Critic’s Rating: 4 / 5.0
4
On The Penguin Season 1 Episode 6, Gotham turns into a beer-versus-wine kind of world — or at least that’s the idea Oz tries to sell to the city’s crime lords.
His whole “haves and have-nots” speech felt like an attempt by the writers to inject some social commentary, but it didn’t quite fit, even if it aimed to show Oz at his manipulative best.
The message came off as forced, an attempt at depth that didn’t really land in the gritty world of high-stakes crime. After all, these are crime lords, not low-level street thugs.
Sure, Oz loves to play the mastermind, but do any of these crime lords actually think his plan will work?
If they do, they’re in for a rude awakening because the only thing guaranteed is a bloodbath.
The only one I see making it out unscathed is the head of the Triads. He’s probably just playing along to stay close to the action and gather intel.
I wouldn’t be surprised if he spills everything to Sofia and Sal — because let’s be real, Sofia is the real brains (and brawn) behind the Gigante/Maroni partnership.
If she loses this war, I’ll be shocked.
Sofia is making allies without even trying. Take Eve, for instance. The fact that Sofia didn’t just blow her away says a lot.
Eve knows now that Sofia isn’t someone to mess with and that she’s not prone to impulsive violence like Oz.
When Eve basically called Sofia the Hangman, you could see the spokes turning in Sofia’s mind: should I kill this bitch, now — or later? But Sofia kept her cool, and it spoke volumes about her state of mind.
She’s in control and knows how to keep it together.
She’s also got a knack for getting the men around her to do her bidding. Case in point: handing Sal a golf club and letting him tear apart Oz’s apartment.
It’s almost too easy for her. BDSM, anyone? (Hint: it’s all about control.)
Dressed to Kill
There’s something intriguing about Sofia’s wardrobe choices that I can’t quite put my finger on.
On The Penguin Season 1 Episode 5, she wore a white jacket while in her mother’s closet and then pulled out that fur coat. Later, in the crypt with Viti, she had on a black outfit that had a sort of “Penguin-esque” vibe.
And in this episode, she sported a feathered coat. It might be nothing, but I have a feeling these choices are more than just fashion statements.
But back to business.
So, will Sofia kill Vic and Frances? It would definitely push Oz into a murderous rampage.
At first, I thought Oz was the one standing in the doorway watching Vic dance with Frances, which would’ve been a disaster.
You could see how much it bothered Oz when Frances called Vic a “good boy.” There’s definitely some jealousy brewing, and Vic seems to sense it.
That’s likely why he tries to talk Oz up in front of Frances, but it won’t matter much if Oz starts to suspect that his mom favors Vic over him.
Then again, it might not make a difference at all.
As it turned out, Sofia was in the hallway, and I doubt she’ll show Vic or Frances any mercy (though I could be wrong).
Frances practically has a death wish at this point — asking Oz to kill her and then letting him put makeup on her was a whole level of creepy. Their relationship is a dysfunctional mess.
And then there was that moment when Frances called out for Rex.
Wait, were Oz’s brothers Jack and Rex? Does that mean Rex was Frances’ lover, and they had a son named after him? Or was she calling for someone else entirely?
I’m still scratching my head over this one.
There’s definitely something more there — maybe Oz’s so-called admiration for Rex Calabrese is more about deep-seated jealousy than anything else.
Point of No Return
Vic taking out Squid was both surprising and not.
He knew he had to handle his own problems because Oz isn’t always there for him, even when he pretends to be.
Oz is all about Oz, which is why Vic didn’t even bother bringing up his concerns about Squid again.
But it was a powerful moment when Oz recognized what Vic had done just from the look on his face.
Vic’s breakdown afterward — crying out, “Why did you make me do this?” — was telling. Was he blaming Squid, or was it aimed at Oz?
At the end of the day, Vic is responsible for his own actions. He could’ve gotten on that bus with his girlfriend and left Gotham behind, but he chose this path.
Sympathy for him? Not so much.
Now, with Sofia in the mix, what will Vic do? Will he try to protect Frances, or will he give in and side with Sofia?
Or maybe Sofia will decide to take them both out. Considering she didn’t kill Eve, despite knowing that she was Oz’s alibi for Alberto’s murder, there’s a chance she might spare Vic and Frances.
But if Sofia lets her compassion get in the way, it could be her downfall, as I’ve mentioned before. She can’t afford to hesitate, especially after what Oz did to her brother. That might be the deciding factor in whether Frances survives.
Oz’s Ego Trip
Oz is completely delusional if he thinks people will remember him fondly. Sure, they’ll talk about him, but not in the way he imagines.
His twisted belief that he’s somehow “helping” Gotham by pushing drugs shows just how warped his thinking has become.
And speaking of drugs, how did those mushrooms manage to grow so fast after the fire? I thought for sure they’d be contaminated. I guess we’ll just roll with it.
As for Mork & Mindy (yes, that was funny), they might be a formidable duo, but Sofia is the one Oz needs to stop underestimating.
She’s dangerous in ways Oz can’t even fathom, and I can’t help but feel like he’s going to end up on the losing end — again. His ego will be his undoing, no matter how brutal he gets.
Over to you, TV Fanatics!
What did you think of the “Gold Summit”? Are Gotham’s crime lords making a big mistake by siding with Oz?
Will Sofia take out Frances and Vic? And what did you make of Oz’s speech about the “haves and have-nots”?
Let us know in the comments below! If you haven’t yet, check out our The Penguin roundtable discussion and join in on the conversation!
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