REVIEW: EPIX Could Have a Win on Their Hands with PENNYWORTH

EPIX will be premiering its new series, PENNYWORTH tonight, July 28, and DC Comics fans are in for a treat. Created by the minds behind Gotham, Bruno Heller and Danny Cannon, PENNYWORTH, follows the life of Alfred Pennyworth, years before his time as the butler to the Wayne family.

In the series premiere, fans are introduced to Alfred Pennyworth, played by the charming Jack Bannon, as he tries to start back up his life after returning home from the War. As the episode progresses, viewers will be introduced to a variety of characters that will help move Pennyworth’s story along, such as Bruce Wayne’s father Thomas Wayne, played by Ben Alderidge, and Pennyworth’s girlfriend, Esme, played by Emma Corrin.

Alderidge and Bannon are both solid male leads that work fairly well off one another. They don’t have many scenes together in the opening episode, but they shine in the ones that they do. It will be fun to see how their relationship progresses as the season continues. Paloma Faith takes on the role of villainous Bet Sykes and really there is nothing villainous about her. Faith’s portrayal of her is stiff and lacking of any edge that could bring this character to life. She may be the reason many fans opt out of returning for the rest of the season.

The premiere also does well to setup the foundation for the show’s season arc with the introduction of a political group, who is determined to bring peace back to Britain by any means necessary. The episode is fast paced and features a good amount of action, so EPIX could potentially have a hidden gem on it’s hands with PENNYWORTH. Now, here’s hoping they can work out their villain problem and not fall down the same rabbit hole Gotham did for many seasons.

Grade: B