The Penguin: What is Lewy Body Dementia? Everything to know about Francis Cobb's incurable disease

The Penguin is a crime drama series that premiered on September 19, 2024, on HBO. It's based on the DC Comics character of the same name and features Colin Farrell in the titular role. The miniseries is a spin-off of Matt Reeves' 2022 film, The Batman, and explores the Penguin's journey from a mid-level mobster to Gotham City's fearsome crime lord.

The Penguin is developed by Lauren LeFranc, who also serves as the showrunner of the series. Furthermore, the show is executive produced by Bill Carraro, Daniel Pipski, Craig Zobel, and Dylan Clark, among others.

The show's synopsis, as per Rotten Tomatoes, reads:

"The next chapter in The Batman saga, this crime drama follows Oz Cobb’s quest for power and control in Gotham City."

In episode 6, Oz reveals that his mother Francis suffers from Lewy Body Dementia. It's a commom form of dementia that's characterized by memory loss, hallucinations, confusion and a gradual loss of function.

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What is Lewy Body Dementia mentioned in The Penguin?

Lewy Body Dementia is a type of dementia caused by the build-up of proteins called Lewy bodies in the brain. These proteins damage parts of the brain responsible for thinking, movement and memory.

LBD is among the most common forms of dementia and typically affects people over the age of 50. Its symptoms include hallucinations, memory loss and a lack of concentration and awareness, among others.

Oftentimes, LBD is misdiagnosed as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson's disease or other brain disorders, as they all share common early symptoms. So far, no specific cause has been discovered for Lewy Body Dementia.

It's a degenerative disease, meaning that the condition exacerbates over time. People with LBD struggle to do everyday chores and lead a normal life as the disease progresses. As a result, they become dependent on others for their basic functioning.

Currently, there's no cure for the disease. But it can be managed to a certain extent with the help of medications, therapy and counseling.

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What happens to Francis Cobb in The Penguin?

An image of Francis Cobb from the HBO series (Image via Instagram/@thebatman)

Fans of The Penguin learn in episode six titled, Gold Summit, that Oz's mother, Francis, has Lewy Body Dementia. She displays symptoms of memory loss and often confuses past and present events.

Oz keeps her hidden in an abandoned apartment in Gotham's suburban area of Crown Point to protect his mother from his many enemies. Due to her deteriorating condition, Francis tells her son to kill her if her situation gets out of control. Oz, who loves his mother dearly, assures her that he will do as asked if the time ever came.

The Penguin's mother, Francis Cobb, is played by the actress Deirdre O'Connell in the series. While speaking at a New York City Comic-Con roundtable in October 2024, O'Connell reflected on her personal connection with the disease:

"I know more about it than I would like to know about it because my dad had it, and my mom’s got it. I felt a responsibility to talk about that in being Francis."

She added:

"I just felt a huge responsibility to not ever soft-sell it, but not be showy with it, and give her the dignity of being someone who did not want people to know about it and did not want to be in this situation and was not playing the dependence card at all."

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Viewers can stream all episodes of The Penguin on Max.