HBO’s 8-Part Crime Thriller Is One Of Its Best For An Easy Weekend Binge

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HBO’s award-winning 8-part thriller, which earned 9 Emmys in 2024, is still a top pick for a great weekend watch on the streaming service. Featuring fantastic performances from Colin Farrell and Cristin Milioti, a dark and realistic crime story with touches of gangster drama, and a surprising ability to revitalize a long-running series, it’s a must-see on HBO Max.

Before she really blew up with her incredible work in that HBO crime drama and snagged an Emmy, I already knew and loved Cristin Milioti. I remember her being fantastic in Black Mirror, especially that episode, “USS Callister” – seriously, it’s a classic! And Palm Springs? One of the best rom-coms of the last few years, hands down. This series she was in, though, it kind of slipped under the radar, but honestly, it’s a really easy and satisfying watch if you’re looking for something to binge.

HBO’s The Penguin Remains One Of Its Best Crime Thrillers

If you enjoy crime thrillers, The Penguin on HBO Max is a must-watch. With just eight episodes, each lasting between 46 and 68 minutes, it’s the perfect length for a weekend binge – not too short to finish in one night, but not so long that it stretches out the entire week. It’s easily one of the best limited series HBO Max has to offer.

As a critic, I went into The Penguin expecting a solid tie-in to The Batman, but what I got was so much more. This HBO miniseries, starring Colin Farrell reprising his role, completely blew me away. Honestly, you don’t even need to be a huge Batman fan – or even have seen the 2022 movie – to get completely hooked. It’s a remarkably accessible and gripping crime drama that stands on its own, and it’s quickly become one of the best things HBO has offered in years.

The Penguin tells the tragic backstory of one of DC’s most famous villains. While Danny DeVito famously played the character in the 1992 film Batman Returns, this new HBO series offers a darker and more realistic take. The show follows Oswald ‘Oz’ Cobb as he rises from a small-time gangster to a powerful crime boss in Gotham City. It begins shortly after the events of The Batman movie, so it’s best to watch that film first.

Unlike most Marvel movies and shows, The Penguin doesn’t feel like a typical superhero story. It’s much more grounded in reality, focusing on gritty crime and gangster life, similar to HBO series like The Sopranos or The Wire, rather than something like The Avengers. While it’s a crime drama, the show also explores complicated family relationships, especially the bond between Oz and his mother, Francis.

The Penguin Is Still Worth An Easy 8-Part Weekend Binge

If you enjoy crime dramas, you’ve probably already watched The Penguin, which was a hit on streaming in 2024. It’s worth checking out again now, almost two years after it first came out. Despite being one of HBO’s biggest new successes of the 2020s – with a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes – a second season hasn’t been officially announced. However, continuing the show seems like a smart move, assuming Colin Farrell has time in his schedule.

There’s a chance The Penguin could be the first of several HBO series focusing on classic Batman villains. While Barry Keoghan appeared as the Joker in The Batman, a separate Joker series on HBO is also a possibility instead of continuing The Penguin. However, no matter what happens with the future of Batman stories, The Penguin is already shaping up to be one of HBO’s best shows for a weekend marathon.

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2026-04-03 01:48