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"I would never chart a river or scale a peak to take its measure or plant a flag; there's no point. It's solipsistic self-aggrandizement. So too those scientists who study the planets seeking astronomical enlightenment for its own sake, the botanists studying the varigation of an Amazonian fern, the zoologists caught up in the endless fascination of an adder's coils. And for what? Knowledge for itself alone. The elation of discovery. Plant your flag on the truth. Hah. There is only one worthy goal for scientific exploration. Piercing the tissue that separates life from death. Everything else, from the deep bottom of the sea to the top of the highest mountain, on the farthest planet, is insignificant. Life, and death, Sir Malcolm. The flicker that separates one from the other. Fast as a bat's wing, more beautiful than any sonnet! That.. is my river. That is my mountain. There... I will plant my flag." "You have the soul of a poet, sir." "And the bank account to match." Ever picked up a Penny Dreadful? It's the worst sort of street story, the Victorian equivalent of detective noire or cheap cyberpunk. It is a bodice-ripping thriller, designed to delight and scandalize, but never to intrigue or provoke thought. It is a cheap entertainment for common folk that demands nothing of its reader beyond the proverbial penny. The Showtime TV series Penny Dreadful makes good on its sensual promises, with lavish sets and constumery and pornographically dripping gore and tasteful yet even-handed nudity where necessary. Where it shocks is in the quality of the writing and the acting. This series strikes out to build a mythos based on tropes familliar to lovers of the Gothic novel, or of High Gothic trappings in general, and - two episodes in, at least - succeeds admirably. It is a blatant, yet delightful, ripoff of Alan Moore's League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, delivering exactly what the deeply regrettable movie of the same title could not. The writing is rich and soulful, the cast is superb, with one exception, and the entire production is just unspeakably gorgeous. Also, I could listen to Eva Green read the phone book all day. Let us begin.  Vanessa Ives A lady of quality with a dark past, it is implied that Ms. Ives has considerable supernatural power - as well as hidden demons. Portrayed by Eva Green, she stares down a vampire and sells it. The partner of Sir Malcolm, whether in business, love, crime or exploration - or all of the above - is unclear.  Sir Malcolm Murray A famous explorer of Africa, has named a mountain that is "not the tallest, but not the shortest either". He seems to have remarkable insight into the dark doings in London town... in part because his daughter has been stolen away by vampires. He and Ms. Ives are on a mission to rescue her, and stop various supernatural threats in the process. Played by Timothy Dalton, who merrily gnaws on every piece of scenery available in the role; also notable for being a former Bond playing opposite a former Bond girl from very different eras. His daughter's name is Mina.  Ethan Chandler An American sharpshooter. To date, deeply boring; obvious audience viewpoint character. Hints of a dark past and hidden depths, but what do you expect? This is Victorian Gothic As gently caress. I don't even remember who the actor is, he's basically the worst thing about this show, though I'll be delighted if he proves me wrong. Recruited by Sir Malcolm and Ms. Ives to be the muscle in their little supernatural investigative team.  Brona Croft An Irish immigrant with, well, aheh, a dark past! Shocking. But she's also played by Billie Piper, best known for portraying the beloved Doctor Who companion, Rose Tyler. Piper is actually a very good actress and I have high hopes for her in the role, but her Irish accent is pretty cringeworthy to date. Thankfully she makes up for it by having a positively unfair amount of charisma. Her character is afflicted with consumption (that's Victorian for tuberculosis), which is, you guessed it, Goth As gently caress. Only the too-good-for-this-world heroines of tragic operas die of consumption. Thus far, Brona has proven to be both naughty and hard-drinking, which speaks well of her chances in life.  Dorian Gray Whom you should know from literature, because of course you are a well-rounded individual with an extensive education the liberal arts. He is apparently young and... Handsome is perhaps the wrong word. Pretty. Young and pretty, and very inappropriately aroused by Brona's consumption. He's never hosed something that is dying before. A real class act, this one. How he fits into the League of Off-Brand Gentlemen, we do not yet know, but things are obviously going in that direction because they go to the same parties and he hits on Ms. Ives.  Victor Frankenstein No, seriously. Victor Frankenstein. As in, the guy with the monster. I was totally dubious about this character until I heard the monologue at the top of this post. Afterward: SOLD. Harry Treadaway has got this. The story of his Monster is twisting rapidly. Ferdinand Lyle Not main-cast enough to get a photo, but a memorable character who has been in both episodes to date. A florid, foppish Egyptologist with an oddly sinister mien, whom Sir Malcolm and Miss Ives consult with on matters relating to persons of a sanguinary bent. Played by Simon Russell Beale, we will hopefully see much more of this colorful fellow. In conclusion: This show is both smarter, more literate and better-produced than it has any right to be. You should watch it. It's not Orphan Black, but hell, what is?
