“The Penguin” is an ice-cold hit.
According to HBO, the spinoff series starring Colin Farrell and Cristin Milioti has opened to 5.3 million U.S. viewers across all platforms since its debut on September 19. That includes repeat airings on HBO as well as streaming viewers. That puts it above the final season premiere of “Succession,” which drew 4.9 million viewers, and the second season premiere of “The White Lotus,” which drew 4.1 million viewers. It also falls just behind the premiere of “True Detective: Night Country,” which drew 5.7 million viewers.
Additionally, the show has landed the largest four-day audience for a new series about Max in any region worldwide since “The Last of Us” in January 2023.
Farrell reprises his role from “The Batman” in the series, once again playing Gotham City gangster Oswald “Oz” Cobb. The series begins in the days following the events of ‘The Batman’, with Oz attempting to take control of Gotham’s underworld in the power vacuum left by the death of his former boss, Carmine Falcone.
The show has also found a lot of love from critics, with “The Penguin” currently holding a 94% critical approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. In her review for VarietyAramide Tinubu wrote: “A masterful investigation into crime, the show is twisted, disturbing and deeply captivating.”
The cast of the series also includes Rhenzy Feliz, Deirdre O’Connell, Clancy Brown, Carmen Ejogo and Michael Zegen. Mark Strong portrays Falcone in flashbacks, with John Turturro playing the character in “The Batman.”
Lauren LeFranc is the writer, executive producer and showrunner of “The Penguin.” “The Batman” director Matt Reeves executive produces through 6th & Idaho, while Dylan Clark executive produces through Dylan Clark Productions. Farrell also produces and stars. Craig Zobel is executive producer and director of the first three episodes. 6th & Idaho’s Daniel Pipski also serves as executive producer, as does Bill Carraro, while Rafi Crohn co-executive produces.