The Demimonde will continue to emerge over at Showtime, now that the premium network has picked up its critically acclaimed horror fantasy series Penny Dreadful for a third season, to be comprised of nine episodes.
Surprisingly, the John Logan-created show, which takes place in a Victorian England populated by some of horror literature’s most famed characters, from Victor Frankenstein to Dorian Gray, debuted to lower numbers in its second season premiere. Though the series’ quality has not wavered in the slightest, that has to come as a shock to Showtime, which has aired huge ratings hits like Dexter and Homeland over the past few years.
Still, Penny Dreadful is contending for awards this year, with attention expected to go to Eva Green for her lead performance as the tormented Vanessa Ives. Other cast members including Josh Hartnett, Timothy Dalton, Reeve Carney, Harry Treadaway, Rory Kinnear, Helen McCrory and Billie Piper have all drawn positive notices for their work as well, while the production design and direction are two other categories in which Penny Dreadful could be an awards threat.
The series will again shoot in Dublin, Ireland, as did the first two. Showtime prexy David Nevins said in a statement:
“[Writer and executive producer] John Logan’s brilliant writing and this amazingly talented ensemble continue to draw a passionate, global fan base into the meticulously crafted world of Penny Dreadful. Together with our wonderful partners at Sky Atlantic, we’re excited to see what new haunts John and his team have in store for Season 3.”
Penny Dreadful is on the verge of airing its season 2 finale on Showtime. It will return for its third season in 2016.
