Loved the idea and the historical context that they brought to us, but unfortunely the storyline envolving the "bad guys" (the witches) is boring af.
Just started watching ... and it's cancelled! Well I guess I will watch it all anyway.
I was a huge fan of the original and watched it weekly. If anyone was a devout fan of the original, then they know how big of a shock it was when S3 ended with Vanessa dying and the words "The End" appearing on the screen with John Logan early the next morning confirming the show was only meant for 3 seasons (he did say this but there is speculation it was meant to go on for much longer). Anyways, when he announced this spinoff, I was very conflicted by asking "Why use the Penny Dreadful title if he was so ok with abandoning the characters that lifted that title, to begin with? Why not just call it City of Angels?" But then I noticed the series was made available on Netflix and the fandom grew (although Logan states it was his decision to end it, I feel like Showtime did have a say considering it was expensive and by no means did it have a bookworm fanbase like Game of Thrones or Outlander to make an argument for it to keep going. This is all speculation by the way). So I tuned in for this episode.
I enjoyed it, but it wasn't strong enough to warrant a Showtime subscription. What I enjoyed was the Santa Muerte mythos but how it was introduced with the mom who thinks she's a witch was super off. And Natalie Dormer is pretty great here (I'm bummed I didn't get to see Kerry Bishe but I heard her on the radio). Nathan Lane is pretty awesome playing a mentor cop (being a Mexican American, I didn't hate him when he used the racial slur used against Spanish speaking individuals because everyone should've been super racist in this era. Therefore calling it a show with iffy representation might be harsh and a little opportunist if you're white).
Anyways, I don't care for the 1930's California setting or that it's paying homage to the hard-boiled cop genre seen in films like Chinatown (another reason I'm intrigued by HBO's decision to set Perry Mason in a similar era when the character can live in any time). Some of it only made me miss the original and Victorian London (where Logan got to nerd out and put lit references). I do love that they made Mexican Americans the protagonists but it didn't catch. Will wait for more word of mouth about the last couple of episodes if I decide to watch the rest but for now, it's just an odd creation.
"Well... our day off is officially fucked."
Like its predecessor, it is beautifully made and acted, with careful attention to detail.
Some nice WTF moments are mixed with a brooding atmosphere of real quality.
Welcome back.
"Let me talk to my mother, she knows all about Sante Muerte." "Why's that?" "She thinks she's a witch." "Shut the fuck up." "Yep, it's a strange old world..."
I enjoyed Penny Dreadful cause it was the show that "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" promised us to be and it delivered. It wasnt perfect but the cast and Eva Green's charms made it a trip never to forget.
Seeing the trailer for this sequel quickly made me realise this wouldn't be that show and seeing the first episode I still feel it isn't. In itself not a problem since it could turn out great but... Part of what made Penny Dreadful great was weaving these known characters into new stories without losing the essence of what they are.
As far as episode one of Penny Dreadful; City of Angels is concerned: if you enjoy racial stereotypes and, by now, tired stances on history and racial relations combined with the zombies of this decade (aka Nazi's) then I'm sure you'll enjoy it. This episode offered me nothing (Not so clever symbolisms and other imagery included) I haven't seen done in other shows these past 4 years - something that couldnt' be said about Penny Dreadful - and it doesn't bode well for the rest of the series.
I hope they prove me wrong... but I fear this will be one of those "current-agenda" series
The whole religious supernatural stuff is utter garbarge (so far). The setup way too over the top stereotypical and cliché. Santa Muerte appearing before the mother was absolutely pointless and weird, it only happend to let the audience know that Santa Muerte and Magda are sisters and the latter wants to "conquer heaven". The climax of this initial episode was just dumb. Post-production and choreography was sloppy in all that "fighting", like missing gun fire, pretending to hit people, "acting" of the people in the background.
But it has Natalie Dormer in it, so it should get good at some point, right? Her scenes were mostly good already, though.
Nevertheless, her over the top German accent is hilarious. I hope we get to hear her speak German at some point, even if unlikely.
I like that they wrote in the German American Bund and the claim "America first".
Hopefully they expand on the fascist nature of it.
Intriguing for the cast, execution in this first episode is just ehh.
Shout by CocalarixBlockedParent2020-04-24T20:57:49Z
Weird first episode. It was trying too hard. It's not even close to the first Penny Dreadful.