Penny Dreadful

Metafizzypop

An intense and daring episode. The only weak spot was the tarot deck that they've been using on the show.

I'd rather they used a real tarot deck. The cards would be easier to recognize. And it would look better on camera. The PD deck is dark, with sketchy and unrecognizable drawings. It doesn't make for a good visual. A Marseille or some other real deck would be more familiar, would look better, and would make the show more authentic in its discussions on the occult.

But they may be using that weird deck because of the scorpion. There is a significance to the scorpion. It appears on the Lovers card of the PD deck. Vanessa Ives draws the scorpion in blood, and sometimes she wears a scorpion as a pendent.
 

Samweiss

An intense and daring episode. The only weak spot was the tarot deck that they've been using on the show.

I'd rather they used a real tarot deck. The cards would be easier to recognize. And it would look better on camera. The PD deck is dark, with sketchy and unrecognizable drawings. It doesn't make for a good visual. A Marseille or some other real deck would be more familiar, would look better, and would make the show more authentic in its discussions on the occult.

But they may be using that weird deck because of the scorpion. There is a significance to the scorpion. It appears on the Lovers card of the PD deck. Vanessa Ives draws the scorpion in blood, and sometimes she wears a scorpion as a pendent.

I agree. The deck looks way too modern and it really breaks the illusion for me. But, I like the show, it's really entertaining with great actors and nice milieu.
 

Shade

This series sounds great :), I think I will go straight for the box set .

Since I don't have Showtime I waited for Season 1 to be on DVD before watching and it was wonderful. The DVDs have some fun extras (a featurette Victorian pornography was worth the price of admission).

Once Showtime has its pay-to-watch-online service I'll catch up with this season (or the DVDs come out).
 

seedcake

I really love this show. In my opinion second season looks better 'cause we can see building even more intense relationships between each other. And I agree, third episode was a true masterpiece but I really can't stand the deck. It looked so unnatural. And to be even more picky - show started in 1894 (written in the very first episode). Vanessa met the witch few years back. I think it's a bit less possible to have a Tarot deck in UK. I know, I know, it's not about historical accuracy and it's purely awesome that someone, while writing the script, thought about Tarot in a more meaningful way. But still, if the deck was like TdM, it would be a way much better.
 

Sulis

I'm sure plenty of people in Britain had a tarot deck in the late 19th century.. Granted, it wouldn't have looked like that one but there would have been tarot readers and decks.
 

Teheuti

I'm sure plenty of people in Britain had a tarot deck in the late 19th century.. Granted, it wouldn't have looked like that one but there would have been tarot readers and decks.
People had Tarot decks by 1894, but only if they got them on the continent - see MacGregor Mathers 1888 book on the Tarot, which was the first in English on Tarot fortune-telling (other than mentions in other works). There were laws against importing foreign playing cards (to protect the local industry). I'm sure there were places in London where one could obtain a Tarot deck, but generally someone would have had to privately bring one in. GD members generally used an Italian (Dotti/Soprafino-style), Marseilles or Swiss deck. The non-standard Etteilla deck was also available in France.
 

seedcake

People had Tarot decks by 1894, but only if they got them on the continent - see MacGregor Mathers 1888 book on the Tarot, which was the first in English on Tarot fortune-telling (other than mentions in other works). There were laws against importing foreign playing cards (to protect the local industry). I'm sure there were places in London where one could obtain a Tarot deck, but generally someone would have had to privately bring one in. GD members generally used an Italian (Dotti/Soprafino-style), Marseilles or Swiss deck. The non-standard Etteilla deck was also available in France.

In 1894, I totally agree. That was a good time to own a Tarot deck. I'm just not sure how long ago Vanessa was in the hut with the witch. I guess I wouldn't pick on it if the deck was historical or even modern re-interpretation version of the historical one. It just could look old. The whole scenery of the show is so beautiful and historical deck would do a justice.

Now I seems to be so picky. Believe me, I'm not ;)
 

Shade

It just could look old. The whole scenery of the show is so beautiful and historical deck would do a justice.

Agree 100%. The Wolfman remake and Sherlock Holmes 2 had lovely historical decks. I understand the deck is meant to convey the show's theme that nature is both sensual and deadly (as seen in the show's opening bit) but... but... I'm sure someone a bit naughty owned a lithography printing press at the time.