The interactions between John Clare and Vanessa Ives last year were arguably the best scenes of not just season two, but the whole series. Here we have two lost souls, one, Ms. Ives, whos sheer beauty is unmatched by any woman around her, yet she is consumed by the inescapable monstrosity that exists within her. The other, John Clare, has the soul of a poet and is able to see beauty in places others only see pain and suffering, yet he is tormented by his grotesque appearance and his inability to fit in as a result. Both characters have so much in common, but yet experience it in such a contrasting way making their bond the most poetic and poignant relationship in Penny Dreadful. It was thus a joy to explore this relationship in one whole episode.
'A Blade of Grass' really punctuated the torture Vanessa Ives was going through in her time in the asylum, but it also showed to us John Clare's unwavering care for her as it built each day he interacted with her. This reached its emotional peak halfway through the episode when he applies makeup on her and tells her to never forget. Ms. Ive's outer beauty is an exemplification of her humanity, similar to how Ms. Ives last season told John Clare how he is the most human man she has known, despite his monstrous appearance. There is such beauty in that they are both, in the past and present, able to look beyond each other's inner and outer demons, respectively, and see the true humanity that exists. There is a commonplace that they both recognize that makes their scenes so tender and heartfelt.
Even more profound in this episode was how pre-John Clare like the Clare in present day, does not believe in God, but he does believe in the guidance that faith offers for others. Evident last season when he assured Vanessa that God awaits her if she continues to believe, and in this episode, when he tells her he will pray for her - not out of his own belief, which he is devoid of, but out of hers. Nice little touches are added to the dialogue too, like when Clare tells Ives it is Christmas Eve or their exchange about whether it is day or night.
Elevating all of this wonderful dialogue was the camera work and atmosphere, which Penny Dreadful continues to be masterful at. As my co-writer Ashley B wrote in her preview, this episode was indeed like watching a staged drama. Its singular setting, as well as using exits and entrances to mark passing of time, on top of its attention to lighting and framing, made this episode a very unique and engaging viewing experience.
Ashley also mentioned how this setting made the "subtlest of movements and actions stand out," which was especially true in the very intense scene when Vanessa is confronted by both Dracula and Lucifer. In particular the sequence when Lucifer and Ms. Ives were crawling towards eachother was one of those visual moments that kind of etches itself in your mind. Or that sequence when Dracula and Ms. Ives circle the center of the room, never once taking their eyes off each other, as the camera spun with them - another example of exemplary staging and camera work.
This scene on an atmospheric level was hair tingling and masterfully written. This was the first time we saw Lucifer and Dracula together, and it was a nice twist to see Lucifer cowering in the corner as Dracula made his grand entrance. Eva Green gave a rousing performance as she stands up to the evil in front of her rising in the air shouting her incantations - an intense and absolutely thrilling moment.
Whether Penny Dreadful is your cup of coffee or not, it shan't be denied that this is one show that is on a level of its own. 'A Blade of Grass' is Penny Dreadful at its most strongest - offering moments of tear-jerking, poignancy, before turning the tables over and horrifying its audience all the same.
Granted, there was not much development made with this episode and there were admittedly some moments that did drag, but in retrospect, sometimes adding layers of depth is as important as building development to a show's characters and plot. 'A Blade of Grass' provided plenty of depth, making us see these two lost souls as they seek connection in new light. This was a perfect way to bring us forth toward the halfway point of season 3 next week.
9/10
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