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May 13, 2014 23:18
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Wiggy Marie posted:I also really like Brona, so far. I hope she clears up that consumption! Like I said in the OP, the only folks who die of consumption in Victorian fiction are people who are literally too good for this world. Brona's a hard-drinking saucy wench; I think she'll be fine. Mind you, she might end up with a slight case of vampirism or something.
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May 16, 2014 04:33
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Blue Raider posted:I don't get the hate for Josh Hartnett in this. He's always kind of wooden, but he plays a quiet, sarcastic American pretty well. The part in the first episode where he sasses Frankenstein was pretty well-handled, I thought. I'm probably harder on him than he deserves because I love the rest of the cast so much and I was never big into Wild West showmen. (I grew up in the town at the base of the mountain where Buffalo Bill is buried, so the Wild West schtick wore out when I was five).
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May 17, 2014 02:13
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KasioDiscoRock posted:Having seen the first 4 episodes so far, I can assure you that some of the confusing things that they mention off-handedly in the first couple episodes are pieced together throughout. It seems it'll be one of those shows that watching it again once the season is done will have a completely different understanding of exactly what's going on. Lucky sod. Are you a TV critic irl or something?
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May 18, 2014 00:18
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yeah, much more Count Orlock than Edward.
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May 23, 2014 02:09
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Viewers Like Me posted:I just love this show. I am also in the werewolf/Josh Harnett group. I loved the seance I'm guessing thats how Eve Green met Timothy Dalton's character. Any theories on how they met? I think we can call the American Werewolf in London theory as confirmed, after the zoo scene. And yeah, I really like this show. It's like someone went back in time and asked 20-year-old goth English major me what he wanted in a TV show. It even has flowery monologues! So much love. If any one was wondering what young Frankenstein was quoting in the beginning, it was Wordsworth; Intimations of Immortality I believe.
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May 26, 2014 05:02
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TONIGHT ON PENNY DREADFUL: Ethan Chandler is not told what's going on. Sir Malcolm and Miss Ives share significant looks. Brona's accent continues to manipulate the fate of humanity from the shadows to bring about the end of the world. An NPC is messily disemboweled.
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Jun 1, 2014 14:58
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Oh, me too. I love this show to little pieces. But I'm not above snarking about it. 
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Jun 1, 2014 15:48
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I hope we get some more Lyle tonight. I missed him last week.
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Jun 1, 2014 16:09
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At least it's moving faster than Agents of SHIELD did!
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Jun 1, 2014 19:17
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Binary Logic posted:The term Penny Dreadful refers to sprawling, tawdry and salacious stories often filled with the occult and dished up one chapter each week. This, the name of the series and the whole way it is constructed is as intentional as it is elegant.
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Jun 2, 2014 03:00
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Oh no, poor kitty 
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Jun 2, 2014 14:09
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Just remembered this quote from a few days ago, just up this page:Firstborn posted:Where the hell is Van Helsing? I wish Tim Dalton was playing him. You rang? Memnaelar posted:We get David Warner as Van Helsing. Show leans back, looks smug as gently caress.
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Jun 2, 2014 22:52
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Also, I really like the main title music for this show, and how the theme is echoed a bit in the incidental music. It's really pretty. Wouldn't mind owning Penny Dreadful: The Soundtrack.
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Jun 3, 2014 00:35
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I kind of have a feeling that being able to seduce anyone and make them desire him is one of Gray's superpowers.
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Jun 3, 2014 02:27
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I will admit, Josh Hartnett as definitely grown on me. He's started displaying some nuance, particularly in the last episode.
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Jun 3, 2014 22:09
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KasioDiscoRock posted:Haha I'm working on the censored version of ep 2 today and it's so ridiculous. My favourite is during the séance they changed "loving her oval office" to "taking her coot". Coot?! How is that really any better?! It's absolutely ridiculous, but apparently "you old coot" is something that mothers will call old me in front of their children. On another note... Good news! It sounds like, surprising absolutely no one, time-shifted viewing via Showtime On Demand took the show's ratings from "okay" to "great". http://www.deadline.com/2014/06/penny-dreadful-renewed-for-second-season-showtime/ The entire second season will once again be written by John Logan, and the order has been increased from eight to ten episodes.
