Penny Dreadful: Glorious Horrors

All my school assignments have been handed in, which means my full attention can once more return to Penny Dreadful! I'm a week behind, but I'm going to devote the rest of this weekend to catching up (on Orphan Black and Jonathan Strange as well).

In my review for the first season of Penny Dreadful, I spoke a bit on the nature of penny dreadfuls and how they gave writer John Logan some wriggle-room when it came to plotting. The myriad of stories upon which this show is based are riddled with plot-holes and inconsistencies, and Logan often leans on the fact that such things are not just inherent but characteristic of his source material.

So a part of me feels that it's a given that Vanessa's psychic powers are entirely in service of the story, and that everyone is missing the painfully obvious strangeness of Malcolm's behaviour, and that the levels of coincidence in significant characters crossing paths are through the roof – but there's a thin line between paying homage to the penny dreadfuls of old and telling a coherent story. I don't think it helps that this season's length has been extended from eight episodes to ten (for as is always the way, it only results in giving the writers more room to add filler), but more fatally: some of the characters are starting to suffer.

Frankenstein

Victor wakes up after a night with his Galatea, caught firmly between morning-after glow and "aww shit". 

His panic later increases when Vanessa casually tells him she's befriended a man called John Clare, but strangely enough – I'm enjoying this particular love triangle. Most of this is because I'm looking forward to Lily eventually remembering her life as Brona and tearing Victor/Caliban apart (with words or violence, either will do!) but also because this is the one plot that currently has momentum.

So the threads between Frankenstein and Vanessa's stories are drawn together with the introduction of "John Clare" to their conversation, and the subject of fate is raised for the first time. I've noted in the past that the underlying theme of this particular show seems to be that only monsters can fight monsters, and that perhaps the Hand of God is purposefully drawing all these characters together for that very reason. It's a possibility that's been lingering in the subtext since the very start of the show, and in Vanessa/Victor's discussion there's a surprising link drawn between faith and science. When Vanessa ponders the nature of fate, Victor backs her up by saying "science dictates nothing is happenstance." Interesting...

But for the most part Victor is preoccupied with Lily, a relationship he describes as "not without complications" just as Dorian Grey walks in, which is very much like a cake of understatement being topped with a layer of ironic icing.

To briefly segue to the waxwork museum, Lavinia has noticed that Caliban's hands are unnaturally cold, which is of especial interest to her father, who is clearly planning an underground freak show with his latest employee as the main event. And frankly, this guy's genial warmth hiding such a nasty plan is the most disturbing thing we've seen on the show so far.  

Terrifying.

(One possible plot-hole: Lavinia has already touched Caliban's face, so shouldn't she have noticed his unnatural cold then? I did however like that they established continuity between Caliban and Lily's condition by having Dorian comment on the latter's equally cold hands – though naturally he finds them a charming curiosity rather than something to be frightened of).

Dorian

And it would appear that Dorian Grey has not reached a turning point after all. Though his words in the face of Angelique's anguish last week seemed genuine enough, this episode reiterates that his charm and affection are superficial, and he's really only in it for the drama and scandal that Angelique's uniqueness affords him. There's no further proof of this than his immediate and complete fascination with Lily, and though his manners don't abandon him completely, it's clear that Angelique is a little hurt by his abrupt shift of attention.

Still it's nice to see Dorian getting somewhat drawn into the main plot – or at least the Frankenstein subplot – even if it's just by lending the cast a fresh venue to move about in. His interest in Vanessa at least has been put on the backburner, and it was actually rather sweet to find the two of them politely manoeuvring themselves into a first-name basis.

Evelyn

That melancholy I noticed on Evelyn's face last week was not a coincidence (thank goodness for the face-acting of British thespians) and this episode had more glimpses of the woman behind the witch.

Evelyn looks at her life; looks at her choices.

With another of her glorious monologues, Evelyn fills us in on the uses of belladonna and the fact that women would slowly kill themselves for beauty – but as Lyle points out, also youth. Youth and beauty. When it comes to female antagonists it's difficult to get away from those two attributes as primary motivators, but in a show so steeped in fairy tales and Victorian tropes I'm willing to give it a pass, even though I wish the narrative would interrogate them more deeply. After all, there's a reason youth and beauty is so important to villainesses, and that's because they're a) so often the only traits that are valued in a woman and b) usually the only kind of power women are permitted to wield (and even then, only if men remain largely unaware they're wielding them: see Frankenstein's reaction when he realizes Lily is attractive to men other than himself).  

So does she have some regrets? It would seem so, telling Lyle that she didn't turn from God but that God turned from her (reminding me of Lucy Lawless in the last episode of Salem – yes, I watch both these shows in tandem and it's awesome) and in her admission that living forever while the world suffers is "such a sad prize."

But is this newly revealed vulnerability enough to keep her from carrying out her nefarious schemes? Haha, of course not.

Malcolm

In what almost passes for hilarity, Malcolm's general assholishness is so taken for granted that the members of his household honestly can't tell whether his non-grief over Mrs Murray's death is unusual or not. Ethan says nay, Sembene says yay, and Vanessa can't decide.

Unfortunately, this is one of those cases in which the show's slow pacing and the need for the plot to be stretched out over two extra episodes has a detrimental effect on the characters involved. I mean, OBVIOUSLY this man is under a spell. They've already ascertained that witches are running amuck in London and are collecting all the bits and pieces they need to craft voodoo dolls. That no one tumbles to the idea is pretty ludicrous at this stage.

