The Penguin’s first season is over, and it was as beautiful as we expected. Seeing Oswald Cobblepot making out alive after messing with dangerous crime families was an experience like no other. Of course, we’ll see this character return in The Batman movies and, hopefully, a second season. However, it’s also true that we’ll have to wait for a long period to see the character back on the screen. But don’t fret: there are several other TV shows like The Penguin that you can binge-watch in the meantime. Yes, these shows are incredibly good and will make you appreciate the crime drama genre even more.
1. Peacemaker
- IMDb: 8.3
- Starring: John Cena, Danielle Brooks
- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 8
Of course, you might think we are suggesting Peacemaker because, like Penguin, it also comes from the DC Comics. However, that’s not the only similarity between these two shows. Like Oz, Christopher Smith (Peacemaker) also had a troubled past. He suffered a lot at the hands of his father, who was a racist and wanted to raise his son in a similar manner.
Like The Penguin, Peacemaker doesn’t shy away from violence and its emotional value. Even though Peacemaker takes on a comedic approach, it will surely remind you of Penguin in each episode. It will also make you wonder or wish for a scenario where Oz would have walked on Peacemaker’s path and become an anti-hero instead of an antagonist.
2. Watchmen
- IMDb: 8.2
- Starring: Regina King, Don Johnson
- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 9
We all remember Zack Snyder’s Watchmen, the masterpiece that never got enough recognition. However, with time, the fandom started acknowledging the beauty of the movie, and thus, the creators decided to put more spotlight on these underrated characters through a TV show.
Like The Penguin, Watchmen is a dark and violent series that’ll make you fear for your favorite characters. It’ll keep you on your toes, always wondering what could happen next and what character could get killed.
3. Titans
- IMDb: 7.5
- Starring: Brenton Thwaites, Anna Diop
- Seasons: 4
- Episodes: 49
The Penguin TV show tells you that not all villains are fully bad, and the Titans series tells the fandom that not all heroes are perfect. There’s an ounce of goodness in every bad guy’s heart and darkness in every hero’s heart.
Titans does come with some supernatural elements and is not as grounded as the Penguin, but it is very similar to the latest HBO Max show. The TV show focuses on the dark side of Gotham and all the crime families. Instead of focusing on a single villain or a hero, Titans give every hero and villain multiple chances to shine. Jason Todd, specifically, will remind you of Oz. Jason is also a broken boy like Oz, but unlike Cobblepot, Jason gets the right guiding hand at the right time.
4. Gangs of London
- IMDb: 8
- Starring: Joe Cole, Colm Meaney
- Seasons: 2
- Episodes: 17
In The Penguin, after Carmine Falcone’s death, his daughter Sofia has to take matters into her own hands to stop the forces trying to take over her father’s empire. Likewise, Gangs of London sees Sean Wallace have to fight for his rights after his father dies, leaving his entire criminal empire behind.
Finn Wallace, the most influential crime boss of London, is killed. Following the unfortunate incident, his son Sean Wallace has to take his place in the family and in the organization. However, as a newcomer, he faces several challenges in achieving what he desires.
5. Gotham
- IMDb: 7.8
- Starring: Ben McKenzie, Donal Logue
- Seasons: 5
- Episodes: 100
Gotham is nowhere canon to The Penguin or The Batman, but it’s surely one of the best crime drama series for DC fans. We’ve always watched Gotham from the perspective of Batman, with Bruce Wayne always taking a back seat.
However, the Gotham TV show puts most of its focus on Bruce Wayne’s childhood. It introduces you to younger versions of several popular characters, including Rachael and Cat Woman. Like The Penguin, the Gotham TV series takes you to the underbelly of the crime families.
6. Pennyworth
- IMDb: 7.8
- Starring: Jack Bannon, Ben Aldridge
- Seasons: 3
- Episodes: 30
Despite featuring different themes and plots, the aspect where Pennyworth and The Penguin match the vibe is the absence of our beloved caped crusader. Both shows occur in Batman’s universe, so the first thing fans notice is Batman’s involvement.
Do you remember Wayne’s family butler, Alfred Pennyworth? This show follows him in his early days when he wasn’t a servant but an ex-soldier trying to establish his own security agency in London. However, his dreams grab the attention of the crowd that wants nothing but the fall of the British government. Hence, Alfred must fight all the odds to reach his aspirations.
7. Breaking Bad
- IMDb: 9.5
- Starring: Bryan Cranston
- Seasons: 5
- Episodes: 62
Breaking Bad isn’t based on any comic book series, but if it had a comic book series, it’d surely fit best in the DC Universe. The journey of Walter White is similar to Oz’s in a lot of ways – both characters decide to dive into the underworld to prove their worth to the world.
The Penguin is about big crime families, and Breaking Bad is full of them. Both TV shows are about underdogs making a big name for themselves by playing mind games and bringing down some of the most dangerous drug lords. The Penguin has you rooting for Oz, who isn’t a good guy. Well, Walter White isn’t a saint either. He claims countless innocent lives just so he can become the biggest Meth distributor in all of America.
8. Peaky Blinders
- IMDb: 8.7
- Starring: Cillian Murphy
- Seasons: 6
- Episodes: 36
Peaky Blinders is surely one of the best crime drama series of all time. The series got several awards because of its unique story and unforgettable characters, especially Tommy Shelby. Honestly, Cillian Murphy’s portrayal of Thomas Shelby has become so famous that the character now deserves his own comic book series.
Of course, it’s a pipe dream, but if it does come to reality, we would love to see it being a part of the DC Comics. Why? Well, because it would be incredibly thrilling seeing Thomas Shelby and Penguin playing mind games with each other. Both characters aren’t physically strong, but they make big and become crime lords by taking advantage of their beautiful yet dangerous minds.
9. Boardwalk Empire
- IMDb: 8.6
- Starring: Steve Buscemi
- Seasons: 5
- Episodes: 56
Critically acclaimed for its visual styles and storytelling, Boardwalk Empire is a series that sees its main protagonist manipulating even influential political figures as per his will. Don’t you think HBO’s The Penguin’s primary character, Oz Cobb, does the same? The Penguin is all about the crime families dominating system and law of the entire city and Boardwalk Empire doesn’t shy away from giving spotlight to dangerous crime families.
Boardway Empire revolves around Nucky Thompson, who has to reach out to political figures and gangsters every now and then for the sake of business. The show never made it to the heights other shows like Peacemaker and Watchmen reached, but it is certainly the one you need not miss as a fan of this genre.
10. Sugar
- IMDb: 7.4
- Starring: Colin Farrell
- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 8
Sugar is a crime drama series that will never fail to stun the fanatics with its twists and turns, like The Penguin. Besides that, the dark tone of Sugar and the unpredictable characters make us add the show to this list. Also, don’t forget that it’s one of the best TV shows Colin Farrell has worked on.
The series revolves around John Sugar, a detective who must solve the mystery of the granddaughter’s disappearance of a renowned and wealthy movie producer.
Aparna Ukil
