There is no question about it, DC’s THE PENGUIN under an HBO Original banner has taken one of the top spots as a show not to be missed and the numbers proved that many didn’t. Throughout its eight-episode run, the show, under the guidance of showrunner Lauren LeFranc and performances by Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz, Deirdre O’Connell, Clancy Brown, Carmen Ejogo, Michael Zegen, and others, topped the charts upon each installment.
Its premiere episode drew 5.3 million viewers over its debut weekend and has been healthy numbers ever since. The first episode has now pulled in nearly 17 million viewers since it debuted on Sept. 19. But that is the odd thing about following the numbers. When the Neilsen ratings track a show they look at how many tuned in that one airing of a broadcast/cable show. But when it comes to streaming content, like what Max offers, you can track how many hits an episode gets over time. The audiences for shows like THE PENGUIN can and have been building since its debut. So, we look at other metrics.
We look at reviews and other rating measures to quantify the success of this and other shows. And again, THE PENGUIN has shown great results. Such metrics from Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic, IMDB, and the like have all given top ratings to Oswald Cobb’s rise to power in the aftermath of The Riddler’s terror.
Our go-to aggregator, RT, showed its favorability – 
As did Metacritic –
THE PENGUIN, due to the strong acclaim, sits up there with HOUSE OF THE DRAGON and THE LAST OF US at the top of HBO’s offerings. So what next?
HBO dropped a 2025 Sizzle Reel, which we will look at very soon, alongside the debut of THE PENGUIN’s final episode. Contained within are what excitement is ahead but the burning question right now is whether there will be a second season of THE PENGUIN. It was intended to be a limited series, but since it dominated our attention the likelihood of its continuation looms large. Hey, it wouldn’t be the first time – BIG LITTLE LIES was a limited series at first. Matt Reeves, the creator of this latest Batman iteration, told EW – “We are, in a very preliminary way — me, Lauren, [Reeves’ producing partner] Dylan [Clark], and Colin — starting to talk about what would be the way. For me, what’s really important is that we earn it. The idea of revisiting means that we have to keep that same bar. I know that none of us wants to go back and just do more. We want to go back and do something great. So that’s what we’re talking about now. We do believe that there’s going to be something in there, but it’s just beginning. It’s exciting though. It’s very gratifying.”
HBO would certainly want to see it happen. But, The Batman – Part II has to happen first. Reeves stated, “there’s an urgency” [but] “I couldn’t tell you what the timeline is yet. We’re leaving Oz and [Gotham] in a state where the city is still trying to heal itself from what happened. It’s also a time, as you see [with] what goes on with Vic and Crown Point, where the city’s deeply wounded. As we’re entering the movie, all of that stuff is still broiling. The repercussions of what happened as a result of the last movie and what’s happened during this gang war are very much the table setter for the way we enter into the next movie and beyond.”
Be patient with us as HBOWatch rolls out THE PENGUIN reviews soon and watch or re-watch THE PENGUIN on Max in the HBO Hub.
