Nicole Edmonds

I have to say that there are a lot of decisions that the show runners have made about the “Penny Dreadful” franchise that I simply do not understand. I don’t understand why they walked away from the original, which was brilliant. The smartest thing that they could do is to gather together the cast of the original PD and start with a movie franchise. And then create another show with an entirely different name please. All of that business about how they could just feel that the story was told, is, in this viewer’s opinion, laziness and lack of inspiration that has become boilerplate for our times. It seems like basic work ethic is missing and it’s not fair to the fans. You present your creation, you get people hooked on it, and then you’re out of there. People used to hope that they could keep their show on the air and be viable for as many years as possible. Now, shows produce 12 weeks of programming a year, take an impossibly long time off before going back into production, creators end their commitment to a show In the shortest period of time possible, and then question why fans are angry. To make matters worse, sometimes we see incidences of spoiled, privileged actors who would be nothing without the public, accusing the public of being ungrateful as the cast of “Game of Thrones” did. They didn’t mind milking public opinion for all it was worth to their own personal glory and comfort, but they completely disrespect the public when they don’t like the opinions of the current work. Celebrities are not entitled to garner approval. I think that was a case of the pot calling the kettle black. Who’s ungrateful? Who?? I hope you don’t see this is unrelated, it isn’t. I think that it’s the same kind of attitude that allowed the show runners of “Penny Dreadful” to believe that they could regurgitate this series as something that bears absolutely no similarity to the original save the name, Rory Kinnear, and the lead female character having a British accent. The story is uninteresting, the characters are completely uncompelling, and to be honest, it seems like opportunistic pandering that show runners are trying so hard to make a statement that they think will be a reflection of the times in which we in the United States find ourselves as a country. If the fans of Penny Dreadful, the original, wanted as entertainment something that plunges them into the rather miserable times we are in, there are a lot of other things out there to watch. I tried very hard to come to the show viewing it without bias. I knew in advance that it was going to be a complete departure from the original and I set my mind to viewing it as if it was a brand new, entirely disconnected show. That did not help. My mind over matter abilities are solid and it didn’t work. Honestly, don’t waste your time with it. I mean, if you’re the kind of person who has to find out for yourself, go for it, but it’s completely uninspiring and I would be surprised if you still feel compelled to return to it beyond about five episodes. I would rather binge watch an entire series I’ve already seen three times than watch this show new. Yes, that bad. The actors are talented. It’s the only reason this didn’t get one star.