Penny Dreadful- *spoilers* (duh)

[Zombie_61]

Finally finished the season. It ended lower than I thought it would. Im not knocking the uneven character development, especially since the show was already renewed half way through this season, but I did feel the 6th an the 7th episodes were a waste...

I thought it was important to reveal the backstory that established the relationship between Vanessa and Sir Malcolm, but thought they handled it poorly by taking two full episodes (the first telling that story, the second dealing with her possession) that interrupted the flow of the full-season story arc.

I think the brief affair between Vanessa and Dorian will come into play later; it appears she's the only person who has rejected him (after the "hanky panky", that is) and that may have consequences for him.

As for the rest, I don't know if they knew the series had been greenlit for a second season by the time they had completed the first, so that's always a difficult line to perceive--how much do they resolve, and how much do they leave open just in case? But, yes, it seems they fell into the typical "male hero, damsel in distress" roles at the end. Vanessa could be a powerful character (in more ways than one), so I hope they pursue that in the second season.

 

[Lady Day]

The series was green lit for a second season by the air of the second episode, so Im sure they knew by at least partial filming toward the end.

As far as knowing Vanessa and Sir Malcolm's intertwined backstory, I felt it was apparent purely through their interactions. I would have liked to have figured it out a little more than have it be so presented to me. I don't mind Vanessa's backstory, but Im sick of a woman's power being solely related to her sexual 'awakening'. Its so tired. Im disappointed because I thought that Vanessa was going to be a different type of heroine. A cunning and smart equal to the men that was not going to be defined by her sex/sexual value, or 'wife/bride' potential.

The Vanessa Dorian thing makes me angry. The sexual tension between them and the abject denial of allowing herself to be seduced by him should have stretched out over seasons. If nothing else then them being physical. I mean we already know what will happen when they get together again (and it will happen) there is no mystery anymore.

I mean we knew Vanessa was powerful (and I don't think the backstory really explained how she came into her powers all that well). We saw it at the seance, and we saw her get possessed in the backstory. We didn't need to see it again right after in ep. 7 only to be cleared up in 5 minutes by werewolf man. It was exhaustingly redundant.

 

[tommyK]

Enjoyed looking at it and will return if I hear they fire the writers from season 1.

 

[Feraud]

I struggled through season 1 and won't be back for another.
Apparently I'm not the audience for a 21st. century version of penny dreadful stories.. fair enough.

 

[scotrace]

I've just started the series, on episode three. Rather wonderful, I think.

 

[tropicalbob]

Just to be pedantic (so I've been told), Wiki is not always !00% accurate. Penny Dreadfuls go back to at least the early 18th century.

 

[scotrace]

I watched all of the two seasons and I have to say I like it, with reservations. Some episodes were all filler, it seemed to me. The backstories just plod along and seem pointless until you find out later why they mean something, but still, they DRAG. Especially the bit with the Cutwife on the Moores. It just felt so recycled.

But the costumes, sets design, CGI, makeup, all of it, amazing. There's enough shock among the schlock to keep me coming back (raining blood at the ball, Gladys' suicide, Dorian's transvestite lover). The whole thing is perfectly ridiculous, of course, but it's well done so who cares?

One wonders though, at the direction... though Vanessa has relied on prayer and faith, on good to conquer the evil around her, she seems to be saying "screw that, I'm fighting demons with demons" now. We'll see where they take that and if she is able to escape from the devils she's releasing in herself - or if she'll want to.

 

[Doctor Strange]

Goes to show, tastes vary: I thought the Cut-Wife episode was a wonderful change of pace for the series, and that Eva Green and Patti LuPone were tremendous together. (And I was disappointed that last week's episode returned to that location/plot, because I liked it better as standalone backstory.)

But anyway, the show reeled me in slowly, and I've come to really enjoy it. I think this season is better than the first. The show has some problems (e.g, the Dorian Gray material still doesn't seem to have an organic connection to any other part of the show, even though some of the characters are now in his orbit)... but that it's a crazy monster mash isn't one of them. If you're a sucker for fog-shrouded 1891 London, it's a pleasure. Certainly, the production quality is excellent and the whole cast is a treat.

And your point about Vanessa is true: it seems that by using that Chekov's Necronomicon, she's crossed over to the dark side herself. But then, Chandler is the Lupus Dei, which subverts our usual thinking of werewolves as monstrous beasts: he's doing the Lord's work. I think writer/creator John Logan wants to show that "evil" is part of the natural order, and that the best use of magic is maintain the balance. (Not a new idea, obviously. For example, it's central to how magic operates in Ursula Le Guin's Earthsea books.)

 

[scotrace]

I've just seen episode 8, and I'm re-watching it. Actors are rarely given that kind of magnificent dialogue to work with. I think it's the best so far: interestingly, it lacked two pf the main characters.

Lilly was absolutely wonderful in revealing what she understands about herself and her place in the world. Timothy Dalton has never been this good. I'll stick wit this thing to the very end.

 

[Doctor Strange]

Yes, I was astonished 40 minutes in to realize that Vanessa and Chandler hadn't appeared - the other stories/cast were so good that I didn't even notice. Excellent episode, and what an interesting surprise that Lily's more monstrous than scary-yet-sensitive Mr. Clare.

 

[Lady Day]

I struggled through season 1 and won't be back for another.
Apparently I'm not the audience for a 21st. century version of penny dreadful stories.. fair enough.

That's how I felt. I loved the first few episodes, I loved how it stared and I loved the set up, but I get sick of stores tying a woman's power solely to her sexuality. It's SO OVERDONE! I was so mad at the end of season one I've lost all interest in season two.

 

[scotrace]

Well, if only we'd known that through the centuries! All you have to do to defeat The One Most Unclean is go down into the cellar and cuss him out!

 

[Zombie_61]

I'm still wondering why they kept saying Ethan Chandler was a werewolf, but he transformed into Eddie Munster. :suspicious:

 

[MisterCairo]

I'm trying to convince my wife to spring the extra $$$ for the package that comes with Showtime, as the season 3 debut is on May 1st!

Wish me luck!