Penny Dreadful 2×10 “And They Were Enemies” and some thoughts on Season Two

“Where will you go?”

Yeah, yeah, I know. It took me close to a full month to write about the season two finale of Penny Dreadful. No worries, that means now I can dabble on spoilers territory with no shame whatsoever. I’m not too happy on the tenth episode and here is why.

First and foremost, the end of Madam Kali. It’s hollow and drained of any structure and strength. You work for nine episodes to pitch to the audience this powerful witch and in the last episodes you turn her into a bipolar moaning Myrtle who bitches about being alone while relishing in being a bad-ass sorceress. Nice work screenwriters. What was next if you would have kept her alive? Making her an anti-hero? No worries, you have a few characters you really need to work with and not just throw them around hoping they will catch with the audience. Like Hecate. You work on a mommy-daughter clash and you take out mommy – seriously, using Ethan’s werewolf side to do the bad deed was pathetic, I don’t buy on the whole he’s the wolf from God helping Vanessa, Vanessa doesn’t need any help, by the looks of it she needs a partner by her side not a whimpering tool but hey, it’s Gothic and romantic and we need our tears and trials. Hecate walks free singing a song and we’re left wondering what the heck she will do? Free Ethan? Why not! Make her a good foil for Vanessa. At this point, Eva Green needs a strong actress/actor to work with. That being said, she needs to face a true villain, with a face, someone who can challenge her. That being said, it would make Ethan’s role more effective and eliminate the feeling of acting as a knight rescuing a damsel in distress.

Sir Malcolm really needs to come back soon after returning his fallen friend to his homeland. I get it, that needed to be done but he remains the only moral compass of sorts Vanessa works with. Alas, the theme of the season finale was for each character to begin his/hers journey and loneliness being their old friend.

With Ethan being left in the hands of justice, we’re back with the trio Victor-Lily-Creature and one Dorian Gray who are doing something. Dorian was mentioned for the last two seasons but besides wowing and fucking his way on screen, he’s nothing but an empty threat who dances nicely with dear Lily. One could say I was rooting for Lily and Victor but the whole damned and dangerous Lily who will get her revenge on men is silly. Yes, it’s silly and I’m going to say why. Brona was a victim, a woman abused all her life who ended up sick and on her death bed Victor actually did her a favor. She would have died either way so the Frankenstein revival was for her the only shot at coming back to life. And what does she do? She bitches about men and plans to rule the world. Wow, lovely! I bet tons of feminists will love her attitude but Lily went from bad to worse, to a silly caricature of a villain in the season finally. Yes, cinematographic wise the whole white costumes, blood oozing from their wounds was grotesque and yet divine but from a logic point of view it was a sad and predictable fate for Lily and Dorian. At this point, I don’t give a damn if Dorian makes it or not alive by the end of season three – please don’t make him the vessel for the Devil so he can charm Vanessa – and Victor’s fall into the arms of drugs is another desperate pull from the writers to do something with his character. It’s the easiest way around since they’ve toyed with his addiction but come on! Victor was smitten by Lilly but a man like him can’t be pulled apart so easily. Hey, make him a minion for the Devil – I’m hoping for any outcome and not to see a whole season with Victor trying to free himself from a bad habit he nurses since adolescence.

The Creature is once more a little used character who needs some closure. And we’re left with Vanessa.

“Penny Dreadful” was been a vehicle for Eva Green’s talent but she needs a good villain with whom to battle. The third season will see her alone and that’s when the wheels need to be put into motion. Give us the Devil, the Master or someone as strong as her – of course an actor/actress who can match her acting skills.

We wait for the next season … until then…