Penny Dreadful: Demimonde

"Demimonde" is the fourth episode of season one the supernatural drama series Penny Dreadful. It was directed by Dearbhla Walsh with a script written by series creator John Logan. It first aired on Showtime on Sunday, June 1st, 2014 at 10:00 pm. In this episode, Vanessa Ives grows closer to Dorian Gray. Meanwhile, Victor Frankenstein seeks advice from a venerable hematologist named Van Helsing. And Ethan Chandler takes Brona Croft out for a night on the town at the Guignol Theater.

Notes & Trivia

 * Penny Dreadful was created by John Logan.


 * This series was produced in association with Sky.


 * This episode is rated TV-MA.


 * This episode aired in the United Kingdom on SkyAtlantic on June 10th, 2014.


 * This episode is included on disc one of the Penny Dreadful: The Complete First Season DVD and Blu-ray collections.


 * All of the regularly billed cast members appear in this episode.

Allusions

 * Demimonde refers to a group of people who live hedonistic lifestyles, usually in a flagrant and conspicuous manner. The term was commonly used in Europe from the late 19th to the early 20th century, and contemporary use has an anachronistic character. Its connotations of pleasure-seeking often contrasted with wealth and ruling class behavior. On Penny Dreadful, it refers to the in-between worlds of the living conventional reality and the dark twisted underbelly of the supernatural. The term was first used in "Night Work" to describe the opium den where Vanessa Ives, Ethan Chandler and Malcolm Murray first fought the vampires.

Quotes

 * Dorian Gray: The rarest orchid on Earth, and thus the most expensive. It's only found in one place, a particular mountain in Borneo. It can take up to 15 years to bloom. All that time, perfecting itself. A lifetime for six perfect flowers.
 * Vanessa Ives: How long will it bloom?
 * Dorian Gray: A moment.
 * Vanessa Ives: Is it poisonous?
 * Dorian Gray: Like all beautiful things, I hope so.

....
 * Dorian Gray: Mister Chandler? Are you all right?
 * Ethan Chandler: You ever wish you could be someone else? Just run away from your life?
 * Dorian Gray: All the time. You want to be someone else? Come with me.
 * Ethan Chandler: Does it involve a drink?
 * Dorian Gray: Many.
 * Ethan Chandler: What about Miss Ives?
 * Dorian Gray: She doesn't want to be anyone else.

....
 * Ethan Chandler: Would you stop it? Holy Christ, you're both morbid fucks.
 * Victor Frankenstein: My, my. That temper of yours.
 * Ethan Chandler: We're not all bloodless dandies.
 * Victor Frankensteinr: Is that what I am?
 * Ethan Chandler: I don't know what you are.
 * Victor Frankenstein: You could not understand it, believe me.

....
 * Ethan Chandler: We've all done things to survive. There are such sins at my back it would kill me to turn around.