Showtime has renewed their new drama series Penny Dreadful for a second season of 10 episodes. The first season, which is currently airing has just eight installments.
Production will once again take place in Dublin, Ireland with season two expected to begin airing some time in 2015.
Here are the details:
SHOWTIME(R) GREENLIGHTS SECOND SEASON OF ITS CRITICALLY-ACCLAIMED HIT DRAMA “PENNY DREADFUL”
Series Averages Almost Five Million Weekly Viewers And Secures Biggest Sampling For Network Ever
NEW YORK, NY – (June 4, 2014) – SHOWTIME has picked up a second season of its critically acclaimed drama series PENNY DREADFUL, it was announced today by David Nevins, President, Showtime Networks Inc. The network has given an expanded order of ten episodes to the series. Created, written and executive produced by three-time Oscar(R) nominee John Logan, PENNY DREADFUL has been embraced by the network’s subscribers, drawing 4.8 million weekly viewers across platforms since its launch. The series, which debuted to rave reviews, has claimed the spot as the network’s No. 1 watched new show ever on SHOWTIME ON DEMAND(R) and SHOWTIME ANYTIME(R) with over 3.6 million viewers on those platforms through the third week of the season. Starring Josh Hartnett, Timothy Dalton and Eva Green, PENNY DREADFUL will go into production, and will once again shoot on location in Dublin, Ireland for a 2015 launch.
“Picking up PENNY DREADFUL was one of the easiest decisions I’ve made,” said Nevins. “The series has had worldwide impact, drawing big, passionate audiences on both sides of the Atlantic, and more than any other show on our network has hit the bullseye with viewers who want to watch television in all the new ways that are available. John Logan has deftly created an epic series that has drawn raves from a wide-range of audiences from quality drama lovers to critics, to hardcore genre fans. We look forward to working once again with our partners at Sky Atlantic and are extremely excited for what’s in store for season two.”
PENNY DREADFUL’s series premiere was sampled early across online, On Demand and authenticated platforms, and the debut episode now ranks as the biggest sneak preview ever and the largest online streaming sampling ever for SHOWTIME, surpassing RAY DONOVAN and MASTERS OF SEX’s premieres by half a million viewers through the premiere week.
PENNY DREADFUL is not only a hit in the United States, but has also attracted an early global audience, debuting as the second-highest-rated launch for an original commission ever for Sky Atlantic, and also ranked as the second biggest program of the week in pay TV homes for the premiere episode in the U.K. Additionally, the John Logan created world of PENNY DREADFUL has inspired unprecedented interest with a wide range of licensees. Special edition classic horror books boxed sets, cast action figures, and tarot cards, are among the early items hitting the marketplace.
The fifth episode of the series airing this Sunday at 10 p.m. ET/PT is not to be missed – viewers will learn the shocking truth behind the bond that connects Sir Malcolm (Timothy Dalton), Vanessa (Eva Green) and Mina (Olivia Llewellyn). Leading up to this Sunday’s episode, SHOWTIME will air two PENNY DREADFUL marathons on Saturday, June 7th, before and after the 10 p.m. television premiere of The Last Exorcism Part II. Episodes 101 through 104 of PENNY DREADFUL will air from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. and then again from 11:30 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. Viewers hoping to catch up on what they’ve missed so far can also watch the first four episodes on SHOWTIME ON DEMAND and SHOWTIME ANYTIME. For a sneak peek at Sunday night’s episode, go to: s.sho.com/1mSeJ9D.
In PENNY DREADFUL, some of literature’s most famous characters – including Dr. Frankenstein, Dorian Gray and iconic figures from the novel Dracula, all brilliantly reimagined in a whole new light – have become embroiled in Victorian London. The series also stars Reeve Carney (Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark), Rory Kinnear (Skyfall), Harry Treadaway (The Lone Ranger), Danny Sapani (The Bill) and Billie Piper (Doctor Who, Secret Diary of a Call Girl). PENNY DREADFUL is executive produced by John Logan’s Desert Wolf Productions, along with Oscar winner Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Skyfall) and Pippa Harris (Revolutionary Road, Call The Midwife), both of Neal Street. A co-production with Sky Atlantic, episodes debut in the U.K. two weeks after their U.S. debut. For more information and video clips, please visit www.penny-dreadful.com.
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME(R), THE MOVIE CHANNEL(TM) and FLIX(R), as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2(TM), SHOWTIME(R) SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME(R), SHOWTIME BEYOND(R), SHOWTIME NEXT(R), SHOWTIME WOMEN(R), SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE(R) and THE MOVIE CHANNEL(TM) XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD(TM), THE MOVIE CHANNEL(TM) HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND(R), FLIX ON DEMAND(R) and THE MOVIE CHANNEL(TM) ON DEMAND, and the network’s authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME(R). SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks(TM), a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution, which offers Smithsonian Channel(TM). All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV(R).
What do you think? Are you glad that Penny Dreadful will be back for a second season? How long do you think this show could realistically run?
When is season two starting? Can’t find a date anywhere very frustrating! Was hooked from the first episode, brilliant, brilliant acting.
4/26/15
CRAZY SCARY!
Keep up the good work!
Takes me back to the 1960’s when all of the DRACULA, FRANKENSTEIN,
MUMMY, and WEREWOLF movies used to scare the hell out of me.
Not like these so called scary movies today, this is REAL horror.
I have to DVR it, because I cannot watch alone.
Really good, thanks for a second season!
Hopefully it will not end with just 2 seasons.
The most fascinating. Gripping. Scariest. Movie . It is sooooooo good . Tat is my opinion & shared by many people I have spoken with . Can’t wait for next week
First of all press releases by networks are such BS. They always make it seem like their show is an incredible success. I agree with Penny Dreadful is flatly predictable. Yes, even Ethan being revealed as bisexual. Leading from behind, Penny Dreadful. No pun intended. Tortured characters being homosxual/bisexual has been done before and actually a lot and waaay more convincingly in-character. The “shocks” on this show are like ticking off boxes. My dislike of Penny Dreadful has in part to do with the pass it is getting from critics while these same critics tear apart shows like Power or… Read more »
If there is anything predictable it would be POWER.
I watch it, but it is the same old druggie crap.
I for one think it’s a wonderful series, well written with great characters and actors, and am very happy there will be a season 2!
Saying it’s predictable and has bad characterization is, to me, just a critics way of saying “I don’t like this genre, but have to make it sound more professional than that”. Fortunately I’m not the only one liking Penny Dreadful. :o) I agree with Ray, ratings are important, you can’t survive selling somthing just a few people are interested in.
This show is average at best and hopefully it starts to get better. Overall I’m glad there will be a second season in the hopes that it becomes a solid show. Jennifer you claim the networks keep cancelling good shows which of course is because these shows have lousy ratings. Since we all know this is a business a network cannot afford to keep showing episodes of a show that very few people watch. I get a big kick out of how people think just because they like something that means it has to be a good show. Sorry but… Read more »
This show is absolutely dreadful (pun intended). I made it through the first four episodes and I’m done. I have spent more time laughing at how stupid and predictable it is and that’s enough for me. What an enormous disappointment this show turned out to be. It’s always the same with networks. Cancel the good shows and keep the garbage. I guess anything that follows the “Game of Thrones” formula these days will have a long and successful life. Anything that actually tries to stand on strong writing and strong characterization is gone before anyone even got a chance to… Read more »
Wonderful news….I am surprised, only because other wonderful shows…i.e. Copper and Dracula were cancelled…. 🙁
Good for Showtime to have more common sense than NBC and BBCA ~