Penny Dreadful - 'Evil Spirits in Heavenly Places'

"I don't care if the ratings are down, I'm not getting naked this episode."

We open with Vanessa wrapping up her tale from last week, although given that some of that was stuff she couldn't have seen, it's hard to know what she's actually said.

With the flashbacks over, it's time to get back to the various plots in hand. Lyle ropes Chandler and Sir Malcolm into the puzzle of the Verbis Diabolis fragments, which appears to be a single narrative over multiple artefacts and languages, as transliterated by a possessed monk based on the autobiography of a demon.

The next day, Ethan sees the advertisement for the waxwork exhibit of the aftermath of his wolf-out, while police and press examine the scene of the baby-snatching murder. Hecate tries to seduce Ethan, but botches her accent. The Creature talks to the blind daughter of the waxwork family, developing a bit of sparkage even as Frankenstein is clearly getting a bit of a hankering for 'Lily', apparently adjusting their fictitious relationship out to second cousin while dress shopping with Vanessa.

Dorian Gray is pwned at table tennis by his new flame. I'm so glad he's still in this show.

Ethan and Sembene argue over who gets to do the washing up, then three Nightcomers sneak into the house all stealthed up like the Predator to steal a lock of Vanessa's hair as part of their plan to match Ethan 'tooth and claw', although given that they curb stomp the entire crew - less the absent and self-professedly non-action Frankenstein - I'm not sure what the fear is or why they don't just kill him.

This is not something that is often seen, and honestly I think directors ought to
let Eva Green smile more often.

Back in the 'now', Penny Dreadful resumes one of its main flaws, specifically its rambling side stories, in this case the Frankenstein romances and anything to do with Dorian Gray. That being said, the former does give us a scene where the frightfully awkward Frankenstein asks Vanessa to help him dress shop for Lily. What could be unbearable is lifted by a light touch, and the chance to show Vanessa at ease for once. Released, however briefly, from the burden of relentless existential angst, she suddenly seems a more complete character.

Similarly, Ethan's uncovering of the disguised Hecate lifted him from mere pinball of plot to a more active agent, and his kitchen scene with Sembene was another delight, and shows something that Penny Dreadful has overall been missing up until now. Yes, it's a tale of darkness and fear and horror, but what's the point of Victorian monster punk if you're not having any fun?

I'm also nursing a theory that the actual hero of the series is Sembene, the tireless protector and baker of quite magnificent buttercream tortes.

I'm still not completely won over by the series, but I will allow that 'The Nightcomers' and 'Evil Spirits in Heavenly Places' have really upped its game.