In just one month, The Penguin has turned into a major success within the DC Universe. The limited series, a continuation of Matt Reeves’ The Batman, has attracted audiences with its gritty storytelling, complex characters, and the dark, street-level crime world of Gotham.
With Episode 4, titled “Cent’Anni,” the series has officially reached its halfway mark, and it is now being reported that this episode has achieved the highest viewership debut of the series so far.
In this episode, much of the focus is placed on the backstory of Sofia Falcone, a key figure in Gotham’s criminal underworld, and her time at Arkham Asylum.
Her story has slowly unraveled for the series, adding layers of complexity to the power struggle between her and Oswald Cobblepot, better known as The Penguin. Episode 4 also introduces new plot twists that could change the course of the show, setting the stage for an explosive conflict in Gotham.
Episode 4 Sets New Viewership Records
The success of The Penguin has been steadily growing, and the numbers prove it. According to reports, Episode 4 drew 1.7 million cross-platform viewers in the United States. This marked a new milestone for the series, slightly surpassing the 1.6 million viewers who tuned in to Episode 2, “Inside Man,” which previously held the top spot.
The increased viewership from Episode 2 is significant as it had already seen a 17% jump from the premiere episode. The premiere has now accumulated over 13 million views across different platforms, making The Penguin one of the biggest hits on Max.
The show has had the platform’s biggest four-day premiere since the release of The Last of Us in early 2023. The steady rise in viewership highlights the growing interest in the show, and with four episodes left, there’s every reason to expect those numbers to keep climbing.
Sofia Falcone vs. The Penguin: Power Struggles in Gotham’s Criminal Underworld
At the heart of The Penguin is the power struggle between Sofia Falcone and Oswald Cobblepot. Set just a week after the events of The Batman, Gotham City is still reeling from The Riddler’s attack.
Still from The Penguin (Credit: HBO)
The city is in chaos, and the power vacuum left by the death of Carmine Falcone has set off a vicious battle for control of the criminal underworld. Oswald Cobblepot, known to Gotham’s citizens as The Penguin, sees this as his chance to rise to power.
Played by Colin Farrell, The Penguin has been a standout character in The Batman and now takes center stage in his own series. In the show, Oswald is ruthless and cunning, manipulating everyone around him to achieve his goal of becoming Gotham’s crime lord.
In the early episodes of the series, we see him working with his new apprentice, Victor, played by Rhenzy Feliz. Victor is a young criminal trying to make a name for himself, and Penguin takes him under his wing, teaching him the ins and outs of Gotham’s underworld.
However, Penguin’s ambitions soon bring him into conflict with Sofia Falcone, played by Cristin Milioti. Sofia is the daughter of Carmine Falcone, the former crime boss of Gotham. After her father’s death, Sofia is left to pick up the pieces of her family’s shattered empire.
Her relationship with Penguin is complicated, to say the least. In the early episodes, they appear to be working together, with both characters pretending to cooperate in order to outmaneuver the other. But it soon becomes clear that their partnership is built on lies and betrayal.
Penguin, in a calculated move, kills Sofia and attempts to frame the Maroni crime family for the murder. This strategy works, at least for a time, as Penguin and Sofia continue to play their dangerous game, each trying to gain the upper hand.
But everything changes by the end of Episode 3 when Nadia Maroni, played by Shohreh Aghdashloo, figures out Penguin’s plan. She confronts both Penguin and Sofia, holding them at gunpoint and threatening their lives. Though both characters narrowly escape, Sofia is left with a serious head injury, which leads to a significant turning point in her story.
Sofia’s Dark Past Revealed
In Episode 4, viewers are given a deeper look into Sofia Falcone’s troubled past, specifically her time at Arkham Asylum. This flashback is triggered by the head injury Sofia suffers at the end of Episode 3, allowing the audience to finally understand why Sofia spent ten years in the infamous asylum.
The revelation is shocking: the “Hangman” persona that had been tied to Sofia was based on a lie. Her father, Carmine Falcone, was the real monster.
Played by Mark Strong, Carmine Falcone is shown to have strangled all the women connected to the Iceberg Lounge, a notorious nightclub in Gotham, and even killed Sofia’s own mother.
After murdering these women, Carmine staged their deaths to look like suicides. Sofia’s connection to these murders has long been a source of mystery, but now the truth is revealed: her father framed her for his crimes.
The flashback also reveals the role that Oswald Cobblepot played in Sofia’s downfall. At the time, Penguin was Sofia’s driver, and he betrayed her by ratting her out to her father.
