Why "Penny Dreadful: City of Angels" Is a Must-Watch!

We’re half-way through the first season of Showtime’s “Penny Dreadful: City of Angels”, and we’re scared, intrigued, and hooked – but also super excited to see what comes next. If you aren’t familiar with the supernatural, terrifying series, then you need to see what you’re missing for yourself – and don’t worry: even though it’s a spin-off, you don’t necessarily have to watch the original "Penny Dreadful" series to enjoy it!

Los Angeles, 1939. When a series of murders connected to Mexican ocultism leave the city unsettled, it’s up to detective Tiago (Daniel Zovatto) to uncover the truth and find whoever is behind them. However, there are dark forces that thrive on mistrust, violence, and resentment. Magda (Natalie Dormer), a persistent demon who’s trying to doom humanity, will do whatever it takes to find a way for war to break loose in the city – but the entire world will be brought to chaos if no one is able to stop her.

As you can see, we’re very far from the Victorian aesthetic from the original series, but its core theme prevails: What makes us human? In this case, loyalty, family, and progress have become part of the answer, and we’re looking forward to seeing how these themes are explored in contrast to the first “Penny Dreadful”. Also, this new setting gives us the opportunity to celebrate Mexican culture and its rich heritage through Tiago’s family and Santa Muerte, the mysterious Angel of Death who might hold the key to save them all.

But what makes this story so special? Even though we’re in the late-1930s, the series brings up issues that are relevant right now. Since it takes place right before World War II, it’s interesting to see the climate that surrounded minorities back then and how that has affected today’s perception of them. Sadly, some conflicts and struggles are still happening right now, and seeing them addressed within a different context gives us both distance and closeness to re-evaluate the present.

That might be, in fact, one of the show’s greatest strengths: the portrayal of different identities and groups, good and bad, and how they interact with each other. To be honest, based on what we’ve already seen so far, the first season is full of tension, mystery, and drama, and that’s why it's honestly worth watching!

Intrigued already? Check Young Hollywood's Zoom chat with Adam Rodriguez, AKA Raul Vega on the show, below, and be sure to catch “Penny Dreadful: City of Angels” Sundays at 10pm on Showtime!