IN REVIEW: PENNYWORTH: THE ORIGIN OF BATMAN’S BUTLER (S1 – EP8) – Red Marauder

Synopsis: In Red Marauder, After a power station attack, Alfie, Daveboy and Martha help Gully Troy to restore public opinion of PWEs. Meanwhile, Dr. Glubb tries to stop Foulkes’ reckless use of Lullaby.

The Story

When a series of public protests against PWEs (People with Enhancements) begin to roll out across the UK. A power station gets attacked. In order to get back control of the power station and attempt to regain faith in the PWEs. The Prime Minister sends in Captain Gulliver Troy to sort it all out and asks Alfred and Dave Boy to tag along as backup. Also, Martha comes along to oversee the operation and work alongside Lucius Fox on the more logistical side of things. This gives her the opportunity to follow up on the reports about PWEs being rolled out in the UK military with Fox who sent her the reports in the hopes that she could talk Prime Minister Azeez out of the plan. As the technology needs more time to develop. 

Elsewhere Foulkes has rolled out more of Dr. Grubb’s psychotropic drug to his followers and things have taken on a sinister turn.

The Acting

James Purefoy gives us a great final performance as the erratic Gulliver Troy and his final scene with Alfred is brilliantly done. We also get a great performance from Jack Bannon as Alfred who has just learned that he is going to be a father just before going on a mission where he might well wind up dead. The scene where Dave Boy lets the cat out of the bag to Captain Troy is funny. Especially given Troys reaction to the news.

Overall

Red Marauder builds brilliantly on last week’s story while simultaneously acting as a swan song for a much-loved character. The PWE storyline is a lot of fun. But I feel it is pretty much going to draw to a conclusion pretty soon as the Lullaby storyline concerning the psychotropic drug takes centre stage.

No matter what happens. I look forward to seeing how it will all play out.