The Penguin Season 1 Episode 3 Review: Bliss

Critic’s Rating: 4.8 / 5.0

4.8

To say I was floored by The Penguin Season 1 Episode 3 would be an understatement.

I got so caught up in this episode that I completely forgot to turn my speaker volume down. Between my shouts of “Holy s**t!” and my downstairs neighbor banging on the ceiling, it was chaos — but totally worth it.

(Photograph by Macall Polay/HBO)

Honestly, “Bliss” had so many twists and turns that it could’ve easily been a blockbuster movie. I would’ve loved to have seen it on the big screen.

Vic Nails It!

Vic really surprised me during Oz and Sofia’s drug deal. While he was waiting in the car, a cop showed up, and instead of totally freaking out, he pulled off something totally unexpected.

The cop took some money from Vic’s pocket, and Vic just rolled with it, using the situation to bribe him. Talk about quick thinking!

It was a slick move that saved the whole operation from going sideways, especially with a bag full of drugs in the car.

Penguin was definitely proud of him later when Vic filled him in on what went down.

(Photograph by Macall Polay/HBO)

But even after that, Vic’s loyalty comes into question. He breaks ties with Oz at the nightclub, only to save Oz’s ass after choosing to walk away from his girlfriend.

It’s the kind of loyalty Oz can’t ignore, but let’s be real — there’s no way he’ll be “forever indebted.” That’s just not how Oz operates.

If anything, it’s just another reminder that Oz can snap instantly, as we saw with Johnny Viti and Vic himself.

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Sure, Vic has dealt with Oz’s darker side before, but what’s his real motive here? Why does he stick around, choosing Oz over a chance at a normal life with his girlfriend?

Maybe Vic sees more opportunity with Oz — the money, the power. But let’s face it, living on the edge with a guy like Penguin is dangerous — and stupid.

(Photograph by Macall Polay/HBO)

For his part, Oz is still way too attached to Vic for my liking.

There’s always that lingering possibility that Vic could turn on him, and after this episode, it’s clear Oz is in even deeper trouble —  not just with the Maronis but with Sofia, too.

Hell Hath No Fury!

Speaking of Sofia… they left her there in the alley for a Maroni! Do you think she’s just going to let that slide? Especially after Oz’s weepy apology tour? Yeah, right.

This is definitely a turning point. Oz isn’t going to make himself look like the bad guy, not with Sofia around.

I wouldn’t be surprised if he tried to pin the whole thing on Vic, forgetting that Vic wanted to wait for her. And trust me, Sofia won’t be as forgiving as Oz has been.

Nadia showing up was wild and pretty much sealed Oz’s fate (It just keeps snowballing for him, doesn’t it?). His double-dealing was totally exposed. Now, both Oz and Vic are in deep trouble.

(Photograph by Macall Polay/HBO)

But honestly, Vic should’ve just taken the chance to skip town with his girlfriend when Oz literally let him go! So why didn’t he?

I can’t figure out what either of them is thinking. What I do know is that Oz’s world is about to come crashing down.

All those secrets he’s been hiding — killing Castillo, visiting Maroni in jail — it’s all starting to unravel.

And while Sofia might have slipped away in the chaos, if she didn’t, I could see her and Nadia teaming up when it comes to dealing with Oz.

Sofia’s not tied to anyone in the Falcone family, so protecting them isn’t even an issue for her.

As much as I joked about Oz being forever grateful to Vic for saving him, we all know that’s not who Oz is. His darkness runs too deep.

No matter how sympathetic he might seem sometimes, Vic is still just a plaything for him. After what went down at the nightclub, Oz can’t trust him.

(Photograph by Macall Polay/HBO)

When Oz thought Vic felt like a “prisoner” in his employ, it clearly offended him. And we know Oz — he’s not one to let something like that go.

He’ll keep it in the back of his mind and eventually use it against Vic, just like he did with the personal information Vic shared at dinner.

Oz is trying to channel Rex Calabrese, putting on this act of kindness and caring, but that’s not who he really is — and it never will be.

Those brief flashes of vicious darkness we saw throughout the episode? That’s the real Oz, and it will only get worse from here.

An Anti-Hero or a Villain?

In our The Penguin Season 1 Episode 2 roundtable, Tyler Johnson, Thomas Godwin, Whitney Evans, and I debated whether Oz could turn into an antihero. Honestly, I still don’t think that’s on the table. 

There are little hints of it here and there, but that’s not the road I see him going down. Even Colin Farrell recently mentioned that by the time this series is over, people will hate Oz, and I’m holding on to that. 

(Photograph by Macall Polay/HBO)

Oz is a villain in the Batman universe, and this episode gave us more proof of that.

You’ve got to remember that this show is a bridge between The Batman movies, and Oz has to be a formidable antagonist, even if he’s not going to be the main one — not someone Batman might go easy on.

There are many theories being thrown around right now about Oz’s name being Cobb instead of Cobblepot, including one that involves the Court of Owls.

In that case, Oz could become a redeemable character, but I don’t think it’s going to happen in this series.

We got glimpses of Oz’s ruthless side in The Penguin Season 1 Episode 1 with Alberto Falcone and even more in  The Penguin Season 1 Episode 2 with Castillo. Now, with each episode, he’s sinking deeper into that darkness.

He went crazy with Viti (which Sofia didn’t even react to, which says a lot), and later, with the way he flipped the switch with Vic in that bathroom scene. He meant every cruel word he said; he wasn’t saying it out of anger.

(Photograph by Macall Polay/HBO)

He’s using Vic, manipulating him until he’s no longer needed. When that moment comes, Oz won’t hesitate to cut him loose.

Vic might have killed or nearly killed someone, and Oz will use that to his advantage, but I don’t see this ending well for either of them.

And there’s another problem — Vic told his girlfriend he was scared Oz would kill him if he tried to leave.

More Women, More Problems

Graciela is smart, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she assumed the worst when Vic didn’t show up at the bus station.

Once she’s in California, who knows what she’ll do? Call the cops? Reach out to someone back in Crown Point?

Either way, it’s not looking good for Vic.

(Photograph by Macall Polay/HBO)

And when Oz finds out she was in his apartment, all hell is going to break loose. It’s just another reason for Oz to tie up that loose end, no matter how much he might care about Vic or see himself in him.

At the end of the day, the only person Oz truly cares about is Oz (and his mom).

One last thought — remember that scene where Vic is in the car, rehearsing how he’s going to tell Oz he’s leaving with his girlfriend? He made a point to say he wasn’t a rat. Could that be some foreshadowing?

I’ve said numerous times that Vic isn’t from that world. That’s not who he is, and I don’t really think he wants to be.

Sure, he handled the cop situation pretty well, but let’s be honest — if that cop had found the drugs, Vic wouldn’t have been able to talk his way out of that one.

The real question is, will Vic hold up when the pressure’s on? I’m not convinced.

Ramming Oz’s car into Nadia’s men was a bold move, but there’s something else going on with him. Think about his flashbacks and how the explosions triggered him at the nightclub.

(Photograph by Macall Polay/HBO)

And again, there’s his girlfriend. She’s his loose end. Maybe he let her go to keep her safe if Oz came after him, especially since he stole Oz’s car after the nightclub incident.

But maybe he has another plan in mind — and it’s not becoming Oz’s partner in crime!

There are a lot of moving parts here, and while I like Vic, I think he crossed a line when he chose to stay instead of running when he had the chance.

Over to you, TV Fanatics! Did Sofia escape, or will she and Nadia team up? Is Vic fully committed, or does he have another plan? Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments below!

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