Penny Dreadful (TV series)

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Penny Dreadful
File:Penny Dreadful title card.jpg
Genre <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
Created by John Logan
Written by John Logan
Andrew Hinderaker
Starring <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
Composer(s) Abel Korzeniowski
Country of origin <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
  • United States
  • United Kingdom
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 3
No. of episodes 23 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s) <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
  • Pippa Harris
  • Sam Mendes
  • John Logan
  • Karen Richards
Producer(s) James Flynn
Morgan O'Sullivan
Sheila Hockin
Production location(s) <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
Cinematography <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
  • Xavi Gimenez
  • Nigel Willoughby
  • P. J. Dillon
  • Owen McPolin
  • John Conroy
Editor(s) <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
  • Geoff Ashenhurst
  • Aaron Marshall
  • Michele Conroy
  • Christopher Donaldson
Running time 47–60 minutes
Production company(s) <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
  • Desert Wolf Productions
  • Neal Street Productions
Release
Original network <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
Original release May 11, 2014 (2014-05-11) –
present
External links
Official website
Production website

Penny Dreadful is a British-American horror drama television series created for Showtime and Sky by John Logan, who also acts as executive producer alongside Sam Mendes. The show was originally pitched to several US and UK channels, and eventually landed with Showtime,[1] with Sky Atlantic as co-producer.[2] It premiered at the South by Southwest film festival on March 9 and began airing on television on April 28, 2014, on Showtime on Demand.[3][4] The series premiered on Showtime on May 11, 2014, the first in an eight-episode season.[5]

The title refers to the penny dreadfuls, a type of 19th-century British fiction publication with lurid and sensational subject matter. The series draws upon many public domain characters from 19th-century British and Irish fiction, including Dorian Gray from Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray, Mina Harker, Abraham Van Helsing, Renfield and Count Dracula from Bram Stoker's Dracula, Victor Frankenstein and his monster from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, and Dr. Henry Jekyll from Robert Louis Stevenson's Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

Showtime renewed Penny Dreadful for a nine-episode third season,[6] which premiered on May 1, 2016.[7]

Cast and characters

Main cast

  • Reeve Carney as Dorian Gray, a charismatic, self-isolating man who is ageless and immortal.[8]
  • Timothy Dalton as Sir Malcolm Murray, a hardened explorer of the African continent, on a deeply personal quest to save and protect his family.[9]
  • Eva Green as Vanessa Ives, an enigmatic, quietly driven heroine who, despite powerful, relentless forces from the underworld, proves herself a force to be reckoned with.[10]
  • Rory Kinnear as The Creature, a creation Frankenstein abruptly abandoned, who, not given a name, variously uses the aliases Caliban and John Clare.[11]
  • Billie Piper as Brona Croft/Lily Frankenstein, an Irish immigrant seeking to escape her brutal, violent past.[12]
  • Danny Sapani as Sembene, a long-time ally of Sir Malcolm with a mysterious persona. (seasons 1–2)[13]
  • Harry Treadaway as Dr. Victor Frankenstein, an arrogant, self-isolating young doctor whose ambition and research revolves around transcending the barrier between life and death.[14]
  • Josh Hartnett as Ethan Chandler (real name Ethan Lawrence Talbot), a charming, brash and daring American man of action with uncanny marksmanship, who detests violence, and is more complicated than he likes to admit.[10]
  • Helen McCrory as Evelyn Poole, a professional spiritualist known by the alias Madame Kali who is secretly the leader of a powerful coven of witches called "Nightcomers". (season 2, recurring season 1)[13]
  • Simon Russell Beale as Ferdinand Lyle, an eccentric Egyptologist. (season 2, recurring season 1 and 3)[13]
  • Patti LuPone as Dr. Seward, an alienist or early psychotherapist treating Vanessa's depression. (LuPone previously guest-starred as Joan Clayton in the second season.) (season 3)[15]
  • Wes Studi as Kaetenay, a Native American man with a connection to Ethan, who becomes an ally to Sir Malcolm. (season 3)[15]

