Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Dreadful L.A.
While millions of TV viewers may be obsessed with the latest news or big-cat royalty as of late, discerning audiences will soon have another darkly imaginative world into which they can escape. A tale of supernatural forces, murder, racism and political tension is about to premiere on prime time.
In 1938, the LAPD’s first Mexican-American detective, Tiago Vega (Daniel Zovatto, “Here and Now”), and his partner, Lewis Michener (Nathan Lane, “The Birdcage,” 1996), investigate a grisly murder in the debut of “Penny Dreadful: City of Angels,” airing Sunday, April 26, on Showtime. What follows is an epic story that explores L.A.’s tradition of Mexican-American folklore, the espionage of the Third Reich and the rise of radio evangelism.
While it may share a supernatural theme with its predecessor, “Penny Dreadful,” this new series is not a continuation of that story. It is, in fact, a whole new saga in its own right. In a March article on Entertainment Weekly’s website, Rory Kinnear, who portrayed Frankenstein’s monster in the original series, explained how “City of Angels” is connected to the acclaimed British-American horror drama.
“The continuity from the first iteration of ‘Penny Dreadful’ to this one is the supernatural element in which monsters are present, but the main monsters are within the characters,” said Kinnear, who returns to the franchise as pediatrician Dr. Peter Craft, head of the GermanAmerican Bund in “Penny Dreadful: City of Angels.”
In the new series, the supernatural is embodied by two ghostly sisters. Natalie Dormer (“Game of Thrones”) plays Magda, a dangerous goddess who can take on the appearance of anyone she chooses. Lorenza Izzo (“Aftershock,” 2012) has a recurring role as Magda’s sister, Santa Muerte, the Angel of Holy Death, who is cursed to collect the souls of the departed.
In an interview with ew.com in December 2019, Dormer said
her character would take on different personas to manipulate those around her and sow the seeds of chaos, and she promised that three of those disguises would be revealed to audiences throughout the season. Convinced that humanity is inherently evil, Magda is undoubtedly the agent of chaos in “Penny Dreadful: City of Angels.” However, there’s more to the horror drama than jump scares and spooky characters.
“Set in 1938, it’s L.A. just before the Second World War, but it’s really a commentary on the day,” Dormer said in a behindthe-scenes sneak peek posted on ew.com in March.
As the story unfolds, viewers are introduced to a rich cast of characters connected to Magda, Vega, Michener and Craft.
When rising tensions in the city threaten her loved ones in the season premiere, Vega’s mother, Maria (Adriana Barraza, “Babel,” 2006), asks Santa Muerte to protect her family. Mateo Vega (Johnathan Nieves, “Grey’s Anatomy”), Tiago’s younger brother, lacks purpose and, as a result, is easily influenced by those around him. In contrast, eldest son Raul Vega (Adam Rodriguez, “CSI: Miami”) is a community advocate and union leader. The youngest Vega sibling is Josefina (Jessica Garza, “The Purge,” 2018), the quiet and obedient younger sister.
While Michener is determined to uncover the actions of the Third Reich in Los Angeles, LAPD Capt. Ned Vanderhoff (Brent Spiner, “Star Trek: The Next Generation”) just wants clear sailing into his retirement.
Religion also factors into the “Penny Dreadful: City of Angels” story. Radio evangelist Sister Molly (Kerry Bishé, “Halt and Catch Fire”) has captivated many faithful followers thanks to her skills as an orator and singer. As Molly grapples with the demands of her complicated life, her mother, Miss Adelaide Finnester (Amy Madigan, “Roe vs. Wade,” 1989), manages the church’s finances and keeps watch over their growing religious empire.
In the political arena, Councilman Charlton Townsend (Michael Gladis, “Mad Men”) heads the city council’s transportation committee, which has been busy building the city’s first freeways. Unfortunately, such construction threatens to displace local Mexican-American communities, leading to increased social tension throughout the city. Mysterious German
architect Richard Gross (Thomas Kretschmann, “Dracula”) has grand plans for the city and does his best to ally himself with the city’s leaders. He also has ties to the Third Reich. He’s shadowed by his bodyguard, chauffeur and assassin, Kurt (Dominic Sherwood, “Shadowhunters”).
It remains to be seen whether “Penny Dreadful: City of Angels”
will live up to its forerunner, but it likely bodes well that the spinoff arose from the mind of its creator, John Logan. He’s a three-time Academy Award nominee for his work on “Gladiator” (2000), “The Aviator” (2004) and “Hugo” (2011). In addition to widespread critical acclaim, his series “Penny Dreadful” has won multiple BAFTA Television Craft awards and Satellite
awards, as well as earning nominations for all sorts of other honors in the television industry.
Described in an official news release as a “spiritual descendant” of the original “Penny Dreadful” story set in Victorian London, the new show has serious potential, and it’s clear that the network has confidence in it.