Penny Dreadful – “Fresh Hell” Review. Evil Comes This Way.

Season 2, Episode 1

Air Date: Sunday, May 3, 2015, 10PM E/P on Showtime

Rating: ★★★★★

“Darlings, I must confess to a modicum of disappointment about the events of last evening…disillusionment, even.”– Evelyn Poole

Snow falls gently, blanketing the already white ground beneath Vanessa Ives’ (Eva Green) feet. She walks seemingly without a care, yet each step brings her closer to an old evil that stalks her every move. As “Fresh Hell” begins, so does the terror awaiting Vanessa and her friends. Penny Dreadful comes roaring back with ferocity so intense and deliberate, it takes your breath away. Each calculated minute of this second season premiere has you checking your pulse, anxiously anticipating the next scene. You won’t want to miss a moment of “Fresh Hell.”

It’s no secret I’m an avid fan of anything paranormal and have an affinity for the darker side of dramatic television. Penny Dreadful speaks to me in ways other dramas do not. The ominous shadows lurking in the corners thrill me and I find myself smiling as the evil inches closer. Not that I want our main characters to meet a sticky end; no, what I want is to see how far our leads are willing to go to protect their companions and themselves against the forces of darkness.

Evelyn tests the waters by chanting as Vanessa walks through the park only to witness Vanessa falling to her knees.

Evelyn tests the waters by chanting as Vanessa walks through the park. As Vanessa falls to her knees, a satisfied smile graces Evelyn’s lips.

If you recall from the season one finale, “Grand Giugnol,” Sir Malcolm Murray (Timothy Dalton) runs into Evelyn Poole (Helen McCrory), also known as “Madame Kali” in the “Séance” episode. Evelyn plays a vital and macabre role in the season two premiere suggesting she’ll be around for quite some time to exact her vengeance via her master’s bidding. McCrory gives an exemplary performance in “Fresh Hell.” Her movements, the way she delivers her lines, the inflections in her voice, and facial movements as she utters words as though trying to seduce the air around her captivates to the point of rapture. The song she sings while taking a literal blood bath haunts me. “…and if you kiss my cold clay lips, your days, they won’t be long…” You hang on to each syllable as she talks to her coven. Oh yes, there are witches this season, but these are not pointed hat, broomstick riders. No, no. These are malevolent beings who do the bidding of the unseen “Lucifer” himself.

Ethan could have left without saying goodbye but he chose to seek Vanessa out on this night – coincidence or was it fated that he become her protector?

As Vanessa recovers from her encounter with the witches, she talks with Sir Malcom’s right hand man and so-called butler of the house, Sembene (Danny Sapani) about the past. “Do you believe the past can return?” His answer chills me to the bone. “More than that; it never leaves us…’tis who we are.” Speaking of the past, Ethan Chandler (Josh Hartnett) wakes up in “Fresh Hell” at the Mariner’s Inn to find an extremely gruesome scene. If you remember, Ethan becomes a werewolf at the end of season one, but his conversation with Vanessa in “Fresh Hell” reveals he is not fully aware of what happens when he blacks out. He only knows there is “blood.”

Last year, Vanessa had dealings with the devil; this year, however, she becomes the prey rather than the huntress. Lucky for Vanessa, the ruggedly handsome Ethan is close at hand to come to her aide. I wonder, is this by coincidence or sheer luck? I’ve always believed Vanessa and Ethan were fated to be in each other’s lives and it looks like fate brings Ethan to Vanessa on this cold dark night. It appears he won’t be leaving London anytime soon now that he knows danger lurks around every corner waiting to pounce on Vanessa.

Victor desperately wants to be rid of his first born creation but as the newly dubbed John Claire says, “We are bound on a wheel of pain, thee and me. I ask you, what is Dr. Frankenstein without his creature?”

Dr. Victor Frankenstein (Harry Treadaway) continues where he left off in “Grand Giugnol,” working on his latest project, Brona (Billie Piper). She’s to be the immortal bride for his first born creature (Rory Kinnear), now going by the name of “John Claire.” How much will Brona recall when she awakens? Will she accept her new life? Will she accept John as her new life partner? Victor seems to have attachments of his own to Brona; will she reciprocate or be angry about what he does to her?

Treadaway blows me away with his skillful acting. He becomes Dr. Frankenstein. As much strangeness as Victor’s encountered with not only the vampires in season one but his own creation as well, he still finds Vanessa and Ethan’s story about the witches unfathomable. As the duo explain about the witches speaking a “dead language” known as “Verbis Diablo,” Victor continues to be in disbelief. Is he frightened of the realization that there are more sinister things hiding in the shadows, or does he truly not believe what they are saying?

Observations

While the dark tone of Penny Dreadful stands firm, there are moments of humor sprinkled lightly throughout “Fresh Hell.” The stunned look on Ethan’s face after Vanessa “blindly” answers one of the witches using the “Verbis Diablo” dialect made me chuckle. He looks so taken aback as though he’s seeing a ghost. And while it’s not ha-ha funny, the scene where Victor and John try to harness the storm’s lightning seems a bit overdone. It’s not awful; perhaps it’s just a nod to the old Frankenstein films when the good doctor yells, “It’s alive!”

Could Sir Malcolm be Vanessa’s biological father or is his calling her ‘daughter’ a term of endearment only?

Sir Malcolm returns from burying his daughter Mina (Olivia Llewellyn), although he continues to refer to Vanessa as his daughter. Perhaps because of their bonding over trying to save Mina during last season, he thinks of Vanessa like a daughter. While it’s unclear how long Sir Malcolm’s affair with Vanessa’s mother Claire (Anna Chancellor) lasted, could he possibly be Vanessa’s biological father?

John finds employment at a curious shop called Putney’s Family Waxworks. The owner has grand plans, not only for poor unsuspecting John, but to compete with Madame Tussauds by recreating infamous crime scenes like Jack the Ripper and more recently, the “Mariner’s Inn Massacre.” Will Ethan be exposed?

Overall

The acting, cinematography, dialogue, and set designs in “Fresh Hell” astound me. This episode sets up what’s to come in season two and I can’t wait to see everything unfold. As “Fresh Hell” ends, the contrasting scenes of Vanessa’s unique prayer ritual and Evelyn’s counter prayer frighten me. This will be an epic battle of strength, endurance, and will power. Who will be victorious?

Let me know what you thought of “Fresh Hell.” Leave me a comment below or tweet me @judybopp. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Tune in to Penny Dreadful, Sundays at 10PM E/P, only on Showtime.

For more on the show, go to the official site http://www.sho.com/sho/penny-dreadful/home.

Visit the Production Blog http://blog.penny-dreadful.com/.

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Judy Manning

Dream chaser extraordinaire! Judy tends to be a tad sarcastic and kind of goofy! She is an avid admirer of all things supernatural, paranormal, celestial and mystical. She loves to read, write, and watches way too much TV. She enjoys many genres of film and music (and let's be honest, most music from the 80s). She also has a wicked sweet tooth. Cupcakes beware.