Recurring cast

  • Olivia Llewellyn as Mina Harker, Sir Malcolm's daughter and Vanessa's childhood friend who has been abducted. (seasons 1–2)
  • Alex Price as Proteus, an earlier creation of Frankenstein's, named after the literary character of the same name, who was killed by the Creature. (seasons 1–2)
  • Robert Nairne as The Vampire, an ancient, deadly and unfathomably evil creature who leads a cabal of lesser undead and the abducted Mina Harker. (season 1)
  • Olly Alexander as Fenton, a sympathetic young minion of the vampires. (season 1)
  • Noni Stapleton as Gladys Murray, Sir Malcolm's estranged wife and mother of Mina and Peter. (seasons 1–2)
  • Graham Butler as Peter Murray, Sir Malcolm's son, who died accompanying his father on one of his expeditions. (seasons 1–2)
  • Alun Armstrong as Vincent Brand, the leader of a troupe of actors in residence at the Grand Guignol. (season 1)[11]
  • Hannah Tointon as Maud Gunneson, an actress and the original object of the Creature's affection. (season 1)
  • Gavin Fowler as Simon, Maud's partner who mistreats the Creature. (season 1)
  • David Warner as Abraham Van Helsing, a haematologist and colleague of Frankenstein. (season 1)
  • Stephen Lord as Warren Roper, a Pinkerton agent hired to bring Ethan back to the United States. (seasons 1–2)
  • Sarah Greene as Hecate Poole, Evelyn's eldest daughter. (seasons 2–3)
  • Douglas Hodge as Bartholomew Rusk, a Scotland Yard police inspector investigating the grisly Mariner's Inn massacre. (seasons 2–3)
  • Jonny Beauchamp as Angelique, a mysterious transgender woman who flirts with Dorian. (season 2)
  • David Haig as Oscar Putney, the owner of a struggling wax museum who employs the Creature for his own nefarious reasons. (season 2)
  • Ruth Gemmell as Octavia Putney, Oscar's wife who is uneasy about the Creature and treats him cruelly. (season 2)
  • Tamsin Topolski as Lavinia Putney, the blind daughter of the Creature's new employers, with whom he develops a specious friendship. (season 2)
  • Ronan Vibert as Sir Geoffrey Hawkes, a rich landowner who fell under the sway of Evelyn Poole. (season 2)
  • Shazad Latif as Dr. Henry Jekyll, a college friend of Dr. Victor Frankenstein. (season 3)[15]
  • Christian Camargo as Count Dracula, who, in the guise of zoologist Dr. Alexander Sweet, captivates an emotionally vulnerable Vanessa. (season 3)[15]
  • Samuel Barnett as Renfield, Dr. Seward's secretary who becomes involved with Count Dracula. (season 3)[15]
  • Jessica Barden as Justine, a homeless, brutalized young prostitute who becomes an acolyte to Lily Frankenstein. (season 3)[15]
  • Brian Cox as Jared Talbot, a ruthless, powerful American rancher and the estranged father of Ethan Chandler. (season 3)[16]
  • Perdita Weeks as Catriona Hartdegan, a scholar with expert knowledge of the supernatural. (season 3)

Production and development

In January 2013, it was announced that Showtime had made a series commitment for the project. Logan and Mendes previously wrote and directed Skyfall, respectively. Production began in London in the second half of 2013. Showtime president David Nevins stated that the tone of the ensemble series will be "very realistic and very grounded, not Bela Lugosi. All exist in human form in turn-of-century London." This was also reflected during production of the sound for the show, where Logan would often pull things back towards more realism.[17] Logan, a lifelong fan of literary monsters, wrote the project on spec and scripts the majority of episodes of the series. It was intended that Mendes would direct episodes, but scheduling prevented this.[18]

Juan Antonio Bayona was announced as director for the first two episodes.[19] The remaining episodes of the first season were directed by Dearbhla Walsh, Coky Giedroyc, and James Hawes.

