21 Shows To Watch While You’re Recovering From A Food Coma

Penny Dreadful promotional image via Showtime

6. Penny Dreadful

Okay, so maybe you’re intrigued by some of the darker, more moody shows on the list, but you want something a little… creepier. Luckily for you, we’ve got Penny Dreadful.

This British-American horror show draws its inspiration from 19th century “penny dreadfuls”, cheap British publications that told lurid, often grotesque tales. The television show does much of the same, with the help of characters that are conveniently in the public domain. The cast includes Dorian Gray, Victor Frankenstein and his monster, half the cast of Dracula, and Dr. Henry Jekyll. There are also a host of original characters, including Eva Green’s Vanessa Ives, an enigmatic heroine.

Admittedly, the show does get a touch silly. It’s all in the spirit of horror and penny dreadfuls, however, so I recommend that you just go with the ride of the show. Overall, though, the acting and writing is excellent and makes it that much easier to accept the show. We’re dealing with practically half of all 19th century British horror characters fighting, making friends, and battling dark forces, after all. It’s a wild ride, even a crazy one, but if you love Gothic horror, it’s well worth the time.

Where to watch: Netflix, Hulu