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Penny Dreadful - SPOILERS

Episode 5 was a very Vanessa episode and we get to know Sir Malcolm's children Mina and Peter. We now know more about the nature of Vanessa's transgression against Mina as well as Sir Malcolm's own infidelity. Who knew a waxed moustache was so irresistable? As for Charles Bron...Branson, I imagine having psycho sex with Eva Green would be hard to resist.

We also learned that trepanning isn't a perfect cure for removing voices from one's head.

I found the background interesting but I really missed the interplay of the other storylines.
 
The guy who played Mina's betrothed was the guy who played Maria's dad in the first few seasons of The Sarah Jane Adventures - which was really weird.
 
as enjoyable as i find the show it can also be extremely frustrating. case in point, what happened to David Warner's character.
 
I'm curious what the finale will bring as the last couple of episodes have taken a bit of a left turn from the general direction the plot was taking.

Do you get the sense the director never has to say "Hey, Eva, that was great but can you turn it up a couple of notches?".
 
Saga said:
as enjoyable as i find the show it can also be extremely frustrating. case in point, what happened to David Warner's character.
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You might say there was a plot twist.

Mr. Adventure said:
I'm curious what the finale will bring as the last couple of episodes have taken a bit of a left turn from the general direction the plot was taking.

Do you get the sense the director never has to say "Hey, Eva, that was great but can you turn it up a couple of notches?".
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That last episode was fantastic. The crew might be wondering if she's acting or being herself. Eva is amazing. Ethan, after his story about American Indian relocation and destruction I wonder if he might be an Indian shape-changer. They also have wolves who become men and generally their stories have wolves as good characters. They are associated with loyalty, strength, courage, hunting, all qualities Ethan has in spades.
 
Yeah, I thought he might be some kind of skinwalker, too. But I don't think he's going to end up being full-blooded Amerind simply because of all that facial hair he's sporting. At most, he'll be a half-blood.
 
^ More wolf allusions as well with Ethan threatening to rip Sir Malcolm's throat out which I don't think the average person would say. Then at the end there's the bit about claws will slash and teeth will rend.
 
Plus, when Ethan went to the window in Sir Malcolm's home, there was a full Moon, and he gazed longingly at it.

Also, I don't know if you watched next week's preview, but...

It looked like his hand was morphing and the bones were shifting, like how they usually show werewolves changing.
 
Quite appropriate to the subject matter, I am resurrecting this thread. SPOILERY, in case you haven't noticed that in the thread title.

I just finished watching all of Penny Dreadful which I am totally in love with, despite its moments of tipping into silliness, which any melodrama and/ or horror piece is prone to - and it is powerfully both. Primarily the power of Eva Green's performance and the pitch perfect tone of the series has me hooked. Anyone else still watching it?

In Season Two things seem to go off on a somewhat different track with the resolution of the Mina storyline from Season One, though not much on Penny Dreadful stays dead, including Mina (and her brother and her mother). A fabulous take on witches manages to bridge the Wiccan herb-woman with the Malleus Maleficarum style witch. Vanessa, first shown to us praying obsessively, breaks from God - does this make her more vulnerable to Lucifer? I question, seeing how she faced him down with a "Beloved, Know Your Master!" in the season finale. Perhaps she is headed more down the path of Galadriel had she taken the ring: "In the place of a Dark Lord you would have a Queen! Not dark but beautiful and terrible as the Morn! Treacherous as the Seas! Stronger than the foundations of the Earth! All shall love me and despair!"

Mysteries still to be resolved - what is up with Ethan's father? Where has Caliban gone? Who was Sembene really? Who is it that possesses Vanessa - Lucifer, or his as yet unnamed brother, or something else entirely? And how freaking scary were Dorian and Lily in that dance scene?

While I felt both seasons have their shaky parts, the narrative is a slow build and definitely has a trajectory, which remains mysterious. In Season Two the psychological layer of the story became much more powerful as the tale moves from the outward quest to free Mina to the inward struggle for Vanessa to retain her soul. Most strongly, the story proposes that we all have demons inside us that we wrestle with - violence (Ethan), hatred and jealousy (the Monster, Caliban), passion and lust, both sexual and for power (Vanessa), fascination with thrills and forbidden things (Dorian), ego (Malcolm), greed (Sembene).

What do you think?
 
I have not been able to give much attention to season two. I have seen sporadic episodes but have not been watching close enough to give a valid opinion. I was surprised by the aforementioned inward focus though but it also made it harder to casually follow.

Sounds like it might be worth watching again when I can better focus and absorb it. Now that I can watch without waiting a week between I need to give it another shot.
 
It lends itself to some binge watching, especially as the season progresses. I was afraid in the first couple of episodes that the witches were going to be more of the screaming hordes of Brides of Dracula, which were my very least favorite part of season one, but they quickly take on a completely different path. Additionally you get some real movement on the big story of Amun-Ra and Amunet, though it leaves as many questions as it answers. Would love to hear your thoughts - I am itching to discuss!
 
Is this the Penny Dreadful thread?

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So I've been thinking about the leader of the gang that "freed" Ethan. He must be someone. I am thinking along two different tracks:

It's a famous outlaw and his gang, like maybe Butch Cassidy and his wild bunch.

Or...it's Quincey Morris! That would be nicely meta--Ethan, who was in some ways our Quincey Morris stand-in at the beginning, meeting Quincey Morris--who actually comes into the tale, as Renfield just did. Only thing is, Morris is a rich gentleman adventurer and this guy for sure was not. So I am back to famous outlaw again.
 
I have no theory on Ethan's liberators but wanted to say what a great episode this was- I thought last season had it's weaknesses but the writing here was awesome, every scene involving Eva Green was mesmerizing.
 
Damn, new seasons of Orphan Black and Penny Dreadful and I haven't gone and caught up with the previous seasons yet. Just not enough time in this world.
 
I only discovered Penny Dreadful last week, on an IMDB list about the best horror TV shows. Intrigued, I ordered the BluRay for Season One and got through it in a day, loving every dark and atmospheric minute. I was only halfway through when I ordered Season Two and am one episode away from the end. Unfortunately, I don't have Sky so can't watch the new season right now, but it's definitely one I will get my hands on.
 
Guy Gardener said:
Penny Dreadful is a possible name for the Doctor Horrible Sequel if Billy is going to Frankenstein his corpse bride.
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In my head, resurrected Penny's name has always been 'Bad Penny'. And no matter how much you wanted, you just wouldn't be able to get rid of her...

Though I suppose that may be too reminiscent of Bad Horse.
 
Secret twins, or they got married?

Bad Penny is definitely on my list of most likely things we'll see in Part Two.
 
Favorite off-the-wall moment this year: "Hello, Dr Frankenstein." "Hello, Dr Jeckyll."

:lol:

God, I love this show.

Eva Green is her generation's Mimi Rogers. Hovering between beautiful and scary, sexy as hell. Though I think Eva's talent surpasses Mimi's by quite a factor (unless Mimi just never got the chance to do this kind of amazing work).
 
I finished up Season 2 which I sort of half-watched previously and am current again. I'm amazed this show can give us the American West and old London and have it look so damn good.
 
God, I really want to get into this show again. My girlfriend and I struggled with the second episode of season 2, for personal reasons. We haven't watched since. With the new episodes coming now, perhaps we should try.
 
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