Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, Season 1 Finale, Episode 10 “Day of the Dead”
Air Date: Sunday, June 28, 2020 at 10PM E/P
Reviewer Rating: 4 Stars
“They’re not building roads; they’re building walls. This is not the United States of America.” – Tiago Vega
The season one finale of Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, “Day of the Dead,” begins as the previous episode did, with a warning from Showtime – The following program contains subject matter that some may find difficult to watch. Viewer discretion advised. And deservedly so. The finale is wrought with shocking revelations and heartbreaking bloodshed. As with the previous installment of John Logan’s Penny Dreadful series, I believe City of Angels will have three seasons, each episode building to an epic series finale where the prophecy stated in “Santa Muerte” will come to pass.
Throughout Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, we’ve seen Natalie Dormer portray a few different characters that are all spawned from one main character – Magda, the woman in black. Dormer plays a German housewife, a Pachuca Queen, and a secretary to a city council chairman. In each of these roles, the character’s main purpose is to persuade (coerce) the person to do something a bit more daring than they would normally do. Dormer has done a fantastic job embodying each of these unique characters. From her make-up and clothing to the accents, Dormer gives a phenomenal performance.
My hopes for some of these characters running into each other finally happened. After last week’s episode, “Sing, Sing, Sing,” where poor Diego (Adan Rocha) is lynched, Detective Lewis Michener (Nathan Lane) goes to The Crimson Cat to inform his partner Tiago Vega (Daniel Zavatto) about the incident. The news of Diego’s death sends shock waves throughout the club but it’s Rio (Natalie Dormer) who incites an uprising with her speech:
“How much more do you need? They shoot you down; they put you in prison; now they lynch you on the roads where you live? You gonna wait ‘til it happens to you, to your mother, your sister, because it will unless we fight back! Tonight! Right now!”
Fly Rico (Sebastian Chacon) takes over and calms down the restless crowd. He wants to do this peacefully. As the entire club exits, taking to the streets, walking quietly, it’s a matter of time before things turn chaotic. The moment Rio locks eyes with Elsa (Natalie Dormer), the woman who is the epitome of Hitler’s vision of an Aryan race, all hell breaks loose. The words from Jerome Townsend (Brian Dennehy) coming to fruition – “Unless those Mexicans start rioting and kill a bunch of white folk…” – and as Rio fuels the racial divide with her false claims of people in their cars running down Pachucos, the city falls into chaos leading to martial law.
Why does Mateo (Jonathan Nieves) cry so much? Is he at odds with his new role bestowed upon him by his beloved Pachuca Queen Rio? She claims he’s “a man now” yet he behaves like an immature boy. Will Mateo be able to break free from Rio’s spell or will her venomous words of faux adoration seep into his malleable young heart, “…long live the king,” and turn him away from his family?
There is so much that transpires in this epic season finale, but it doesn’t conclude in a climatic crescendo which is how the writers built this season. While there are a few shocking things that happen at the end of “Day of the Dead,” which earns its name from both what happens in the finale and for the holiday “Dia de los Muertos,” the story of Tiago Vega, Lewis Michener, and the entire Vega family has only just begun.
To say it’s a “must watch” episode is an understatement. I will say I was right about Molly’s (Kerry Bishé) “dragon mother” Adelaide (Amy Madigan) and her potential to do heinous things. And while I see Lewis’ point of view in the matter of young scientist Brian Koenig (Kyle McArthur), I don’t agree with what Lewis did. Brian’s brilliant mind was tainted by Richard Goss’ (Thomas Kretschmann) praise and grandiose ideas of a new world order under Hilter’s regime.
There is a poignant moment from “Day of Dead” when Peter (Rory Kinnear) comforts his youngest son Tom (Julian Hilliard) who was injured during the riots. Tom expresses hatred for the people who hurt him, but Peter warns him against it. “If you let hatred into your heart, it’s like a hungry rat; it will devour everything else until there is no love for anything or anyone. And then…and then you are lost.” Let’s hope Peter’s strong enough to resist Elsa’s vehement imploring for him to embrace Hilter’s way of thinking. The tears that stream down his face when he tries to do the salute is a hopeful indication that he’s not converted yet.
This season finale yanks at your heartstrings in more ways than one. The tragedy that befalls two of these characters is quite controversial. This episode may also make you angry and vengeful. While I see both sides to many of the reasons behind the actions taken by some of these characters, it’s all simply too much to bear in one episode. That’s what makes Penny Dreadful: City of Angels such compelling television. It’s thought provoking, controversial, brave, provocative, and intricate.
I’m very much looking forward to is the continuation of these characters’ stories. As mentioned in several episodes throughout this season, there is a prophecy. When Magda comes to the cemetery, she touches the back of Tiago’s neck as he kneels before his father’s grave. “There will come a time when the world is ready for me. When nation will battle nation. When race will devour race. When brother will kill brother until not a soul is left. Are you ready, Tiago Vega?”
Does Tiago hear her voice as a whisper in his head? Santa Muerte (Lorenza Izzo) spared Tiago’s life those many years ago. With Santa Muerte’s handprint still on his chest, is Tiago protected against Magda’s dark persuasion?
The demolition crew comes in and tears down buildings in Belvedere Heights, making way for Councilman Charlton Townsend’s (Michael Gladis) motorway, he stands with Goss and Adelaide by his side, smirking as he gets what he wanted. The determination of Lewis and Tiago is resolved. Lewis says, “Fuck it. The City of Angels needs us, pal.” And Tiago replies, “They’re not building roads; they’re building walls. This is not the United States of America.”
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Judy Manning
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