The Penguin Episode 6 ‘Gold Summit’ Review: Monolgue for the ages lifts up cat and mouse game

Colin Farrell delivering the best monologue on film or TV in 2024 in Gold Summit makes episode 6 memorable. Adding in Oz Cobb’s growing drug operation makes up for Gold Summit‘s slow-moving Sofia Gigante (Cristin Milioti) story.

After slowly building out Oz and Sofia’s story, The Penguin utilizes a slight time jump following the events in episode five. Oz’s drug operation in Crime Point has grown exponentially, while Sofia and Salvatore Maroni (Clancy Brown) struggle in their new alliance.

There’s a great juxtaposition in Gold Summit. Oz succeeds in illicit enterprise while living in squalor. Sofia and Sal are financially well off but fail to match Oz’s criminal enterprise. The best example of these contrasts is the home-cooked dinner Sal cooks for Sofia while Oz tries to cook eggs for Victor and his mother, Francis, but the power cuts off.

Gold Summit revolves around three storylines: Oz continuing to increase his control of the drug trade while staying under Sofia and Sal’s radar, Sofia and Sal searching for Oz and Victor’s rough reunion with Squid.

The Oz and Victor storylines are terrific. Dialogue and exciting observations of class differences provide the storyline with tremendous depth. Unfortunately, Sofia and Sal’s search doesn’t measure up for the most part. Sal lashing out in Oz’s apartment doesn’t strike the right cord and makes the crime boss less imposing. The search for Oz picks up immensely once Sofia hits the streets of Gotham by herself. Sofia’s scene opposite Eve allows Milioti and Carmen Ejogo to shine. The two women start from a place of disrespect that evolves throughout the conversation.

Episode 6 ends on a great cliffhanger that should lead to a more monumental Episode 7 next week.

Here’s a closer look at Oz’s summit, Sofia’s quest and Vic’s conflict with Squid. The Penguin is streaming on Max.

Oz’s Gold Summit

Oz’s criminal enterprise is growing. His drug, bliss, is painting the streets of Gotham red, and it’s leading to a lot of green for Oz. However, he’s well aware of Sofia and Sal’s partnership, so he’s continuing to keep a low profile in Crown Point. Oz, Francis, and Victor are still holed up in an apartment that requires a generator. This particular power source pales in comparison to the harsh Gotham winter.

After Sofia and Sal make a move, the local gangs are apprehensive about working with Oz, forcing him to change his strategy. He tells his sellers to give the drug away for the night to increase demand for the product. Oz also begins to flex his political muscle. He puts the squeeze on a local politician to get the power back on in Crown Point.

Oz isn’t having the same success at home. Francis’s dementia is getting worse during a moment of clarity; she even asks Oz to take her out when the time comes.

Oz sets up a meeting with the heads of local gangs. He wants them to all band together against. The triad leader knows Oz’s duplicitous nature and calls him out in front of the group. Oz admits to killing Alberto Falcone but insists he has a code. He delivers a stirring speech that recaps his humble beginnings and a desire to mean something which he views as a shared desire amongst the group. One by one, each leader cracks open a beer to support Oz’s plan.

Farrell is incredible with this monologue that draws on class differences in Gotham.

Mork & Mindy Search for Oz

Early in the episode, Oz refers to Sal and Sofia as Mork and Mindy.

Sal and Sofia are trying to track down Oz. Sofia believes Oz can’t stay out of the limelight for long, and she also believes the triad will stay loyal. Sal points out that the gangs are loyal to whoever is selling, and the tip Oz is using comes from Carmine.

They head to Oz’s apartment. Sofia doesn’t know Oz’s mother is alive and tells Sal Oz has no other they can squeeze. However, Sofia finds a photo of Eve left behind.

Sofia talks to a few of Eve’s prostitutes. They give up Eve’s location.

The two women size each other up and have a tense scene that starts from a misinterpretation. Eve’s loyalty to Oz is Sofia’s, while Eve believes Sofia is The Hangman. Sofia maintains her innocence. The two women build a gradual respect throughout the scene. Sofia lets Eve live, and Eve reveals Oz’s whereabouts. Until this episode, Ejogo has been underutilized in her role as Eve, but this scene between her and Milioti was a terrific showcase for her talent.

Vic’s Confrontation

Squid confronts Vic. He wants to know how Vic can afford his new clothes. Vic escapes the initial conversation without conflict.

He tries to talk about the situation with Oz, but Oz is preoccupied with his Mom’s health. Vic decides to handle the problem himself.

He tries to pay off Squid, but Squid refuses the money and demands to meet Vic’s boss. Vic appears to lead Squid to Oz but suddenly turns, shoots and kills Squid. Vic is horrified by the shooting.

He returns to Oz and tells him about the shooting. Oz commends Vic for his actions and embraces him. Oz heads to the summit and leaves Vic at the apartment to watch his mother. Gold Summit ends with Sofia standing in the hallway with a crowbar.

Gold Summit Final Thoughs

Episode 6, Gold Summit, isn’t the best episode of The Penguin. The scene with Dr. Julian Rush (Theo Rossi) and the Sofia-Sal team-up fail to advance the respective stories much. However, Oz’s speech to Gotham gang leaders, Vic’s dilemma, Eve-Sofia’s confrontation, and the cliffhanger all help make Gold Summit a memorable episode of The Penguin.

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