Season three of controversially received series finale.
From a healthy 8.1 ranking to an astounding 9.2 score, here is a look at the well-received rankings for the final season of this Victorian supernatural horror series.
This World Is Our Hell (8.1)
The fifth episode, "This World Is Our Hell" features Ethan Chandler and Doctor Frankenstein as they face large decisions, one of which features an elixir that is created to cure what the show calls "madness" which was created by Jekyll, while the other features Ethan's meeting with his father.
The title of the episode is an interesting play on the phrase, "The world is our oyster" and shows the difference in perception as the main characters attempt to navigate the worst of life.
Good And Evil Braided Be (8.3)
The third episode of the season, "Good and Evil Braided Be" centers on Vanessa Ives (played by Eva Green) as she dives into solving the puzzle of her past while Ethan is conflicted with accepting Hecate's help.
An unwitting spark ignites between Vanessa Ives and Dracula, as she is unaware that the man she is dating is actually a vampire.
The Blessed Dark (8.3)
The episode, "The Blessed Dark" is the ninth (and final) episode of the season. This episode was received with very split opinions, leaving it as a controversial end to such a triumphant series. With the evil forces laying claim to Vanessa, she is depending on her counterparts, including Sir Malcolm Murray, to fight that battle. Meanwhile, the Creature, which transcends into the Penny Dreadful spinoff, Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, demands something huge.
Due to the fluctuation in these ratings, an 8.3 is very generous, as it is still above the 7.0 average score. While some viewers claim that the ending was fitting, while others claim to be lackluster, a common thread among reviews is that while the ending was not what everyone expected and perhaps maybe the main narrative suffers, there are subplots, such as the narratives centered around Dorian Gray and the Frankenstein's that could be explored into great detail. Perhaps this was a vein of thought that inspired the spin-off.
No Beast So Fierce (8.4)
The episode, "No Beast So Fierce" is the sixth episode of the season. This episode shows Ferdinand Lyle coming in to aid Vanessa Ives, and other characters beginning to come to with their own traumas.
The genre seems to bend in this episode from a Victorian Gothic to an American Western, which leaves audiences polarized. While some love the switch in theme, others are left wondering if the show's writing just seemed to falter.
Predators Far And Near (8.5)
The episode, "Predators Far and Near" is the second episode of the season and works alongside the first one of the season to establish a theme and conflict for the remaining episodes.
Each of the main characters works to navigate their own struggles, such as the sinister forces that follow Vanessa, as well as the rather lackluster Dracula. Meanwhile, the settings are split between the American Wild West and Victorian London.
Ebb Tide (8.5)
The seventh episode, "Ebb Tide" follows up on episode six, "No Beast So Fierce." However, no longer is it just Ethan Chandler's life on the line, Vanessa Ives and Lily Frankenstein are also now in grave danger. This exciting episode follows Lily Frankenstein as she sends her legion of women (a rather feminist approach) on a task, while Ethan tries to distance himself from his father in America.
This episode centers on the ebb and flow of life and its conflicts.
Perpetual Night (8.6)
"Perpetual Night" is the eighth episode of the season, and it is also the first part of the double-episode series finale. This episode centers on rising tensions. After the turbulent interactions between Lily Frankenstein and Victor, the doctor chooses the fate of Lily.
Meanwhile, Ethan Chandler, a loyal character to Vanessa, encounters the dangerous entity that has Vanessa ensnared. However, it does not look like Vanessa will bode well from this circumstance, if she even survives.
The Day Tennyson Died (8.8)
"The Day Tennyson Died" is the season premiere. This first episode sets the tone for the season. After fighting an enormous battle with the Demon, Vanessa is really struggling to recover, while other main characters (Doctor Frankenstein, Ethan Chandler, and Sir Malcolm Murray) are no longer tied together in London. In fact, they are scattered around the 1800's globe facing demons of their very own.
The second-highest-rated episode of season three, this episode is a fantastic start to the season.
A Blade Of Grass (9.2)
The episode, "A Blade Of Grass" is the fourth episode of the season. This episode is the highest-ranking episode in season three and one of the highest-ranking episodes in the entire series.
Truly a wild ride, this episode focuses on the psychological warfare of Vanessa's experience being hypnotized at her behest and at the hands of Dr. Seward. Her hypnosis brings up her past when she spent time at the clinic.