Scripted series · Showtime
Penny Dreadful
Who's in it
Cast
The principal ensemble across the run of the series.
Eva Green
Vanessa Ives
27 eps
Josh Hartnett
Ethan Chandler
27 eps
Timothy Dalton
Sir Malcolm Murray
27 eps
Harry Treadaway
Dr. Victor Frankenstein
27 eps
Reeve Carney
Dorian Gray
27 eps
Rory Kinnear
John Clare / The Creature
27 eps
Billie Piper
Lily / Brona Croft
27 eps
Danny Sapani
Sembene
18 eps
Helen McCrory
Madame Kali
12 eps
Olivia Llewellyn
Mina Harker
10 eps
Simon Russell Beale
Ferdinand Lyle
14 eps
Wes Studi
Kaetenay
9 eps
Patti LuPone
Dr. Seward
10 eps
Alex Price
Proteus
4 eps
Mary Murray
Woman #1
1 eps
Owen Roe
Colonel Brewster
1 eps
Gus Barry
Young Victor
1 eps
Olivia Fahy
Cowgirl
1 eps
Aoife Quinn
Somnolent Woman
1 eps
Alun Armstrong
Vincent Brand
1 eps
Amy De Bhrún
Prostitute
1 eps
Jade Yourell
Lady Roxbury
1 eps
Michael O'Flaherty
Police Sergeant
1 eps
Mary Stockley
Caroline
1 eps
Gail Fitzpatrick
Tavern Woman
1 eps
Hannah Tointon
Maud Gunneson
1 eps
Leticia Dolera
Lady at the Séance (uncredited)
1 eps
Tamsin Topolski
Lavinia Putney
5 eps
Pagan McGrath
Gladys' Maid
1 eps
Noah Jupe
Charles Chandler
1 eps
Jack Hickey
Junior Inspector
11 eps
Elif Knight
Beggar Woman
1 eps
Sebastian Croft
Boy Familiar
4 eps
Bobby Aherne
Theatre Heckler / Rat-baiting Referee
1 eps
Jessica Barden
Justine
6 eps
Perdita Weeks
Catriona Hartdegen
4 eps
Sarah Greene
Hecate Poole
13 eps
Brian Cox
Jared Talbot
2 eps
Shazad Latif
Dr. Henry Jekyll
8 eps
The Nutevio profile
TV DNA
How Penny Dreadful actually feels to watch, measured on the traits our editors track across every series.
Signature profile
Penny Dreadful reads strongest on Bingeability, Character Depth and Spectacle.
How hard it is to stop after one episode.
How fully written and psychologically layered the ensemble is.
Visual ambition — scale, craft and set-piece filmmaking.
The scale, internal logic and texture of the world.
How much the series is designed to affect you.
How often an episode ends on a hook you can't ignore.
The sustained pressure the series keeps you under.
How much each hour depends on the one before it.
How often the series is genuinely funny, by design.
The story
What it's about
Some of literature's most terrifying characters, including Dr. Frankenstein, Dorian Gray, and iconic figures from the novel Dracula are lurking in the darkest corners of Victorian London. Penny Dreadful is a frightening psychological thriller that weaves together these classic horror origin stories into a new adult drama.
The run
Seasons
3 seasons · 27 episodes.
Season 1 · Complete
Season 1
20148 episodes
7.2IMDbVanessa Ives wages a personal battle against an evil demon determined to possess her; Sir Malcolm Murray tries to save his daughter from a fate worse than death; Ethan Chandler becomes enmeshed with a group of London vampire hunters and falls for a doomed local prostitute, even as his own mysterious past threatens to catch up with him; Dr. Victor Frankenstein must face the consequences of his successful death-defying experiments; Dorian Gray falls for the unapproachable Vanessa Ives; Brona Croft confronts her imminent demise from consumption.
Best episode · S01E08 Grand Guignol
Season 2 · Complete
Season 2
201510 episodes
7.4IMDbVanessa Ives and her allies find themselves locked in an epic battle against an unholy evil; Sir Malcolm falls under the spell of a bewitching temptress; Ethan's big secret becomes known as his past comes back to haunt him; Dr. Frankenstein's newest creation breaks hearts and then some; Dorian Gray falls for an unlikely woman.
Best episode · S02E10 And They Were Enemies
Season 3 · Complete
Season 3
20169 episodes
7.4IMDbConfronting new horrors in dangerous new lands, Ethan Chandler, Dr. Frankenstein, Dorian Gray, Sir Malcolm, the Creature, and the ravishing but deadly Lily must each face -- and embrace -- their own most truly monstrous selves. But for Vanessa Ives, accepting her demons could exact a terrible cost and plunge the world into unending darkness.
Best episode · S03E04 A Blade of Grass
Where the series peaks
Best Episodes
The hours that define the show, ranked by audience response and editorial signal.
S03E04
A Blade of Grass
Through hypnosis, Vanessa relives what happened to her in the Banning Institute, including the man who befriended her... and the spirits who tormented her.
