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Penny Dreadful 1.07
Which I finally got to watch. Why do I not have an Eva Green icon?
This was what we used to call a bottle show in Star Trek, i.e. no guest stars (the brief cameo by the priest near the end aside) and only the standard film set used - or rather, only a part of it, as the action remained firmly confined to Malcolm's town house, and while both Victor and Ethan were summoned, we only saw them upon arrival. It heightened the sense of claustrophobia, which is a good thing for possession/exorcism stories.
Eva Green was stunning throughout, though I remain uneasy about this particular trope. I think my favourite twist on the Exorcist was the one Angel came up with, in a season 1 episode called I've got you under my skin, where it turned out that while there was a demon possessing the child, it was actually the demon trapped inside the child and the child the one who was truly evil, with the demon trying in vain to escape. Also, it was just one demon, not good old Lucifer of Satan and fallen angel fame, as which the guy in question in this episode identified himself to Vanessa. I still say this is a mistake for any horror series, and not just because Being Human couldn't pull it off. There's also the question of why if this is the devil himself, he's going through the trouble of possessing one particular individual in the most obvious way possible, causing no greater havoc than scaring her (or his) immediate social circle and damaging her body. I mean: if you want to cause damage in the late Victorian age and want to wipe out humanity, there are a bunch of politicians in all nations preparing the ground for World War I that come to mind as far more efficient tools. At least he gave a motive this time, i.e. wanting Vanessa as his consort, though old Egyptian prophecies not withstanding, I don't see how this would produce the apocalypse.
Aaaaaanyway. The Prince of Darkness aside, everyone else got their good character scenes in this episode. Ethan being the moral voice and the conscience of the group and developing his bond with Vanessa further - when she talked about having a beast scratching inside, it was impossible not to recall that Ethan is most likely a werewolf (and I think at one point we saw the wolf in the mirror when he was keeping watch) - makes me suddenly suspicious of his survival chances. Also the fact that Vanessa tried to make him promise he'd kill her (though unfortunately for her, she wasn't talking to Ethan at that point), and that he didn't and managed the exorcism instead. Now I hadn't been afraid Vanessa would actually die - the character is far too central for that -, but it's the second time the show points out that in Vanessa's pov, the promise to kill someone if they're beyond hope the the sign of true love/friendship. And Ethan is so resolutely a good guy that SOMETHING is bound to happen to endanger that. So, speculation: the next full moon we'll finally get to see Ethan transform, and as a werewolf he'll threaten someone human Ethan would never want to harm (Brona comes to mind); it will be a situation where the only way Vanessa will be able to stop him is by shooting the wolf (though hopefully not with a silver bullet).
...or I could be wrong. But that's my current guess.
Incidentally, as I mentioned in my last review, St. Jude is the patron saint for lost causes, so Ethan using the medaillion Brona gave him to perform the exorcism at the end is very apropos. That the priest earlier refuses to perform an exorcism because he'd need permission first is a nice nod to historical reality. Victor's hostile attitude and the fact that Ethan knowns the words to an exorcism points to Vanessa not being the only (former) Catholic with issues. (In fact, Malcolm might be the only (former) Protestant, defying the percentages.) Lucifer-in-Vanessa brings up the legend of Matthew being nailed to a cross upside down, and all of this makes me wonder whether scriptwriter John Logan has that same background.
Practically the only non-dark scene was Victor showing the unexpected survival sense of asking Ethan for shooting lessons after spotting Caliban through the window, and it was almost a breath of air. Though Victor's unexpected survival sense (and newfound friendship with Ethan) doesn't extend to actually telling anyone he's stalked by his creature, who has threatened to kill anyone he's close to, which is something Victor has in common with his novel original. Mind you, this made me less worried for Ethan (whom I'm worried about for other reasons, see above) than wondering how a werewolf versus Creature fight would go down - surely it must have happened in one of the later Universal movies?
Fortunately, the trend of giving Sembene actual dialogue continues, this time with Ethan questioning him about his background. Sembene rejects everoyne's favourite guess that Malcolm saved his life in order to bring up everyone's other favourite guess - that he saved Malcolm's life ("and now I feel responsible for him") as a "maybe", which probably translates in this having happened but other things he's not deigning to tell Ethan as well. What he makes very much clear is that him being in London is his choice. Also, as opposed to the rest of the men who when asked whether they believe in God reply with variations of "no", he says "I believe in everything".
