The Penguin episode 6 review | It’s all about Bliss

the penguin episode 6
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Oz and Sofia’s power struggle rages on, forcing Oz to think outside the box. Here’s our The Penguin episode 6 review. 


“Who’s got the power?” Oz asks at the beginning of the latest episode of The Penguin. Indeed, Gotham is in flux with no one gang in charge of the streets. It’s anyone’s game, you could say. Inevitably, it’ll either be Oz or Sofia Gigante (Cristin Milioti) who will end up ruling the streets, but it’s a lot of fun watching the two sides fight for control. 

At the end of last week’s episode, Sofia, having adopted her mother’s maiden name, joins forces with the Marones in order to bury Oz’s hopes of ruling Gotham’s underworld. Episode 6 shows that Oz has no plans of surrendering and finds him making quite the power move by the end. 

Let’s back up a little, though. Winter has set upon Gotham, which has unfortunately left Oz, Vic and Oz’s mother, Francis, freezing at their hideout. Knowing Sofia is looking for them, the trio have no choice but to stay in the tiny flat while Francis’ condition keeps getting worse. 

But hey, at least Oz’s drug business is booming. Using the abandoned underground tunnels, Oz is moving Bliss, the groundbreaking new drug, across Gotham hard and fast. In an attempt to gain even more power across the city, Oz decides to give the drug away for free. Although he won’t be making any money, at least his drug will be all over Gotham. Bliss is the word, so to speak.

the penguin episode 6 victor
Credit: Sky

Episode 6 of The Penguin is a little light on Sofia. She’s on the hunt for Oz, visiting his old flat and finding evidence of his lover, Carmen Ejogo’s Eve. There’s a really lovely scene between Eve and Sofia as the two women talk honestly about Oz and you really get the sense that both of these women are doing what they can to survive and even thrive in a world ruled by men. 

If the episode doesn’t quite do justice to Milioti’s excellent performance, episode 6 is a huge one for Rhenzy Feliz’s Victor. After working with Oz for so long now, he barely resembles the awkward, scared kid we met in episode 1. On one hand, he has gained a lot of confidence, but it has come at a price. Victor is now deeply embedded in Oz’s business and that can only mean trouble. 

In fact, Victor encounters Squid, an old bully he’s keen to not be associated with anymore. Squid, who saw Victor take Francis to their secret flat in Crown Points, blackmails him to bring him into the drug business, leaving Victor feeling powerless. Oz and Victor’s relationship has grown and although still not quite equal, Oz now respects Victor, seeing the potential in him. Naturally, he gives some fatherly advice to Victor, who takes matters into his own hands with Squid and the result is troublesome at best. 

The final 10 minutes of the episode are thrilling. Oz makes a major, ballsy move that might completely change the game here. For Oz, his quest to rule the streets of Gotham isn’t just about power, it’s about respect. He wants to be seen as powerful, as an equal to all the other gang leaders across the city and recognised as someone who knows what they’re doing. Colin Farrell is, as expected, able to pull on these little threads woven into the narrative to effect and create a villain that you find yourself rooting for, but also feeling kind of terrible about it. 

Episode 6 ends on quite the cliffhanger, so tune in again next week as we dissect the new episode of The Penguin

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