We recall and discuss what we saw in the fourth episode of the show 'Penny Dreadful: City of Angels'.

We continue to struggle through watching the series 'Penny Dreadful: City of Angels' and hope for a bright future for the project. In the new episode, besides not the most engaging dialogues, they added a pinch of spectacle, including an erotic scene with Natalie Dormer and a creepy scene with a limbless girl. Let's recall these moments and everything else shown in the latest episode of the show.

Previous recaps:

Episode 1

Episode 2

Episode 3

Warning: spoilers for Episode 4 of 'Penny Dreadful: City of Angels' follow below

Questions, Questions, and No Answers

With each new episode, the number of questions for showrunner John Logan grows like yeast. And there are no prerequisites for us to start getting answers. The nature of the relationship between Magda and Santa Muerte is still unclear. It is unclear why the latter keeps coming to the Vega family (whether it's saving Tiago at the very beginning or summoning his mother Maria). There is no rational explanation for the behavior of Raul, who returned to life (not without supernatural forces) and peacefully sips beer with the brother who shot him (what was that scene even for?!).

It is hard to find an explanation for why Tiago and Lewis are busy with their own affairs when they should be investigating the murder of the Hazlett family.

In connection with the latter circumstance, the new episode even had a funny, albeit unintentional, scene where Tiago's boss Vanderhoff reminds the Mexican that it wouldn't hurt to look for the culprit in the crime that has stirred up the whole city.

Seriously, it was very funny because the flat image of the police chief took on new colors thanks to the common sense in his words. What did you think at that moment? That Tiago would go investigate? Hmm, no such luck.

Sexual Tension

In Episode 4, we officially, so to speak, learned that Sister Molly was dating the murdered Hazlett. Does this mean she is involved in the murders, or is it an authorial tool to justify Tiago's passionate infatuation with this evangelist? The revelation led to a quarrel between people who feel sympathy for each other. This is likely not the last conflict between the characters.

Sexual tension was felt in literally every storyline segment of this episode. For instance, we saw Tiago's sister Josefina for almost the first time, giving her a rather unpleasant episode of police harassment, which she stoically endured.

Josefina was with Mateo at the time but asked him not to tell anyone about what happened. Interestingly, this scene was likely needed not so much to reveal the girl after whom the episode was oddly named (Josefina and the Holy Spirit), but rather to push Mateo further toward hatred of the authorities.

Josefina herself, not finding support from her mother, who is tormented by her younger son's desire to become a gangster, goes to Sister Molly's performance. What will come of this potential alliance is still unclear.

Returning to the sexual tension literally hanging in the air in the latest episode of 'Penny Dreadful: City of Angels', one cannot ignore Magda's amorous adventures. Her 'victim' was the unsuspecting Dr. Kraft, who has long imagined himself with Magda. The German incarnation of Dormer's character first encounters Kraft's wife at a dinner party, who informs her that her husband is not as fluffy as he seems, and then has sex with the doctor.

Magda's 'child', who deserves the title of the creepiest character on the show, tells a horrifying story during a midnight children's gathering about a girl who lost her limbs at the hands of a maniac. Later, Kraft's son has a nightmare featuring that same creepy girl. The boo-moment was a success, although its purpose for the story, like many other elements, remains a mystery.

There was also sex in the story of official Townsend. In the previous episode, we learned that he is gay (or bisexual), and in this one, one of the Nazi henchmen kills the poor guy's lover. But even stranger was that he then personally had sex with Townsend under the watchful eye of video cameras and Magda in the guise of the hapless politician's assistant.

Townsend had another blow in store in this episode — his highway construction project turns out to be not the most rational or practical. The councilwoman, who had previously declared war on Townsend, presents an option that avoids 'warring' with Mexicans and builds the ill-fated road with the same efficiency.

Jewish Mafia

Traditionally, the most interesting and coherent storyline is Lewis's, who has given up on finding Hazlett's killer, preferring instead to deal with the Los Angeles Nazis. He not only buries a friend who gave his life trying to find out about the Germans' plans but also turns to the head of the local Jewish mafia for help. He plays on the connection of Jews and the fact that everyone will suffer from the Nazis' actions. Apparently, Lewis manages to convince the gangster. It will be interesting to follow the developments in this branch going forward.

Teaser for Episode 5: