Spoiler alert! This article contains spoilers for The Penguin.The first episode of The Penguin offers a thrilling spin-off from DC‘s The Batman and with a suitably dynamic soundtrack to boot. The Penguin recommences the narrative from The Batman just one week after Riddler’s final scheme partly destroys Gotham. It depicts the Penguin’s rise to power, with Gotham’s criminal network shaken by Carmine Falcone’s death at the hands of the Riddler. The Penguin episode 1 handles this directly and is perfectly matched by its choice of songs throughout, which extends into the rest of the episodes.
The Batman boasted a very memorable soundtrack, combining a memorable original score with classics like Nirvana’s “Something in the Way.” This helped convey the movie’s angsty and grungy tone succinctly. Fittingly, a comparable use of music has transitioned into The Penguin, each conveying major themes to its audience.
Episode 1 – “After Hours”
- Solar – Miles Davis: In the background of the first scene between Oz and Alberto Falcone, this song by Miles Davis is playing quietly in the back, setting a classy mood for the conversation.
- Bye – Taylor Nixon: Bye appears during the scene where Oz and Vic are going to Eve’s house for Oz to get an alibi.
- Heartbeat – Raveena: After killing Alberto Falcone, Oz goes to Eve to get an alibi. This song is playing in Eve’s apartment while they are talking.
- Money Matterz – G Tha Dom: This is playing during the scene at Oz’s drug manufacturing plant. The workers are listening to it in the background.
- 9 to 5 – Dolly Parton: This classic Dolly Parton song plays twice during the first episode. The first time is when Oz and Vic get in Oz’s other car to go visit his mother. The second time is in the end credits of the episode.
- Put The Blame On Mame – Anita Kert Ellis and Rita Hayworth: This song appears when Oz and Vic are visiting Oz’s mother, when Oz is watching a scene from the film Gilda.
- The Promise – When in Rome: This classic 80s song is played when Oz is fighting one of the Falcone henchmen, and he hits the car radio, prompting it to turn on.
Episode 2 – “Inside Man”
- Call Me Irresponsible – Bobby Darin: This song plays during the scene where the Falcones are getting ambushed by the Maronis that Oz orchestrated. It plays through the entire shootout.
- You Need Lovin’ Too – The Human Expression: When Sofia goes to talk to Detective Marcus Wise about finding out who killed Alberto, this song is playing in the background of the bar.
- Twisted Avenues – Motion Pictures: In Oz’s apartment, this song is playing in the background as he and Vic are celebrating their small victory over both the Falcones and the Maronis, with Eve and her girls.
- My World – Screen Test: At that same party, Oz and Eve have a serious conversation in his bedroom. This song can be heard coming from the living room.
- Tears and Laughter – Dinah Washington: When Oz is visiting his mother, he puts this song on to dance with her and tries to cheer her up while they listen to it.
- Happy Together – Floor Cry: At the very end of the episode, Oz and Sofia band together to take on the Falcone family. This song begins to play over the credits.
Episode 3 – “Bliss”
- Coco Y Ron – Daniel Indart: This song is playing in the background during the conversation Vic has with his mother and father in his apartment, which would end up being the last time he saw them.
- Switch – 6LACK: During the first time seeing Graciela since the flood, this song plays in the background. Eventually, Vic offers to go with her to California.
- Sugar Honey Iced Tea – Dani Stevenson: This song is playing in the empty club that Oz and Sofia go to when they try and get a face-to-face with Feng Zhao.
- In Your Lungs – Street Fever: This is the first song that plays at the club where Oz and Sofia peddle their new drug, Bliss.
- Came For The Low – ZHU & partywithray: The next song that plays at the club as Sofia tries to sell Feng Zhao into joining their Bliss operation.
- Broken Belief – Bob Moses: Plays during the scene where Victor is driving to see Graciela at the bus stop as he plans to leave town with her. Of course, he chooses to stay behind and work with Oz.
- Me and the Devil – Gil Scott-Heron: Victor made his choice and helped Oz escape from the Maronis. As the episode fades to black, and the credits begin to roll, this plays.
Episode 4 – “Cent’Anni”
- 2 Part Emotion: Happy – Fred Lederman Octet: This song is playing in the background at a party for Carmine Falcone. This is the scene where Carmine talks to Sofia about speaking with the press, and she learns that Oz ratted her out.
- So Long My Love – Sarah Vaughan: After Sofia has Gia sleep in the green house, she goes back into the house in the morning, and walks through it, confirming that she actually killed everyone. This song is playing throughout the scene.
- Strange Little Girl – The Stranglers: Like virtually every episode of The Penguin, a song plays over the end credits. This is the song that plays for this episode.
Episode 5 – Homecoming
- Note Siah – Farshad: Taj Maroni is listening to this song on his headphones while getting a new tattoo. He doesn’t hear Oz, Vic, and the rest of the crew killing everyone else in the store, and he gets captured.
- De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da – The Police: This song plays while Oz leaves with the truck full of the mushrooms for Bliss after killing Nadia and Taj Maroni.
- Reckless – St Vincent: This is when Sofia makes her grand entrance and takes over the Falcone family, renaming them the Gigante family, and Doctor Julian Love admits he wants to be part of what Sofia is doing. It also plays during the credits.
- Hounds – Puma Blue: This song is quietly playing during the conversation with Oz and Eve, during which Oz loses his temper.
- A Forest – The Cure: This is the last song to play in episode 5 of The Penguin before the credits roll. It plays when Oz is taking Victor to the tunnels that are under Gotham City, where they will make their new secret base.
Created by Lauren LeFranc, The Penguin is a crime-drama spin-off television series of 2022’s film The Batman. Set shortly after the events of The Batman, Oz Cobb, A.K.A. the Penguin, begins his rise in the underworld of Gotham City as he contends with the daughter of his late boss, Carmine Falcone, for control of the crime family’s empire.
- Cast
- Colin Farrell , Cristin Milioti , Rhenzy Feliz , Michael Kelly , Shohreh Aghdashloo , Deirdre O’Connell , Clancy Brown , James Madio , Scott Cohen , Michael Zegen , Carmen Ejogo , Theo Rossi
- Release Date
- September 19, 2024
- Seasons
- 1
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