A spooky series is returning to Showtime, proving that television simply cannot have enough horror.
According to Deadline, Showtime has revived the Penny Dreadful franchise in a somewhat unexpected way. Gone is the Victorian London setting, 19th-century literature’s best monsters, and Eva Green slinking around in the best black clothing money can buy. The next installment in the franchise will press the reset button on everything except for one vital element: The ability to scare the hell out of you.
The original Penny Dreadful ran for three seasons on Showtime from 2014 to 2016. The next installment in the franchise, titled Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, will explore 1938 Los Angeles as the city fights a battle for its own soul. According to Deadline, it will place supernatural and human characters on two sides of a spiritual aisle: Those who praise deity Santa Muerte and others who have bonded with the Devil. Unlike the original series, which pulled stories from literature like Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray and Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Penny Dreadful: City of Angels will utilize Mexican-American folklore.
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“We were so thrilled when John Logan came to us with this wildly original take on the Penny Dreadful mythology that explores both the human spirit and the spirit world here in California,” said Gary Levine, President of Programming at Showtime Networks, in a statement to Deadline. “Penny Dreadful: City of Angels promises to be an extraordinary saga of familial love set against the terrifying monsters that are around us and within us.”
The next Penny Dreadful marks a unique time in television history, in which horror shows are seemingly more popular than ever. Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House was met with critical acclaim, including one rave review by crowned King of the genre, Stephen King. Then, the streaming network’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina offers a particularly dark take on the teen witch. CBS All Access just debuted its horrific fairytale series Tell Me A Story, while Hulu has creepy King compilation Castle Rock and Blumhouse anthology series Into The Dark.
The new Penny Dreadful proves this trend isn't slowing down — in fact, the trend was so exciting, Showtime decided to join the fun.
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