The Penguin isn't for kids: What parents need to know about Oz Cobb's story

If you enjoyed Matt Reeves' The Batman with the family, or at least with your older children, you'd naturally be interested in seeing the continuation of the story--through Oz's eyes--but, before you start planning a living room watch party, there are some things you should know about The Penguin first.

The HBO original, which debuts Thursday, Sept. 19, is rated TV-MA. Having watched the premiere, I can tell you that you're in for a more coarse viewing than the movie the show is a spinoff from. While The Batman was dark, broody, violent and followed the mad workings of The Riddler, a serial killer out for revenge, it was PG-13 and at its heart a detective story.

The Penguin is a crime drama and it follows the typical trappings of the genre. The series has the feel of The Sopranos set in the grime and grit of Gotham. Oz, whose surname has been chopped down to Cobb, is navigating a complex web of alliances and betrayals as he vies for control of the city under the nose of the Falcone family.

In the season opener, "After Hours" written by showrunner Lauren LeFranc, there's murder, graphic violence, strong language, and blood does spray from wounds. Oz operates in the underbelly of Gotham so we will get a closer look at his drug operation and, since he has a finger to the pulse of the area, his connection to the under the table work happening includes that of working girls.

Crime dramas aren't known to pull punches and The Penguin is no different even with its lighter, more funnier moments. As the trailer has shown, Oz's sparring partner is Sofia Falcone, Carmine's daughter who has recently been released from Arkham. That sentence alone should be telling enough on what to expect from her but, without spoiling what happens, let me tell you that she is indeed off her rocker and Cristin Milioti is suitably chilling and unsettling in the role.

As an heir to a crime family, Sofia was nursed by violence. Control, coercion, retribution, and vengeance are all familiar to her whether she wields them with precision or wildly. This will bleed through the series as will Oz's ability to manipulate and escape near death experiences through punching, shooting, making himself as small as the people around him believe he should be, and biding his time until he can strike.

Like The Batman, Oz's story is compelling. It is a must-watch particularly for Colin Farrell and Milioti's performances. However, it's not a show for children though your older teens may enjoy the series. In some ways, The Penguin feels like FOX's Gotham would have been had it not aired on broadcast. The crime drama, which focused on a younger James Gordon, an adolescent Bruce Wayne, and a host of DC villains, loved to flirt with the line of its TV-14 rating.

A full list of the content in the HBO original has yet to be released but, again, the show is rated TV-MA. It is intended for mature audience. Here's a look at the show.