S01.E04: Cent'Anni

[Snazzy Daisy]

Synopsis:

Quote

Confronting the events that turned her into "The Hangman" — and led to a decade-long fight to survive in Arkham State Hospital — Sofia makes plans for a more hopeful future.

Air Date: Oct 13, 2024

 

 

Edited October 7 by Snazzy Daisy

[Snazzy Daisy]

[paigow]

Arkham uses heavy duty restraints... but allows unlimited eyeliner... probably manufactured by Wayne Enterprises

[BellaR]

I have really enjoyed the last two episodes, even though I usually don’t watch this type of show.

[magdalene]

Best episode of the series so far.

Yeah, I am rooting for you Sofia.

[Mr. R0b0t]

That was a damned delightful hour of television.  Murder, revenge, pathos, and family dinner.

[thuganomics85]

Hey, Magpie!  Bye, Magpie!

Had a feeling we were going to get a Sofia-centric flashback episode, which would pretty much make Oswald be a supporting character for a bit.  But I ain't going to complain at all since Cristin Milioti is all kinds of awesome and it made for a fascinating hour of television.

Sure enough, there were was a lot more to Sofia being the "Hangman" and getting locked up.  It turns out that it was Carmine (unless there is another twist going on here) that was likely behind all of the killings.  10 years ago, Sofia was approached by a reporter about all of the dead women from the Iceberg Lounge, and she recognized the same markings on the bodies that matched her mom's death, so she put the pieces together since she remembered her dad having scratches when she discovered the body.  She initially wanted to just bury her head in the sand and pretend like it didn't happen, but after Oswald ratted her out to Carmine, he killed the reporter and framed Sofia for all the killings.  Yep, dude just set up his own flesh and blood to take the fall.  Father of the year, right there!

Figured Sofia was going to make some kind of move, but I surprised she already took out the majority of the Falcone leaders, including Luca.  But she did spare Johnny Vitti for now.  I guess she's going to use him for something.  Dude does seem spineless enough that he will just fall in line to protect his own ass.

Dr. Rush is... creepy.

Mark Strong was fine as Carmine, but I wish they had gotten John Turturro back.

For what is is worth, I do think Oswald was sincere about not predicting Carmine was going to do what he did and had just assumed Sofia would get pushed aside instead of being locked up.  Never the less, between that and Sofia now knowing the truth about Alberto's death thanks to Nadia, safe to say he is number one on her shit list.  Good luck, Penguin!

Cristin Milioti deserves all of the trophies!

[Mr. Sparkle]

Fantastic episode. I can see an Emmy nomination for Christin Milioti. 

[paigow]

Sofia and Nadia can team up because all parties are convinced that Oz was rogue. Sofia needs Johnny for chain of command continuity with Falcone foot soldiers.

[rollacoaster]

Can't WAIT to see how Sophia deals with Oz!

If you don't go into Arkham crazy, you definitely come out crazy. That intake scene was absolutely demoralizing and dehumanizing. 

It's wild to think that on just the word of a powerful man, a woman can be STILL institutionalized. 

Christin Milioto deserves ALL the awards. And one for the woman who stabbed herself in the throat with the fork. That bit of facial acting she did when she went from demanding to pleading for Sophia to "END IT" was AMAZING to watch. 

And, I just realized tonight that Alberto was Midge Maisel's husband. 

[Tachi Rocinante]

For a minute there, I thought she was kidnapping the kid. 🙄

Kudos to the writers for showing us why Oz said, "fuck her, let's go" last episode.

[Snazzy Daisy]

The family dinner scene is steely and captivating.

Oz and Johnny Vitti should sleep with one eye open from now on.

Once she becomes fearless, life becomes limitless.

 

[Snazzy Daisy]

The Penguin | Inside Episode 4 | Max

 

[magdalene]

4 hours ago, rollacoaster said:

t's wild to think that on just the word of a powerful man, a woman can be STILL institutionalized. 

In the good old days this used to be a convenient way to shuffle off inconvenient wives and daughters to mad houses for "nervous disorders". It was so easy to do because women used to be legally property of the husband and father.

I am going to naively hope that it is not so easy today in real life, at least in the blue states.

[rollacoaster]

2 hours ago, magdalene said:

I am going to naively hope that it is not so easy today in real life, at least in the blue states.

Britney Spears might have something to say about it. 

[paigow]

4 hours ago, magdalene said:

I am going to naively hope that it is not so easy today in real life, at least in the blue states.

Gotham is neither in a Red or Blue state... more like post apocalypse dystopian mauve...

[paigow]

Oz is not Ned Stark... His inevitable survival hopefully creates a compelling setup for Batman 2... Along with Riddler & Joker bonding in Arkham.

[AntFTW]

Love this episode! Glad we got a bit of backstory. Didn't expect the ending.

[EtheltoTillie]

Do we know how Carmine died?  Or is that another bit of info they’re holding back?  We were wondering if Sofia did it. 

[Mr. Sparkle]

19 minutes ago, EtheltoTillie said:

Do we know how Carmine died?  Or is that another bit of info they’re holding back?  We were wondering if Sofia did it. 

