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Penny Dreadful

  • TV Series
  • 2014–2016
  • 16
  • 1h
IMDb RATING
8.2/10
138K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
714
63
Penny Dreadful (2014)
Explorer Sir Malcolm Murray, American gunslinger Ethan Chandler, scientist Victor Frankenstein and medium Vanessa Ives unite to combat supernatural threats in Victorian London.
Play trailer2:27
10 Videos
99+ Photos
Dark FantasyFolk HorrorMonster HorrorPeriod DramaSupernatural FantasySupernatural HorrorWitch HorrorDramaFantasyHorror

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

  • Creator
    • John Logan
  • Stars
    • Josh Hartnett
    • Timothy Dalton
    • Eva Green
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.2/10
    138K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    714
    63
    • Creator
      • John Logan
    • Stars
      • Josh Hartnett
      • Timothy Dalton
      • Eva Green
    • 386User reviews
    • 80Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 13 Primetime Emmys
      • 17 wins & 93 nominations total

    Episodes27

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    Videos10

    Official Season 3 Trailer
    Trailer 2:27
    Official Season 3 Trailer
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    Trailer 1:46
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    Season 3 Teaser
    Trailer 1:46
    Season 3 Teaser
    Season 3 First Look
    Trailer 1:07
    Season 3 First Look
    Trailer
    Trailer 0:31
    Trailer
    New Season 2 Trailer
    Trailer 2:08
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    Season 2 Trailer
    Trailer 0:33
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    Photos517

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    Top Cast99+

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    Josh Hartnett
    Josh Hartnett
    • Ethan Chandler
    • 2014–2016
    Timothy Dalton
    Timothy Dalton
    • Sir Malcolm Murray
    • 2014–2016
    Eva Green
    Eva Green
    • Vanessa Ives
    • 2014–2016
    Reeve Carney
    Reeve Carney
    • Dorian Gray
    • 2014–2016
    Rory Kinnear
    Rory Kinnear
    • John Clare…
    • 2014–2016
    Billie Piper
    Billie Piper
    • Lily…
    • 2014–2016
    Harry Treadaway
    Harry Treadaway
    • Dr. Victor Frankenstein
    • 2014–2016
    Danny Sapani
    Danny Sapani
    • Sembene
    • 2014–2015
    Simon Russell Beale
    Simon Russell Beale
    • Ferdinand Lyle
    • 2014–2016
    Douglas Hodge
    Douglas Hodge
    • Bartholomew Rusk
    • 2015–2016
    Sarah Greene
    Sarah Greene
    • Hecate Poole
    • 2015–2016
    Helen McCrory
    Helen McCrory
    • Madame Kali…
    • 2014–2015
    Jack Hickey
    Jack Hickey
    • Junior Inspector
    • 2015–2016
    Patti LuPone
    Patti LuPone
    • Dr. Seward…
    • 2015–2016
    Olivia Llewellyn
    Olivia Llewellyn
    • Mina Harker
    • 2014–2015
    Wes Studi
    Wes Studi
    • Kaetenay
    • 2016
    Nicole O'Neill
    • Witch #1
    • 2015
    Olivia Chenery
    Olivia Chenery
    • Witch #2
    • 2015
    • Creator
      • John Logan
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews386

    8.2138.1K
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    Featured reviews

    7ma-cortes

    A notable and dark series full of chills, creepy events and a great cast.

    Explorer Sir Malcolm Murray (Timothy Dalton), American gunslinger Ethan Chandler (Josh Harnett) , scientist Victor Frankenstein (Harry Treadway) and medium Vanessa Ives (Eva Green) unite to combat supernatural threats in Victorian London, and they joined by Dorian Gray (Reeve Carney) . The first season begins in London, 1891. Ethan Chandler, an American gunman and roadshow artist, is hired by the adventurer Malcolm Murray and the mysterious Vanessa Ives to help rescue Murray's daughter from a mysterious creature. They receive help from a young doctor named Victor Frankenstein who soon is stalked by an undead creature he once reanimated and abandoned. Ives becomes romantically involved with the handsome, artistic Dorian Gray but also finds herself haunted by Lucifer, who wishes to make her his bride and queen. In the second season, Ives is hunted by a coven of witches led by the charismatic Evelyn Poole, who wants to deliver Ives to Lucifer. Frankenstein is forced to make his creature a bride, and an inspector investigates grisly murder that Chandler committed in a London inn. In the third season, the main characters find themselves scattered across the world - Ives is in London, consulting the alienist Florence Seward, Ethan is being extradited to the United States, and Murray is in Zanzibar. Count Dracula soon appears in London, setting the stage for the final battle for Ives' soul. All of them take on monsters, bizarre beings and even arrive in a Grand Guignol teathre, only to be confronted by their worst nightmares. There is some thing within us all !. No Rest for the Wicked !.