More nods to history: Victor is addition to being an early follower of psychoanalytical theories uses drugs both on himself and on patients. He mentions being given drugs as a child which reminded me that I've thought more than once the entire 19th century must have passed in a purple haze, because there were opiates in everything, including medicine for children, with laudanum only the most famous variation for adults. Speaking of, to further the drug theme, we find out (via possessed Vanessa) that Malcolm's wife took laudanum. And Victor when asked by Malcolm for something to keep awake gives him a cocaine variation. Victorian literature's most famous cocaine user says hello, I suppose.
Malcolm tells two (not mutually exclusive) versions of Peter's fate to Ethan and to Victor respectively, the darker one to Victor with an added "so no, Doctor, I have no shred of decency". He also goes from being horrified by Vanessa's possession to coming up with an idea of how to use it for the Mina quest, because he's that kind of ruthless bastard. I note, though, that when Ethan ends his furious speech "you want your daughter, well, here she is", he does not say anything, including a denial of Vanessa being his daughter. Which doesn't have to mean she is (biologically speaking), because it's part of what the emotional reality is (which trumps biology in any case). However it's not the only thing she is to him, and therein, as Ethan notes to Victor elsewehre, lies the rub.
Vanessa's vision/dream of where Mina is ncludes the theatre, which makes me eye the chandelier again. That thing is going DOWN, I tell you.
Possessed!Vanessa bring up the Ethan/Dorian sex and nobody batting an eyelid (about that part, anyway, they're too busy with feelings re: Vanessa's possession): speaks of them having their priorities straight (no pun intended), i.e. Vanessa's state is a concern, Ethan's sex life is not, and/or openess of mind re: bisexuality?
Vanessa and Malcolm doing their exchange of looks with too many things to say again: in the very last scene. How many episodes do we have left?
This was what we used to call a bottle show in Star Trek, i.e. no guest stars (the brief cameo by the priest near the end aside) and only the standard film set used - or rather, only a part of it, as the action remained firmly confined to Malcolm's town house, and while both Victor and Ethan were summoned, we only saw them upon arrival. It heightened the sense of claustrophobia, which is a good thing for possession/exorcism stories.
Eva Green was stunning throughout, though I remain uneasy about this particular trope. I think my favourite twist on the Exorcist was the one Angel came up with, in a season 1 episode called I've got you under my skin, where it turned out that while there was a demon possessing the child, it was actually the demon trapped inside the child and the child the one who was truly evil, with the demon trying in vain to escape. Also, it was just one demon, not good old Lucifer of Satan and fallen angel fame, as which the guy in question in this episode identified himself to Vanessa. I still say this is a mistake for any horror series, and not just because Being Human couldn't pull it off. There's also the question of why if this is the devil himself, he's going through the trouble of possessing one particular individual in the most obvious way possible, causing no greater havoc than scaring her (or his) immediate social circle and damaging her body. I mean: if you want to cause damage in the late Victorian age and want to wipe out humanity, there are a bunch of politicians in all nations preparing the ground for World War I that come to mind as far more efficient tools. At least he gave a motive this time, i.e. wanting Vanessa as his consort, though old Egyptian prophecies not withstanding, I don't see how this would produce the apocalypse.
Aaaaaanyway. The Prince of Darkness aside, everyone else got their good character scenes in this episode. Ethan being the moral voice and the conscience of the group and developing his bond with Vanessa further - when she talked about having a beast scratching inside, it was impossible not to recall that Ethan is most likely a werewolf (and I think at one point we saw the wolf in the mirror when he was keeping watch) - makes me suddenly suspicious of his survival chances. Also the fact that Vanessa tried to make him promise he'd kill her (though unfortunately for her, she wasn't talking to Ethan at that point), and that he didn't and managed the exorcism instead. Now I hadn't been afraid Vanessa would actually die - the character is far too central for that -, but it's the second time the show points out that in Vanessa's pov, the promise to kill someone if they're beyond hope the the sign of true love/friendship. And Ethan is so resolutely a good guy that SOMETHING is bound to happen to endanger that. So, speculation: the next full moon we'll finally get to see Ethan transform, and as a werewolf he'll threaten someone human Ethan would never want to harm (Brona comes to mind); it will be a situation where the only way Vanessa will be able to stop him is by shooting the wolf (though hopefully not with a silver bullet).