Summer Gleeson, a well-known reporter in the Batman universe, had been investigating the murders at the Iceberg Lounge and had tried to involve Sofia in her investigation.
But Penguin informed Carmine of Sofia’s potential involvement, leading Carmine and the rest of the Falcone family to commit Sofia to Arkham Asylum. In a brutal act of betrayal, Carmine pinned all his murders on his daughter, allowing her to take the fall for his horrific actions.
Sofia’s time at Arkham was filled with intense suffering and emotional trauma, and Episode 4 brings these dark moments to the surface. The betrayal by Penguin was the first domino to fall in the eventual collapse of the Falcone crime family. This episode is the most emotional one yet, as it highlights the immense weight of Sofia’s suffering and the betrayal that destroyed her life.
Sofia’s Revenge and the Start of a New War
By the end of Episode 4, Sofia’s path for revenge becomes clear. The episode concludes with a powerful and violent scene in which Sofia kills nearly all her remaining family members, sparing only Johnny Viti, played by Michael Kelly. With this act of vengeance, Sofia has set the stage for a new and deadly war in Gotham.
Now that Sofia knows Oswald Cobblepot was responsible for her brother’s death, her focus has shifted entirely. The conflict between Sofia and Penguin, which has been simmering throughout the first half of the series, is about to boil over.
With both characters fighting for control of Gotham’s criminal underworld, the second half of The Penguin promises to deliver even more intense drama and violence.
Sofia’s journey from victim to powerful force in Gotham’s underworld has been one of the central storylines of the series, and her transformation is now complete.
She is no longer the daughter of a crime boss, struggling to survive in a male-dominated world. She has become a ruthless player in her own right, ready to take down anyone who stands in her way—especially The Penguin.
The Future of ‘The Penguin’: What to Expect Next
With four episodes left, The Penguin is set to continue building on the momentum it has gained so far. The preview for Episode 5 suggests that the conflict between Sofia and Penguin will intensify as they each try to gain the upper hand.
Meanwhile, other characters, such as Nadia Maroni and Victor, will likely play significant roles in the upcoming episodes, adding even more complexity to the power struggles in Gotham.
Still from The Penguin (Credit: HBO)
The success of The Penguin is also notable for its contribution to the broader DC Universe. The series is part of Matt Reeves’ The Batman universe, which has been praised for its darker, more grounded take on the superhero genre.
The gritty tone and focus on street-level crime make The Penguin a unique entry in the superhero shows, and its success suggests that audiences are hungry for more stories set in this version of Gotham.
When to Watch the Next Episode
New episodes of The Penguin premiere every Sunday on Max and HBO at 9 PM EST. The next episode is scheduled to air on October 20th, and with the show continuing to improve in quality and suspense, the viewership numbers are expected to rise even further.
Fans of the show can look forward to more action, betrayal, and high-stakes drama as The Penguin heads into its final stretch.
As the conflict between Sofia Falcone and Oswald Cobblepot escalates, Gotham City is about to witness one of the most intense showdowns in its history. With only four episodes left, the stakes have never been higher, and viewers won’t want to miss a single moment of the action.
Rubina Bernabe, one of the most talked-about contestants from Big Brother 26, is trying to turn her on-screen romance with fellow housemate Tucker Des Lauriers into something real outside the show. During their time in the Big Brother house, Rubina and Tucker developed feelings for each other that they couldn’t ignore.
Despite the challenges of being on national television and under constant surveillance, the two got close and even had intimate moments that were caught on the live feed.
Though Tucker Des Lauriers was evicted in week 6, Rubina made it all the way to the Final Four. Even though they left the house at different times, both of them have shown interest in continuing their relationship now that the show is over. They’ve gone from reality TV contestants to a possible real-life couple, and they’re both hoping to see where it goes.
In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Rubina opened up about what it was like to see her romance with Tucker play out on screen. Living through it was one thing, but watching it all unfold again on TV has been an emotional experience for her.
She said that while things between her and Tucker happened unexpectedly, she’s happy about the connection they built and excited about what might come next.
Rubina Bernabe and Tucker Des Lauriers Face Long-Distance Challenges
One of the biggest challenges Rubina and Tucker are dealing with now that Big Brother is over is the fact that they live in different parts of the country. Rubina currently calls Los Angeles home, while Tucker is based in Brooklyn, New York, where he works as a marketing and sales executive.
The physical distance between them could make things difficult, but Rubina said she’s willing to put in the effort if Tucker is. She’s hopeful that they can make their relationship work despite the obstacles.