    A luxurious, intriguing and suspenseful series with thrills, chills, twisted love stories and lot of blood and gore. It is set in London 1891 where renowned explorer Sir Malcolm Murray and the strangely beautiful Vanessa Ives recruit American sharp-shooter Ethan Chandler and Dr. Victor Frankenstein to help them search for someone who has been lost; later on, Vanessa and Sir Malcolm encounter the mysteriously beautiful Dorian Gray at a party. Things take a turn, however, when renowned medium Madame Kali hosts a séance. Meanwhile, Ethan befriends Ms. Brona Croft, a young Irish immigrant. After that, Dr. Frankenstein is confronted by his past. Vanessa has a vision of Mina, which leads to a strange discovery at the London Zoo. The series features a medley of monsters, fantastical beings and legendary characters from the novels including Dr. Frankenstein, Frankenstein's monster, Dorian Gray, Mina Harker, vampires, werewolves and many more, as well as supernatural events, such as fantastical seances with ghostly appearances, exorcist-style demonic possessions, Grand Guignol, toothy bloodsucking attacks and anything else. ¨Penny Dreadful¨ is an old term used during the nineteenth century to refer to cheap popular serial literature, and it could be interchangeable with penny blood, penny awful, or penny terrible. It means a story published in weekly parts, with the cost of one (old) penny. The main plot of these stories were typically sensational, focusing on the adventures of detectives, criminals, or supernatural entities.

    The series was well created by John Logan, supported by other writers as Andrew Hinderaker, and Krysty Wilson-Cairns. Penny Dreadful(2014-2016) made up of 27 episodes was competently directed by good directors, such as J. A. Bayona, Damon Thomas, James Hawes, Brian Kirk, Paco Cabezas, Coky Giedroy, Dearbhla Walsh, Kari Skogland, Toa Fraser, among others. Rating: 7/10. The series will appeal to horror enthusiasts.
    8Supermanfan-13

    Really good Supernatural/Horror show!

    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.
    8Jinxxa_Wolfe

    PENNY DREADFUL: Gothic Horror Drama

    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.
    gogoschka-1

    Strikes the perfect balance between Gothic art-house horror and gory B-movie action; visuals look great

    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/
    9pure_analog

    This one is really something.

    I'm only just now watching this. After reading the plot description, I thought it sounded ridiculous and there would be no way to intertwine horror classic characters in one show and have it be anything other than nonsense. Boy, was I wrong. The whole thing is deeply steeped in gothic horror, but they explore many other angles and do some excellent character study. Some really great acting in here, and as mentioned repeatedly, Eva Green is just spectacular.

    Be wary of the low star reviews, and notice that most of them complain of it being slow. That should tell you something right there. There's nothing slow about it unless you have the attention span of a child? I don't know, it's a ridiculous claim.

    Ive seen mention of the third season being not as good, I'm deep into 2 so I may see that but it won't sway my feelings. I feel like it's a gift already!

    Other shows I've loved: Kingdom, The Dark, Mindhunter.

    Frankenstein Through the Years

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    Horror

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The language used in season two (Verbis Diabolo) is a fictional amalgam of Aramaic, Ancient Greek, Latin, and an obscure Arabic dialect called (in phonetic English) "Kan Allah Musali-Algins."The language, Verbis Diabolo was created specifically for the show by the curator of the London Historical Societies Emeritus Professor of ancient languages.
    • Quotes

      John Clare: True evil is, above all things, seductive. When the Devil knocks at your door... he doesn't have cloven hooves. He is beautiful, and offers you your heart's desire in whispered airs. Like a siren, beckoning you to ruinous shores

    • Crazy credits
      Season 3 episode "The Blessed Dark" had a different opening title sequence and used a somber theme song to match the mood of the finale.
    • Connections
      Featured in The Wright Stuff: Episode #19.104 (2014)

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    FAQ21

    • How many seasons does Penny Dreadful have?Powered by Alexa
    • When the 4th season begin?Does season 3 end on a cliffhanger?

    Details

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    • Release date
      • September 15, 2014 (France)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Facebook
      • Official Netflix
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Бульварні жахіття
    • Filming locations
      • Dublin Castle, Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland
    • Production companies
      • Desert Wolf Productions
      • Neal Street Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h(60 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.78 : 1

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