This original Showtime series sports a premise similar to the graphic novel The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: namely, characters and supernatural beings from 19th-century horror literature exist in the real world. Created by Oscar-nominated screenwriter John Logan, Penny Dreadful centers on individuals operating in the London underworld. Sir Malcolm Murray (Timothy Dalton) is searching for his daughter, Mina (Olivia Llewellyn), who's been taken by a vampire (as in the novel Dracula); he's helped by Vanessa Ives (Eva Green), a medium with a troubled past and a possible curse upon her. Josh Hartnett is Ethan Chandler, an American who comes to London as part of a Wild West show and hires himself out as a gunman to the team. Assisting is Dr. Victor Frankenstein (Harry Treadaway), whose first experiment has returned to demand a mate, and weaving through all of their stories is the decadent Dorian Gray (Reeve Carney), who woos Vanessa. Penny Dreadful boasts excellent production values, strong writing, fine acting, and a moody gothic atmosphere. Serving up tasty adult fare, the show is one of Showtime's most popular productions to date. Compiling all eight episodes from the 2014 debut season, extras include behind-the scene featurettes. Highly recommended. (S. Axmaker)
Penny Dreadful: The Complete First Season
Paramount, 3 discs, 435 min., not rated, DVD: $42.99, Blu-ray: $48.99 Volume 30, Issue 1
Penny Dreadful: The Complete First Season
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