Penny Dreadful – “Memento Mori” Review. Luxurious Ugliness.

Season 2, Episode 8

Air Date: Sunday, June 22, 2015, 10PM E/P on Showtime

Rating: ★★★★★

“At times, I’ve deceived myself into thinking…I am other than this. Don’t we all want to paint ourselves into something better than we are? But that is who I really am, Angelique. Can you accept me as I am? Can you love me?” – Dorian Gray

The camera pans down through a rain fogged window like a voyeur. As Lily (Billie Piper) exhibits peculiar behavior after her evening out away from Victor Frankenstein (Harry Treadaway), a strange realization washes over me – does Lily know who she really is? Meanwhile, Sir Malcolm (Timothy Dalton) continues to grapple with the strangeness surrounding him as he tries to understand his lack of grief following his estranged wife Gladys’ (Noni Stapleton) suicide. “Memento Mori” is chock full of surprising twists and even more shocking revelations, one of which involves what Dorian (Reeve Carney) keeps in the mirrored room.

Absent in “Memento Mori” are Vanessa (Eva Green) and Ethan (Josh Hartnett) but that doesn’t mean the excitement and danger aren’t ever present in merry old London. Our favorite British Museum curator, Ferdinand Lyle (Simon Russell Beale), trudges through his animosity over serving the evil Evelyn (Helen McCrory). It’s evident he despises her but unfortunately, he seems bound to her against his will. Beale has unabashedly captured my heart with his amazing performance as the quirky Ferdinand. From the unique way Beale speaks, especially his over enunciation of the letter ‘r,’ to his even more impressive hair style, Ferdinand seems like an unlikely hero. I think, however, he’ll surprise us in the end. Evelyn can be quite scary and her insistence on Ferdinand’s loyalty makes my skin crawl. Simply put, she’s a bully, albeit a tremendously frightening one who wields dark magic with a mere flick of her wrist. But Evelyn should be more concerned about those much closer to her. Blood isn’t always thicker than water, especially with Hecate (Sarah Greene) anxiously awaiting her chance to take her mother’s seat of power.

Victor seeks advice from Sir Malcolm about affairs of the heart. Too bad Sir Malcolm’s heart is clouded at the moment.

Victor can be a pathetic mess when he gives in to his baser need for narcotics but an electrifying wakeup call from the ever demanding John Clare (Rory Kinnear) definitely opens his eyes. What John does might be considered illegal in the present day; although I think he makes his point. John’s anger over Lily’s outings with the disarmingly handsome Dorian Gray is nothing more than jealousy rearing its ugly head. John’s insecurities over his appearance and his unrealistic ideology about what love is have tainted him; however, it seems Lily has similar self-esteem issues.

The confrontation between John and Lily is commanding. A round of applause for Piper; her performance in “Memento Mori” had me raising my eyebrows and dropping my jaw several times. I even gasped, possibly cringed a few times watching her— first in the opening scene as the camera pans through that foggy window showing Lily lying in bed with a corpse. Then, she finally tosses all pretenses aside, delivering an impassioned speech to John about how she will not be mistreated again. I was absolutely blown away by the conviction Piper displays when she becomes the aggressor as John becomes the cowering flower. Brava, Piper; brava! This performance is well deserving of an Emmy® nomination. And, if you listen carefully to Lily’s speech, you may hear the ghost of her former self ring through.

The revelations don’t stop with Lily and John. Angelique (Jonny Beauchamp), feeling a bit rejected when Dorian leaves, makes quite the discovery in the mirrored room. Since season one, I’ve wanted to see Dorian’s portrait. In Oscar Wilde’s original version, Dorian looks almost regal and lifelike. The version of the portrait Penny Dreadful series creator and writer John Logan imagines contrasts in more ways than one. We are all prisoners unto ourselves, are we not? We all strive for some semblance of happiness, whether it’s the fountain of youth, wealth, social standing, fame, or even true love. Dorian’s insatiable hunger for the strange, challenging, provocative, and obscure will be his undoing, though his secret remains hidden in the mirrored room.

Ferdinand, Victor, and Sembene watch as Sir Malcolm battles within himself to break free of Evelyn’s spell.

Finally, Sir Malcolm figures out he is not himself, although not soon enough. As Ferdinand completes the translation of the relics, which is beyond terrifying, Evelyn simultaneously begins her ritual with her voodoo doll of Sir Malcolm, summoning the dark forces she serves. What transpires in the forgotten ballroom inside Sir Malcolm’s grand mansion is nothing short of mesmerizing. When all is said and done, Sir Malcolm is hell bent, pun intended, on vengeance, but he is a fool to think he can go at it on his own. I knew Evelyn began to truly care for Sir Malcolm but what she proposes to him is quite surprising. His response, however, stings more than she probably cares to admit. Vanessa is in the strangest tug-o-war and doesn’t even know it. Several items of note are revealed during this scene, one of which confirms my suspicions about Sir Malcolm’s true relationship with Vanessa.

Overall

“Memento Mori” demands your attention and you willingly give it. From the opening scene to the end, everything – the acting, cinematography, set designs, costuming, and dialogue –captivates you. With only one episode left before Penny Dreadful’s season finale, I’m dying to find out what our two immortal creatures have planned for their creator, Victor. And when will Vanessa and Ethan return? The translation, now complete, tells the full story of why the devil wants Vanessa but it also spells out Ethan’s purpose. Vanessa is right –she and Ethan were brought together for a reason. Let’s just hope her dabbling in the forbidden book of spells doesn’t ruin their chances of survival.

Let me know what you think of “Memento Mori.” 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/.

Penny Dreadful Social Media Links:

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Twitter: @SHO_Penny, as well as these cast members: @reevecarney and @billiepiper.

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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.