The rumors that the Season 3 of “Penny Dreadful” was to be its last proved to be true after all. Weeks before the Season 3 finale was aired on Showtime on June 19, there have been speculations going around saying that it was to be the show’s last apparently because of its average ratings.
In fact, if one is to look closely, the ominous sign became obvious when both episodes 8 and 9 was scheduled as a two-part season finale on June 19. It was like the network wanting to get rid of “Penny Dreadful” off the air that it did away with one more week of airing.
The Season 3 finale of “Penny Dreadful” did not leave any cliffhanger, only the death of Vanessa Ives, played by Eva Green, that it ultimately left the viewers in a lurch, reports the Morning Ledger.
Series creator John Logan said that the decision to end “Penny Dreadful” in Season 3 has been agreed upon with the network a few months ago.
While the death of Vanessa Ives in the hands of Ethan Chandler, played by Josh Hartnett, also means that they have overcome Christian Camargo’s Dracula character, there are still some trickle questions that fans and viewers of “Penny Dreadful” wanted to know.
Unfortunately, those can never be answered as “Penny Dreadful” will no longer have a Season 4.
It’s all about Vanessa and her struggles
In explaining the decision to end “Penny Dreadful” during the Season 3 finale, Logan said that the TV series has always been about Vanessa Ives and her struggle with faith.
He revealed that midway through Season 2 of “Penny Dreadful” last year, he was planning for a third season already. Then Logan realized that he already knows exactly where the story is heading.
Logan said that Vanessa will have that moment and the only way she can truly have it is by way of her death.
From there, the executive producers said that he began shaping Season 3 thinking about all the characters and how he could lead them to a place that felt like a fitting conclusion.
The showrunner explained that “Penny Dreadful” is about many things but it always boils down to one really simple thing – a woman’s journey of faith. It is about a deeply religious woman losing her God and then finds Him again, details Breathecast.
Logan said that it was where the third season of show headed the way he planned it. It was going to head to Vanessa sacrificing herself and reuniting with God. He also added that her death is the only way to save the character from her dark experience as well as to as a way for her to do for the good of mankind.
Working really well for the network
But it looks like Logan’s statement is just a way for him and the producers to circumvent the issue of ratings, where the third season of “Penny Dreadful” failed miserably.
Showtime also reiterated Logan’s statement as if to show their support for both the showrunner and the TV series.
Network president David Nevins said in a recent interview that he always knew that “Penny Dreadful” was not going to be a six- or seven-season TV series. He did say that the show was really working well for Showtime.
Nevins said that they even talked John Logan out of his plan to end the series after three seasons but they agreed to a compromise in order to cushion the impact of the abrupt ending on the audience.
There were plans to warn the audience that it is going to be the show’s end but they decided not to because that would have been really unfair because people wanted to be surprised, according to Nevins.
I can’t believe There will be no more Penny Dreadful. I love that show. Very upset.
Have to admit, the ending really seemed false and rushed and out of character. I don’t really buy what Logan is selling. I wish someone would pick up the story where it ended. Please?……..
Like Netflix!!
Sad way to end things. Way to rip off your fan base.
I really wanted to see a further storyline develop with the Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde- even if we had just seen it once it would have been cool. I’d have cut a lot of that Ethan going home to deal with his father stuff to make room for that; they could have dealt with the Dracula storyline better. I think if they had re- prioritised, the series still could have ended in three seasons and wouldn’t have felt quite as rushed. Too bad, I really liked that show.
Thanks for the article. Eva Green is French, by the way.
Average ratings? What average. I believe it was below average for the network.
It thought it was beautiful. Great ending. People need to let it go. The story of the child was a message for the fans….
Sure, as a fan I was ready for more, but in a way I do see by the way the show concluded, that all these characters have a future, there is continuity in their existence, but I guess I ll have to use my imagination to think what that would look like.