#SPOILERS Ahead! #PennyDreadful S3E4 & My Own Memories of Lost Pasts
PLOT: "In order to better understand the plight that she has been given to deal with, Vanessa uses her intelligence and cunning to convince the skilled Dr. Seward into using an unconventional approach in therapy to send her back in time." (S3E4: "A Blade of Grass")Most of the entire episode was in a padded cell, where Vanessa Ives was holed up for months, for a period of time she had totally forgotten (or repressed in her memories), and where she had first met "The Orderly", whom was later to become "The Creature" aka "John Claire". When the identity of "The Orderly" was first unveiled at the end of Episode 3 the week before, you'd know this was to be a powerful ep to come, especially when "John Claire"s connection to Ms Ives in earlier episodes were "special", as so much as one might "ship" them (which to me made more of a romantic notion, than Ives and Wolf-boy lol).
What unfolded in his episode was to be extremely uncomfortable, unnerving, and ultimately being my favouritest episode of the entire three seasons, thus far… :)
Admittedly, the notion of "memory" resonates within me to a fault, or has been for the past few years, especially after my Stroke in 2010, whereby I'd been told one of the side effects suffered might be "memory loss", which at this point in my life, I ironically do not know if that is true fact or false notion, as I have not recollection of (many) times past - be it an effect of the experience of Stroke, or of my own subconcious mindscape volition - for which if I thought too hard about, might well leave my brain imploded, innit? ... wait, what did I just say again? ...
Meeting up with 3+decades old ex-classmates (in a fabulous reunion over the Sunday weekend) has left me with a bagful of questions and voids where names and faces could/should be. Entire scenes and recollections are on perpetual "pause" in the playback function of my addled brain. And the "play" button is not really working, you know? Click-Click-dafuq?
Perhaps I'd blocked all of them out, from a period of self-absorbed life and shyness? Or perhaps post-Stroke Memory-Wipes are in effect? Strange-life I am living in, an out-of-body experience would explain it all perhaps? LOL
"Archiving" had been a strong aim in previous years, but for the sole selfish purpose of documenting my own "life", before I forget all abut them. Not as ominous as it may sound, nor worthy of sympathy, but a simple "truth" I live with these days. (Thank heavens for "free uploads" on Facebook!)
Regardless of my own personal malady, the theme and notion of what "Vanessa" experienced in this episode, echoes in my consciousness. The trauma of the past hidden away in the shadow of the subconscious, least her brains cave in to despair ... sometimes we choose to "forget" to save ourselves? Coupled with the fact that she "meets" both the brothers "Demon" and "Dracula" is pure fictional drama as it's most delicious, IMHO! Who the heck would want to remember THAT (wannabe) triangle love-affair? LOL
I am in utter awe at S3E4 of #PennyDreadful ... the exceptional drama, the splendid visual story-telling, even the audio was exceptional (to my untrained ears, anyways) .. a true tour deforce unparalleled by other shows out in the air right now, IMHO. At the edge of my seat, comfortably with tears at the brink of constant eruption, this was indeed an episode worth waiting a week for, exquisitely so.
Eva Green (as "Vanessa Ives") and Rory Kinnear (as the unnamed Orderly / pre-"The Creature" AKA "John Clare") are undeniably brilliant, and the emotions pretty gut-wrenching ... I would insist "awards worthy performances", but I would have been stating the obvious :)
Scroll down for more screengrabbed imagery, as well as a behind-the-scenes featurette of the craft involved to bring us this episode.
Cheers,
Andy
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