Penny Dreadful: City of Angels — Series 1 Episode 3 — Wicked Old World — A Review

10th May, 2020.

Yes: it’s official: I’ve both eaten diner … and washed up.

Well, it was that or let the plates pile up in the sink.

The one thing I think I can safely say?

Is that it’s the first time I’ve made mashed potatoes, myself … out of real potatoes.

Rather than, say, instant mashed spud.

Being honest … ?

I think I made a little too much … and possibly didn’t get all the lumps out.

But I’m rather pleased I managed to make some.

And I’ve managed to sit myself down and watch some TV!

You’d possibly guessed that from the poster, haven’t you?

Yes: I’ve caught another series one of Penny Dreadful: City of Angels.

~≈®≈~

Episode 3 — Wicked Old World — opens with the by now traditional summary of last week’s episode.

Then opens in the LA city Morgue: where Detective Michener (Nathan Lane*) has found out two of his fellow Nazi hunters have been killed.

And is determined to at least check out the bullets that were used on them.

Meanwhile … ?

Mateo Vega (Johnathan Nieves) is telling older brother Raul (Adam Rodriguez) about Fly Rico (Sebastian Chacon), the oh-so-helpful gangster he’s met.

The gangster who want’s to introduce Mateo to a few friends of his at the Crimson Cat Club.

Meanwhile … ?

Sister Molly (Kerry Bishé) has decided she needs to discuss things with Detective Tiago Vega (Daniel Zovatto): with the pair growing increasing comfortable with each other’s company.

That proves unfortunate … 

As the one thing Tiago’s partner, Michener, has found?   Are Hazlett accounts for Sister Molly’s church.

Hidden between pages are the love letters Hazlett wrote to Sister Molly: and details of the house he’d bought her … just before they broke up …

And before he and his family were murdered …

~≈®≈~

Now … have I watched another good episode?

Yes I have!

Wicked Old World, much like last week’s Dead People Lie Down,  is another episode that’s taking the overall story forward: and at a nicely measured pace.

And seeing the characters arcs being carried forward.   Tiago’s getting closer to Molly is just one thread amongst many: tonight’s episode sees the corrupt Councilman Townsend getting out of control, leaving Alex (Natalie Dormer) to rein him in as best she can.

Dr Craft (Rory Kinnear) is getting more involve with Elsa (Natalie Dormer) … And Matoe is introduced to gang leader Rio … played by Natalie Dormer … !   (If I’ve understood things correctly?   There’s a group in the US called the Boston Brahmins.   They’re the upper class families of New England descended from the earliest British colonists in the States, and the families who were the founders and leaders of those colonies.   If I’ve understood things correctly, Rio — this aspect of Dormer’s Magda character — is supposed to be descended from the Mexican American equivalent of the Brahmins.   Or, at least of the Mexican Americans who founded LA.)

So there’s lots of development going on … 

Plenty of development … 

Development, and magic.

Given this is a Penny Dreadful spinoff?

We’d expect magic, wouldn’t we?

You could be thinking it’s not there, going on what I’ve told you, so far … 

But, yes: the supernatural’s around.

The sight of Dormer, in full on Magda Mode, sashaying angrily down the street whilst shop windows explode in her wake reminds us she’s there.

The real highlight of the episode, though?

Quite simply has to be that dance scene: where Fly Rico dances his way over to Mateo.

It’s homoerotic seduction on a stick and in a zoot suit.

I’m as straight as a die, and wouldn’t know where to start: but that routine’s possibly a big ‘How to’ … !

At ANY rate … ?

At any rate, this is another fantastic episode … 

One that’s got me convinced of one thing.

I’ll be back next week …

*      I only know him from The Lion King: he voiced Timon.