Gotham: Every Major Villain Ranked From Worst To Best
2. Penguin/Oswald Cobblepot (Seasons 1-5)
Jim Gordon may have been Gotham's protagonist but Oswald Cobblepot certainly commanded a very large amount of screen-time - and the show was all the better for it. Needless to say, Robin Lord Taylor was made to play the role and it was thrilling to watch him rise from Fish Mooney's lackey to the most powerful villain in Gotham, Penguin.
Penguin is unlike any other villain featured on this list because he does little to hide his emotional vulnerability. Even when he is at his most powerful, there is always something grounding him such as his love for his mother or his friendship with Nygma.
Lord Taylor's Penguin was outlandish and exuberant but never ashamed of his feelings. You only need hear him say, "He killed my Mother, Jim." His voice break is enough to tell you that this is a character with a deep sense of humanity despite the atrocities he commits.
Penguin also managed to survive Gotham's entire run which requires ingenuity so this has to earn him some extra points.