Penny Dreadful: Evil Spirits in Heavenly Places
May 25, 2015 7:04 AM - Season 2, Episode 4 - Subscribe

Lyle reveals how the story of the Verbis Diablo affects Vanessa.

*Inspector Rusk looks for connections between the Mariner's Inn Massacre and the train car murders.
*Victor takes Vanessa to a dress shop for guidance in buying clothes for his 'country cousin' Lily.
*Dorian takes Angelique on a date to Gossima Parlour, for ping pong playing, champagne, and passionate kissing.
*Ethan & Sembene do the dishes.
*The witches attack Malcolm & Co. at the house, getting away with a lock of Vanessa's hair.
posted by oh yeah! (22 comments total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 


I have wanted some more Sembene back story for a while now and after last night....I really do. I have a feeling that there is a lot more to come with him (hopefully!)
posted by pearlybob at 8:05 AM on May 25, 2015


Nice change of pace (until the yellow wallpaper), but I was a bit creeped out that Vanessa wanted to dress Lily exactly like her vampire ex-girlfriend. The ping pong action between Angelique and Dorian was as surreal a moment as any of the occult stuff, but in a sweet way.

If the witches can infiltrate the house, why not just kidnap Van and drag her off to Evelyn Poole's Mansion of Dead Baby Horror? I still think EP is very wary of Vanessa's raw power and that's why she's resorting to traditional evil witchy methods of manipulation, perhaps to break her down so she willingly submits? I'm not clear how Vanessa shagging the Devil last season and causing Anna Chancellor to drop dead wasn't enough to become his bride though.

Ferdinand Lyle continues to delight but I predict that Mrs Murray will meet a sticky end soon, so that Evelyn can marry Sir Malcolm. Looks like Sembene is going to have to save everyone - totally agree that his backstory is sorely needed. As is his cake.

Lily is pretty much going to take over the world - I'd like to know if she is immortal and as strong as the Creature - and the Putneys are going to do something truly terrible in their cellar. Just waiting for the massive car crash that will be Victor/The Creature/Lily/Ethan/Vanessa.
posted by along came the crocodile at 8:29 AM on May 25, 2015 [2 favorites]


I've been enjoying these recaps on Words and Film!

That was fun - and I didn't even notice the byline until I finished reading. I've added the recap links for all the S2 episode threads.
posted by oh yeah! at 8:36 AM on May 25, 2015


Just waiting for the massive car crash that will be Victor/The Creature/Lily/Ethan/Vanessa.

Did anyone else have this scene pop into their head?
posted by oh yeah! at 8:45 AM on May 25, 2015 [4 favorites]


why not just kidnap Van and drag her off to Evelyn Poole's Mansion of Dead Baby Horror?

I think that is what they are trying to do, but she thwarts them with the devil-language
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 8:22 PM on May 25, 2015


also, thanks Whelk, those are really great recaps. I particularly love the image they have to go with this week's. I think that was my favourite moment of this episode.
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 8:25 PM on May 25, 2015 [2 favorites]


I'm reserving judgment on the Putneys. The guy with his torn up. Is his name Roper or Ripper?
posted by Ik ben afgesneden at 6:54 PM on May 26, 2015


face
Torn-up face, damnit.
posted by Ik ben afgesneden at 9:52 PM on May 26, 2015


There were a lot of really delightful moments in this episode.

Is his name Roper or Ripper?

Appears to be Warren Roper according to IMDB.
posted by mstokes650 at 7:20 AM on May 27, 2015


Ah, okay. I thought they were going to try and shoehorn Jack the Ripper in there. Wouldn't have made sense but lots of stuff doesn't make sense in this show: Frankenstein's convo with Lily about women in society, the monster thinking he's horrific because of a scar nobody can see half the time, blind artists, naked witches, introducing yourself to a shopkeeper before you're ready to buy anything, etc. Fun show still.
posted by Ik ben afgesneden at 10:57 AM on May 27, 2015


Fans are wondering if Roper might now also be a werewolf having survived the attack.

*insert terrible 'It's not Lupus (Dei)' joke here*
posted by along came the crocodile at 12:07 PM on May 27, 2015


The show continues to be a delight but I still don't get why Dorian is even part of the narrative anymore (despite the awesomeness of a trans character on the show).
posted by Kitteh at 3:57 PM on May 27, 2015 [2 favorites]


If they want to kidnap her and the problem is her speaking the devil's language, maybe just attack her when she's sleeping and a simple spell to keep her asleep until she is needed? I mean, they are nightwalkers after all. That seems like a simple, easy, and obvious plan. The attacks should be part of breaking Vanessa down so she becomes a willing participant. That's a more terrifying plan and it also explains why bewitching Malcolm is necessary in terms of making him part of their plan. Removing those who give her strength makes sense. To some degree this reminds me of the Lords of Salem.
posted by miss-lapin at 4:25 PM on May 27, 2015


Was kidnapping the goal though? I assumed that stealing her hair was the real purpose of the raid, and everything else was just a distraction.
posted by oh yeah! at 6:59 PM on May 27, 2015 [3 favorites]


I prefer to think that both Vanessa and the shopkeeper believe that "Lily Frankenstein" is just going to be Victor in drag.
posted by Kitty Stardust at 10:14 AM on May 31, 2015 [9 favorites]


idgi, vanessa has met brona/lily, how does victor think he's going to get away with introducing them again? UGH HE'S SO SILLY and also lbr so creepy.

i love angelique and i am worried that bad things will happen to her.
posted by poffin boffin at 5:51 PM on May 31, 2015 [3 favorites]


also i want cake for breakfast
posted by poffin boffin at 5:51 PM on May 31, 2015 [1 favorite]


I'm in the midst of catching up on this season, and I have to say that thus far, the scene in the dress shop is my favorite. Vanessa is always constantly being dragged into horror and darkness and eldritch knowledge, and it was so nice to see her being herself. If the last episode tells us what Vanessa's future might be like, the stuff in the dress shop is the life she should have had: buying frivolous things and torturing young men, being charming and funny and scandalous.
posted by WidgetAlley at 8:19 PM on June 1, 2015 [1 favorite]


Also I hope that Dorian and Angelique are in this show forever and never do anything more dangerous or important or plot-moving than play ping-pong and flirt.
posted by WidgetAlley at 8:31 PM on June 1, 2015 [2 favorites]


Sembene is like the only sensible person in this whole program.

"What are you doing?"
"Uh, actively watching for those harridans that come at night, Ethan you moron, what does it look like?"

I really like Angelique and I hope she doesn't get fridged - she's a lovely reminder that queer people have been around forever. The only downside to her presence is that it might prevent Dorian and Ethan from making out again, which was a high point of the last season for me.

I too look forward to Victor having some 'splaining to do once Van spots the formerly dead Brona in the clothes she picked out. Good times. Maybe they'll I don't know, fire Victor in to space so we no longer have to put up with his plot. I don't know who's more obnixious to be honest, Victor or Caliban. They both are a pair of creepers and if Caliban gets all fedora over Miss Putney the same way he went fedora over that actress I will be crabby as heck but not at all surprised.

Maybe that's the plan? Ship Miss Putney to Caliban so Lily can be paired off with Victor?

*massive shudder*
posted by Jilder at 7:27 PM on June 8, 2015


Ethan's already been noted as having a classical education, will he buy "Hecate" as a greek sea goddess?

Nope, he just thinks she's a Pinkerton. The shoes are a great way of noticing people: not easily changed, usually chosen for function. They're what keep us grounded.
posted by the man of twists and turns at 8:24 PM on August 14, 2015


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