- Directed by Toa Fraser
- Written by Krysty Wilson-Cairns, Andrew Hinderaker
S02E03
The Nightcomers
Vanessa tells Ethan how she came to harness her abilities thanks to the help of an older witch... and the tragedy that followed.
- Directed by Brian Kirk
- Written by John Logan
S02E08
Memento Mori
Malcolm fights off Evelyn's enchantment and goes to confront her. Meanwhile, Brona reveals her true colors to the Creature, and Angelique finds Dorian's portrait.
- Directed by Kari Skogland
- Written by John Logan
S02E10
And They Were Enemies
Vanessa has to use all of her strength to try and defeat the demon.
- Directed by Brian Kirk
- Written by John Logan
S01E08
Grand Guignol
After a vision of the Grand Guignol, Vanessa, Sir Malcolm, Ethan, Dr. Frankenstein and Sembene explore an empty theater only to be confronted by their worst nightmares.
- Directed by James Hawes
- Written by John Logan
S02E06
Glorious Horrors
Malcolm learns of his wife's death but isn't as upset as Ethan and Vanessa believe he should be. Meanwhile, Ethan asks Sembene for a favor, and Dorian sends out invitations for Angelique's coming-out ball.
- Directed by James Hawes
- Written by John Logan
Recently aired
Latest Episodes
S03E09
The Blessed Dark
- Directed by Paco Cabezas
- Written by Krysty Wilson-Cairns, Andrew Hinderaker
S03E08
Perpetual Night
- Directed by Damon Thomas
- Written by Krysty Wilson-Cairns, Andrew Hinderaker
S03E07
Ebb Tide
- Directed by Paco Cabezas
- Written by Krysty Wilson-Cairns, Andrew Hinderaker
S03E06
No Beast So Fierce
- Directed by Paco Cabezas
- Written by Krysty Wilson-Cairns, Andrew Hinderaker
S03E05
This World is Our Hell
- Directed by Paco Cabezas
- Written by Krysty Wilson-Cairns, Andrew Hinderaker
S03E04
A Blade of Grass
- Directed by Toa Fraser
- Written by Krysty Wilson-Cairns, Andrew Hinderaker
Behind the series
Created by
Showrunners, creators, executive producers and the writers who set the voice of the series.
The craft
Key Crew
Directing, writing, production, camera, music and editing.
Created by
- John LoganCreator
Executive production
- Pippa HarrisExecutive Producer
- Sheila HockinProducer
- Morgan O'SullivanProducer
- James FlynnProducer
- Sam MendesExecutive Producer
Writing
- Krysty Wilson-CairnsWriter
- Andrew HinderakerWriter
- John LoganWriter
Direction
- Toa FraserDirector
- Kari SkoglandDirector
- Brian KirkDirector
- Coky GiedroycDirector
- Dearbhla WalshDirector
- Damon ThomasDirector
Music
- Abel KorzeniowskiOriginal Music Composer
Where to watch
Streaming
Availability verified against regional listings.
- Amazon VideoBuy
- Apple TV StoreBuy
- fuboTVStreaming
- Paramount Plus PremiumStreaming
- Google Play MoviesBuy
- Paramount Plus Apple TV Channel Streaming
- Paramount+ Amazon ChannelStreaming
- Fandango At HomeBuy
- YouTube TVStreaming
- Paramount+ Roku Premium ChannelStreaming
- Spectrum On DemandStreaming
If you liked this
Similar Series
Series that share this one's texture, not just its genre tags.
Supernatural
2005
Political fantasy · Slow-burn mystery
Lord of Mysteries
2025
Epic world building · Slow-burn mystery
Constantine
2014
Political fantasy · Large-scale spectacle
Being Human
2009
Political fantasy · Slow-burn mystery
Black Butler
2008
Political fantasy · Slow-burn mystery
Salem
2014
Political fantasy · Slow-burn mystery
The Originals
2013
Political fantasy · Slow-burn mystery
Shadowhunters
2016
Political fantasy · Large-scale spectacle
Preacher
2016
Political fantasy · Slow-burn mystery
The Order
2019
Political fantasy · Slow-burn mystery
Legacies
2018
Political fantasy · Similar storytelling style
True Blood
2008
Political fantasy · Slow-burn mystery
Where to go from here
Watch Next
Our editors' suggestion for the show you should start tonight — and why.
Supernatural
2005
Continue the epic fantasy journey with another world worth getting lost in.
Stranger Things
2016
Another invented world built with the same seriousness — start at episode one.
FROM
2022
If the world-building is what held you, this is the next map to walk.
Lucifer
2016
Continue the epic fantasy journey with another world worth getting lost in.
Smallville
2001
Another invented world built with the same seriousness — start at episode one.
Lost
2004
Take the questions with you: this one rewards the same attention.
Never stop watching
Related Collections
No related collections yet
This title isn't in a published Nutevio collection yet. It will appear here automatically as soon as it is.
Join the conversation