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Nathan Lane, Natalie Dormer, and Daniel Zovatto in Penny Dreadful: City of Angels (2020)

Review by S-the-Man

Penny Dreadful: City of Angels

2/10

John Logan, what have you done?!

I was looking forward to this spin-off series, because I loved the original series and found it satisfyingly dark and atmospheric. Unfortunately, I was sorely disappointed with this travesty. I understand that this is a spin-off and different from the original series, but come on, you could have at least tried to make it interesting!

This spin-off features many elements (racial problems, politics etc) that have already been handled better in other TV shows and films. And, let's face it, many of us viewers have become fed up with them and don't want to watch them anymore.

I would've loved to see this spin-off feature something truly dark, like elements taken from Edgar Allan Poe's stories and H.P. Lovecraft's magnificent cosmic horror stories (a dark and windy seaside setting with terrifying otherwordly beings and tentacles would've made my day - oh how I long to see Lovecraft filmed in an approriately dark way without happy endings). Laird Barron's dark stories also would've provided the makers with good material. But alas, we get a dash of Mexican mythology mixed up with annoying politics and racial elements.... Boring! Very boring!

One of the biggest problems in this spin-off is Natalie Dormer, because she simply can't compete with Eva Green from the original series. She does her best, but that's not enough for me. I miss Eva Green, because she was amazing and made the original what it is. I think that other viewers also miss her.

I won't be watching this show anymore, but I will watch the original series over and over again, because it was an outstanding achievement in dark fantasy/horror. Please, if you make another spin-off, let it be based on Poe and Lovecraft, and let it be truly dark!
  • S-the-Man
  • Apr 26, 2020

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