In March 2013, it was announced that the series would be filmed in the United Kingdom; eying the new UK tax credit for high-end TV productions that offers a 25% rebate.[20] However, it was reported in August that production would instead take place in Bray's Ardmore Studios and other locations around Dublin, Ireland, because of the country's section 481 tax incentives. Filming began on October 7 and lasted 5 months.[21] Reports indicate that the change was made as no stage space of a sufficient caliber was available due to the filming of major motion pictures in London.[22]

In December 2013, Showtime announced its first-ever production blog for a series with the launch of The Penny Dreadful Production Blog. The venue gives viewers an online, behind-the-scenes look at the series' production from its early stages of filming in Ireland through the end of the first season, featuring interviews with cast and crew.[23]

On February 14, 2014, Showtime released the first official full-length trailer for the series.[24]

Logan revealed at the 2014 San Diego Comic-Con International panel that one of the texts he thought about while planning the series that he would like to use in a future season is The Island of Doctor Moreau.[25]

On June 4, 2014, Showtime renewed Penny Dreadful for a ten-episode second season, which premiered on May 3, 2015.[26][27]

Episodes

<templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>

Main article: List of Penny Dreadful episodes
Season Episodes Originally aired
First aired Last aired
1 8 May 11, 2014 (2014-05-11) June 29, 2014 (2014-06-29)
2 10 May 3, 2015 (2015-05-03) July 5, 2015 (2015-07-05)
3 9 May 1, 2016 (2016-05-01) June 19, 2016 (2016-06-19)[28]

Reception

Critical reception

The first season of Penny Dreadful received positive reviews from critics, with a Metacritic rating of 70 out of 100 based on 37 reviews.[29] It holds a 78 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with an average score of 7.3 out of 10, based on 55 reviews, with the site's consensuses stating, "Skillfully shot and superbly acted, Penny Dreadful is perplexing in a good way – even if it's a bit silly at times."[30] The first season was described "as riotous as it is ridiculous, taking the macabre to new heights (or depths)" by The Guardian reviewer Ben Hewitt.[31]

The second season also received positive reviews from critics. On Metacritic, it has a score of 77 out of 100 based on 14 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[32] On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 100 percent rating with an average score of 7.6 out of 10 based on 19 reviews, with the site's consensus stating, "Penny Dreadful's second season maintains the show's intense, bloody drama, utilizing a vast array of fascinating characters and locales to tell a unique story."[33]

The third season received very positive reviews from critics. On Metacritic, it has a score of 83 out of 100 based on 9 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[34] On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 100 percent rating with an average score of 8.1 out of 10 based on 11 reviews, with the site's consensuses stating, "Penny Dreadful is back for a beautifully bloody third season of ever-expanding mysteries and Gothic horrors."[35] Ben Travers of Indiewire gave it a "B+" grade and wrote, "Season 3's American-set storyline breaks things up nicely with some classic western elements mixed in with the show's established creature horrors, and the aesthetics of the production have never looked better.[36]

Ratings

The series debuted to 872,000 viewers (1.44 million including re-runs). This number does not include the 900,000 viewers who previewed the series on Showtime on Demand and the Showtime app.[37]

