Penny Dreadful Season 3 – It was foretold

“Life, for all its anguish, is ours, Miss Ives. It belongs to no other.”

Well…it might have been foretold but that doesn’t make it easier to accept.

Penny Dreadful ends after three seasons. It was a decision made by the producers during the second season and it wasn’t announced up until the last two episodes of season three were on air. In the age of breaking news in a heartbeat and getting the scoop through various channels, Penny Dreadful chose an elegant way to wrap the story and say farewell to the fans. Not with a bang but with a prayer. With poetry and symmetry.

I was going for the episode and review mode but I decided to wait up until the season was done.

Maybe I had a feeling.

Maybe it felt right. I don’t know.

With spoilers and all, here is my farewell to the show.

The ending fit the tale. I don’t think the stories could have continued without Vanessa, the strength and  elegance with which Eva Green infused the character would have been missed and would have left a void.

Vanessa was the anti-hero, a woman set on the path of destruction who chose not to be used and not to play the pawn in the schemes of Heaven and Hell.

“We walk alone”.

Fitting words for this show.

Penny Dreadful was a small, dark treasure for horror and Gothic literature fans. It mixed origin tales of famous characters with powerful acting, poetry and darkness, love and loss, tragedy, life and death all wrapped into three stunning seasons.

Vanessa’s journey was one of being lost, finding her strength and refusing to be used in an eternal quest for power.

Ethan, Sir Malcom were by her side, each of them plagued by their own demons. Each of them refusing to surrender.

Season three brought new characters, such as Doctor Jekyll with a spin on his tale. Having Jekyll as a friend of Victor Frankenstein, both of them outcasts, both of them trying to find hope in darkness could have been an intriguing spin-off,

Lillie’s quest for vengeance was finally given an explanation. It was obvious, Dorian wouldn’t stay by her side. The downside of immortality is the fact you grow bored easily and figure out what will work or not.  For Brona it was a fight in order not to forget the pain  and loss, for Dorian it was just a new sport. A new pet he was intrigued with and then cast aside with her minions.

Season three also wrapped the backstory of John Clare, his ties with Vanessa.

Season three also shed a light on Ethan origins.

Season three saw the appearance of Dracula. Everyone could have guessed his identity without too much of an effort and yet he wasn’t a full fledged villain. He didn’t cackle and roar when he was victorious. Perhaps, even the monster needs to be loved. Even the freaks long for mercy and kindness.

One year ago, my beloved TV show Hannibal was canceled, a move I questioned and fought against – and still do. Penny Dreadful had a three seasons visions and follow this course of action.

I will miss you, my dear Penny Dreadful and in the cold, dark nights, when the wind will hollow, I will revisit you. For the sake of poetry and hope in darkness.

So we walk alone…