...or I could be wrong. But that's my current guess.
Incidentally, as I mentioned in my last review, St. Jude is the patron saint for lost causes, so Ethan using the medaillion Brona gave him to perform the exorcism at the end is very apropos. That the priest earlier refuses to perform an exorcism because he'd need permission first is a nice nod to historical reality. Victor's hostile attitude and the fact that Ethan knowns the words to an exorcism points to Vanessa not being the only (former) Catholic with issues. (In fact, Malcolm might be the only (former) Protestant, defying the percentages.) Lucifer-in-Vanessa brings up the legend of Matthew being nailed to a cross upside down, and all of this makes me wonder whether scriptwriter John Logan has that same background.
Practically the only non-dark scene was Victor showing the unexpected survival sense of asking Ethan for shooting lessons after spotting Caliban through the window, and it was almost a breath of air. Though Victor's unexpected survival sense (and newfound friendship with Ethan) doesn't extend to actually telling anyone he's stalked by his creature, who has threatened to kill anyone he's close to, which is something Victor has in common with his novel original. Mind you, this made me less worried for Ethan (whom I'm worried about for other reasons, see above) than wondering how a werewolf versus Creature fight would go down - surely it must have happened in one of the later Universal movies?
Fortunately, the trend of giving Sembene actual dialogue continues, this time with Ethan questioning him about his background. Sembene rejects everoyne's favourite guess that Malcolm saved his life in order to bring up everyone's other favourite guess - that he saved Malcolm's life ("and now I feel responsible for him") as a "maybe", which probably translates in this having happened but other things he's not deigning to tell Ethan as well. What he makes very much clear is that him being in London is his choice. Also, as opposed to the rest of the men who when asked whether they believe in God reply with variations of "no", he says "I believe in everything".
More nods to history: Victor is addition to being an early follower of psychoanalytical theories uses drugs both on himself and on patients. He mentions being given drugs as a child which reminded me that I've thought more than once the entire 19th century must have passed in a purple haze, because there were opiates in everything, including medicine for children, with laudanum only the most famous variation for adults. Speaking of, to further the drug theme, we find out (via possessed Vanessa) that Malcolm's wife took laudanum. And Victor when asked by Malcolm for something to keep awake gives him a cocaine variation. Victorian literature's most famous cocaine user says hello, I suppose.
Malcolm tells two (not mutually exclusive) versions of Peter's fate to Ethan and to Victor respectively, the darker one to Victor with an added "so no, Doctor, I have no shred of decency". He also goes from being horrified by Vanessa's possession to coming up with an idea of how to use it for the Mina quest, because he's that kind of ruthless bastard. I note, though, that when Ethan ends his furious speech "you want your daughter, well, here she is", he does not say anything, including a denial of Vanessa being his daughter. Which doesn't have to mean she is (biologically speaking), because it's part of what the emotional reality is (which trumps biology in any case). However it's not the only thing she is to him, and therein, as Ethan notes to Victor elsewehre, lies the rub.
Vanessa's vision/dream of where Mina is ncludes the theatre, which makes me eye the chandelier again. That thing is going DOWN, I tell you.
Possessed!Vanessa bring up the Ethan/Dorian sex and nobody batting an eyelid (about that part, anyway, they're too busy with feelings re: Vanessa's possession): speaks of them having their priorities straight (no pun intended), i.e. Vanessa's state is a concern, Ethan's sex life is not, and/or openess of mind re: bisexuality?
Vanessa and Malcolm doing their exchange of looks with too many things to say again: in the very last scene. How many episodes do we have left?
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Ethan's sexuality is indeed probably the least remarkable thing to the present company. I doubt Victor cares at all, and Malcolm has probably seen and done pretty much everything on the sex spectrum (much of it probably horrifying).