Spoiler for The Batman:

Spoiler

He is killed by the Riddler

 

[Mr. Sparkle]

I'm not saying you have to watch The Batman, but The Penguin takes place in the same universe pretty much right after the movie ends. 

[monakane]

I'm not a follower of Batman or any of the superhero movies/series, but I am loving this show.  The performances are so powerful.  I love Colin Farrell.  If I didn't know he was starring in this show, I wouldn't recognize him.  And Christine Miliotti deserves all the Emmy's.

 

[Ottis]

On 10/14/2024 at 12:30 AM, Mr. R0b0t said:

That was a damned delightful hour of television.  Murder, revenge, pathos, and family dinner.

 

On 10/13/2024 at 11:15 PM, magdalene said:

Best episode of the series so far.

Yeah, I am rooting for you Sofia.

I found it somewhere between boring and unnecessary. At times it felt like torture porn. And it progressed very, very slowly. So much so that about 15 minutes into the ep, when it was clear we were about to see Sofia's Arkham experience, I got up to prepare dinner and watched the show from the kitchen.

It was done well, but look, we already know Sofia was unjustly imprisoned in Arkham. And we know, boy do we know due to all the lines of dialogue about it, that the mob family in this show is a boys club where Sofia wasn't given a fair opportunity to be a member due to her gender.

There were a few minor unclear points like why Sofia was called the hangman (hey, wait, shouldn't that be "hangwoman?") and what Oz did to betray Sofia, but did we need to know those details? Or was it enough to know those events existed, and move forward?

I think the show made a mistake pitting Sofia against Oz so soon. I liked them together, each using their own skills (and Sofia learning from Oz's smooth lying and improvisational skills) and wanted more of that. Now that they are already opposed (again), we will see just more family battling, with Oz trying to outthink his various opponents.

The show is called The Penguin. I have enjoyed seeing that character in depth, and understanding what his true "super power" is. And Sofia has been a tremendous add, and getting to know her role in the family and her own overlooked skills. But I didn't need to know about her childhood in detail.

That's two eps in a row where momentum came to a halt as we learned backstories of other characters. Hopefully the show picks up momentum again ... maybe with a Batman sighting?

[Chicago Redshirt]

1 hour ago, Ottis said:

 

I found it somewhere between boring and unnecessary. At times it felt like torture porn. And it progressed very, very slowly. So much so that about 15 minutes into the ep, when it was clear we were about to see Sofia's Arkham experience, I got up to prepare dinner and watched the show from the kitchen.

It was done well, but look, we already know Sofia was unjustly imprisoned in Arkham. And we know, boy do we know due to all the lines of dialogue about it, that the mob family in this show is a boys club where Sofia wasn't given a fair opportunity to be a member due to her gender.

There were a few minor unclear points like why Sofia was called the hangman (hey, wait, shouldn't that be "hangwoman?") and what Oz did to betray Sofia, but did we need to know those details? Or was it enough to know those events existed, and move forward?

I think the show made a mistake pitting Sofia against Oz so soon. I liked them together, each using their own skills (and Sofia learning from Oz's smooth lying and improvisational skills) and wanted more of that. Now that they are already opposed (again), we will see just more family battling, with Oz trying to outthink his various opponents.

The show is called The Penguin. I have enjoyed seeing that character in depth, and understanding what his true "super power" is. And Sofia has been a tremendous add, and getting to know her role in the family and her own overlooked skills. But I didn't need to know about her childhood in detail.

That's two eps in a row where momentum came to a halt as we learned backstories of other characters. Hopefully the show picks up momentum again ... maybe with a Batman sighting?

Your mileage may and probably does vary.

But:

1. I had no idea before this episode that Sofia was unjustly imprisoned in Arkham. It was entirely possible till now that she in fact had killed multiple people in pursuit of either personal or family goals and earned the nickname "The Hangman." If you can point to a scene that clued the audience in to her being completely innocent (as opposed to possibly culpable, but no one deserves Arkham unless they're an active member of Batman's rogue gallery), I'd be interested in what it is. Her simply denying that she was the Hangman or the like doesn't count.

2. Yes, a lot of it was tough to watch. But that brings home to me on another level the resentment Sofia must have for her whole family and for Oz, and dials up the tension and the possible payback that might be coming his way. I suppose it's fair to say that the conflict over his killing of Alberto was going to always make things fierce, but knowing that Alberto was literally the only one in the family who supported her while the others lied and undermined her by claiming she was replete with mental problems takes things up a notch. We may not need the details, but I for one want those details. I am very curious about Oz's inner thoughts about all this. To me, the animal that Oz most resembles in his behavior is a chameleon rather than a penguin, because he keeps shifting to try to find protective cover. When he tells Sofia that he didn't know what Carmine was going to do, is that true? Does he have regrets on at least some level that this woman he was driving and he had some (presumable) affinity for got framed for a series of murders that he had to know she did not commit?  

3. My understanding is that The Penguin is 8 episodes, and this is episode 4. So as much as I might enjoy Sofia and Oz working together as a duo, it was probably pretty inevitable that right around this midway point that they would become openly opposed to one another.

