The Penguin showrunner debunks a major theory about a classic Batman calling in the HBO series 

The Penguin, HBO's new, unique series about the limitless skyline of Gotham City, follows the path of Oswald Cobblepot from The Penguin's rise in the criminal world without ever letting him meet the iconic Batman.

It has stirred debates among fans and critics, particularly about the lack of the much-hyped Robert Pattinson's Batman as it was in the 2022 film The Batman. The official summary of The Penguin reads as below:

"Following the events of The Batman (2022), Oz Cobb, a.k.a. the Penguin, makes a play to seize the reins of the crime world in Gotham."

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Showrunner's perspective

Lauren LeFranc, currently the showrunner of The Penguin, has been very candid about her reasons for the exclusion of Batman from the series. According to her, the narrative would be that of the criminal underbelly of Gotham through the eyes of Cobblepot without being overshadowed by the presence of the Dark Knight. LeFranc stated,

"We were just really more focused on following our characters on our show."

This way, the show will travel Cobblepot's character arc and his interactions with the dark underbelly of Gotham, a very fresh perspective from the typical Batman stories.

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Debunking fan theories on The Penguin

It was said that before the show was brought out, a few people were expecting Batman, among other classic characters, to make appearances in the show. But LeFranc and Matt Reeves are right there, it's basically created such that it can stand alone with respect to how the evolution of Cobblepot is shown without the necessity of Batman.

Well, that's actually what I would consider refreshment. Also, a narrative this time around will be informed by events and characters from the earlier film, but this time, it approaches Cobblepot's perspective and, well, the world itself.

In that way, the debunked theory could imply that Batman wouldn't thus play a role in the series, further affirming that this indeed is Cobblepot-centric.

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Implications for Gotham's narrative

"A Penguin" is the first conversion of history to such power relationships, murders, and rivalries of criminal factions in Gotham City. What people do not see is the part where viewers would have been given an extensive viewing of Cobblepot's strategic moves and his ambition to excel in a city that's keen on depravity.

Besides, when Batman is absent, another character like Sofia Falcone- leaving Cristin to breathe life into her complex relationship with Cobbletop- can be developed.

Quite a characteristic narrative that finely reverberates in terms of mood will be in capturing both ambitions and conflict that would give one a perspective of the fictitious landscape of Gotham.

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Critical reception

The series has received favorable critiques, though, it offers a different viewpoint with embrace-the-reviews-strong performances. As pointed out by Vulture, The Penguin, a new HBO series set in Gotham City, thrives without the presence of Batman," critics have identified The Penguin as being at its best when it doesn't have Batman around. This reception implies that

It is the picture that is super above all the Character-building and criminal underground, it should appeal to an audience wanting something fresh out of the Gotham narrative.

Colin Farrell's performance as Cobblepot has received much praise, with his transformation into the character described as incredible.

The series has won numerous good reviews for its innovative perspective and strong performances. Critics have observed that The Penguin flourishes without Batman, with Vulture saying,

"The Penguin, a new HBO series set in Gotham City, thrives without the presence of Batman."

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In fact, The Penguin is an in-depth exploration of the rise of Oswald Cobblepot in the criminal hierarchy of Gotham, actually omitting the Batman story to highlight the underbelly of the city.

This juicing of creativity is also debunking earlier fan theories and adds a new interesting twist to the Batman universe from an entirely imaginary angle on one of its most enigmatic characters.