Penny Dreadful

Well, I'm trying to write a completely spoiler-free review here, but I guess it's safe to announce that 'Penny Dreadful' looks positively gorgeous. Great production design and cinematography: by the time we get to see Victorian London as night descends upon the city and the fog starts creeping through those narrow cobblestone alleys, nearly every frame looks like a beautiful, Gothic painting (and not once did I spot a fake looking CG-background). As far as the actors are concerned, they portray their obscure, troubled characters with a certain kind of "theatre" intensity that fits the story and the turn-of-the-century setting very well.

Story-wise I don't want to give away anything – but of course, there are unholy things lurking in the shadows that need to be fought (and they look rather convincing: the make-up effects are another strong point of this show). Like the iconic "Hammer Horror" films of old (usually starring either Christopher Lee or Peter Cushing – or both), 'Penny Dreadful' draws its setting, characters and general inspiration mainly from some famously dark tales written by Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker and Oscar Wilde (and to a lesser extent from sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories). And just like the Hammer films - who may seem rather tame now but were shockingly violent for their time - this show is neither for purists of said literary works nor for the faint of heart.

While some scenes are genuinely scary in a tension building, "old school" kind of way, we also get blood soaked action sequences that will probably put off some viewers, but seem entirely appropriate given the show's title (in the 19th century a "penny dreadful" used to be a booklet of cheap, sensational fiction printed on pulp paper which could be purchased for - wait for it: a penny).

My overall verdict: 'Penny Dreadful' dishes out a hefty mix of gory violence, classic horror creatures, sex and action, but it never forgets to build atmosphere. The B-movie elements are undeniably there, but they're deliberate (the title says it all), and this is by no means a cheap affair. Beautifully crafted and with a great cast, I strongly recommend this show to anyone who likes the old "Hammer Horror" movies as well as films in the vein of Tim Burton's 'Sweeney Todd' and 'Sleepy Hollow'.

But not just for the fans of "Goth Horror" is this well worth checking out; I would say that after 'True Detective' and perhaps 'Fargo' this is one of the most promising new TV-shows of 2014.

Favorite Films: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls054200841/

Lesser-known Masterpieces: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls070242495/

Favorite Low-Budget and B-movies: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls054808375/

Favorite TV-Shows reviewed: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls075552387/

PENNY DREADFUL (2014-2016) was a very dark, gritty gothic series featuring all sorts of the paranormal in a very dreary and broody victorian setting. The story was very interesting, though pretty bleak and twisted at times. There are topics such as seances, mediums, witchcraft, and murder.

"Explorer Sir Malcolm Murray, American gunslinger Ethan Chandler, scientist Victor Frankenstein and medium Vanessa Ives unite to combat supernatural threats in Victorian London."

This series definitely had its highs and lows to be sure, but the cinematography and acting was pretty well done and the story was fairly immersive. This was definitely an interesting watch.

All hail to Eva Green! What an actress! If for nothing else you should see it for her. And I must say for all the other actors - bravo. The first season is amazing. I must say that I'm not overly fond of watching horror movies but this was something different. Let's say that not all episodes are horror. The combination of characters, the writing, the dark atmosphere, everything was brilliant. It is an interesting journey through characters such as Frankenstein, Dorian Grey etc. But I must go back to the acting and once again say it's a masterpiece. I really recommend this one.

Penny Dreadful is one of the better Supernatural/Horror TV series I've ever seen. While I have to admit that I'm not the biggest supernatural fan this hooked me from the start and kept me coming back for more until the next thing I knew I binged the entire series! Eva Green & Josh Hartnett are the stars here as they lead a pretty stellar cast! I'm glad I finally gave it a chance as should you.

I actually enjoyed Penny Dreadful much more than I thought I would. I thought it would be just another another supernatural series that's worth watching but would end up forgetting after a while. It's not. I was hooked from the start. It has so many twists and turns that it will keep you entertained through the series. It's only three seasons long but they are 3 great seasons. All three seasons are equally good. Having three seasons this show never grows stale and goes out while still interesting. Eva Green and Josh Hartnett are both fantastic actors and this is some of their best work of their careers. If you're a fan of this genre then Penny Dreadful should be a must watch for you. I promise you won't be disappointed!