SPOILERS! If you haven’t watched this episode of Penny Dreadful, I highly suggest you stop reading now!
Penny Dreadful’s second episode titled “Seance” scaled back the scares and focused more on character development and the overall darkness of the series, but there’s no denying that this was one phenomenal hour of television. Everything we thought we knew about the series is ripped from us in literally a matter of seconds as the series continues to be unflinching in its portrayal of the gothic fiction meant to horrify and shock us.
Let me start off by saying that if we didn’t know what was going on before, then we are really in the dark now. The series knows that they have hooked us to what essentially is a basic knowledge of the world, which puts them in a position of power. They can do whatever they want with us and we would buy into it, that’s what made the final shock of the episode so heartbreaking and exciting at the same time.
Just when I was ready to call Victor and his monster Proteus the best couple of the television season, we are deprived of what seemed like one of the more pleasant storylines introduced to us in the Pilot. Much of the episode focused on Victor’s efforts to teach his new monster, who chose the name Proteus, and help him piece together his history before his demise. It was wonderful to watch this relationship between monster and creator develop. Every time we cut to them it was a welcome release from the tensions of the rest of the episode.
Just at the end, when we have thoroughly been duped into loving Frankenstein’s Proteus, especially when he declares he hopes to have as many as ten friends, he is torn into two pieces by a true monster. This monster refers to himself as Frankenstein’s first creation and is closer to the nightmarish creature that we were thinking about when the identity of the doctor was revealed. Now, the question becomes what now? Is the monster responsible for the ripper killings that were referred to in the last episode and the cold open? Will Frankenstein protect his creation?
This storyline was also a welcome indicator for the rest of the series. As confused as we may be right now about the intentions of each character and the direction of each storyline, it revealed to us that this is a show that is unflinching. The writers aren’t afraid to kill off a, however brief, beloved character or show a graphic sex scene with a prostitute with tuberculosis.
One of series’ more intriguing characters, which is saying a lot, is introduced in this episode. The classic story of Dorian Gray is mixed into the darkness that is Penny Dreadful and let me tell you, this is not your Angela Lansbury version. Reeve Carney plays a modernized version of the classic English literature character with apparently the same shaky moral grounds as the Oscar Wilde version, but Carney is able to infuse the character with such charm and sexual energy that he makes you just want to jump in the sack with him.
His storyline begins with a rather racy sex scene with a prostitute suffering from tuberculosis. Despite her spitting up blood, coughing, and wheezing, it seemed Mr. Gray enjoyed himself. He even became more aggressive when she coughed blood onto his face. All the while he had pictures being taken, which would point to him being some recluse, but the next time we see him he is dancing with Vanessa at a party.
The seance mentioned in the title occurs at said party thrown by Lyle. Despite the psychic’s clearly fake possession it seemed that Vanessa was possessed by something much darker. Something that targeted Sir Malcom’s history. The scene was probably one of the best scenes of television in the past year. It was terrifying, powerful, and… well, dreadful. From the entity we learned that Sir Malcolm left his dying son Peter to go on an expedition.
Whatever was possessing Vanessa knew its stuff, but when something more insidious entered her, that’s when things got really interesting. The entity accused Sir Malcolm of lusting over his own daughter saying he she saw him having sex with someone. It was a bit confusing, but the horror of the scene wasn’t lost. It ended with a classic demonic back bend as Vanessa left the party leaving the guests horrified.
Usually the first four episodes of a series are rough. It seems that the writers and directors don’t know what kind of show they’re making, but if this episode is any indication, it is clear that the Penny Dreadful crew is pointed in the right direction. Dread, horror, gore, repeat. That’s the pattern we’re looking at and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Hey, I'm Karl, founder and film critic at Smash Cut. I started Smash Cut in 2014 to share my love of movies and give a perspective I haven't yet seen represented. I'm also an editor at The New York Times, a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, and a member of the Online Film Critics Society.