4. Oz is going to have to outthink a fair number of people in addition to Sofia. There's Johnny Viti and whoever might still be loyal to him. There's the Maronis. There's the cops (possibly). And there's still the potential appearance from either the Bat or the Cat.

[astrohip]

2 hours ago, Ottis said:

 

I found it somewhere between boring and unnecessary. At times it felt like torture porn. And it progressed very, very slowly. So much so that about 15 minutes into the ep, when it was clear we were about to see Sofia's Arkham experience, I got up to prepare dinner and watched the show from the kitchen.

It was done well, but look, we already know Sofia was unjustly imprisoned in Arkham. And we know, boy do we know due to all the lines of dialogue about it, that the mob family in this show is a boys club where Sofia wasn't given a fair opportunity to be a member due to her gender.

There were a few minor unclear points like why Sofia was called the hangman (hey, wait, shouldn't that be "hangwoman?") and what Oz did to betray Sofia, but did we need to know those details? Or was it enough to know those events existed, and move forward?

I think the show made a mistake pitting Sofia against Oz so soon. I liked them together, each using their own skills (and Sofia learning from Oz's smooth lying and improvisational skills) and wanted more of that. Now that they are already opposed (again), we will see just more family battling, with Oz trying to outthink his various opponents.

The show is called The Penguin. I have enjoyed seeing that character in depth, and understanding what his true "super power" is. And Sofia has been a tremendous add, and getting to know her role in the family and her own overlooked skills. But I didn't need to know about her childhood in detail.

That's two eps in a row where momentum came to a halt as we learned backstories of other characters. Hopefully the show picks up momentum again ... maybe with a Batman sighting?

Agree to disagree. Absolutely compelling episode. And needed to fully understand Sofia.

Just because it's called "The Penguin" doesn't mean we can't fully develop other characters. It makes for a fuller, richer tapestry.

I hope Batman doesn't show up. I'm happy where we are.

[magdalene]

1 hour ago, Ottis said:

 

I found it somewhere between boring and unnecessary. At times it felt like torture porn. And it progressed very, very slowly. So much so that about 15 minutes into the ep, when it was clear we were about to see Sofia's Arkham experience, I got up to prepare dinner and watched the show from the kitchen.

It was done well, but look, we already know Sofia was unjustly imprisoned in Arkham. And we know, boy do we know due to all the lines of dialogue about it, that the mob family in this show is a boys club where Sofia wasn't given a fair opportunity to be a member due to her gender.

There were a few minor unclear points like why Sofia was called the hangman (hey, wait, shouldn't that be "hangwoman?") and what Oz did to betray Sofia, but did we need to know those details? Or was it enough to know those events existed, and move forward?

I think the show made a mistake pitting Sofia against Oz so soon. I liked them together, each using their own skills (and Sofia learning from Oz's smooth lying and improvisational skills) and wanted more of that. Now that they are already opposed (again), we will see just more family battling, with Oz trying to outthink his various opponents.

The show is called The Penguin. I have enjoyed seeing that character in depth, and understanding what his true "super power" is. And Sofia has been a tremendous add, and getting to know her role in the family and her own overlooked skills. But I didn't need to know about her childhood in detail.

That's two eps in a row where momentum came to a halt as we learned backstories of other characters. Hopefully the show picks up momentum again ... maybe with a Batman sighting?

How would we have known that Sofia was innocent before watching this episode?

I think I remember you from The Mandalorian thread as a - gasp! - Baby Yoda hater. Grins. I guess I am destined to be always disagreeing with you.

I think the Sofia actor is extraordinarily gifted and I had never heard of her before this show. I am so glad she is getting a chance to shine here.

[Mr. R0b0t]

2 hours ago, magdalene said:

I think the Sofia actor is extraordinarily gifted and I had never heard of her before this show. I am so glad she is getting a chance to shine here.

Seek out the movie Palm Springs or the Black Mirror episode called USS Calister

[Snazzy Daisy]

Sofia Falcone Gets Revenge | The Penguin | Max

 

[paigow]

On 10/15/2024 at 5:49 PM, astrohip said:

Just because it's called "The Penguin" doesn't mean we can't fully develop other characters.

Book Of Boba Fett

[ShellsandCheese]

I am finding myself loving this show! And I can’t be the only one who actually wants Sofia and Oz to bury the hatchet and actually work together, lol. I really enjoy Victor’s arc as well, and I hope he doesn’t end up being collateral damage. I want him to get out and go to California! 

[Kel Varnsen]

On 10/15/2024 at 7:59 PM, Mr. R0b0t said:

Seek out the movie Palm Springs or the Black Mirror episode called USS Calister

Also Fargo season 2. It was a show absolutely stacked with great actors but she still managed to be really good. As for USS Calister, I have always thought that with just about anyone else in that role it would have been a pretty average Black Mirror episode, but she made it great.

Also one small thing since the name sounded familiar, but Summer Gleeson, the reporter first appeared in Batman the Animated Series, and doesn't seem to have been used much in comics since then.