Penny Dreadful: City of Angels — Series 1 Episode 10 — Day of The Dead — A Review

28th June, 2020.

Not that I’m feeling rushed or anything … but I’m not feeling rushed.

Which is possibly contradictory, I think.

I’m not feeling rushed … but am feeling tired … !

Cie la vie … !

At any rate … ?

I’ve not felt tired enough to not to watch TV.

Frankly?

The last episode of Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, Series 1, was calling.

And, my lord, that’s one hell of a finale.

~≈Ö≈~

Let’s move on, shall we?

Episode 10 — Day of the Dead — opens with the by now traditional summary of earlier episodes: including last week’s shock lynching of Diego.

Then switches to the shadows.   Where we see Santa Muerte, herself, arriving out of the dark:  and into the depths of the Crimson Cat.

Tiago and Molly (Daniel Zovatto and Kerry Bishé) are dancing: as whilst he tells he of the Mexican American tradition of the Day of the Dead.

It’s only then, that the lovers are interrupted, by a desperate Lewis Michener (Nathan Lane) … bringing the bad news of Diago’s death.

Only seconds before a messenger brings the same news to Fly Rico (Sebastian Chacon) and Rio (Natalia Dormer) … news that sets the residents of the Cat aflame … 

And sees Rio triggering a race riot on the streets of LA.

~≈Ö≈~

In the wake of the riots?

Councilor Townsend rejoices: as martial law give him a real measure of power.

Elsa (Natalie Dormer) is able to finally persuade Peter (Rory Kinnear) that becoming a Nazi is the only way to keep their children safe from rampaging hordes.

Whilst, in the aftermath of an intense conversation with Molly?   Tiago heads home … 

Only to find Detective Michener, and Benny Berman (Brad Garrett*) holed up with Brian: the engineer they’re trying to hide from the Nazis.

They need Tiago’s help … as they need to get him to Mexico …

Brian doesn’t know what fate has in store for him.

Unlike Sister Molly, who has taken fate into her own hands.   On the Day of The Dead, itself.

Leaving Tiago grieving on the Vega family’s holiest night.

And, on the following day?

A day when Councillor Townsend sends the bulldozers into the Vega’s community?

Tiago and Michener swear revenge.

Because, as Tiago puts it … ?

“They’re not building roads.   They’re building walls.   This is not the United States of America.”

~≈Ö≈~

Now … 

Was Day of The Dead a good finale?

Was this first series of Penny Dreadful: City of Angels a good series?

What will happen for series two?

It’s late so this may seem a little rushed.

But, yes: Day of The Dead is superb.

For starters, we finally find out who — with help from a ‘strong right arm’ — killed James Hazlett and his family.

And why they did it.

The mystery is solved.   But the killer remains free to kill again.

We see the Vega family — Tiango in particular, but all of the family in general — have changed.

Maria, Raul, Tiago, Mateo and Josefina have reconciled, and are at peace … but not without having been through the wringer, from the start, knowing there’s more to come, by the end … 

But ultimately?   A family at peace, stronger because of it.

We see Detective Michener definitely changed.   The battling Detective has had to take his personal fight with Nazis, crooks, killers, to places where he’s not wanted to go.

Dealing with the devil that is Benny Berman is one thing: and Lane’s take on this?

Makes this piece of corruption seem mild … in comparison to the killing he witnesses, the framing he takes part in … 

And the deliberate killing of the innocent Brian Koenig.

All this, performed with grace and elegance, and, like the best tv acting, done more with the face, than with the voice.

I’ve come away from Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, convinced I’ve seen a great ensemble cast, with Adriana Barraza, Daniel Zovatto and Natalie Dormer as highlights.

Frankly, I keep thinking that Dormer was channelling Jacqueline Pearce as Servalan.

With that said?

Nathan Lane stole the show.

~≈Ö≈~

That, of course, leaves one question.

Will there — should there — be a series two?

I don’t know.

I believe John Logan, the show’s writer, has set things up so that there could be a second series.

I’d welcome it: and would love to see how the story continues.

Whilst being very aware that — much like so many shows before it? — a second series really would need to be very good, to match this first series.

As things stand?

As things stand, though, series one is an absolutely riveting job of work, and a beautiful show.: one I’m glad I’ve seen.

Glad to have seen, and happy to recommend to you.

My only question?

What on earth do I watching next Sunday … ?

We’ll see … 

*        The man has one of the four most impressive speaking voices I’ve ever heard.   The other three are Tom Baker …