Gothic is a literary genre that is as popular today as it was in the past. First attributed to Horace Walpole’s The Castle of Otranto (1764), it has inspired an entire array of subgenres, such as horror, the supernatural and even science fiction. Not only do these genres still play an important role in present day literature, film and television – also, the Gothic genre has sparked an entire subculture that mostly defines itself around its music and dresscode.

A recent television series that embodies everything about the spirit of Gothic literature is Penny Dreadful, which is set in a dark Victorian London. Not only is this show a portrayal of Gothic atmosphere in perfection, it also exhibits many of the features that are commonly present in Gothic literature, such as psychological and physical terror, supernatural beings, darkness, death, madness, secrets and impressive old buildings. The title of the show is inspired by the cheap sensational serial novels that were produced in the 19th century, which cost a penny and were also referred to as penny awful or penny blood.

The show also heavily draws from English literature, as many of the main characters are adopted from works like Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray. This potpourri might sound slightly suspicious at a glance, but unlike in similar “monster mash” productions of the past, it is cleverly and elegantly executed, and actually adds to the suspense of the show without spoiling it.

It really took me a while to get into this show – in fact, I stopped watching altogether after the first three episodes, because I just thought this was too much gallimaufry. But people kept telling me how great the show is, and eventually persuaded me to continue watching. And I wasn’t disappointed; after another few episodes, I was hooked. While the arc of the first season wasn’t particularly strong, the characters really grew on me. Compared to many other adaptations, they are much more faithful to their literary origins – such as for example Frankenstein’s monster (despite the anachronism of the Frankenstein tale having been transported to fin de siecle London – the novel was published about 90 years earlier and the creature was ‘born’ in Ingolstadt).

John Clare’s (Frankenstein’s monster) arc was probably my favorite in the second season – this is really how he should be in all the adaptations! However, there was always the notable Penny Dreadful spin to it. You think you know what’s going to happen, but it’s usually different… better even. What I’m not so sure about though was the ending of the second season. They killed off all the wrong characters. And what the hell is that ending anyway? How’s that supposed to work out in the next season? The stakes are very high.

But what makes this show such a joy to watch, which I hope will continue into the third season, are also all the references to the history of the genre – Gothic as well as Victorian classics are hinted at everywhere, and in some cases even historical figures are implied. It is also an exceptionally well produced show, as it uses very little CGI for its effects. So if you’re into anything from Gothic to Horror to just Frankenstein or Dorian Gray, you’ll be having a blood-soaked ball watching Penny Dreadful.