I didn't get the impression that the Demon is literally Lucifer, rather someone who takes it as a "well, that'll do" identity. On the other hand, as you mentioned, Catholicism is central to all of this, plus it's inexorably linked to the supernatural in Western culture moreso than any other religion. (Although the Egyptian gods suggest that perhaps this Demon is something common to all religions?)
I'm with you on wondering WHY Vanessa? Her childhood self falling prey to a demon sort of made sense, but there doesn't seem to be much special about her except the fact she has this demon in her. Maybe the Demon just has an Eva Green crush. I'm tempted to think it all has something to do with Malcolm - Vanessa being possessed and Mina being taken. Maybe he unleashed something in Africa? Is Nile fever more than just an obsession?
Malcolm really fascinates me: he's done horrible, unforgivable things even if you look at them in the best possible light, and he doesn't seem capable of changing... yet he seems to feel a desperate need to confess. To have even those closest to him, on whom he relies, know how much of a bastard he is.
I think Malcolm and Victor need to set up a practice as consulting detectives when this is all over.
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Well, Malcolm unleashing something in Africa back int the day that started the whole rigmarole would tie with both The Exorcist and Henry Rider Haggard.
Malcolm's need to spell out just how bad he is to people whom he needs is indeed fascinating. As I said, he's the lone character whom we know WASN'T a Catholic to start with (since Vanessa mentions how weird her and her parents' Catholicism was to the Murrays back in the day). The most fundamental difference established in the reformation: Protestantism: you can only be saved via faith (Luther)/God's will (Zwingli & Calvin). Catholicism: You can be saved via faith and good works. There used to be a branch of Calvinism believing in inescapable damnation. I could buy Malcolm be the type of ex Calvinist who is an atheist these days but in one part of himself considers himself dammed. Anyway, there's also the different approach to confession: repentance, confession, penance, absolution in Catholicism and confession to a priest specifically. However, if you don't believe in the person you're confessing to being a mediator to God with the power to grant you absolution after confession, then your confession is the Protestant type of self examination, which may be what Malcolm does. Or: he could be looking for punishment. I mean, he specifically asked Vanessa to stay with him AFTER she gave him the "you suck!" speech; he's opening up now to Ethan AFTER Ethan made it clear he thinks Malcolm is skeevy and that he won't hesitate to kill him if necessary; and he tells Victor the darkest version of Peter's death and the aftermath after allowing Victor to inject him with a drug. (Which Victor could change at any moment to a lethal dose.) I do wonder whether one reason why he's so obsessed with finding Mina is not just to save her (whether or not that's possible) but because he wants her to kill him as punishment for his deeds. (I.e. the Malcolm equivalent of Vanessa wanting to find Mina to kill her, thus saving her.)
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Malcolm has such a conflicted relationship with Vanessa, split between "daughter" and "lust object" and "person he'll use and even kill to get Mina back". I suspect his quest for Mina is an attempt at some kind of redemption, as she seems to be his only surviving family, but yes, maybe it's a longing for death too. I think that Mina as a quest is much more attractive than Mina safe at home. He obviously wasn't much of a father to her. And he's certainly one for obsessive quests.
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Concerning the manner of Peter's death, we possess a tradition — attested to by Tertullian at the end of the second century (see above) and by Origen (in Eusebius, Church History II.1)—that he suffered crucifixion. Origen says: "Peter was crucified at Rome with his head downwards, as he himself had desired to suffer".
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I saw the wolf too! I only remembered when you mentioned it - I was going to rewind and look more closely but I was engrossed. So much going on in this episode.
Eva Green is astounding in this! I'm so glad I started watching.
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Because coincidence is really a thing, I just read an article via Huff Post earlier today that your comment about the Devil reminded me of: At least he gave a motive this time, i.e. wanting Vanessa as his consort, though old Egyptian prophecies not withstanding, I don't see how this would produce the apocalypse.
The AHS article mentioned that a character in season 1, Murder House, said that the progeny of a ghost and a human would be the Antichrist. This in turn reminded me of Rosemary's Baby, where the progeny of the Devil and a human WAS the Antichrist.
Anyway, this is one way Vanessa as consort might indeed produce the apocalypse.
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I'm awaiting season 2 with bated breath!
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