The gothic horror series Penny Dreadful may have ended its run back in 2016, but now it’s back from the dead in the form of a new spinoff series, Penny Dreadful: City of Angels. The first trailer has been released for the new show, and while it looks to go in a bit of a different direction than its predecessor, including featuring an all-new cast, Penny Dreadful fans will still find plenty to like.
While the original Penny Dreadful was set in 19th Century England and took inspiration from classic horror tales of the era like Dracula and Frankenstein, the spinoff — as you may have guessed from the title — is set in Los Angeles. But rather than modern-day L.A., City of Angels takes place in the wild, Chinatown-era of 1938 L.A. The series mixes in a lot of cultural and historical upheaval from the period (including a few Nazi spies), giving it an entirely different feel from the Victorian Penny Dreadful. But what makes the new show similar to the original series is the undercurrent of supernatural darkness, represented here by Game of Thrones star Natalie Dormer in the role of a shape-shifting demon named Magda. The show will also heavily revolve around Mexican folklore surrounding Santa Muerte, a female personification of death who resembles the Grim Reaper in most depictions. Here’s the full series synopsis:
A spiritual descendant of the original Penny Dreadful story set in Victorian-era London, Penny Dreadful: City of Angels opens in 1938 Los Angeles, a time and place deeply infused with social and political tension. When a grisly murder shocks the city, Detective Tiago Vega (Daniel Zovatto) and his partner Lewis Michener (Nathan Lane) become embroiled in an epic story that reflects the rich history of Los Angeles: from the building of the city’s first freeways and its deep traditions of Mexican-American folklore, to the dangerous espionage actions of the Third Reich and the rise of radio evangelism. Before long, Tiago and his family are grappling with powerful forces that threaten to tear them apart.
Penny Dreadful: City of Angels is set to premiere on Showtime on Sunday, April 26.
