Penny Dreadful . . . now *that* was an episode

[chelseagirl]

As I might have mumbled before, I am a huge fangirl for both Vanessa and our Creature, John Clare. So this week made me extremely happy.

First of all, it was an incredibly well-structured episode. I am *so* not surprised that Dorian turned on Lily, who seemed to have lost track of the fact that he is decadent and immoral and a seeker after sensation for its own sake, while her desire to avenge women is, although violent, still an attempt at some kind of justice. Of course he's bored, especially when she's invited all of these rather loud women into his home. What DID surprise me was that I found myself looking at Victor, Dorian, and Jekyll, talking about turning Lily into a normal woman . . . which of course is appalling, she's an undead avenger guys . . . but thinking about how parallel that was to Ethan, Sir Malcolm, and Kaetanay racing back to London to "rescue" Vanessa.

Because while I am obviously opposed to Victor, Dorian, and Jekyll's actions, I am cheering for Ethan, Sir Malcolm, and Kaetanay. And should I be?

I'm uncertain on that. Vanessa went to face Dracula armed, so it seemed like she wanted a confrontation. It's possible also that Catriona's suggestion that this was a job for a spy, not a warrior, may mean she's going, um, undercover? But she's been struggling with that other side of herself for so long, and maybe this *is* the person who can understand her. That could have been Ethan, but he's got the same issues that she has, denying and struggling with his nature, whereas Dracula just wants her to be herself.

I can't wait to see what she's up to. And if Our Team saves her, are they doing what she really wants? Or are they violating her agency in the same way that Team Victor is clearly violating Lily's? Does it help if Catriona (and maybe Dr. Seward) joins forces with them so it's not 100% patriarchal? And I am so waiting for Lily to kick Team Victor's asses, especially if the treatment makes her Hyde out . . .

Meanwhile, is this John Clare's swan song in our series? He's finally got what he needed/wanted, acceptance from the family he didn't even know he had. I couldn't be happier for him -- he's evolved in a positive way through the course of the series, from undead ragemonster (poor Proteus) and stalker, to someone who is genuinely loved and loving in a non-effed up way, starting with his friendsihps with Vincent Brand in s. 1 and Vanessa in s. 2, and now this. This is all that the Creature *ever* wants in any version of the story, although being made of one dead body no doubt makes it easier to find your past than if you were the patchwork that Shelley's Creature actually was. Although that hair clearly came from someone a lot less bald than the orderly-who-became-John Clare.

I'm just hoping his family stays safe, and loving Marjorie so much for accepting him so easily and wholeheartedly. Though I still wouldn't mind him getting into the action, either to help Vanessa, or weirdly, maybe Lily. He's not going to be creeping on her anymore, now that he's found his family and his past again, and she's kind of his sister, in a "that idiot Victor Frankenstein made me" way.

Because you know I had to point out how Victor is an idiot . . .

Comments

[selenak]

Because while I am obviously opposed to Victor, Dorian, and Jekyll's actions, I am cheering for Ethan, Sir Malcolm, and Kaetanay. And should I be?

I think the difference is that Ethan and Malcolm (not Kaetanay who doesn't really know Vanessa) have good reason to believe Vanessa doesn't want Dracula around. Because for all his talk about accepting her for who she really is and wanting her to be her true self: he's stalked her, harrassed her, never accepted when she made a choice that wasn't him. (And she has made that choice, among other times, back in the asylum when she rejected both him and Lucifer.) And that's leaving aside his, err, life style which is deadly to a great many on a regular basis, and the part where he, depending how you define vampire-ization in this universe, killed or lobotimized her best friend to use against her. And the scene with no Vanessa but lots of minions present where he said "she will be mine". Dracula says he is the only one to accept Vanessa how she really is, but what he means, based on the evidence, that the only Vanessa he accepts is one who wants him. That's about as accepting as Victor is of Lily. He's just smarter than Victor in expressing it.

Here's another question: were we cheering for Ethan to accept his inner darkness when Hecate urged him to, or for Malcolm and Kaetanay on their rescue Ethan/rescue Ethan's soul mession? Because that, too, is clearly paralleled to the current rush back to save Vanessa.

