COVE

As idicated from the title, the show Penny Dreadful, is inspired by the concept of the cheap, often violent, sensational stories that were popular in the Victorian Era. The story is set in Victorian London and features characters from popular Gothic stories like Dracula, Frankenstein, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and The Picture of Dorian Grey, as well as the story of Jack the Ripper. The narrative follows the main character, Vannessa Ives, a mysterious woman with supernatural tendencies/abilities and her progression from a victim, to a woman in isolation, to a powerful woman with a potentially dangerous ability. The show deals with Gothic themes of isolation, self/subjectivity, horror, gender, secrets, patriarchy/power, the supernatural, sexulity, etc. in order to develop a new take on the form of the penny dreadful. The focus on the dark side of Victorian London as well as popular Gothic stories allows for every aspect of the show to immerse the viewer in the Gothic form.