S02.E10: And They Were Enemies

[ganesh]

Garret Dillahunt could even show up as Ethan's evil brother! :-)

 

Well, that's going to be a stretch for GD's acting skills. 

[Bec]

I know Ian McShane as King Silas on Kings. Anyone remember that show? Just me? Okay.

 

Actually Ethan said it this season when he was telling Vanessa the story about riding his father's horse as a child.

I forgot about that! So that makes it three times someone has said "know your master" on this show. Coincidence or on purpose?

[LittleIggy]

I know Ian McShane as King Silas on Kings. Anyone remember that show? Just me? Okay.

 

?

I loved Kings! Eamonn Walker, another of my faves, was also on it. I knew it was too good to be on network TV more than one season.

[spaceghostess]

I miss Deadwood, too, and speaking of which, Powers Booth would make another good candidate for Ethan's dad. Garret Dillahunt could even show up as Ethan's evil brother! :-)

Yep, Deadwood offers an embarrassment of casting riches.

 

 . . . And to continue in that vein, courtesy of Mr. Spaceghostess:

Keith Carradine! 

 

He also suggested Ed Harris, another good one.

[I-Kare]

I was on vacation when the final episode aired (mountain home in Colorado is awesome, but tv/net connection, not so much). 

 

What a tragically beautiful piece of work this entire series has been. I can't even decide whether I like S1 or S2 better, and that's usually easy for me with shows. 

 

I'm happy because Reeve totally works for me as Dorian (guess I'm lucky?). He's just the type I've pictured for Dorian Gray since I read the book back in high school (the 80s don't honestly feel that long ago do they?) and I've had no problem with the notes he's hit in his portrayal in this season or last. A mirror is the perfect description! I totally get that!

 

And that ballroom scene! Good god, y'all. That was spectacular seeing the two of them spreading blood across the floor. 

 

It's funny because Victor has slowly grown on me. He barely registered with me S1 until I did a rewatch and now he's one of my favorites. Such a wounded soul. 

 

But then again they all are. A lovely, tragic group of wounded souls. I feel fortunate to be along for the ride. 

[Raachel2008]

1. Sam Eliot (Justified convinced me he can play mean.)

2. Beau Bridges (Never gets to play mean, but he def. has the chops.)

3. Victor Garber (I know he plays everybody's dad, but c'mon.)

4. Tommy Lee Jones (If he's willing to slum it on TV)

5. Tom Selleck (Wait, don't leave! He's physically perfect for the role and he NEEDS to play a horrible person. But he's really busy, so maybe not.)

 

 

I don't think Tom Selleck he is a) available, b) right for the role, since I don't think he can play mean even if he tries. But physically? I have to wonder how those two were never cast as father and son before, lol.

 

But don't think it is a matter of only being talented to play mean or tall enough, tough. When you have somone who is a good few inches taller than the rest of the cast and who can be physically imposing like JH (even if Ethan is most of the time a guilty ridden Labrador), whoever plays Papa Chandler/Talbot needs to have an imposing presence, more than anything else.  Tommy Lee Jones and Victor Garber are very good actors, but I don't see this in them for this show. 

 

Ian McShane would be perfect, though, because he has this presence than dominates everything, even if he is not the most important character in the scene. AND if I have to chose a Bridges,  my vote is for Jeff, all the way. 

 

But who knows, they might surprise us. I just hope we really see the man.

[maczero]

I went with Beau instead of Jeff because (a) I find it difficult to get past Jeff's The Dude-ishness and imagine him in a menacing patriarch role (although he's so amazing, I've no doubt he'd rock it), and (b) he rarely (if ever?) does TV, while Beau certainly does.

 

Jeff played a menacing father figure in the first Iron Man film.  His character is one of my favorite Marvel movie villains.

[Maum]

When will they announce casting?

[Bisquit]

Throwing in my casting suggestions for, Who's The Daddy? of Ethan, I'd be glad to see any of the following win the role:

 

William Fichtner
Clancy Brown
Christopher Meloni

 

IMO, they're all great actors with loads of screen presence. I like their voices, too.

[spaceghostess]

Throwing in my casting suggestions for, Who's The Daddy? of Ethan, I'd be glad to see any of the following win the role:

 

William Fichtner

Clancy Brown

Christopher Meloni

 

IMO, they're all great actors with loads of screen presence. I like their voices, too.

Fichtner and Meloni feel too young to me, although I love them both.

 

Clancy Brown, yay!

[Maum]

Yes he is creepy.

[Kalliste]

 It reminded me of some of the Dracula movies where his ship arrives in London with only one dead man tied to the wheel. 

 

I was going to say this except with Ethan's ship because in Dracula the ship gets to shore and a dog runs off and disappears but everyone else is dead/gone. I know the dog was Dracula but it fits his story. I really can't see many people on that ship surviving past the first full moon.

