10 Reasons why you should be watching Penny Dreadful + Giveaway

Hey.

Hey you.

I heard that you’re a fan of brilliant television. Right now I’m going to ask you to take a chance. TAKE A CHANCE ON ME. I have come before you today as a humble fan of horror television shows. However… I have hopes! I have made a list of my top ten reasons why YOU should be watching Penny Dreadful, Showtime’s wicked and wonderful horror-drama. After reading this list I guarantee that you’ll be rushing to your couch to binge watch the first season and second season. If you’re already a fan tell me if you think I’ve captured what makes Penny Dreadful so awesome and if I’ve missed any of its good points!

To further inspire you future Dreadfuls (or just get some cool swag for current ones) I’ve put together a Penny Dreadful inspired book prize pack!

How do you win? Read on to find out!! 😀

10. It blends classic literary stories together SO well.

Having Frankenstein, the Wolf Man, Dracula and Dorian Gray all in one show could get a little Monster Mash-y if not handled right. However, Penny Dreadful’s plot effortlessly blends these characters into one seamless storyline. Imagine Alan Moore’s The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen if you will, but with significantly more demons. Penny Dreadful also boasts a cast of original characters that help flesh out our favorite monsters as well.

9. Hulu is partnering with Showtime so you can watch it without cable or satellite.

Hulu recently announced that it was partnering with Showtime to provide a standalone streaming service. This means that you can catch up on both the first and second season without buying the DVD’s or paying for a cable or satellite subscription. Hulu costs $7.99 a month and the Showtime addition is an extra $8.99 a month. Around $17 a month to watch any Showtime program you want and live stream Penny Dreadful during it’s 3rd season is a pretty darn sweet deal.

8. COSPLAY OPPORTUNITIES GALORE.

There is nothing I love more than a good cosplay and this show has SO many options. If you love fancy Victorian gowns then you can cosplay it up as Vanessa Ives! You want to be a dapper man with wealth and grace? Dorian Grey is your man. You’re more into the horror and creature type vibe? Good news! The Creature is perfect for you!

One of my favorite face painters out there did a wonderful tutorial for my favorite character the Creature!! TAKE A GANDER!!!!

7. The production quality is up the wing-wang.

Man the time and effort put into accurately reproducing Victorian London. The costumes and makeup are always on point and the sets are just to die for. Every little detail is so thoroughly planned out that it is mind boggling. The script calls for a ball scene? The actors learn how to waltz. Oh they need to be waltzing in a ballroom while blood rains down upon them. Done. Penny Dreadful’s Youtube site has a bunch of behind the scenes features that show just how much work goes into making the show.

It looks so good!! Just look at that sitting room!

6. The score is absolutely stunning

I know it’s bad but I always end up judging a show by it’s theme music. If the show has a bad opening theme I am automatically turned off. However Penny Dreadful has an absolutely stunning score done by composer Abel Korzeniowski. This year Penny Dreadful even got an Emmy nomination for it’s beautiful and at times haunting score.

Take a listen! The theme really sets the tone of the show!

5.  John Logan is the creator/writer of the show. JOHN LOGAN.

The man who wrote Gladiator CREATED and wrote Penny Dreadful. He also wrote Skyfall, The Aviator, adapted Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. But man Gladiator is a freaking masterpiece in my opinion. From stage plays to movies and TV shows John Logan has done it all. So if his involvement in the show doesn’t make you salivate like Pavlov’s dogs… I don’t know what will.

4. Rory Kinnear. That is all.

We all love Frankenstein’s creature. Everyone does! However we rarely get to see any version of him other than the Boris Karloff type. The Creature is a poet deep down, but is plagued with the violence that humanity has thrust upon him. Brilliant British actor Rory Kinnear portrays a creature closer to Mary Shelley’s version. If his name doesn’t sound familiar he plays Bill Tanner in Quantum of Solace and the subsequent Bond Films. He also played the Prime Minister in Britain’s answer to the Twilight Zone, Black Mirror (Another show that should be binged!!). Rory Kinnear creature is the embodiment of human rejection. He is articulate and well read, but because of his appearance he is disdained by those around him. While he is a monster by nature he is by far one of the most human characters in the show.

Check out a small excerpt from season 2 of the creature reciting poetry by John Clare:

3. Penny Dreadful handles controversial topics like a pro (but no one seems to notice?)

It seems like any time Game of Thrones does ANYTHING the internet is up in arms about it. I absolutely adore GoT but it seems like no one notices the subjects that other programs are able to breach! Penny Dreadful has dealt with homosexuality, transgender identities, drug abuse and a whole mess of other issues in a tactful and well thought out way. Also Penny Dreadful easily has some of the best written female characters around with Vanessa Ives, the witches and Victor Frankenstein’s latest creature Lily. They are the bomb-diggitiest!!

Ethan Chandler ain’t afraid to ship it.

2. The show gives you all the feels.

This show is an emotional roller coaster, for reals. In a single episode you can laugh, jump from fright and then end up bawling your eyes out. GOD FORBID YOU WATCH A VANESSA FLASHBACK. I get emotionally attached to characters, but man this show is the worst. You can ship characters if you want… but be careful. Your heart will be ripped out of your chest cavity at some point. There’s death, heart break, general disillusion with humanity as a whole and You. Will. Love it.  I can’t say much more in this section because I don’t want to spoil to much, but trust me.

Sir Malcolm accurately depicting my face at the end of season 2.

1. Vanessa Ives is possibly the best character of all time.

If whatever else I wrote doesn’t make you the least bit interested in watching Penny Dreadful please try and watch it for the sake of Vanessa Ives. Eva Green honestly deserves all the awards possible for her role on this show. She’s strong, beautiful and isn’t afraid to do an exorcism scene. In a time where women were little more than objects, there is Vanessa Ives. A bona fide bada** who isn’t afraid of the world around her. She’s not perfect by any means and her life is rife with conflict, but that’s why we love her even more. Vanessa isn’t a damsel in distress and never will be. She’s the core of the show and makes Penny Dreadful the unique and wonderful show that it is. Eva Green is so dedicated to this role that I can’t imagine anyone else playing it. VANESSA IVES IS EVERYTHING. XD

Feeling like watching/ re-watching it yet?! I know I sure am!! 😀

Now for the giveaway!!!

This month for the Geek Lyfe book of the month giveaway I’ll be doing a classic horror bundle!!

Included in the bundle is:

-A copy of The Picture of Dorian Gray

-A copy of Frankenstein

-A copy of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

-A copy of Dracula

This fabulous prize pack can be yours in two easy steps!

1. Share this post!

2. Tell me who your favorite classic horror monster is! 😀

(This can be done either on this website article or the original Facebook post)

Winner will be picked the 27th! Good luck!

-Spocktopus