Many people don't know, but one of the best shows in the last ten years has just been cancelled. "Penny Dreadful" only got to run for three seasons, when it deserved so many more. But I hold out hope that Netflix could take it over, as it has resurrected so many other great shows. And now is the perfect time for people to start watching. Now that we're approaching Halloween, why not binge watch this wonderful series? Here are just a few of the reasons "Penny Dreadful" should be the next show on your Netflix queue.
1. Gothic Literature Is The Bomb
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People tend to get the wrong idea about Gothic literature. They think it's stuffy and unrelatable, when that is the farthest thing from the truth. But even if you don't want to sit down and read the classics, this show will reveal to you what you're missing out on in the most entertaining of ways. "Penny Dreadful" brings to life the stories of Victor Frankenstein, Dorian Gray, and many others. As the seasons go on we are introduced to more and more familiar names, and it's quite the journey. The Victorians were just like us, and so much of their literature was focused on ideas and issues that we still deal with. Big focuses being good vs. evil, the loneliness of immortality, and what it means to be human. And it deals with these things in such a beautiful way.
2. It Doesn't Hold Back
This show is not afraid to put it all out there. It doesn't hold back when it comes to sex, blood, or gore. From the very first scene it sets the mood for the entire show. It was on Showtime so it was allowed to get as graphic as it wanted to, and it took full advantage of that. But all of these things only added to the atmosphere and to the plot. London in the 19th century was a rough time to be alive, and "Penny Dreadful" shows that.
3. It's Creepy But Not Too Creepy
Fans of "American Horror Story" will love this show. People who don't like AHS because they think it's too scary will also love this show. "Penny Dreadful" is definitely dark and creepy, but the main focus of the show isn't to get you to sleep with the lights on. It has a story to tell, and characters for you to grow to love. If you happen to get the creeps along the way that's an added bonus.
4. Nobody's Straight
I don't know about you, but I get tired of heteronormativity in my shows. But the characters in "Penny Dreadful" show that sexuality is a fluid thing. It reminds me of "Torchwood" in the fact that everybody seems to be hooking up with each other, regardless of gender. And when people of the same gender do hook-up, they don't even really comment on it. It's just a thing that happens, no big deal. Not only this, but Dorian Gray is pansexual, and in the second season he has a relationship with an awesome transgender woman. Again, nobody comments on it. He's just with the person he happens to love. Equality for the win.
5. It's Feminist
From the very beginning, Eva Green's character Vanessa is kicking ass and taking names, right beside the men. But in the third season, gender equality becomes a big topic of discussion. Billie Piper's character starts off as a prostitute, and in the third season she is fighting against the men who objectified her and treated her like dirt. She forms a group of prostitutes who join her in proving her point. There is a lot of commentary on women having to change themselves for men, and doing what men want because they fear for their lives if they don't. Besides that, there are so many strong female characters to look up to on this show. Women who don't take any crap from anyone, and prove that they are just as strong as the men.
6. The Story-line
This show is so well-thought out and the plot-line is great. We have possession, doomed romance, vampires, reanimated corpses with feelings, and truly deep dialogue. Re-watching the show I noticed so much foreshadowing that I never noticed the first time I watched it. It's clear the writers had a plan for it, and every scene holds a purpose. The sad part is, because it was cancelled, there are plotlines that never got a chance to wrap up. But it's obvious that they were there for a reason, and we would get more resolution in season four. We need to bring it back so we can find out what was going to happen next. Because based on their track-record, it was going to be incredible.
7. Incredible Acting By Eva Green And The Entire Cast
Let's face it, Eva Green stole the show here. She's such a fantastic actress, she has a presence that demands to be seen. Nobody else could have played the role of Vanessa Ives as masterfully as she did. Each season there was one episode that really showcased the powerhouse that is Eva Green. But the rest of the cast was spectacular as well. We have Josh Hartnett, coming back into our lives straight out of our early-2000's fantasies. He's back and better than ever. We have less known actors, who make themselves known in this show. There are smaller parts by household names such as Timothy Dalton and Patti LuPone. And of course, there is Billie Piper. The queen herself. Billie Piper has a heart-crushing monologue at the end of the third season about the baby she lost because she was out making money the only way she could, in the middle of winter. It's such a great performance, that all Piper-fans need to see.
8. The Eye-Candy
This really speaks for itself. Nobody in the cast is exactly hard to look at.
I mean, really...
Those are some beautiful people.
9. It's Sexy
Not only are there plenty of sex scenes, but those sex scenes are all beautifully shot. As I mentioned before, everybody is hooking up with each other, so it makes for plenty of sexy times. Your inner perv will love this show. I promise you.
10. The Backdrop Of London
There is nothing greater than 19th century London for a setting of a television show. It's dark and atmospheric. Everybody is up to something, and they're all hiding it from each other. The lyrics of "Facade" from the musical Jekyll and Hyde say it best. "So, what is the sinister secret? The lie he will tell you is true? It's that each man you meet, In the street, Isn't one man but two!" The thing about London during this time period is that everybody was pretending to be upright citizens, but behind the surface there is a dark side. No time in history more perfectly portrayed this atmosphere than London in the 1800's. This makes it the perfect backdrop for the story "Penny Dreadful" has to tell.
11. The Friendships
I'm a sucker for good friendships. I'm honestly not much of a romance person, but friendships I'm a big fan of. Vanessa Ives of course makes everybody love her, and the characters in the show are not immune to her magnetic pull. Her friendships with Victor Frankenstein, and his creature John Clare, are truly wonderful. She tends to bring out a softer side to these characters. It's because she's such an empathetic person, and she makes people feel better even when she is going through actual hell herself. Watching these friendships form and grow is honestly my favorite part of the show. It shows the power of friendship, even when all the odds are against us. Beautiful.
12. We Need More Episodes
We need more people to watch this show in order to save it. When it was on it didn't get the attention it deserved, most likely because people didn't know about it. In order to get more episodes, we need to get a bigger following. And once you start watching it, I promise you won't regret that decision. There is even a change.org petition to keep this show going that needs more signitures. https://www.change.org/p/netflix-save-penny-dreadful Consider this a public service announcement.
