11 GIFs to Catch You Up on Penny Dreadful Before Season 3
Showtime's gothic literary mashup is back for its third season on Sunday. Here's a quick primer on where we left everyone last season.
Eva Green as Vanessa in Penny Dreadful (Episode 101). - Photo: Jonathan Hession/SHOWTIME - Photo ID: PennyDreadful_101_QU6A2491.rPatrick Redmond
Penny Dreadful is back this weekend. But it’s been more than nine months since we last hung out with Vanessa Ives (Eva Green) and her band of dreary weirdos. (We mean that as a compliment.) And when you’re talking about a show that ties together Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, werewolf lore, and a host of other gothic horror tales, there's a monstrous number of narrative threads to remember before diving back in. We pulled together a few key moments to refresh your memory of what went down on Showtime’s morbid mashup in Season 2. (Spoilers follow, naturally.)
ShowtimeVanessa's Crisis of Faith
At the beginning of last season, Vanessa was convinced she’d been abandoned by God after being possessed by Satan in Season 1—hey, it happens—and was searching for redemption. That was made a little difficult, of course, with the coven of witches trying to capture her for the prince of darkness himself
ShowtimeMeanwhile, In Dr. Frankenstein’s Lab…
Last season, Dr. Victor Frankenstein (Harry Treadaway) made himself a Creature (John Clare, played by Rory Kinnear), then cast the Creature out. Problem is, reanimated corpses are like bad pennies, and when this one turned up he wanted Frankenstein to make him a mate. Victor did—out of the body of the former girlfriend of Ethan Chandler (Josh Hartnett). She’s named Lily (Billie Piper), and Frankenstein inevitably falls for her, leaving John Clare twice scorned.
ShowtimeWhere's Ethan? Were-Ethan!
Oh yeah, Ethan Chandler. So he’s a werewolf now. (An American one! In London!) He believes he’s a danger to everyone around him—which he kind of is—and threatens to go back to America. Which was a good idea, considering that this dad is sending the Pinkertons after him. Of course, he didn’t actually go until the end of the season, after he helped Vanessa with that whole witch thing.
ShowtimeWhich Witch Is This Witch?
The witches, who are also vampire-like demons called “nightcomers,” are led by Evelyn Poole (Helen McCrory); Poole has poisoned/seduced Sir Malcolm Murray—and in doing so has really annoyed Vanessa, who was BFFs with Murray’s daughter Mina. (If you've read *Dracula*, "Mina Murray" may mean something.). Evelyn only wants Vanessa, but Sir Malcolm is too enchanted to see that.
ShowtimeSir Malcolm in the Middle
Why was Sir Malcolm, a pretty tough guy, so susceptible to Evelyn's charms? Well, he’s been having a really tough time following the death of his son and daughter. His boy died exploring in Africa; his daughter was taken by a vampire, turned into bloodsucker, and eventually killed by Malcolm to protect Vanessa. So yeah, dude’s got issues—and when Evelyn started preying on them, he was powerless.
ShowtimeLily's Late-Breaking Liberation
Remember the part about the re-animated Lily and how both Frankenstein and his Creature were into her? Well she had a feminist awakening and blew them both off, vowing “never again will I kneel to any man.” (It's worth noting that in her literal former life she was a prostitute.) She may try to kill her maker, but that doesn't mean we'll ever stop rooting for her.
ShowtimeVanessa's Flashback Witch Friend
Season 2 featured a seriously great bottle episode, in which Vanessa remembered journeying to the woods in order to figure out what had happened to Mina. There she met with a witch (Patti LuPone), who promised that the agents of the devil would “hunt you ’till the end of days.”
ShowtimeInto the Woods (Again)
Fearing London is unsafe, Vanessa went back to that place in the woods where she first met the witch. (Solid decision.) Ethan went along as her protector, and as the two started to develop … *feelings,* he tried to hide his full-moon behavior.
ShowtimeWitchcraft!
Evelyn, who has been building a creepy-ass voodoo-doll-esque Vanessa figurine, is setting a trap to get the devil’s plaything back. Her daughter, perhaps sensing that Vanessa isn’t a shrinking violet, wonders if she’ll be able to pull it off.
ShowtimeLily and Dorian Gray—a Match Made in Hell
So after leaving Frankenstein and the Creature in the dust, Lily took a walk on the Wilde side with Dorian Gray (Reeve Carney). Frankenstein tried to show up and kill his creation, but both Dorian and Lily laughed in his face. He shot them—then they danced the night away.
ShowtimeVanessa Showed Those Witches Who’s the Boss
Eventually, Vanessa confronted the coven. But try as they might, they couldn't manage to overpower her. (Surprise, witches!) Instead, Vanessa crushed the face of that creepy voodoo-doll-thing Evelyn made—and crushed Evelyn too, with one hell of a sick burn. BOOM.
Angela Watercutter is WIRED's senior editor for special projects. Prior to joining WIRED she was a reporter for the Associated Press. Watercutter was also a senior editor of Longshot magazine and a contributor to Pop-Up Magazine. She received a bachelor of science degree in journalism from Ohio University. ... Read more
