Penny Dreadful: Season 3

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Universal acclaim based on 9 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 168 Ratings

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8.1

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8.1	User Score Universal acclaim based on 168 Ratings

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Season Details & Credits

SHOWTIME | SYA | Season Premiere Date: May 1, 2016

Starring: Patti LuPone, Wes Studi, Rory Kinnear

Summary: Wes Studi and Patti LuPone as Dr. Seward join the cast for the third season of the horror series.

Creator: John Logan

Genre(s): Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Suspense

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Season 3 Episodes

tbd
S3:E9. The Blessed Dark
Air Date: June 19, 2016
tbd
S3:E8. Perpetual Night
Air Date: June 19, 2016
tbd
S3:E7. Ebb Tide
Air Date: June 12, 2016

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

Mark Dawidziak

Apr 30, 2016

Already TV's most literate and stylish horror drama, "Penny Dreadful" is adding new and intriguing elements to the ambitious structure as the third season begins. Read full review

Isaac Feldberg

May 4, 2016

The best horror show on television returns with a season that feels flush with heightened ambition, visual artistry, dramatic energy, and - of course - fresh blood. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Matt Roush

May 9, 2016

Elegant and erotic in its savage yet sordid beauty, the third season of John Logan's stylishly literate monster mashup never loses focus despite being, quite literally, all over the map. [9-22 May 2016, p.18]

Jeff Jensen

Apr 18, 2016

Fresh blood and sharp ideas make for delicious, smart-pulp fangoria. [22/29 Apr 2016, p.105]

Ken Tucker

Apr 28, 2016

Dreadful creator John Logan has firm control over the series’ mordantly witty, dry tone. He has me hooked again. Read full review

Collider Allison Keene

Apr 28, 2016

Penny Dreadful creates a splendor that’s easy to get lost in, as it drowns itself in the period, in opulence and squalor, in the darkness and the light, and once again seems primed to be one of the year’s most spellbinding tales. Read full review

Mark A. Perigard

May 2, 2016

Penny Dreadful’s set work is unparalleled, and this season the bright oranges and yellows of the Old West make for a welcome contrast to the washed-out blues and grays of Old London. Oh, there is action here. Read full review

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User Score

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8.1

User Reviews

slyious

May 10, 2016

I've discovered this show rather belatedly. Shame on me ! so I'm playing a certain amount of catch-up. Today it's done and I can now enjoy the third season. It is a great show with very good actors/characters and a clever storyline. Congratulations !

3 of 14 users found this helpful311

Skitte

May 2, 2016

This show has grown so much over the last few years. Everything got bigger and better. Season 3 starts slowly, but promising. New characters, new enemies, a growing personal drama. It is not scared to be gross, sick, but this add more to the title, to the dreadfulness. We've seen howThis show has grown so much over the last few years. Everything got bigger and better. Season 3 starts slowly, but promising. New characters, new enemies, a growing personal drama. It is not scared to be gross, sick, but this add more to the title, to the dreadfulness. We've seen how depression installs over some of them. The dialogue and direction of each scene is better than ever, it makes you think, deeply. All in all, a great, fresh, sick and gorgeous start. I cannot wait for the rest of the show to be released. But, I think, after that intense hour, I am still having some questions over it: what happened with Dorian? Where's the daughter of the evil puppeteer, where's Lily ? We have seen everything, but not Dorian. I am really excited for his part, I am sure it will be something grand and amazing. Great show, great season start. I hope it attracts more people than it actually did over the last 2 seasons.… Expand

4 of 14 users found this helpful410

Maxime

May 1, 2016

The title says it all, this is a penny dreadful. What does that mean? Well, for one it is sensational, a bit cheesy and over-the-top, but that is part of its DNA. It does not hide it, nor it is ashamed of it, but embraces it fully. By having this in mind you can enjoy the show fully.

TheThe title says it all, this is a penny dreadful. What does that mean? Well, for one it is sensational, a bit cheesy and over-the-top, but that is part of its DNA. It does not hide it, nor it is ashamed of it, but embraces it fully. By having this in mind you can enjoy the show fully.

