HBO Max's The Penguin, a sequel series to Matt Reeves' DC/Elseworlds hit, The Batman, is on the cusp of premiering. Colin Farrell reprises his provocative role of Oswald "Oz" Copplepot (along with all that heavy-duty makeup), in what looks to be more of a Sopranos variant than a comic-book salute.
That's cool by me. I've grown an ardent penchant for modern, mob fables. I hold the The Sopranos in high regard and appreciate every pulpy speck of its Faustian strand, and the same goes for The Godfather saga, Goodfellas, Casino and the contemptuous catalyst behind them all, Wallace Worsley/Morris Gouverneur's The Penalty, with good ol' Lon Chaney Sr. Ah, men selling their souls to find virtue (or all-encompassing conquest) through bad means is fascinating as hell to me.
The Penguin should be no exception to the rule, and like the aforementioned titles, it'll no doubt overflow with abundant testosterone. That, in itself, will draw complaints from some, but then why would they even bother tasting the ingredients when they know what's on the menu?
Speaking of testosterone, Paramount+'s Tulsa King: Season 2 is also nearing release. This fish-out-of-water series won me over, due in no small part to Sylvester Stallone's portrayal of self-educated, paid-his-dues Dwight Manfredi. The show also holds that pugnacious, Sopranos charm, and like the latter is solidified by a callous core, where its leads aren't afraid to make two-fisted decisions.
Interestingly enough, the filming-start of Tulsa King's new season was met by controversy, when an extra griped about by being replaced by a cowgirl in a background scene, along with overhearing some unpleasant words that may or may not have been directed at him. I hope the poor guy has gotten over the matter and maybe has even found a cozy, behind-the-scenes gig on RuPaul's Drag Race or better yet, a role as adviser on one of those watered-down, Disney Junior thingamabobs. (Hey, whatever suits your fancy, I say, and I mean that from the bottom of my heart. In fact, I'll slug it out with anybody who says otherwise, but all the same, it's better not to bite the hand that feeds you. Just because your skin is thin is no excuse to whine about something that's trite and vague. To rephrase, don't rain on my parade when it comes to my kind of escapism.)
Anyway, that both shows commence in September makes the month a big win-win. So, bring on that dark, dirty virility, and bring it on strong!
The Penguin starts September 19th, and Tulsa King #2, September 15th.
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