WhenPenny Dreadfulabruptly ended in 2016, creatorJohn Loganand producerSam Mendes— who had previously worked onSkyfall— brought a satisfying yet heartbreaking conclusion to the story of Vanessa Ives (Eva Green) and her supporting cast of monsters, hunters, and predators such as Dr. Frankenstein (Harry Treadaway), his Creature (Rory Kinnear), Dorian Gray (Reeve Carney), and the American werewolf in London Ethan Chandler (Josh Hartnett). With the critical and popular acclaim for the show’s skillful plotting and the way it brought together great literary and pop culture horror characters, its ending created an absence for a similar connected monster universe. Because these characters fall under public domain, there was an opportunity to capitalize onPenny Dreadful’s success.
Enter Universal Studios, who sought out to follow in Marvel and Disney’s success by mapping out their own shared universe based on their classic horror icons of the past. Beginning with 2017’sThe Mummy, the Dark Universe would be led byTom Cruise’s Nick Morton,Sofia Boutella’s Ahmanet,Russell Croweas Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,Javier Bardemas Frankenstein’s Monster,Johnny Deppas the Invisible Man, and the potential forAngelina Jolie’s Bride of Frankenstein. But apart fromThe Mummy, none of these came to fruition (outside of theinfamous cast photo).The Mummyfailed at the box office and cost the studio losses, and the Dark Universe petered out (Leigh Whannel’sThe Invisible Manin 2020 was a reworking of the character separate from the previous label, which was for the best).
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The problem with Universal Studios’ vision for a shared monster universe was precisely that — a shared universe. Even within 2017’sThe Mummy, a large portion of the movie sets up Dr. Henry Jeckyll’s in the “Nick Fury” role who would eventually bring together these monsters through his secret organization, Prodigium. The studio lost sight of story, direction, and vision because of their overt concern with mimicking the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Even with stars like Tom Cruise and Russell Crowe, audiences and critics couldn’t latch onto a narrative that would sustain their investment in an entire universe.
Penny Dreadfulhad a star-studded team of its own, led by Eva Green just a few years removed fromCasino Royaleand300: Rise of an Empire. The mere presence of veteran James Bond actorTimothy DaltonmadePenny Dreadfula more premium, cinematic foray into the literary Gothic — especially compared to other shows that incorporate lore and legend, like The CW’sSupernaturaland NBC’sGrimm. With Logan and Mendes working together behind the scenes, of course the cinematic quality of the show would be expected. Even the recruitment of a visionary director likeJ. A. Bayona— who helmedThe Impossible,A Monster Calls, and laterJurassic World: Fallen Kingdom— gavePenny Dreadfulthe perfect aesthetic and production qualities to bring to life late 19th century London and its supernatural underworld of vampires, witches, and ghouls. The practical make-up, special effects, and set pieces lent more to the show’s scares than the kind of CGI action-horror that Cruise and directorAlex Kurtzmanbrought toThe Mummy.
But apart from meeting the expectations of bringing together such monsters and horror icons,Penny Dreadfulsucceeds in setting up these characters with stories that justify long-term, interconnected storytelling. Unlike a theatrical feature, the show’s roughly ten episodes per season allowed these plotlines to take their time to introduce characters and bring them together, instead of rushing to their culmination in a haphazardAvengers-style tease. For example, not only do we find out that the young doctor enlisted to help Vanessa Ives and Malcolm Murray (Dalton) is actually Dr. Victor Frankenstein at the end of the first episode of Season One, we later find out that his newest creature Proteus was not the first. The original Frankenstein’s Monster doesn’t appear until episode two and his story is further fleshed out across the series. Though they are supporting characters — the main protagonist being Vanessa Ives and her eventual fate as the prophesied bride to Satan — Victor and the Monster are given enough time and dedication to develop as characters that audiences could invest in.
Even as the supporting cast and characters were given significant storylines and development,Penny Dreadfulwas always about Vanessa Ives. Since a child, Vanessa was approached and even possessed by the Devil, leading to her time in an asylum and her eventual fallout with her family and loved ones. She is the heroine and protagonist ofPenny Dreadful, even as she is constantly tested by the evils around her, like season 2’s “nightcomer” and big-bad Evelyn Poole (Helen McCory) and season 3’s Dracula (Christian Camargo). Her history and dynamic with Malcolm and her daughter Mina (Olivia Llewellyn) is complex, becoming especially complicated as Vanessa and Malcolm reconnect and Malcolm becomes a pseudo father figure to her. Her training in her supernatural powers adds another layer to her character, as in season 2 we learn that she was, in fact, trained by a witch, Joan Clayton (Patti LuPone). Even as Vanessa shares intimacy with Dorian Gray, seeks Dr. Victor Frankenstein as an ally, befriends the Monster, and falls in love with wolfman Ethan Chandler,Penny Dreadfulnever loses sight of its primary protagonist and throughline.
John Logan, as the creator, had a singular vision and foresight into the series’ three seasons and made good on the story’s promise. “For me the character of Vanessa Ives is the heart of this series,”Logan stated, “From the beginning, I imagined [Vanessa’s] story would unfold over a three-season arc, ending with Vanessa finally – and triumphantly – finding peace as she returns to her faith.” In the show’s finale, Vanessa gives up her title as Mother of Darkness by accepting her love for Ethan and relinquishing her partnership with Dracula — though, to do so, Ethan inevitably kills her. It’s a star-crossed love story with a Gothic twist, and unique in that the main protagonist — whom we’ve seen grow throughout the series — is indeed killed off in the end. It’s a testament to Logan’s concern for what’s right for the characters and the show, rather than planting any intention in prolongingPenny Dreadfulin subsequent seasons.
Logan did return toPenny Dreadful, if only by title, withPenny Dreadful: City of Angelsin 2020 which takes an anthological approach with different characters and separate storylines entirely — though, that iteration was unfortunately canceled after one season. Still, the original series gave fans of these iconic characters something special in its limited time on air. Rather than developing a franchise-making machine, the universe established inPenny Dreadfulis contained in both setting (London) and scope (Vanessa Ive’s story in three seasons). In knowing the kind of story it wanted to tell and in taking its time to do so,Penny Dreadfulsucceeded in bringing together such legendary monsters and creatures in a truly engaging run on television that earned every bit of investment from audiences.
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