When Marvel makes superhero movies, the whole draw is the superpowers. But with The Penguin, Warner Bros., D.C. Studios, and HBO have done something different. Set in the superhero world of Gotham City, their show presents a power struggle that traces back to mob movies. It follows Oswald “Oz” Cobb (the titular Penguin, played by an entirely unrecognizable Colin Farrell) as he seeks to claim control of Gotham’s criminal underworld. The time is ripe, because the former leading mafioso Carmine Falcone has just died. Competing with Cobb is Falcone’s murderous daughter, Sofia (Cristin Milioti), who has just been released from prison. Matt Reeves directs, and like the film this show spins from—2022’s The Batman, also directed by Reeves—the cinematography is top tier, and the plot thrilling. —Jack Sullivan