In Review: Penny Dreadful – Perpetual Night & The Blessed Dark

Synopsis: Ethan Learns the shocking truth about Kaetenay. Dr. Seward uses hypnosis on Renfield. The Creature must make a moral decision as Sir Malcolm, Ethan, Kaetenay, Dr. Seward and Catriona battle to save Vanessa.

Review: In these final two episodes of ‘Penny Dreadful’ we see the gang reunited in a last desperate fight to save Vanessa.

In Perpetual Night Ethan, Malcolm and Kaetenay return to a London that is riddled in smog and pestilence. They return to their home only to discover that it is inhabited by vampires. Malcolm is bitten and Ethan gets into a little trouble on the stairs, but is saved by the mysterious Catriona.

Back at Bedlam Lily tells Victor the sad story of her daughter Molly who is seemingly at the root of Lily’s pain and anger toward men in general. After an emotional few moments Victor decides to let Lily go and says something along the lines of it being to easy to be monsters. We must learn to be better humans. Lily attempts to choke Victor, but after a brief moment thinks better of it and goes back to Dorian.

Back at Malcolm and Vanessa’s home. Catriona sorts out Malcolm’s vampire bite by sealing the would with heat. Ethan and Kaetenay go in search of Vanessa and wind up confronting Dracula. Dracula opts to set his army of vampires onto Ethan and Keatenay at long last reveals to Ethan that he to is a werewolf as they battle Dracula’s hordes together.

Dr. Seward ends up lending a hand to Malcolm and the gang when she introduces them to Renfield. But as time runs out the gang is running out of options. To this end Seward a tough New York sort of person uses regressive hypnotherapy on Renfield to try and assertion where Dracula is keeping Vanessa and after a few spooky flashbacks she hits on the answer.

While Malcolm, Ethan, Kaetenay, Dr. Seward, Catriona and now Victor Frankenstein go after Dracula in order to find Vanessa. John Claire aka the Creature tragically loses his son and is faced with a harsh moral dilemma. When his grief stricken wife tells him to take their dead son to Victor Frankenstein. John Claire has to decide who he loves more. His son or his grief stricken wife who is so desperate for more time with their boy that she is willing to cast her husband aside if he does not take their boy to Victor to turn into another monster. Claire chooses to give his son the dignity that he never had. And heartrendingly chooses to allow his son a dignified death and burial at sea.

The Blessed Dark is all about the final confrontation between our group and Dracula and one hell of a battle ensues.

As the battle rages Ethan finds Vanessa and is faced with the terrible reality that in order to truly save her. He has to kill her. The two share a really touching parting scene in which they kiss and say the lords prayer together. The battle against evil is done. When Dracula sees that Vanessa is no longer alive he pretty much surrenders and the pestilence that has plagued London disperses.

The final 10 or so minutes of the episode sees Malcolm, Ethan and Victor sharing in their grief. But they also come to realise that they now must find out who they are without her.

The final moment sees John Claire aka the creature lurking at a distance as the gang put Vanessa to rest in a Christian burial. When Ethan and Malcolm leave John goes to Vanessa’s grave to pay his respects.

Cue end credits.

My Final Thoughts.

This finale pretty much wrapped every ones story lines up. Although I am left to wonder if Victor will manage to stay on the straight and narrow and not re-animate any more corpses. Perhaps the most tragic and sad element of this apart from Vanessa’s passing. Is the fact that once more after having briefly reconnecting with wife and child. John Claire is once again to walk alone in the shadows.

The acting, CGI and musical cues throughout this finale were nothing short of excellent. And even I cold hearted that I am had a huge lump in my throat and something in my eye as this brilliant series ended.

‘Penny Dreadful’ will be one of those shows that we’ll likely be discussing in years to come. It has been that good.