Penny Dreadful
True horror doesn’t simply scare you. The adrenaline jolt of a jumpscare, while initially terrifying, fades after a moment. Rather, true horror lingers long after the book, show, or movie ends. It stays in the back of your mind, nagging and bothering you. This nagging uneasiness occurs because as you watch or read you know that something just isn’t quite right. That underneath this facade of normalcy lurks something primordial and evil. Something that mankind does not understand, is not capable of understanding, and should not attempt to understand. That is true terror; that feeling of uneasiness and fear leaves a much more lasting impression than the adrenaline jolt of a jumpscare.
Very few films or shows can successfully create an atmosphere of horror. Penny Dreadful is one of them. It understands and utilizes an atmosphere of fear and uneasiness making it one of the best shows airing right now. Just take a look at the show’s opening theme. It’s not scary per se, rather it’s creepy and unsettling. It perfectly encapsulates the atmosphere of a good horror movie or show. Set in Victorian London, the show focuses on a small group of flawed heroes who struggle with supernatural enemies. It’s a lot like Alan Moore’s League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Penny Dreadful seamlessly melds all the famous characters of Victorian literature, such as Victor Frankenstein and Dorian Grey, with a compelling and often frightening story. All of the actor’s are excellent, but Eva Green stands out. Simply put, she’s absolutely amazing. I honestly have no idea why she wasn’t nominated for an Emmy. And I’m not the only one asking.
Penny Dreadful airs on Showtime Sundays at 10/9 c. It’s in the midst of it’s third season and you can catch up with the Showtime app, or Showtime subscriptions with Amazon Prime or Hulu.
