The Penguin Episode 2 review, "Inside Man": Sofia proves she's more than a pretty face

A lot of mob shows and movies put the focus on the men in charge. The men always underestimate the women, and that’s what is clearly happening in the newest episode of The Penguin, "Inside Man."

Caution: This post contains SPOILERS for The Penguin season 1, episode 2.

While the pilot episode seemed to set things up well for Oz, the second episode proves that he still has some work to do. "Inside Man" reminds us that Sofia Falcone is not someone to underestimate.

This episode picks up off the back of the last one. As the Falcone family tries to regroup and figure things out, believing that rival gangster Salvatore Maroni was behind the murder of Sofia's brother Alberto, Sofia is one step ahead of everyone. It doesn’t help that the Falcone drug operation was hit, and she knows that it had to be an inside job. How else would Sal’s guys know that these drugs were on the move? How would they know where they were going? It surprises me that nobody else is asking these questions. Why is Sofia the only one thinking like a mob boss? She just has to prove it and figure out who was behind it, when we already know it was Oz.

The Penguin season 1, episode 2 review, "Inside Man"

There are two main storylines happening in this episode. Oz has plenty to do, of course, but it’s Sofia’s story that I find the most intriguing. As a woman (and a convicted serial killer who spent time at Arkham), she is routinely overlooked by the men in the family. Her uncle is now taking over the Falcone mob, pushing Sofia out to the margins.

With nobody paying attention, she decides to take matters into her own hands. She meets a drunk and disgraced detective named Marcus Wise who used to work for her father in a bar. This man had already sniffed out moles, and now she wants him to do it again. He realizes that she doesn’t trust her family, but what can he actually do with that information? Does he dare do anything?

The radio and nightmares tell us what Sofia has done in her past. She’s a convicted murderer, and she is struggling with the trauma of being locked inside Arkham. Alberto was her rock. Now he’s gone, and it's suggested that she might lose it in the future. This could be a good thing for Oz, but crazy people are far too unpredictable.

Oz figures out his next move

Meanwhile, Oz realizes that Sofia is partly onto him. She already accused him of murdering her brother. She was on the nose with that one, but she couldn't prove it and Oz successfully pointed the finger at Sal instead. Yet she’s still a threat to Oz, and he needs to connect with her to keep her off his scent.

Oz spends the episodes convincing Sal to work with him to bring down the Falcones while also cozying up to Sofia Falcole, a delicate tightrope act. He even opens up to her about his mom, whose dementia is getting worse. I love how we get to see the change between Oz trying to take over the Falcone enterprise and his love and care for his mom. If it wasn’t for Sofia being a clear threat to him, I could see him being a great father figure to her. However, he continues to play the game.

Oz finds himself caught between the two mob families. When the Maroni family loses one of their men, they threaten to end his life as well. If Oz doesn’t know everything about the Falcone family, then he is no use to the Maronis. If only that was the only threat. Oz always knew that this was going to be a long game. What he didn’t count on was Sofia getting out of Arkham. This would have all been easier if she remained behind bars.

At least Oz continues to think on his feet by removing those Sofia trusts most one at a time. When Vic fails to plant the diamonds to frame someone else in the Falcone family, Oz improvising by killing a Maroni footsoldier the Falcones were going to interrogate and blames Sofia’s bodyguard for it, removing him as a threat. If he can’t remove her, he can at least be the one she needs to turn to.

Vic finds himself in over his head

Vic has quickly become my favorite character. He’s just so innocent. This is a boy who just wants to survive, and now he has to fight for it every day. In a way, it seems like an honor to be Oz’s driver. However, he knows that this can get dangerous. Vic’s face was priceless when Oz matter-of-factly shared sharing what happened to a previous acquaintance. It was a great way to make it clear what happens when you talk to the feds and betray the family.

The more nervous Vic gets, the more he stutters. It makes him a weak link, but Oz still hasn’t dropped him. Oz sees something in him, but what? This is sure to become a bigger problem as Vic starts to debate whether this is something he really wants. The problem is that once you’re with the mob, you can’t get out.

Oz gives Vic an important lesson at the end of the episode. When Vic failed to plant the jewels, it led to Oz having to adapt quickly and come up with planting the knife. Oz forces Vic to lay in the graves with the two dead men they're burying to show him what happens when you choke. Will it do the trick? It might be a little easier considering the way this episode ends.

We end with Sofia and Oz in the Falcone family crypt. Sofia thinks it was her bodyguard who killed Alberto for the jewels. She’s done being pushed aside by the men in her family, and she wants Oz to work with her to take over. Of course, he’s ready to dance!

It’s another strong episode that pushes Sofia and Oz’s storylines forward. We get to see how the most underestimated people end up being the most threatening, and it all ends with Oz getting right where he needs to be so he can take over the Falcone family.

The Penguin airs Sundays at 9/8c on HBO and Max.

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