When "Penny Dreadful" Season 3 reached its conclusion, it was announced that the series will no longer have a fourth run. Fans of the dark fantasy drama have been wondering why, considering the positive reception it received.
According to Cinema Blend, TV network Showtime president Gary Levine said that they could have announced earlier that Season 3 was going to be the final season but they opted not to. Nonetheless, creator and executive producer John Logan already decided beforehand that it was going to run for only three seasons.
They did keep the possibility open for more seasons, Levine said, but it would not be the same if the main character Vanessa Ives is no longer around. Also, Logan didn't want to go on without the character.
The enigmatic Vanessa Ives, portrayed by actress Eva Green, is the heroine of the series and she fights against the forces of the underworld. With her are known characters in literature, such as Dorian Gray (Reeve Carney), Dr. Victor Frankenstein (Harry Treadaway), and the Creature (Rory Kinnear). In the series finale, she sacrificed herself for the greater good.
Levine also said that the heroine's death was "plotted" and Logan didn't think there was a show after that event. He expressed that the authenticity of the series would be lost without them, meaning the character and the creator.
The announcement of the series came as a surprise to fans, but Logan said that the series ending was what it was supposed to be.
"That's what the ending of this series is, it is meant to be a strong, bold, theatrical ending because I think that's what our fans like," Logan told Deadline in an earlier interview, "and to water that down with an announcement or having them know I think would be an act of bad faith."
Still, there are speculations that a fourth season may still happen, considering what fans think are loose ends. Yibada also reported about a petition to bring it back, as well as rumors that Catriona (Perdita Weeks) will be featured in a spinoff.