And given that there's a fetish of Malcolm in Evelyn's creepy room of dolls, one has to wonder where all those baby hearts are coming from.

Ethan

Putting aside the fact that Vanessa and Ethan are now on "casually sharing a cigarette" terms, his story is one that's also beginning to pick up speed, with one of the gang finally brought in on his dark secret.

Our American bounty hunter Mr Roper either has nerves of steel or a giant mountain of sheer stupidity that he carries around with him. He's blackmailing a werewolf? After half his face has been torn off? Really? I give credit to the actor for commanding the room despite his considerable lack of size compared to Josh Hartnett, but ultimately the character is at such a logistical disadvantage that I feel no fear for Ethan whatsoever.

Seriously, who is the most intimidating in this shot?

Which means that the scene simply doesn't work. Even Ethan had a glimmer of a smile in his eyes when Roper threatens the household. Really, Roper? You're going to scalp the people in THIS house? The Great White Hunter and the Demon Possessed Woman and the Stoic African Warrior? Yeah, good luck with that.

"Oh, you're gonna scalp these people? If cellphones were invented
I would totally film that attempt and put it on YouTube." 

Not sure what to make of Inspector Rusk either; in his confrontation with Ethan he tumbles to lions and wolves pretty quickly, and we know he suspects the supernatural in the recent spate of killings. Is it possible HE'S a werewolf too?

Sembene

If Sembene had a superpower, it would be chair-sitting. Seriously, I've never seen a man sit with such intensity, though it's immensely frustrating when you consider this is probably just Danny Sapani trying to squeeze as much juice as he can out of the dry orange that is his characterization. In another unfortunate parallel to Salem, that show also has similar trouble in utilizing its sole POC character, who has been kept tied up and out of sight for the past two episodes.

But Sembene takes it in his stride, chaining Ethan up without comment (or even surprise) and only deigning to lift himself from his chair when the transformation finally comes. So the wolf secret is out, though even now I'm not 100% sure whether Ethan knew all along that this is what happens to him every month, or if this was the first time he's arranged for a witness to tell him what's really been going on when he blacks out.

Vanessa (and others)

Finally, the episode gets us to the one place we really want to go: the ball.  I imagine the costume and set designers were so excited – at least until they learned that all their hard work was going to get drenched in fake blood (assuming that was a practical effect).

So let's see how everyone acquits themselves:

Dorian seems oblivious to the fact that he could get arrested for what he's doing – though perhaps that's part of the excitement. If not, then maybe the Deal With the Devil he's made protects him from society and the law so that he might indulge himself without fear.

But look at that shot. Is this the moment the crowd's acceptance of Angelique made her boring in Dorian's eyes?

Meanwhile Frankenstein is there to show off the eye-candy on his arm, though missing Ethan was a very close shave (seriously, shouldn't he have foreseen that there was a chance Vanessa would invite Ethan?) But as they wander around the place, Lily starts finding the room rather familiar.

It's a shame that they actually had Lily voice her recognition, as Billie Piper's reaction shots and the musical score were doing just fine in conveying this to the audience, and articulating her familiarity was an odd false note in a show that's usually reluctant to take you by the hand.

Honestly, this was all we needed.

At least they kept us guessing with Dorian, for although Lily's face certainly seemed to ring a bell, it's not clear whether or not he has her placed as the Irish prostitute who coughed up blood on his face while they were screwing. That isn't something you'd forget in a hurry, and his interest would certainly be piqued with her showing up as a well-bred blonde. And doesn't he have those photographs of her lying around somewhere? But whether it's instant recognition or just a vague familiarity, he's found a new shiny toy to amuse him.

Naturally Frankenstein is totally jealous that his plaything has discovered how to spread her wings and shine in someone else's company, and Vanessa looks on, somewhat amazed but secretly glad that for once she's not the cause of any drama:

Meanwhile, Lyle is sassing his way across the dance floor. I honestly don't know what I love more, his question to Evelyn earlier: "if the fly eats the spider?" or the comment he makes to Hecate: "I so enjoy watching your scales catch the light as you coil."

It's matched only by the beautifully polite verbal cat-fight between Vanessa and Evelyn as they finally come into each other's orbit. And despite all the stalling that's happening on this front, it would appear (oh please let it be so!) that Vanessa is on to Evelyn. It's the only explanation to her response to Evelyn's remark: "that's the trick to staying young"/"that's not a trick I seek." That HAD to be a veiled hint regarding her awareness of Evelyn's true nature. SURELY.

There's also some obvious tension between Evelyn/Hecate, particularly from the younger toward the older. It leads me to wonder if the trio of young witches stalking Vanessa in the ballroom conjured up the blood rain without Evelyn's knowledge or approval.

But Vanessa responds by fainting? Seriously? Sure it's all so very Victorian, but given what she's already been through, it seems a strangely anticlimactic (and gendered) reaction.

Miscellaneous Observations:

Frankenstein's response to being in the throes of love made me laugh. He announces: "I'm just like everyone else," while holding a goblet inscribed with the devil's language and thinking about the girl he's brought back from the dead.

That awkward moment when two totally unrelated subplots collide for about two seconds before going their separate ways once more:

Lyle and Vanessa commiserating over "these terrible games" reminds me of last season's Arc Words: "what games we shall have." I wonder if the echo was deliberate.