s then that an idea comes to him.
Carrying a token for Gotham’s old underground trollies he found among his mom’s things, the villain takes Vic into the tunnels, pointing out that they give them access to the whole city. This is the perfect place to grow Bliss and Oz finally has a new base and a place to call his own.
Are you excited for Episode 6 of The Penguin? What do you think is Oz’s next move given how the episode concluded tonight? As always, sound off in the comment section below, and don’t forget to stay tuned right here at The Cultured Nerd for all the latest updates and reviews on The Penguin.
Stream Episode 5 of The Penguin on Max.