The third season adds Dr. Jekyll to the fold and expands the world of Victorian London to America, where our dashing were-wolf is set to face his terrifying father. Vanessa is sublimely depressed, as well as doctor Frankenstein who has resorted to heroin after the conniving Lily betrayed him. While we are at it, Lilly reigns supreme with Dorian Gray as her immortal mate bound to wreak havoc. Finally, the Creature and Sir Malcolm are at the end of the world, the first in the Arctic and the second in Africa, both of them in search of memories long gone...

The production remains as aesthetically sublime as ever. The dialogues are woven with divine lyricism and the stories remain dreadfully compelling as ever. The new villain in particular is set to be the most terrifying one yet!

Enjoy, the fright-fest, my dear dreadfuls!… Expand

9 of 18 users found this helpful99

bkristman

Apr 16, 2017

They let this show fall apart and obviously had no plan after the first 2 seasons. Then they just ended it.
Terrible way to treat a show that had so much going for it.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

DanielFenton

Jun 7, 2016

It pains me to give this a 1 but Penny Dreadful season 3 has been maligned and warped into a social justice warrior political statement. A once powerful narrative has fallen pray pointless scenes populated with characters of no substance and depth. What a tragedy.

10 of 20 users found this helpful1010

Canisrah

Jun 8, 2016

It's a tragic thing - watch this show's steady decline into pointless fluff. Season 1 was fantastic - great writing, engaging characters, magnificent setting and a premise with almost limitless potential. Season 2 did not measure up to season 1 but it was eminently watchable, even if it didIt's a tragic thing - watch this show's steady decline into pointless fluff. Season 1 was fantastic - great writing, engaging characters, magnificent setting and a premise with almost limitless potential. Season 2 did not measure up to season 1 but it was eminently watchable, even if it did begin to show signs of incoherence creeping in.

Well. Season 3 has been a train wreck from the get go. The quality of the writing, the dialogue, the plot - has simply nose dived. Its almost as if they got rid of the writing talent who breathed life into brilliant characters in season 1 and replaced them with a team of narcissistic, self indulgent women's studies graduates.

The show has become a farce - a directionless, boring caricature of the engaged adventure it started out as. Now we have increasing levels of hip and edgy scenes with fluffy dialogue supported by pointless and contradictory plot points. The timeless themes and anchoring touch points with historical realism are gone - replaced with feminist Mary Sue characters and man-hating subtext.

All class and subtlety has been thrown out, replaced with ham fisted bluntness and cringe worthy character arcs that suggest they were produced by hormonal teenagers filled with sooky angst.

Viewers know when they stop being entertained and start being preached at. In Season 3 - Penny Dreadful made an unmistakable transition from rip roaring adventure to merely a vehicle for superficial social justice propaganda and feminist dogma. No thanks.

Penny Dreadful - it was good while it lasted; but I'm one to unplug the life support when the patient is brain dead. A sad demise.… Expand

6 of 13 users found this helpful67

AthanasiosT

Jun 22, 2020

Season 3 lost everything that made S01 and S02 exceptional. The dark horror atmosphere. the superb acting, the captivating story. All missing. S03 is just an LA, anti-racist, love story, with some supernatural touches. Not enough for me.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

SEE ALL 15 REVIEWS

Seasons & Episodes

74

Series Overview
Season 3

83
- Season 3 Overview
  Air Date: May 1, 2016
- tbd
  S3:E9. The Blessed Dark
  Air Date: June 19, 2016
- tbd
  S3:E8. Perpetual Night
  Air Date: June 19, 2016
- tbd
  S3:E7. Ebb Tide
  Air Date: June 12, 2016
- tbd
  S3:E6. No Beast So Fierce
  Air Date: June 5, 2016
- tbd
  S3:E5. This World Is Our Hell
  Air Date: May 29, 2016
- tbd
  S3:E4. A Blade of Grass
  Air Date: May 22, 2016
- tbd
  S3:E3. Good and Evil Braided Be
  Air Date: May 15, 2016
- tbd
  S3:E2. Predators Far and Near
  Air Date: May 8, 2016
- tbd
  S3:E1. The Day Tennyson Died
  Air Date: May 1, 2016
Season 2

77
- Season 2 Overview
  Air Date: May 3, 2015
Season 1

70
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: May 11, 2014