Recalling and discussing what we saw in the debut episode of the show 'Penny Dreadful: City of Angels'.
The premiere of the series Penny Dreadful: City of Angels took place on the Amediateka streaming service. It is the 'spiritual successor' to the once-popular gothic show Penny Dreadful by John Logan Penny Dreadful starring Eva Green, Josh Hartnett, and Timothy Dalton.
Friends, we invite you to dive together into the world of Mexican mythology accompanied by the charming Natalie Dormer ('Game of Thrones'). Every week we will recap the episodes we've watched, evaluating and discussing what we've seen, as well as speculating on the further development of the plot. So, what did we see at the start of the new project?
Warning: spoilers for Episode 1 of 'Penny Dreadful: City of Angels' follow
Santa Muerte
The debut episode, symbolically titled 'Santa Muerte' (Holy Death), begins with a dialogue between a demon named Magda (Natalie Dormer) and her sister, the angel of death Santa Muerte (Lorenza Izzo). During their palpably disturbing conversation, Magda says that the hour will come when race will consume race, and brother will kill brother until not a single living soul remains. And for all this, only a small spark is needed.
After this intriguing conversation, Magda departs spectacularly, leaving a trail of fire that leads to the death of one of the Mexican workers. He ends up in the arms of the angel of death when his young son rushes to him, but Santa Muerte pushes him away, leaving him with a scar.
Family Matters
Later, we see that this boy has grown up and become the first Mexican-American detective in Los Angeles in 1938, and his name is Tiago Vega (Daniel Zovatto). We meet the hero at a small family party where tension reigns. The fact is that bulldozers are about to roll through the lands of the Vega family and other Mexican workers to build a new highway.
Tiago's brother, named Raul (Adam Rodriguez), not only does not appreciate his relative's newfound status but also partly considers him a traitor. He himself plans to stop the work by any means necessary.
The First Case
At the crack of dawn, Tiago is called to duty, and he goes there with his partner Lewis (Nathan Lane). The Mexican rookie was invited to the crime scene for a reason, as it is a ritual murder in the spirit of the Santa Muerte cult, with corresponding makeup on the faces of the deceased. Near the bodies, the detectives find an inscription in Spanish that reads, 'You took our hearts, we will take yours.' After which Tiago confirms that all the victims literally have their hearts cut out.
Upon arriving at the police station, Tiago and Lewis find out that the deceased were members of the wealthy white Hazlett family from Beverly Hills. At that moment, the partners' boss states that 'he wishes the bodies belonged to Mexicans.' This underscores the tense atmosphere and class inequality existing in America at the time.
Nazis and Old Acquaintances
Next, the series introduces us to other important characters in the story, namely the pediatrician Peter Craft (Rory Kinnear from the original 'Penny Dreadful'), whose housekeeper is Tiago's mother Maria (Adriana Barraza). Peter seems like a kind-hearted doctor who knows how to interact with children and treats his subordinates tactfully. But there are two 'buts': his wife is clearly suffering from alcoholism, and he himself is a follower of the Nazi movement (it is, we recall, 1938).
We were shown an interesting episode with one of Peter's patients. What is interesting, however, is not the asthmatic boy himself, but his mother Elsa, whom we see as our already familiar Magda. She, as she promised in the opening scene of the series, begins to whisper words here and there that could lead to irreparable consequences. In this case, Magda, posing as a 'German woman,' talks about Jewish neighbors and also hints at beatings from her American husband. Of course, the German Peter took the bait.
Following this is the creepiest scene of the debut episode. Magda literally 'absorbs' her 'son' through her skin. Brr... it's even unpleasant to recall.
Tensions Rise
Let's return to Tiago and his peculiar family in every respect. Among other things, from the young detective's words, we learn that Maria considers herself a witch (indeed, why not?). And this is revealed a little later in the same episode.
The detectives themselves find out that the deceased Hazlett family was involved in the activities of the cult of the evangelist Sister Molly (we didn't see her in person, but this woman will be played by Kerry Bishé). Another discovery is the fact that Hazlett worked on the new highway project that is going to be built through Mexican settlements.
At the same time, at a public hearing, the head of the transportation committee, Charlton Townsend (Michael Gladis), gets into a heated exchange with Raul Vega about the future road and the prospects for Mexicans. The official even suggests they go back where they came from, but need it be mentioned that Raul, like many of his loved ones, was born and raised in Los Angeles?!
The hearing itself only underscores the tense situation in the city, but what happens behind it is far more interesting. And there we see our old acquaintance Magda again, this time in the guise of Townsend's assistant. In their boastful speeches, Mussolini and Hitler are mentioned. What's even funnier is that Magda arranges a meeting for her 'boss' with a certain person who can help him become mayor.
This mysterious someone turns out to be the German architect Richard Goss, who is Hitler's man in the USA. The German unequivocally tells Townsend that he will work for them; otherwise, the meeting could end not with handshakes but with gunfire.
Climax
That same evening, Tiago questions his mother about followers of Santa Muerte she knows and warns Raul that he should not go against the police, or it will not end well.
Vega himself does not plan to go to the construction site, where an inevitable clash between police and rioting Mexicans will occur, but his partner tells him he will have to make a difficult choice.
We have already noted that Tiago's mother considers herself a witch. Her words are backed up by action, as she manages to summon none other than Santa Muerte herself, who, incidentally, is not too pleased to be disturbed. Maria asks the angel of death for help, to which the supernatural being replies that she has no concern for the living, only the dead. The mortal provokes Santa Muerte, pointing out her inaction during the rampant activity of her sister Magda. The angel disappears in a rage from this unwanted meeting.
After this episode, Maria tells Tiago about his chosenness, convincing him that he must put an end to the brewing rebellion, or events will inevitably lead to bloodshed. She was spot on, by golly.
On the day of reckoning, Tiago still comes to the construction site and tries to convince Raul and his comrades to back down. The proud Mexican still believes that his brother has betrayed them and is a disgrace to everyone. To somehow defuse the brewing Mexican drama, Magda steps in, whispering to one of the police officers that it's time to pull the trigger.
In the ensuing chaos, Raul shoots at law enforcement officers and nearly kills Tiago's partner Lewis, but takes a bullet from his own brother. The main character made his choice not in favor of his family, thereby putting an effective and dramatic end to the first episode of the show 'Penny Dreadful: City of Angels'.
Teaser for the second episode:
What do you think of the series premiere? Which moment struck you the most? Where do you think the plot will go next?
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