Network: Showtime
Episodes: 27 (hour)
Seasons: Three
TV show dates: May 11, 2014 — June 19, 2016
Series status: Ended
Performers include: Reeve Carney, Timothy Dalton, Eva Green, Rory Kinnear, Billie Piper, Danny Sapani, Harry Treadaway, and Josh Hartnett.
TV show description:
This horror series is a psychological thriller that weaves together horror origin stories from classic literature into an adult drama. The title of the show refers to the penny dreadfuls, a type of cheap 19th century British fiction publication which featured lurid and often sensational material.
Ethan Chandler (Josh Hartnett) is a charming American who’s very popular with the ladies and who finds himself trapped in the dark corners of Victorian London. Behind Ethan’s bright eyes lurk dark secrets. He is running from something and his troubling past threatens to overtake him at every turn.
A hardened African explorer on a deeply personal quest, Sir Malcolm Murray (Timothy Dalton) has nonetheless paid a heavy price for his exciting career. Although his stately home is filled with marvelous souvenirs of his travels, it is devoid of family and loved ones. With the help of Vanessa Ives, he is determined to right the wrongs of his past.
Poised, mysterious and utterly composed, Vanessa Ives (Eva Green) is a seductive and formidable beauty who’s full of secrets and danger. She is keenly observant (perhaps even clairvoyant) as well as an expert medium. Her supernatural gifts are powerful and useful to those around her but they are also a heavy burden. Her inner demons are very real to her and threaten to destroy her relationships, her sanity, and her life.
Sembene (Danny Sapani) is an African man with ritual face scarring. He serves as Sir Malcolm’s sentry and confidant. Sembene has an air of mystery about him and his heroic efforts prove invaluable to Sir Malcolm in his personal quest.
Dorian Gray (Reeve Carney) is a fabulously wealthy young gentleman who is almost unnerving in his beauty. His skin seems to radiate a golden glow of intoxicating youth and promise. A recklessly abandoned sensualist, he has a devil-may-care attitude that borders on dangerous. Nothing seems to faze him, nor are any risks too great. He is, in fact, unnaturally drawn to them.
Brona Croft (Billie Piper) is a poor Irish immigrant who is trying to escape a dark and sordid past. The Gaelic meaning of her name is “sadness,” yet she remains lovely, spirited, and erotically alive. She forms a bond with Ethan and he will do anything for her.
More a Romantic poet than a surgeon, Doctor Victor Frankenstein (Harry Treadaway) is a tender, gentle soul who is fascinated by the mysteries of life — and death. He has dedicated himself to researching what makes something live, and has sacrificed everything for his scientific pursuit. However, he is playing with fire. His research pays off in shocking ways — with devastating consequences.
Episode #27 — The Blessed Dark
Ethan learns the shocking truth about Kaetenay. Dr. Seward uses hypnosis on Renfield. Meanwhile, The Creature must make a moral decision as Sir Malcolm, Ethan, Kaetenay, Dr. Seward and Catriona battle to save Vanessa.
First aired: June 19, 2016
What do you think? Do you like the Penny Dreadful TV series? Do you think it should have ended or been renewed for a fourth season?
No Way should it have been cancelled, no warning either! I am angry, more sad really. They should have advertised it more, most people I asked, hadn’t any knowledge of the show, or what it was about!?!?
Me too every time they put out a great tv show some how they cancel it. I am so mad the characters were brilliant and so was the writing. What a big mistake they have made. My favorite character was Vanessa (Eva Green) was great I thought. I hope to see her in more tv series
I have NEVER been so angry at a show ending. That has got to be one of the STUPIDEST decisions. The creator will find (hopefully) that he was an idiot for canceling it and bring it back. UNBELIEVABLE‼️
I hated that this show ended
No absolutely not this show could have gone on and on we cancelled our showtime subscription cause its no longer on again I would like my say to count
This article says the series creator thought 3 seasons were “enough”. Well, as you can tell from the comments, that was not nearly so! A truly unique show in a dessert landscape of fluff and nonsense. Please, bring it back!
Oh my God , what a gm I going to do? I. Love that. Show. Bring it back. Everybody was great.
Make a movie if u have to.
Canceling this series???? What a major disappointment. Top notch cast, creative writing with familiar horror icons what’s not to like about this series. Please reconsider this decision.
Bring it back. Best thing on showtime
Please fire whoever at Showtime is responsible for canceling the best show ever. Very disappointed. Another tragedy of capitalism.
The characters and the actors that played them were awesome
So terribly disappointed that Penny Dreadful is coming to an end the acting and the storyline was so good I couldn’t wait to watch the next episode
Very disappointed. One of my favorite shows.
Very disappointed this series was cancelled. So many different ways and story lines that could have been explored. I can not imagine why they would cancel the best shows ever. Very, very disappointed.
One of the best shows ever.
Can’t conceive why it wasn’t renewed.
Grateful that loose ends were well tied in the two pat finale, but it SO shouldn’t have ended.