Penny Dreadful (TV show) Tarot Deck

(If you haven't watched the series premiere of Penny Dreadful and don't want to see anything related to it because of spoilers, you may wish to avoid this post. It doesn't contain major spoilers but it's up to your personal preference.)

In the new Showtime series Penny Dreadful, one character uses some Tarot cards. I was curious about whether the deck they'd used in the show was a real one and was going to ask about that, but a quick search turned up the deck in their official store: http://store.sho.com/penny-dreadful-tarot-cards/detail.php?p=523695

You can get an "online reading" with it here: http://www.penny-dreadful.com/tarot/

I didn't enjoy this first episode as much as I thought I would but I really like the cards... not sure if some of the pictures are what I would have chosen for the cards, but I enjoy their design. I was wondering if anyone has bought it and if so, what you think of it?

Oh i never knew about this new series i just checked it on imdb it was filmed in ireland and parts of the UK, also there is a small trailer on there looks very dark and scary but i think i could watch it all the cards look very interesting as well.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2628232/

The deck looks intriguing, I would love to get the chance to see how the cards feel and read with them.

The inexpensive price is also a plus.

Chimera Dust said:

(If you haven't watched the series premiere of Penny Dreadful and don't want to see anything related to it because of spoilers, you may wish to avoid this post. It doesn't contain major spoilers but it's up to your personal preference.)

In the new Showtime series Penny Dreadful, one character uses some Tarot cards. I was curious about whether the deck they'd used in the show was a real one and was going to ask about that, but a quick search turned up the deck in their official store: http://store.sho.com/penny-dreadful-tarot-cards/detail.php?p=523695

You can get an "online reading" with it here: http://www.penny-dreadful.com/tarot/

Click to expand...

<clicks on link> Right, so you're expected to buy without even seeing one image. The backs aren't nearly enough - backs aren't important enough to me to buy a deck because of them, and I've never heard of the show so I wouldn't buy it for that reason. This is just poor marketing. If they had a slideshow of even half a dozen cards, I'd be tempted.

Luna-Ocean said:

Oh i never knew about this new series i just checked it on imdb it was filmed in ireland and parts of the UK, also there is a small trailer on there looks very dark and scary but i think i could watch it all the cards look very interesting as well.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2628232/

Click to expand...

I didn't know it had been filmed in Ireland too (I kind of guessed about the UK bits ) but that's interesting, thank you.

The series is probably not for the easily-frightened and was creepier than I expected. It's still a less gory TV show than American Horror Story. I was expecting something much cheesier and less creepy but I liked this first episode. It's still a bit too early to tell if I'll be glued to this show or not but it may have some potential.

darkbookworm13 said:

The deck looks intriguing, I would love to get the chance to see how the cards feel and read with them.

The inexpensive price is also a plus.

Click to expand...

I'm thinking the same thing. With shipping outside of the US it adds up a bit, but I might still end up ordering it. I like the way it looks, it's very minimalistic!

nisaba said:

<clicks on link> Right, so you're expected to buy without even seeing one image. The backs aren't nearly enough - backs aren't important enough to me to buy a deck because of them, and I've never heard of the show so I wouldn't buy it for that reason. This is just poor marketing. If they had a slideshow of even half a dozen cards, I'd be tempted.

Click to expand...

Have you looked at the second link I posted with the "online reading"? You can preview the cards on there (it randomly picks three each time to make a past-present-future spread, but if you reload, you'll get three different ones). The shop link also has a picture that shows some of the fronts. I hope this helps.

Hmmmmmmmm.

I love the setting and character descriptions of the show, but what I don't understand is why the Tarot deck looks so modern. Everything else about the production is deliciously vintage. I just imagine if you were doing readings for Victor Frankenstein and Dorian Gray you might use a deck that bears more of a resemblance to the Eteilla or Oswald Wirth. Am I the only one who thinks they are a tad too au courant?

Shade said:

Hmmmmmmmm.

I love the setting and character descriptions of the show, but what I don't understand is why the Tarot deck looks so modern. Everything else about the production is deliciously vintage. I just imagine if you were doing readings for Victor Frankenstein and Dorian Gray you might use a deck that bears more of a resemblance to the Eteilla or Oswald Wirth. Am I the only one who thinks they are a tad too au courant?

Click to expand...

I had the same thought too... they look too modern! I would have expected something more Victorian-looking.

nisaba said:

<clicks on link> Right, so you're expected to buy without even seeing one image. The backs aren't nearly enough - backs aren't important enough to me to buy a deck because of them, and I've never heard of the show so I wouldn't buy it for that reason. This is just poor marketing. If they had a slideshow of even half a dozen cards, I'd be tempted.

Click to expand...

You can see them if you go to the "reading" bit.

My relationship seems to be a disaster... I rather like it, myself !

Seems to be majors only ?

gregory said:

You can see them if you go to the "reading" bit.

My relationship seems to be a disaster... I rather like it, myself !

Seems to be majors only ?

Click to expand...

The official product page says it's full deck.

includes all 78 cards of the Major and Minor Arcana and comes with an instruction card to help you navigate and harness the knowledge of the Tarot.

Click to expand...

I thought it would be Majors only too but I guess not. If you click on the first link, the third picture shows some of the Cups cards on the bottom row. I can't tell if they're fully illustrated or not, though. The Ace seems very simple and makes me think not and not much is visible of the rest. The 8 seems to be slightly more visible than the others and seems to show someone sitting down and holding a book, so it's possible that it is fully illustrated and not just pips. I guess I'll know for sure in a few weeks (unless someone orders it within the US and gets it before I do, in which case... I hope they report back!).

Minors are not quite fully illustrated, they're variations on a central image with just changes in the number of Pentacles, etc., shown on the card, so mostly closer to being pips in my opinion. Though the Aces are different from the rest of the suit, as near as I can tell. http://irio.deviantart.com/art/Penny-Dreadful-Tarot-Cards-449642001 (You may have to zoom in; on my tablet, I had no other way to download or view a larger image, which happens sometimes with Deviant Art's site.) More of the artist's story is also on that page.

The whole deck is interesting, and it's certainly not expensive. I'm attracted to it, but I suspect I'd personally have a hard time reading from it.