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Josh Hartnett, once a heartthrob in the ’90s with standout roles in films like “The Virgin Suicides” and “The Faculty,” made a notable return to the silver screen after stepping back from the limelight. Hartnett has re-emerged with a splash, showcasing his talent in the Oscar-winning film “Oppenheimer” and taking on a captivating role as a charismatic serial killer in M. Night Shyamalan’s forthcoming thriller, “Trap,” set for release in 2024.
Fans eager for another dose of Hartnett’s nuanced and darkly alluring performances should not miss the gothic horror series “Penny Dreadful.” Airing on Showtime from 2014 to 2016, this series was the brainchild of John Logan and had the backing of producer Sam Mendes. Its title pays homage to the sensational serialized stories of 19th-century Britain, known for their thrilling and often macabre narratives. “Penny Dreadful” is a delightful mix of famous literary figures, including Dorian Gray (Reeve Carney), Abraham Van Helsing (David Warner), Henry Jekyll (Shazad Latif), along with Victor Frankenstein (Harry Treadaway) and his Creature (Rory Kinnear), among others.
In this haunting series, Josh Hartnett steps into the role of Ethan Chandler, a sharpshooter escaping a shadowy past in America. He finds himself in Victorian England, running a traveling Wild West show. The series kicks off with its premiere episode, “Night Work,” where Ethan is drawn into a covert mission by the enigmatic Vanessa Ives (Eva Green) and her affluent patron Sir Malcolm Murray (Timothy Dalton). This mission leads to a brutal confrontation with a vampire lair, catapulting Ethan into a world brimming with dark forces, immortals, and mad scientists, where his nocturnal undertakings are just beginning.
“Penny Dreadful” offers a deliciously sinful gothic drama, rich with elements of sex and violence. It’s reminiscent of a classic Hammer Horror film, reimagined with a modern twist and revived with the fervor of Dr. Frankenstein’s creation. Over its three critically lauded seasons, the series delivered 27 captivating episodes, never falling below an impressive 81% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It even spawned a 2020 spin-off miniseries entitled “Penny Dreadful: City of Angels,” further expanding its dark and alluring universe.
Penny Dreadful ran for three critically acclaimed seasons
Showtime
A sinfully delicious gothic drama teeming with sex and violence, “Penny Dreadful” is like a modern update of a classic Hammer Horror film — if that Hammer Horror film was struck by lightning and resurrected on Dr. Frankenstein’s slab. “Penny Dreadful” ran for 27 extremely bingeable episodes across three critically acclaimed seasons (plus a 2020 spin-off miniseries, “Penny Dreadful: City of Angels”), with the main series never dipping below an 81% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Neil Genzlinger of The New York Times argued that “Penny Dreadful” was distinct from contemporary supernatural shows like “The Walking Dead,” remarking, “Oh dear; another show to add to our ever-growing guilty-pleasure lists.” Variety‘s Brian Lowry praised the series premiere as “Solidly entertaining, well cast[,] and oozing with atmosphere.”
Contributing to the second season’s perfect RT score, Maureen Ryan at HuffPost noted Hartnett’s performance, saying, “He could do fabulous things in tender moments and also take charge of big set pieces.” She then concluded that “[‘Penny Dreadful’] somehow manages to be an escapist pleasure full of Dickensian interiors and lush paeans to pleasure and gore.” Mark Perigard admired the globetrotting third season’s set work in the Boston Herald, calling it “Unparalleled. This season the bright oranges and yellows of the Old West make for a welcome contrast to the washed-out blues and grays of Old London.” For fans of horror, “Penny Dreadful” should not be passed over.
“Penny Dreadful” is streaming on Amazon Prime and Paramount+.