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.
- Nominated for 13 Primetime Emmys
- 17 wins & 93 nominations total
Featured reviews
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.
"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.
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/
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
Frankenstein Through the Years
Did you know
- TriviaThe 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 creditsSeason 3 episode "The Blessed Dark" had a different opening title sequence and used a somber theme song to match the mood of the finale.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The Wright Stuff: Episode #19.104 (2014)
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Official sites
- Language
- Also known as
- Бульварні жахіття
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime
- 1h(60 min)
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.78 : 1