Accolades

Year Ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result
2014 4th Critics' Choice Television Awards[38] Most Exciting New Series Penny Dreadful Won
2015 19th Satellite Awards[39] Best Television Series – Genre Won
Best Actress – Television Series Drama Eva Green Nominated
Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film Rory Kinnear Won
2014 IGN Awards[40] Best TV Actress Eva Green Won
13th Annual VES Awards[41] Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Visual Effects-Driven Photoreal/Live Action Broadcast Program James Cooper, Bill Halliday, Sarah McMurdo, Lorne Kwechansky (for: "Séance") Nominated
Outstanding Created Environment in a Commercial, Broadcast Program or Video Game Matthew Borrett, Lorne Kqechansky, Graham Day, Jason Gougeon (for: "Séance") Nominated
62nd MPSE Golden Reel Awards[41] Best Sound Editing – Dialogue and ADR for Short Form Television Jane Tattersall, David McCallum, Dale Sheldrake (for: "Séance") Nominated
Best Sound Editing – Sound Effects and Foley for Short Form Television Jane Tattersall, Oriol Tarragó, Andy Malcolm, Goro Koyama, David Rose, Marc Bech (for: "Night Work") Nominated
2015 Dorian Awards[41] Campy TV Show of the Year Penny Dreadful Nominated
11th International Film Music Critics Awards[41] Best Original Score for a Television Series Abel Korzeniowski Nominated
2015 Fangoria Chainsaw Awards[41] Best TV Series Penny Dreadful Nominated
Best TV Actor Josh Hartnett Nominated
Best TV Actress Eva Green 2nd place
Best TV Supporting Actor Rory Kinnear Nominated
Best TV Supporting Actress Billie Piper 3rd place
Best TV Makeup/Creature FX Nick Dudman Nominated
2015 BAFTA Television Craft Awards[42] Best Costume Design Gabriella Pescucci Nominated
Best Production Design Jonathan Mcknistry, Philip Murphy Won
Best Titles Erik Friedman, Rudy Jaimes, Ray Burris Nominated
Best Make Up and Hair Design Enzo Mastrantonio, Nick Dudman, Stefano Ceccarelli Won
Best Original Television Music Abel Korzeniowski Won
5th Critics' Choice Television Awards[43] Best Actress in a Drama Series Eva Green Nominated
67th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards[44] Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Limited Series, Movie, or a Special Nick Dudman, Sarita Allison, Barney Nikolic (for: "Grand Guignol") Nominated
Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score) Abel Korzeniowski (for: "Closer than Sisters") Nominated
Outstanding Main Title Theme Music Abel Korzeniowski Nominated
2015 Canadian Cinema Editors[41] Best Editing in Long Form Television Series Christopher Donaldson (for: "Closer than Sisters") Won
12th Irish Film & Television Awards[41] Best Director – Drama Dearbhla Walsh Nominated
2016 20th Satellite Awards[45] Best Television Series – Genre Penny Dreadful Nominated
Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film Helen McCrory Nominated
73rd Golden Globe Awards[46] Best Actress – Television Series Drama Eva Green Nominated
6th Critics' Choice Television Awards[47] Best Drama Series Penny Dreadful Nominated
Best Actress in a Drama Series Eva Green Nominated
Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Helen McCrory Nominated
Best Guest Performer in a Drama Series Patti LuPone Nominated
18th Costume Designers Guild Awards[48] Outstanding Period Television Series Gabriella Pescucci Nominated
2015 IGN Awards[49] Best Horror Series Penny Dreadful Nominated
2016 Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild Awards[50] Television and New Media Series – Best Special Make-Up Effects Nick Dudman, Sarita Allison Nominated
Television and New Media – Best Period and/or Character Make-Up Enzo Mastrantonio, Clare Lambe Nominated
14th Visual Effects Society Awards[51] Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode James Cooper, Bill Halliday, Sarah McMurdo, Mai-Ling Lee (for: "And They Were Enemies") Nominated
2016 Fangoria Chainsaw Awards[52] Best TV Series Penny Dreadful Nominated
Best TV Actor Josh Hartnett Nominated
Best TV Actress Eva Green Won
Best TV Supporting Actor Rory Kinnear Nominated
Best TV Supporting Actress Billie Piper Nominated
13th Irish Film & Television Awards[53] Best Drama Penny Dreadful Nominated
Best Actress in a Supporting Role – Drama Sarah Greene Won
Best Director – Drama Brian Kirk Nominated
2016 BAFTA Television Craft Awards[54] Best Make Up and Hair Enzo Mastrantonio, Nick Dudman, Ferdinando Merolla Nominated

See also

References

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  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  41. ↑ 41.0 41.1 41.2 41.3 41.4 41.5 41.6 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  48. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  49. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  50. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  51. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  52. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  53. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  54. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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