In the end, I think Vanessa will save herself - with some support, which any heroine (or hero) can use. I also think they might use another bit from Dracula the novel, where Mina, after Dracula had forced her to drink his blood, has the idea that this would enable her to tell the others where Dracula was at any given time, and so they were able to pursue him and track him down. When Catriona said "spy", that was immediately what I was thinking of. Perhaps Vanessa's reasoning for putting the gun down and letting him drink from her is that even if she kills Dracula in his Dr. Sweet form, he'll just be back a few years later - remember, she asked Catriona "what about his real form" and Catriona said no one lived to tell the tale. Vanessa might angle for the one true death, for which she'd have to find his original body.

[chelseagirl]

Fair enough. But I doubt anyone is cheering on Victor-Dorian-Jekyll, and it could be argued that Lily's crusade against men is potentially quite deadly to society as well. At least I hope no one is cheering for them, though I know how fandom likes pretty boys and that *is* quite a collection of them.

I did reference the fact that Vanessa could be a spy; your point about Mina in the book is a good one; now that Catriona has disabused us of a good chunk of traditional vampire lore, including most of Stoker, I'm not sure what Vanessa knows and doesn't know. But you very well may be right that she needs to be fed upon, and maybe even to feed, in order to create the bond that will enable her to spy. The first reactions I saw to the episode, from a couple of people on my feed, have been cheering for Vanessa/Dracula, and the *very* parallel structure in the episode had me thinking a lot about female agency. Is Dracula what Vanessa really wants? It would go against the grain, but at the same time, he's the easy way out -- all her struggles, all her resistance would be over. And he claims (though it sounds like he is the Uncle of Lies, if he's Lucifer's brother) that he wants to submit to her, unlikely as it seems. I *would* appreciate it if Catriona and maybe Seward were among her rescuers, because it would allay the whole "Vanessa must be rescued by men" thing.

Plus I just like to question my own assumptions. ;-) Especially about these characters, because Victorian lit was my field in grad school.

[scripsi.livejournal.com]

I really enjoyed this episode. I was thinking the same thing about the creature- he has constantly evolved and learnt from his mistake and though his son is very ill, I still hope this means he gets to be with his family and finally belong. I also loved that he went to Vanessa for support. I can see him coming to her aid if need be, though.


I wasn’t surprised over Dorian’s betrayal- his aim is to be not bored and it was clear that Lily’s ideas bored him. But though Lily isn’t very pleasant I can also see why she’s so angry, they are going to rob her of herself and Victor's proposed “cure” is really just another form of violation. He even said it would make her “a proper woman”. I wonder how this will be played out. Lily can’t, obviously, be allowed to terminate mankind, but the show is clearly not endorsing Victor's ideas either. And where will Mr. hyde fit in all this?


I agree that it Dorian/Victor/Henry opposed to Lily is an interesting parallels to Vanessa’s “knights”.

I must say that this is probably the most appealing Dracula I have ever seen. He seems to genuinely want Vanessa for who she really is- or is it just a deception? I wonder if the series will end with Vanessa going away with him and the next season will be about stopping her. It would fit a new focus on Egypt- she is supposed to be a reincarnation of an Egyptian goddess, after all.

[chelseagirl.livejournal.com]

And he's the character who most deserves a happy ending, not that this show will go there . . . but at least for a moment, he is loved. (And I don't think she will stop loving him, but I fear for her continued existence . . . the son's definitely doomed.)

I am actually rooting for Lily; not that I really want her exterminating large quantities of men, but Victorian society was not kind to women, and especially not to the women who've had to resort to prostitution.

Oh, I so agree. Well, I had a mad crush on Frank Langella's Dracula when I saw him on Broadway and then in the movie. But this Dracula so seems to *get* her. But . . . she's been defying the evil that wants to use her since s. 1, and I'd be sorry to see her give up the fight.

But that would tie in with Lyle being in Egypt SO WELL! Plus it would mean we got lots more Lyle next season, yay!!! I think you may have hit on it! Lots more exclamation points!!!!

[scripsi.livejournal.com]

I was very pleased when his wife accepted him, but the son is going to die. Coughs are always fatal in TV shows.

I understand Lily and I don't want her to die- I'm really curious how things will go for her.

Oh, i loved Frank Langella's Dracula too!

I'm all for lots and lots of Ferdinand the next season! :D

[gothypants.livejournal.com]

I really need to start watching this show!! Multiple people have been like "why the fuck aren't you watching it?!".

[chelseagirl.livejournal.com]

You would love it, I'm pretty sure. Gother-than-goth, and playing interestingly with not only all the tropes, but at this point, pretty much any Victorian monster out there. Occasionally it makes mistakes, but Eva Green is more than worth the price of admission even without the rest of the amazing cast, and the visuals are stunning.