Penguin Perfection: A Thrilling Episode 2 Recap

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Editor’s note: The below recap contains spoilers for The Penguin Episode 2.

Colin Farrell‘s Oz Cobb continues to waddle on in the second episode of The Penguin. The season premiere successfully reintroduced viewers to the quirky, scheming gangster, who has now begun the process of inciting a war between the Falcone and Maroni crime families. After shooting and killing Alberto Falcone (Michael Zegen), Oz fibs his way out of the situation with the head of the family, but Alberto’s sister, Sofia (Cristin Milioti), is still hot on his trail. Along the way, Oz takes in Victor Aguilar (Rhenzy Feliz) as his new apprentice, after initially discovering the orphaned teen trying to dismantle his beloved purple sports car. The premiere ends with Victor and Oz planting Alberto’s dead body on the front lawn of the Falcone estate, successfully having framed the Maronis for the dirty deed. Episode 2, titled “Inside Man,” deals with the direct aftermath. As Oz continues to add fuel to the fire between the Falcone and Maroni families, Sofia becomes more and more suspicious of the circumstances surrounding Alberto’s death.

Oz Concocts a Plan With the Maronis in ‘The Penguin’ Episode 2

The episode opens with Sofia walking through the grimy hallways of Arkham Asylum to meet with Alberto, who has come to visit her. Sofia is initially excited to see her brother but quickly notices that his pinky finger is missing. Alberto seems unphased, promising to get Sofia out of Arkham. Out of nowhere, Alberto is shot dead by an unseen figure, leaving Sofia in shock. It’s then that we discover that this is all just a nightmare Sofia is having while meeting with her psychiatrist, Dr. Julian Rush (Theo Rossi). Julian is able to calm her down and reminds her that she’s not in Arkham anymore, but Sofia cuts their session short, claiming she’s not safe simply because she’s home.

Meanwhile, Oz visits Salvatore Maroni (Clancy Brown) at Blackgate, discovering that a few others have joined their meeting, including Maroni’s wife Nadia (Shohreh Aghdashloo). Sal is visibly frustrated with Oz, accusing the Penguin of forcing his hand to take the fall for Alberto’s murder. Oz brushes off the accusation, saying that the murder has helped put the Maroni name back on the map. He explains that Alberto’s death has caused them to become distracted and that he has the inside track on the new don of the family, Carmine’s brother Luca Falcone (Scott Cohen). Nadia covertly tells Sal that…y), approaches the two, Isabella clutches her daughter in fear, leading Sofia to affect a more threatening persona. Outside, Victor is caught breaking into Viti’s car by several Falcone bodyguards, who believe that he is trying to steal it, and only just manages to escape on foot. Simultaneously, Milos angrily berates Castillo for keeping Ervad’s kidnapping a secret from the rest of the family, giving Oz the chance to sneak into the basement. Oz wakes Ervad up and orders him to tell Sofia that Viti was the one who killed Alberto. In the same moment, Victor calls Oz in a panic, telling him that he was unable to plant the jewels in Viti’s car. Realizing that he’s close to being found out, Oz stabs and kills Ervad before quietly leaving the room.

Later that night, Oz and Victor bury Castillo and Ervad’s bodies in the woods, and, in a tense moment, right as Victor is about to rest, Oz shoves the teen back into the grave, angrily berating him for his incompetence during their mission. Just then, Oz receives a call from Sofia and heads to the Falcone family tomb to meet her, where Alberto has been laid to rest alongside Carmine. Sofia reveals her plot to take over the family business, a plan she’s willing to kill for, and the episode concludes with Sofia asking Oz if he wants in — to which he replies, "Let’s dance."

While not as strong or eventful as the premiere, the second episode of The Penguin continues to prove that, more than anything, this is a character study of both Oz Cobb and Sofia Falcone. Farrell and Milioti make the most of every single second they’re on-screen. We already know so much about them in only the first two episodes, but much more will inevitably be uncovered as the show progresses. This week’s installment may also not be as explosive as the first episode, but the pacing and structure keep The Penguin moving at the perfect speed, leaving us wanting more as soon as the end credits roll.

The Penguin is available to stream on Max in the U.S.

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Conclusion:

The Penguin is a character-driven drama that explores the complex and often dark world of organized crime. The second episode continues to build on the foundation laid by the premiere, delving deeper into the motivations and backstories of the main characters. With its unique blend of crime drama and character study, The Penguin is a must-watch for fans of the genre.