During the interview, Rubina shared that she never planned on starting a romance while in the Big Brother house. Like many reality stars, she went in with a specific strategy and mindset. However, life inside the house turned out to be unpredictable, and she found herself genuinely falling for Tucker.
Rubina said that while being part of a reality TV show romance wasn’t what she intended, she doesn’t regret any of it.
Talking about the steamy moment that she and Tucker shared on the live feed, Rubina admitted that it was definitely not something she had planned. She said, “It was honestly the last thing I expected to happen. Now I guess millions of people saw me doing that.”
Still from Big Brother 26 (Credit: CBS)
While some people might be embarrassed by such a personal moment being broadcast to the world, Rubina seems to be taking it all in stride.
She added that she feels lucky to have met someone like Tucker, someone she truly connects with. She’s hopeful that their connection isn’t just something that worked in the controlled environment of the Big Brother house but that it can also thrive in the real world. Rubina is ready to give the relationship a shot, even though the circumstances are challenging.
Rubina’s Relationship with Tucker Wasn’t Instant
While it might seem like Rubina and Tucker hit it off right from the start, that wasn’t actually the case. In fact, Rubina didn’t think she would even like Tucker at first.
After her eviction, which happened just before the Big Brother 26 finale, Rubina sat down with Parade to talk about her time in the house and her unexpected romance with Tucker. She revealed that during the early days of the show, she found Tucker pretty annoying.
At the start of the competition, Rubina didn’t think she and Tucker would get along. They seemed like very different people, and their personalities didn’t seem to match. However, as time went on and they spent more time together, Rubina started to see a different side of Tucker.
She realized that he had a lot of qualities that she hadn’t noticed before, and as they got to know each other better, her feelings for him began to change.
Rubina shared that even though she didn’t go into Big Brother thinking about romance, it was hard for her not to develop feelings for Tucker as the competition went on. She explained that, in a way, the controlled environment of the house helped them focus on each other.
With no outside distractions, they were able to really get to know each other on a deep level, which is why their connection felt so strong by the time Tucker was evicted in week 6.
For a while, Rubina and Tucker kept their growing connection private. They didn’t want to make it too obvious to the other houseguests that something was going on between them. But eventually, it became clear to everyone that the two were more than just friends.
The Houseguests Weren’t Surprised by Rubina and Tucker’s Romance
Although Rubina and Tucker tried to keep their romance low-key at first, the other houseguests soon caught on. By the time they were ready to go public with their relationship, no one in the house was really surprised. Rubina said that when she and Tucker finally admitted they were together, the other houseguests actually seemed relieved.
In the same interview with Parade, Rubina shared her thoughts on the other players’ reactions, saying, “Us being outward and finally explicit about our relationship was not a surprise to the other players. I think they felt honestly relieved that we were finally out about it because we tried really hard not to make it a thing.”
Even though their relationship might have added another layer of complication to the already intense competition, Rubina said that the other players were supportive of her and Tucker once they made things official.
Rubina’s Other Friendships in the Big Brother House
While her romance with Tucker Des Lauriers has been one of the most talked-about parts of Rubina’s journey on Big Brother 26, it wasn’t the only important connection she made during her time in the house. Rubina also formed strong bonds with two other houseguests, T’kor Clottey and Kimo Apaka.
According to Rubina, these friendships were essential to her making it as far as she did in the competition. She said, “I truly don’t know if I would have even made it past Week 4 without them.” T’kor and Kimo became her closest allies in the house, and their support helped her survive some of the most challenging parts of the competition.
Still from Big Brother 26 (Credit: CBS)
Rubina described how the three of them became each other’s lifelines inside the house. With all the pressure of the competition, the alliances, and the constant scheming, having friends she could trust made all the difference. Even now that the show is over, Rubina said that her friendship with T’kor and Kimo is still going strong. The three of them have stayed in touch, and she considers them an important part of her Big Brother experience.
What’s Next for Rubina and Tucker?
Now that Big Brother 26 has officially wrapped, the real question is: what’s next for Rubina and Tucker? They’ve expressed interest in making their relationship work, but only time will tell how things play out for them in the real world. With Rubina living in Los Angeles and Tucker in Brooklyn, they’re going to have to figure out how to handle the long-distance dynamic.
For now, both Rubina and Tucker seem optimistic. They’ve faced challenges together in the Big Brother house, and they’re ready to face the challenges that come with life after reality TV.
The finale of Big Brother 26 aired on October 13, 2024. All episodes, including the live feeds, are available for streaming on Paramount+.
