Produced by Lauren LeFranc, “The Penguin” follows Oswald Cobb, the Penguin, as he takes advantage of the destruction left behind in the aftermath of “The Batman” to acquire as much power as he can in the criminal underworld and crawl his way to the top.

Outside of comic books, there’s been several classic iterations of the Penguin from Danny DeVito in the movie “Batman Returns” to Robin Lord Taylor in the series “Gotham” that are well beloved by fans, but Colin Farrell’s take on the character may be the best yet.

Despite the heavy use of prosthetic makeup that makes him appear like a completely different person, he is still able to display a wide range of readable and believable emotions, all without uttering a word.

Just about every actor gives an amazing performance in the series, but no one seems to have put on quite as much of an act as Farrell who steals the show in just about every scene he’s in with his mix of menace and humor.

The series does a good job of making you root for the Penguin and maybe even feel a little sympathy for him, but the writers never let you forget he’s a villain who’s willing to say and do anything to win and secure power for himself, even if that means hurting those closest to him.

Although not completely comic book accurate, with a different backstory than is traditionally seen with the character, the series offers a unique take while still retaining the core of his identity as a three dimensional individual who resents those in power for looking down on him due to his appearance.

Another powerhouse performance, which may be even better than Farrell’s, is done by Cristin Milioti as Sofia Falcone. Acting as the primary antagonist, she starts off returning home from Arkham Asylum to what’s left of the Falcone family, who are largely afraid or dismissive of her.

Like Farell, she steals every scene she’s in with her often unpredictable personality and intimidating behavior. There’s never a bigger threat than when she’s enacting her plans.

Despite being another villain, Milioti’s character is one of the few sympathetic individuals in the series. She was unjustly put through so much by her family and in Arkham, it makes you root for her just as often as you do for the Penguin. She has so much focus throughout the show, Sofia acts almost like a second protagonist.

The last primary character is Rhenzy Feliz as Victor Aguilar, a young man whose family and neighborhood was destroyed by the Riddler in “The Batman.” Oswald finds him early on in the series and he quickly becomes the heart of the show as he is slowly corrupted by the Penguin’s influence.

The series is a very character driven crime drama, mostly focusing on each of these three individuals’ arcs which succinctly conclude by the finale. The Penguin and Sofia both heavily resent how they’ve been treated their whole lives but throughout the series they both perpetuate the same cycle of trauma they experienced onto others.

More highlights of the series were the cinematography and soundtrack which feel high budget film quality and just as artistic as the preceding film. Every shot feels intentional and many of the background shots of the streets of Gotham artistically display the aftermath of the damage that’s been caused.

A benefit of the show is the lack of easter eggs and fan service. Although there’s still some, they’re few and far between, mostly designated to the final episode. They avoid falling into the same trap many comic book related shows and films fall into where they’re more focused on references than actual substance in the story. When a reference does come up, it feels much more earned and meaningful to the plot and characters.

If you loved “The Batman” or enjoy character studies and crime dramas, “The Penguin” is absolutely worth at least a one month subscription on Max for a binge watch, regardless of whether or not you’re a comic fan. It seems very likely this series could go down as a comic book and crime series classic that will stand the test of time for its deep storytelling and artistic style.