I kept watching Showtime’s Penny Dreadful first season and the finale felt strong and did not disappoint. The major questions get an answer and the one story line left continues into the second and third (last season). Spoiler if you have not seen the show the story line that continues belongs to Vanessa.
Sir Malcolm Murray did find his daughter with the help of Vanessa, Ethan, Victor and Sembene. We also got to know each character individually especially the strong connection between Sir Murray and Vanessa Ives. (They have serious baggage with one another but it changes some.)
Vanessa Ives: medium (witch/possessed by demon); Dr. Victor Frankenstein: specialty doctor/ scientist; Ethan Chandler: American gunslinger (wolfman). Next we have side characters with their stories. They include Dorian Gray (Oliver Wilde’s famous book character) Brona Croft (Chandler’s girlfriend), Frankenstein’s monster; and Sembene (longtime acquaintance of Sir Murray).
As I wrote in my review of the first two episodes, the writers capture the nature of these characters while adding new layers to them. The one character that feels like a character from a different show is Ethan Chandler who has similarities to Captain Homer Jackson from Ripper Street. Nor does it take away from the strength of the show.
The characters do have differences. For instance, Chandler has no background with The Pinkerton Agency like Jackson nor did he train to become a surgeon. However, Chandler’s father hires the agency to track him down to bring him back to America.
Also both characters have connections to major events that cause them to flee from America and wish not to return. Lastly, before Jackson’s name before reinventing himself: Matthew Judge and Chandler’s father’s profession: judge.
Penny Dreadful may no longer be airing but I still think its worth finding and checking it out.