 

I'm wondering how Vanessa will know Ethan is alive. I hope he contacts her but I feel like he'll just leave her hanging.

 

I loved this episode, even if it was the most depressing season finale in all of season finales. Poor Vanessa in that big house all alone. I think I'd keep the lights on always, I'd be too scared to sleep otherwise.

 

Can't wait for next season, I'm sure it's a lifetime away though.

[spaceghostess]

Whoo hoo--Daddy Talbot has been cast! Was he on someone's list here? Don't think so, and I can't believe none of us thought of this excellent actor:

 

http://www.ew.com/article/2015/10/29/penny-dreadful-brian-cox-josh-hartnett

Edited November 7, 2015 by spaceghostess

[SoSueMe]

I just finished binge watching season two over the weekend. (free showtime preview, lol) It's either that or Netflix for me :(. Anyway, I love, love, love this show. Season 2 was even better than season 1. I know I'm talking to myself here but I just wanted to mention that the S2 finale seemed like they were buttoning things up in case they didn't get a S3. At least to me. I still loved it though and I'm soooo looking forward to S3!

[Raachel2008]

Whoo hoo--Daddy Talbot has been cast! Was he on someone's list here? Don't think so, and I can't believe none of us thought of this excellent actor:

 

http://www.ew.com/article/2015/10/29/penny-dreadful-brian-cox-josh-hartnett

 

Wow, EXCELLENT. Way to raise the bar, show. Can't wait.

[Peanut6711]

I kinda felt like different writers wrote these last two episodes. The tone felt off as well as many of the characters who were dumbed down.  The biggest issues I have buying deal with Ethan and Dorian. Does Ethan still not grasp the significance of what he is? I understand before when he was wrestling with being the wolf but now he should know he's more than a mere predator; he has a destined purpose. Yet he caved to the pompous inspector and turned himself in? Such a let down.  Meanwhile Dorian has had so much potential but he's been wasted this season. His character has just floated around in pointless side stories after being featured so prominently in season 1.  I don't buy for one second that he'd reveal his secret to Brona/Lily after he killed Angelique to protect it. Frankly I found the scene in the portrait room with Victor farcical and out of place in this otherwise more sophisticated show. I also can't for the life of me figure out what every man seems to see in Brona/Lily. Her large mouth, her nasty hair, her deep, course voice--all grating and annoying. I've loathed her presence on this show from the very first scene. Every time anyone has sex with her I cringe. They can't get rid of her fast enough or cruel enough next season for me. 

[millennium]

Not since Zool took the form of the Stay_Puft Marshmallow Man have I seen such a silly conduit for a demon.   It should have been sitting on somebody's knee.  I mean, seriously, THAT was the Big Bad?  Somewhere Wayland Flowers and Madame are having a good chuckle.

What a frustrating, infuriating, and soul-crushing season finale!

Madame Kali's death seemed mundane compared to the death and suffering she caused.   She deserved something far more exquisite and painful.

Hecate's escape was absurd.   No one even attempted to search for her.   The worst part is that now she is free to bore us again in Season 3.

I hate it when heroes get all emo and decide they deserve to be punished.  I felt a tremor of impotent rage when Ethan surrendered and found himself crated off to America.

I wonder if Dorian Gray would have been as smug had Victor blown off a chunk of his head ...  the left side of his face or his lower jaw, perhaps?

Could Vanessa save no one but herself?  She's more powerful than the Queen of the Witches, yet she was unable to prevent the harm done to her comrades. 

My loudest complaint is in regard to the amount of screen time squandered on the repetitive, tiresome "just kill yourself" scenes endured by Malcolm and Victor.   Did anyone believe for a second that one or both might succumb to the spectres' bullying?  

Hurry up, Netflix, get Season 3.

[millennium]

Am I the only soul watching Penny Dreadful for the first time on Netflix?

[Dizzychickstar]

Nope!  You're not. *waves. Was resistant to watching it for a while because the trailer didn't catch me. And the cast looked so monochromatic. Glad I gave it a chance tho. 

[millennium]

2 hours ago, Dizzychickstar said:

Nope!  You're not. *waves. Was resistant to watching it for a while because the trailer didn't catch me. And the cast looked so monochromatic. Glad I gave it a chance tho. 

Me too.   In fact, I'm already several episodes into a re-watch.   I hadn't realized how much I missed the first time around.   I have noticed that already knowing how the story unfolds permits me to listen more closely to the script.   The writing is beautiful.    I just watched "Closer Than Sisters" from Season 1 and was struck by the lyrical quality of Vanessa's narrated letter to Mina.  

Likewise, I am free to turn from the actors now and then and study the sets.   The nighttime exterior of the theatre in "Demimonde," for example, with its delicate marquee of pink leaded glass.   There are simply too many details in this series to absorb in a single viewing.