Penny Dreadful (TV series)
Penny Dreadful | |
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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"/>
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Original language(s) | English |
No. of seasons | 3 |
No. of episodes | 23 (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producer(s) | <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
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Producer(s) | James Flynn Morgan O'Sullivan Sheila Hockin |
Production location(s) | <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/> |
Cinematography | <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
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Editor(s) | <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
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Running time | 47–60 minutes |
Production company(s) | <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
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Release | |
Original network | <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/> |
Original release | May 11, 2014 present |
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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]
Contents
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
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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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External links
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Wikiquote has quotations related to: Penny Dreadful |
- Official website
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