First off this episode filled us in on where Lily and Dorian are. We’re introduced to them entering a den in Whitechapel which appears to be some kind of mutilation club. Men apparently gather to watch a naked woman dissected alive which is a really disturbing idea. It doesn’t get far though, when Lily and Dorian turn on everyone there, killing them and rescuing the poor girl. They bring her to Dorians’ where they behave hospitably towards her (it’s also worth noting they still seem to pass their time dancing around Dorian’s grand portrait room). Lily by now has completely regained her former memories of Brona, and sympathizes with this girl, promising that together they will have a great revenge on those who did them wrong. Which is essentially the same vow Lily had at the end of last season, only now there’s a new character added into the mix. My guess is Lily and Dorian’s plot-line (for his part Dorian doesn’t seem to have much agency at the moment; hopefully that’ll change) will be mostly self-contained so they need a new observer to be the eyes of the audience. Regardless, she seems on board with Lily’s plot, though probably not understanding what it will entail. Oh yeah, and there’s a lesbian kiss because this is on Showtime.
Meanwhile Frankenstein is still working with Jeckyll and is curious to see what Jeckyll has achieved, cautiously wanting to test out his experiment on someone else before Lily. During their first conversation over tea Jeckyll brings up how his Indian heritage is likely to prevent him making it on Harley Street. The change of Jeckyll’s ethnicity is one of the more overt changes this series has made, but it allows for us to latch onto a relatable human struggle, giving this incarnation a little more character. His discussion on the duality of man makes sure to retain his more traditional aspects. Jeckyll’s lab is located in the catacombs of Bedlam where he works with the criminally insane. In fact the lab really looks like an ideal Frankenstein lab. And from there, we see the more typical pulpiness as Jeckyll creates his serum, and injects it into a raving psycho who just happens to be a Scottish independent (and in a wonderful reference, is named for one of Robert Louis Stevensons’ other literary heroes, David Balfour of Kidnapped). Before Frankenstein’s eyes, the man reverts to a calm demeanour, having successfully suppressed his evil tendencies. It’s not a bad scene, and performed with a little bit of welcome humour. I also like how Jeckyll is clearly manipulating Frankenstein through his love for Lily. It attests to the sinister layers of his character we have yet to see. But the last we see of Frankenstein is probably his most interesting, as we see he comes to Dorian’s house and watches Lily from afar, which she notices. What surprised me most was how kind she seems to be. It’s true she could be double-facing him, but then we saw last season she wasn’t afraid to show her true colours to her creator. I figured she’d be the one watching him, with cruel intentions. Here when she comes out to him, she seems almost sympathetic when she asks him to leave. It’s almost like there’s a flame of the former Lily. It comes off a tad inconsistent, but then everything about Frankenstein and Lily’s relationship at the end of last season was implied more than stated outright. I love her observation before he goes that she created him more than he created her.
In this episode we also learn that Sir Malcolm gets seasick. He’s en route to America with Kaetenay and the latter reveals more of his motivation, as well as his past with Chandler. Apparently, Chandler murdered his family in wolf form and as is often the case with him, pleaded for death after learning what he had done. Kaetenay thought it a more fitting punishment to let him live with this guilt, and his curse. Through that desire to see him suffer, a unique bond formed. Sir Malcolm appears to equate this with his relationship with Vanessa. This nugget comes just when it was looking like Sir Malcolm was starting to be a good person; the revelation his love for Vanessa might be borne out of a wish to see her suffer is pretty psychologically disturbing. Even though he killed his vampiric daughter, he never truly forgave Vanessa for setting her on that path. This scene is performed brilliantly -I could watch a whole episode with just Dalton and Studi. At one point to remind us this is a show that deals in the supernatural, Kaetenay mind-melds into Chandler’s dream, where Chandler is none too happy to see him. Chandler has a few problems of his own. While stopped in a trading post with his captors, and after reconnecting with the Apache through a Tantoo Cardinal cameo, the full moon appears and Chandler starts slaughtering everyone in the bar, aided by Hecate in her witch form. With everyone else in a bloody mess, it seems these two are going to be completing the journey together, whatever that may be. Hecate tracked Chandler down in part due to overhearing Rusk in a New Mexico town not far away. Despite being discharged from his mission, Rusk tells the American authorities he intends to bring Chandler in himself, citing the incident as an imperial matter. Where this story goes I’m not sure, and though I like Rusk and Douglas Hodge in the role, I can’t see this ending well for him.
The meat of the story though remains with Vanessa. She’s begun her appointments with Dr. Seward (and Renfield is now clearly behaving more Renfield-y), already making the biggest step by being recorded as she confesses her sins and her stories, starting with her betrayal of Mina. It’s a bit of an odd question from a therapist to ask for these, but I bear in mind that it may connect with the Cut-Wife who I have to believe LuPone’s casting is intentionally pointing towards. Still LuPone gets some great moments here, particularly once a broken up Vanessa has finished, and Seward is quite visibly disturbed at what she’s just been told. It’s a very powerful moment. Vanessa is instructed to do something happy, which she does. She visits the British Museum again and listens in on Dr. Sweet’s lecture. Afterwards, they hit it off, talking about adventuring and discovery. It’s amusing that they bring up Captain Nemo of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea who frankly given this show’s sources, I expected to show up in person. Vanessa even invites him to an evening out, where they go to see an early moving picture show enacting that very story; which is as always cool to see this series showing early technological development. Shortly after parting for the night, Vanessa feels a strange shudder caused by those vampire creeps still stalking her.
Renfield meanwhile has listened to Seward’s record of Vanessa’s confession which she just left out in her office (this would have been stupidly irresponsible of Seward even if her secretary wasn’t a vampire spy). He reports to his master in the remains of the Grand Guignol (where one vampire’s playing a violin just because) and his new-found blood-lust is rewarded as Count Dracula is revealed to be …Dr. Sweet! To be honest, this spoiler was ruined for me shortly before I saw this episode, so I’m glad it came quickly, but the episode doesn’t hide it well. It’s clear Dr. Sweet is not what he appears, not least because anyone connected with Vanessa can’t possibly be good for her. And it only makes sense that just as her life seems to be going well again, her love interest would actually happen to be the prince of darkness. He also seemed much too mild-mannered, especially for someone making recurring appearances. I still wonder why recast this character as someone so different from the figure we saw in “Grand Guignol”; is Count Dracula a Time Lord? This is perhaps the least of the storylines right now, but it’s with a bit of a sadistic side I anticipate Vanessa going through further misery and horror before the end, and this arc picking up in the process.
The “Predators Far and Near” of this episode consisted of Rusk on the hunt for Chandler, Chandler and Hecate themselves, Lily preying on an unfortunate girl’s hardships, Kaetenay (possibly), and of course Dracula and his vampire minions. In following them, this made for a good if spotty episode. The performances and storytelling were on point. The stuff going on in America and Frankenstein’s ever more doomed mission with Jeckyll are my favourites, with additional great moments coming out of Lily, Vanessa, Seward, Sir Malcolm, and Kaetenay. The season may not be bound in the most promising direction, but two episodes in it hasn’t made a major misstep.
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