Penny Dreadful — Series 1 - Episodes 5 and 6: Closer than Sisters and What Death Can Join Together

You know, I’m starting to think binge-watching TV series box sets is mildly addictive.

It’s a Saturday night: one where I should be getting something vaguely approaching sleep.

As I’ve an early start, tomorrow … 

But no … 

Oh, no!

No, I had to go and watch two more episode of the first series of Penny Dreadful.

Wouldn’t you just know it … ?

~≈Ë≈~

Episode 5 — Closer than Sisters — is something of a flash-back episode: opening by showing us Vanessa Ives — Eva Green — writing the latest in a long series of letters to Mina Murray, Sir Malcolm’s daughter.

The pair had literally grown up, together: as the two families lived next door.

We see — as the letter Vanessa writes unfolds — how Vanessa and Mina grow together: with the expectation that Vanessa will one day marry Mina’s frail brother, Peter.

How she finds out her father, and Mina’s mother, are having an affair.

And how this brings Vanessa to a traumatic mental breakdown: after she sleeps with Mina’s fiancee: and caught in the act … by Mina, herself.

A breakdown that lets her start accessing her clairvoyant powers … AND to introduce her to something that, initially, takes the form of Sir Malcolm, himself.

It’s only AFTER her mothers funeral … ?   That Vanessa makes her estranged friend, Mina, once more.

And realises exactly how much trouble Mina is in.

~≈Ë≈~

Episode 6 — What Death Has Joined Together — comes back to the in-universe present day.    The episode opens with Ethan and Brona reconciling, after their argument at the Grand Guignol, in episode 3.

And shows Ethan joining Sir Malcolm and Sembene to what they’ve been told is a plague ship.   But actual hides a nest of vampires.

Meanwhile … ?

Back at the Guignol, Caliban leaves a gift for the theatre’s lead actress, Maud — played by Hannah Tointon — only to discover he’s likely to be spurn in love: as Maud has a lover.

It’s only when Victor is finding out more from Professor van Helsing that we find out what Caliban intends doing about it.

Or rather … 

When Victor is the Professor as a corpse … 

~≈Ë≈~

Hmmm … 

You know, I really do think I should leave that there, shouldn’t I?

As I’ve a staff meeting, tomorrow.

However?

As soon as I’ve seen the LAST two episodes … ?

You’ll get to hear about it!

Lord, yes … !