In Review: Penny Dreadful – Predators Far and Near

Synopsis: In this episode of ‘Penny Dreadful’ Lilly and Dorian rescue a young woman, while Sir Malcolm continues his journey with the enigmatic Kaetenay.

Review: This episode of ‘Penny Dreadful’ re-introduced Dorian and Lilly into the story while continuing the thread started last week involving Victor Frankenstein and Dr. Jekyll.

The episode starts with Lilly and Dorian indulging in viewing a young girl as she is about to be butchered in what can only be described as no holds barred torture. Just as the torture is about to get started Lilly and Dorian savagely kill every one in the room and Lilly proclaims that the young girl is now hers.

Miss Ives once again returns to the psychiatrist who charges a pretty penny to hear her thoughts and feelings and pretty much hear Vanessa confess her worst sins. Turns out that Renfield is now in the employ of Dr. Seward who after hearing Vanessa’s story is obviously moved. Seward tells Vanessa to do something that makes her happy and talk about it at her next appointment.

This leads Vanessa back to the Natural History Museum where she entertains a lecture from Mr Sweet. The two continue to get along famously and Sweet talks of his friend Nemo, who is believed dead, but Sweet thinks he is still alive. They wind up watching a vintage puppet animation style show of Nemo’s most famous adventure ‘20,000 Leagues Under The Sea’ at Vanessa confesses to having a fascination with sea creatures.

Back at Dr. Seward’s practice Renfield is listening to a recording of Miss Ives most recent session with the psychiatrist, which will probably give him some information to report back to Dracula with.

Meanwhile in America Ethan is still being held prisoner by the gang that shanghaied him from police custody in order to reunite him with his father. It is apparent that Ethan has other plans and is contemplating escape.

Malcolm and his new acquaintance Kaetenay have started on their journey to America and are travelling by Sea, which is not something that Malcolm relishes. We get a fairly large info dump via Kaetenay at this point as he uses his little box of tricks in order to somehow psychically contact Ethan. The conversation with Ethan and Kaetenay is not exactly a pleasant affair.  Ethan tells the old man to maintain an ocean between them. A message, which Kaetenay has no intention of heeding because he needs Ethan for something. At this point it is not certain what Kaetenay’s agenda is here, but we do learn that the connection between him and Ethan is more supernatural than it is human.

Dr. Jekyll reveals to Victor that his lab is in Bedlam and is underground. He then demonstrates the method he intends to use on Lilly so that Victor can have her back as the innocent docile woman that he brought life to.

Towards the close of the episode Ethan is spending some time  in a bar. He’s is still handcuffed and the gang that are holding him have pretty much let their guard down and are spending a pretty penny in the bar. Ethan gets into a conversation with a bar keeper who is Apache. He remembers Ethan from when he spent time with the tribe and had dealings with Kaetenay. Ethan enquires about the fate of the tribe and learns that all died other than the bar tender and Kaetenay who is travelling around a lot and has not been seen. At this point Ethan tells the Bar Tender to leave and get as far away from the bar as possible. Safe in the knowledge that his bar tender friend is well away Ethan wolfs out and takes out the gang and everyone in the bar. Hacate also joins Ethan as she slivers forth from within the walls and lends a hand. She reunites with Ethan, but quite what that means as yet remains to be seen.

The closing scene much like last weeks ‘Penny Dreadful’ sees Renfield visiting the Vampire den and reporting back to Dracula. Having done his duty Renfield hungers for his masters blood and drinks hungrily from his offered wrist. The camera pans out to a fantastic overhead shot of Renfield drinking from Dracula’s wrist.

Much like last week this episode continues to set up story threads and give the audience some interesting questions to ponder.

One question that has me intrigued is quite who Keatenay is and what is it that he needs Ethan for. Also worth noting is Dr. Seward and how she seemed to be so moved by Miss Ives story when last week she was the very picture of professionalism to a point where she seemed extremely cold. Is Seward perhaps a student of the craft much like her relative maybe.

Acting wise pretty much everyone brought that A – Game this week making it very hard to really single anyone out.

I look forward to episode three and wonder where these new threads of story are going to lead. What event will happen to reunite Miss Ives with Sir Malcolm and Ethan.