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Jun 4, 2014 20:59
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Byers2142 posted:Irish hatred for England, founded in 1968. There are some reactions in the renewal notice I linked on the previous page. The tl;dr seems to be the conventional ratings are okay-ish, perhaps mediocre, but it's pulling the biggest numbers they've ever gotten for time-shifted viewing via Showtime On Demand, etc, and the execs are totally happy about this because the "Comic Con demographic" was what they were going for anyway. Right at the end of the article they also mention the launch of a Penny Dreadful tie-in merchandise line, which has me a bit  I mean, what are they going to sell, fake corpses and bloody handkerchiefs?
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Jun 5, 2014 03:22
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nutranurse posted:Do you know how much Victorian-type poo poo they could make and sell? Handkerchiefs, pocket watches, heck I'd even see them make Penny Dreadful neck chokers. I am newly single and I am acutely aware of what corsetry, chokers and pocket-watches they could[/l]. What remains, much like the show, is the [i]will. Chokers attract me beyond reason or sense so that's probably a good place to start. :/
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Jun 5, 2014 09:49
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Actually, I really hope that's why Ethan had to leave America. It's sad, but that's really more interesting than being a werewolf -.-
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Jun 5, 2014 11:16
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hotsoupdinner posted:I read a draft of the script for the pilot. The end of that draft has Malcolm meeting and hiring Van Helsing. The Frankenstein experiment didn't even show up. I'm quite happy with how that turned out, then, tbh. I liked the show, but Frankenstein's monologue in the pilot made me dissolve in a puddle of florid neovictorian squee.
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Jun 5, 2014 11:41
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sleepingbuddha posted:Never been to Hot Topic? A palpable hit, sir.
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Jun 5, 2014 15:13
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sleepingbuddha posted:I for one am hoping that Dorian Gray continues to bang every single person in the main cast. Oh, and this. I for one will be keeping score.
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Jun 5, 2014 15:32
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Irish Joe posted:Or it could be that explosive urban growth led to filthy, overpopulated cities populated by equally filthy people. Or both, with the addition of a penchant for florid ornamentation and a profuse explosion of interest in the occult.
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Jun 5, 2014 16:22
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Vincent posted:Maybe he's a wereotter Perhaps he even does cute little human things with his hands.
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Jun 5, 2014 16:35
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Man, that was a great show. "The Collect Call of Cthulhu" ftw.
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Jun 6, 2014 08:07
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Supposed to be, yes. Airing starting at 10pm Eastern.
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Jun 9, 2014 02:04
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That was really hard to watch. Also, really good. Another fantastic performance from Eva Green. The horror and anguish and desperation was palpable in every scene.
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Jun 9, 2014 16:13
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Yudo posted:That episode was fantastic. I am a little confused by the order of the series, however. I am no auteur but perhaps they could have worked in e05 earlier. Eh, I'm okay with it. They needed to get the plot rolling, and now is a good point to drop some enlightenment on the central relationship in the series. (Also, extra points for doing it in a way that ensures Ethan Chandler has still been told nothing.)
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Jun 9, 2014 21:41
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You should go watch Crossbones :3
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Jun 14, 2014 23:38
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Only eight episodes. Season 2 will have ten.
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Jun 15, 2014 01:25
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v0v I always put off watching GoT in favor of watching Penny Dreadful. I think that PD is just a way more interesting show. But then, Penny Dreadful pushes all of my lit nerd/goth kid buttons, so I can see why it appeals to me specifically more than most. And Continuum is the only show I stay up late to watch on Sunday nights now that I have to get up at 6 AM Eastern for work every morning, because  .
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Jun 18, 2014 04:02
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bryn987 posted:Caliban looks like the singer Meatloaf He'd do anything for love.
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Jun 18, 2014 19:09
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BIG HEADLINE posted:And then he rips her in half when he finds out the horrible put-on Irish accent survived the process. AHAHAHAHA This, this, a million times this.
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Jun 27, 2014 13:30
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Finally had time to watch the latest. I love this show. The deployment of weapons-grade Romantic poetry would be enough, but the rest of it is just so perfect.
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Jun 28, 2014 03:00
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Honorific! posted:Maybe I'm dumb and everyone else thinks this is obvious, but did Sir Malcom mean that he was Vanessa's real father? Or just that he still cared about her like a father in spite of everything? I honestly couldn't tell. Well, he was schtupping her mom, so I've been expecting that reveal all season.
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Jul 1, 2014 01:53
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This episode was glorious. Also: "Do you really want to be normal?" What a great loving priest.
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Jul 1, 2014 02:57
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You have my attention. Looking forward to that. Also, here's to Lyle joining the core cast.
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Jul 1, 2014 03:30
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Yeah if you've ever been a huge goth weeaboo then this is basically your favorite show. (so, me in other words)
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Jul 15, 2014 04:18
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Season 2 teaser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wfhik-kUBGQ
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Dec 26, 2014 15:46
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