Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy Addicts discussion

I loved this show, and if the second season is even half as good as the first, I'm in for the long haul.

The show is basically the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen for TV in its first season. The plot moves a bit slowly, and the first season is largely set-up and back story between the main characters. The main protagonist is Vanessa Ives (Eva Green), who is wickedly smart and well...actually wicked because she's possessed by the devil. The series opens with her recruiting Ethan (Josh Hartnett) as hired muscle for monster hunting; Vanessa and Sir Malcolm (Timothy Dalton) are tracking down a master vampire who has kidnapped Malcom's daughter, Mina. Dr. Frankenstein (Harry Treadaway) helps them out. Horror ensues.

Stand-out moments from season 1:

*The second episode, Seance, is spectacular and introduces us to Dorian Gray (Reeve Carney) and Bona Croft (Billie Piper). If you aren't scared after *that* scene (wait, there are TWO that scenes in that episode), then this might not be your kind of show...unless your kind of show is one that likes to warm your heart before punching it out of your chest. But it's my kind of show. This episode had me hooked.

*Mina and Vanessa's back story episode, Closer Than Sisters, establishes Vanessa as the breakout character of the first season. It's terrifying and heartbreaking, and we get a better idea of who Mina is as well. This episode also establishes the relationship between Vanessa and Sir Malcolm, which is the most fully fleshed-out relationship in the show. Both of these characters aren't good people, and the journey they take together is excellent acting and writing.

*Possession is a slower paced episode, but it screws with your head in the best possible way. By this point, you're invested in Vanessa's character so much that it works. There's a scene with Hartnett in this episode that has a call back moment to Closer Than Sisters that I really liked, too.

*The series final provides some shocking and sad (there is a theme here...) moments; it sets up a lot for the next season, but it also delivers on some foreshadowing earlier in the series.

Grade: A This show is beautiful, and it only has 8 episodes right now, so get hooked before season 2 premieres this winter. :)

They put all the classic scary stories into one place and coloured it all with victorian paintbrush. I was hooked after the first underground scene.
And then came the the dorian and Billie Paiper. It's great show :)
And finally someone get the Dorian Grey right!

I've never heard of Penny Dreadful. Is it on HBO or BBC?

My sister and I loved loved LOVED Penny Dreadful. Not only is the show outstanding but the costumes and cinematography are beautifully done. Eva Green and Josh Hartnett did a great job. Can't wait until it starts up again. From what I saw on fb it has a huge following already. Everyone really liked it. It would be awesome if it started back up around Halloween lol!!

@MadameZelda: BBC Showtime, as H.D. wrote. so sorry ^^'
@Gina: I'll admit, it's my first contact with Eva Green, and... WOW! She's amaizing :)

It's on Showtime. Eva Green is amazing, and I agree that's it's the first time I've seen Dorian done right in fiction. The final scene was chillingly beautiful, but I like how the setting only builds upon the show and doesn't overwhelm it.

I liked the show - although it had a lot of unnecessary sexual content! The ending was a bit weak though - I'm presuming it has another series already in the pipeline?

Nice to see that they are doing a second season, trailer on the IMDB

Can't wait for this to start back up!

Oh my gosh! This series. I liked it. ♡ i definitely cant wait to watch the next episodes. :D Eva Green is amazing! There's just something about her. Ya know? I love the way she dresses. Like in 300: Rise of an Empire. She seemed so strong. She's just asdfghjkl :)))

Oh my gosh started S1-E1 & 2 so far. It's off the chain. Wow!!

Mikaela wrote: "Oh my gosh! This series. I liked it. ♡ i definitely cant wait to watch the next episodes. :D Eva Green is amazing! There's just something about her. Ya know? I love the way she dresses. Like in 300..."

Agreed. ☺

Starting back up May 3. Can't wait, finished the first series. AMAZING

Kristal wrote: "Starting back up May 3. Can't wait, finished the first series. AMAZING"

I'm excited to see what they have planned for the Madame Kali character.

I just started watching this. It's wild! It's like the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen but seriously darker.

I love how well all the storylines are tied together—similar to how Once Upon a Time does it, but again, seriously darker.

My favorite storyline right now is Frankenstein's Creature. They picked a great actor for that part.

Kiersten wrote: "I just started watching this. It's wild! It's like the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen but seriously darker.

I love how well all the storylines are tied together—similar to how Once Upon a Time..."

So good this season. I have a couple of eps to catch up on yet. ☺

I have watched about half of the first series and I did really enjoy it - need to catch up really

I can't wait for the next season. I love it! It was a relief when I found something so well done to watch. I love paranormal shows, I love vampires, but I couldn't be happier when I discover the show and I watched it almost without stopping because I just found it when they were in the middle of season two.

This is such an intelligent show. I'm excited Patti LuPone will be back in season three.

I loved Billie Piper in season two. She was so completely devastating in the scene with the Creature, near the end of the season. Such powerful dialogue and delivery.

UGH I miss this show so much!

I loved it. A follow-up set in 1930’s America (i think) is being made.