‘The Penguin’ Doesn’t Need the Batman

The latest in pop-culture news, recaps, and reviews, plus close reads, profiles, interviews, and more from Vulture.com. [Brand Logo]( tv review [Who Needs the Batman?]( As The Penguin’s representatives of Gotham’s underworld, Colin Farrell and Cristin Milioti can do bad all by themselves. Photo: Macall Polay / HBO Batman [doesn’t appear]( in The Penguin, and if you accept the show on its own terms, you won’t miss him. Not when Cristin Milioti, as organized-crime heiress Sofia Falcone, is doing her best clenched-jaw O-Ren Ishii impression at the head of a table of cutthroat criminals, intimidating them and bending them to her will. And certainly not when Colin Farrell, from beneath a ton of prosthetics as striving henchman Oz Cobb, is providing an outsize version of gabagool excellence: waggling his eyebrows in shock, Kubrick-staring with disgust, and pontificating about the evils of the upper classes like he’s [Frank Sobotka]( running for another union term. This is all praise, and on the strength of those two performances, The Penguin’s eight-episode season, premiering September 19 on HBO and Max, pulls off an exorcism that initially seemed impossible. [read more]( Devour pop culture with us. [Subscribe now]( to save over 40% on unlimited access to Vulture and everything New York. The Latest TV Recaps • Emily in Paris: [Should Old Acquaintance Be Forgot? (Episode 6),]( [What We’ve Got Here Is Failure to Communicate (Episode 7)](, [The Lonely Goatherd (Episode 8)](, [Out-of-Office Reply (Episode 9)]( [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( Stories We Think You’ll Like [Um, Is NewJeans Okay? The girl group gave HYBE two weeks to reinstate their label’s “irreplaceable” ex-CEO.]( By Jennifer Zhan [Inside Out 2 Is Heading to Streaming Island The core memories are coming soon to Disney+.]( By Savannah Salazar [Indie Rock’s Latest ‘Savior’ Isn’t There Yet There’s a funny disconnect in heaping highbrow praise on MJ Lenderman, a guy who writes poignant songs that reference Lucky Charms and Rip Torn.]( By Chris Stanton [9 Essential James Earl Jones Performances Jones was best when he was reserved, trusting his extraordinary voice and quiet authority to carry the dramatic weight of any scene.]( By Tim Grierson and Will Leitch [The Penguin Lessons Is the Perfect Film Festival Chill-Down Movie As essential as any gala premiere or awards-buzz breakthrough, the chill-down movie is the cure for film-festival burnout.]( By Joe Reid [Brat Summer Is Dead, Long Live Horny Gay Autumn Who’s joining Charli XCX and Troye Sivan on Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat?]( By Jason P. Frank [The Old Man’s Secret Code The sneakily unconventional series returns bearing all the idiosyncratic qualities that keep it from becoming another predictable spy thriller.]( By Roxana Hadadi and Nicholas Quah [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( Vulture Games [Today’s Crossword]( 7-Down, Three Letters: Rita who’s married to Taika Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photos: Getty Images (Alex Wong, Eric Charbonneau, Jason Mendez) A newsletter about the perpetual Hollywood awards race, for subscribers only. [Sign up]( to get it every week. [Get the Newsletter]( [logo]( [facebook logo]( [instagram logo]( [twitter logo]( [unsubscribe]( | [privacy notice]( | [update preferences]( This email was sent to {EMAIL}. Was this email forwarded to you? [Sign up now]( to get this newsletter in your inbox. [View this email in your browser.]( You received this email because you have a subscription to New York. Reach the right online audience with us For advertising information on email newsletters, please contact AdOps@nymag.com Vox Media, LLC 1701 Rhode Island Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036 Copyright © 2024, All rights reserved