HBO MINISERIES PRESENTS IN ASSOCIATION WITH BBC

THE CASUAL VACANCY, A BRONTE FILM AND TELEVISION PRODUCTION,

BASED ON THE NOVEL BY J.K. ROWLING; STARRING MICHAEL GAMBON,

JULIA MCKENZIE, KEELEY HAWES, RORY KINNEAR;

DIRECTED BY JONNY CAMPBELL FROM A SCRIPT BY SARAH PHELPS;

THREE-PART MINISERIES DEBUTS APRIL 29 AND 30 ON HBO

            Pagford is a quaint, picturesque town in the Cotswolds, a seemingly idyllic English village with a cobbled market square and ancient abbey. Behind the pretty façade, however, is a town at war: rich vs. poor; parents vs. children; wives vs. husbands; and teachers vs. pupils.

            Based on renowned author J.K. Rowling’s first novel for adults, the three-part miniseries THE CASUAL VACANCY debuts its first two parts back-to-back WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29 (8:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT), followed by the debut of part three the next night, THURSDAY, APRIL 30 (8:00-9:00 p.m.), exclusively on HBO.

            THE CASUAL VACANCY is directed by Jonny Campbell (“In the Flesh,” “Eric and Ernie”) and written by Sarah Phelps (“Great Expectations,” “The Crimson Field”). The talented ensemble of actors is led by Michael Gambon (“The King’s Speech,” the “Harry Potter” series), Julia McKenzie (“Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple,” “Notes on a Scandal”), Keeley Hawes (“Upstairs, Downstairs,” “Ashes to Ashes”), Rory Kinnear (“The Imitation Game,” “Penny Dreadful”), Rufus Jones (“Paddington,” “W1A”), Emily Bevan (“In the Flesh”), Simon McBurney (“Magic in the Moonlight,” “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”) and Monica Dolan (“Wolf Hall,” “W1A”), and introduces Abigail Lawrie in her acting debut. Paul Trijbits (“Dancing on the Edge,” “Small Island”), Rick Senat (“Birthday”), Neil Blair and J.K. Rowling executive produce; Ruth Kenley-Letts (Academy Award^® winner for “Franz Kafka’s It’s a Wonderful Life”) produces.

            The sizeable task of transforming J.K. Rowling’s 500-page novel into three tight one-hour episodes fell to screenwriter Sarah Phelps. Undaunted, she was given free rein by Rowling to reshape the story, bringing to life the rich cast of colorful characters whose lives were mostly told on the page through their thoughts rather than their actions.

            Working with director Jonny Campbell, Phelps developed the characters and themes she felt best fit the screenplay, while ensuring the spirit of the adaptation remained true to the original novel. She was struck by teenager Krystal Weedon’s battle against her personal, social, political and economic environment, and chose to flesh out and spotlight her.

            THE CASUAL VACANCY is also the story of a village tearing itself apart, revealing the townspeople’s idiosyncrasies, and addressing social responsibility and one’s response to the poor and disadvantaged. At times darkly funny, it portrays a town whose residents are selfishly stuck in their beliefs and traditions, unaware they have the power to change. This sadly comical selfishness comes to play an important role as events unfold.

            Part 1

            Debut: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29 (8:00-9:00 p.m. ET/PT)

            Other HBO playdates: May 3 (2:00 p.m.), 8 (noon) and 12 (6:00 p.m.)

            HBO2 playdates: May 6 (8:00 p.m.) and 17 (9:30 a.m.)

            As Pagford Parish Council prepares for a vote on what will become of Sweetlove House – a town institution and community center serving poorer residents – chairman Howard Mollison (Michael Gambon) and his wife, Shirley (Julie McKenzie), who want to turn it into a tourist-destination spa, look to neutralize the threat of everyman council member Barry (Rory Kinnear), a solicitor and defender of the current Sweetlove House mission. When Barry’s sudden death leaves a “casual vacancy” on the council, the race to fill his seat, and determine the fate of Sweetlove, stirs up drama among residents.

            While Howard and Shirley push their submissive son, Miles (Rufus Jones), to run for election, Barry’s friend and doctor, Parminder (Lolita Chakrabarti), rallies behind reluctant school headmaster Colin (Simon McBurney), while Barry’s bullying half-brother, Simon (Richard Glover), looks to capitalize on the family tragedy. Elsewhere, Terri (Keeley Forsyth), Barry’s former neighbor and a struggling meth addict, finds it hard to stay clean, while her troubled daughter, Krystal (Abigail Lawrie), takes drastic measures to help. Later, Simon’s teenage son, Andrew, aka Arf (Joe Hurst), looks to expose the hypocrisy in Pagford by bringing his Uncle Barry back from the dead.

            Part 2

            Debut: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

            Other HBO playdates: May 3 (3:00 p.m.), 8 (1:00 p.m.) and 13 (6:00 p.m.)

            HBO2 playdates: May 6 (9:00 p.m.) and 17 (10:30 a.m.)

            As the town of Pagford mourns on the day of Barry’s funeral, candidates for his council seat are shocked to find their darkest secrets revealed online. Amidst struggles with her mom, Krystal recalls a fond memory with Barry and finds herself pursued by a rebellious classmate, Stuart, aka Fats (Brian Bernel). New student Gaia (Simona Brown) takes an interest in Andrew, who faces the consequences of outing his father’s unsavory ways online. Meanwhile, Barry’s widow, Mary (Emily Bevan), crashes a dinner to discuss Sweetlove House; Miles worries about his wife Samantha’s (Keeley Hawes) behavior; and Parminder butts heads with Howard, who is later plagued by visions of his own mortality.

            Part 3

            Debut: THURSDAY, APRIL 30 (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

            Other HBO playdates: May 3 (4:00 p.m.), 8 (2:00 p.m.) and 14 (6:00 p.m.)

            HBO2 playdates: May 6 (10:00 p.m.) and 17 (11:30 a.m.)

            As the council election approaches, Mary tries to talk Colin out of running, while his wife, Tess (Monica Dolan), puts her heart into campaigning. Andrew keeps his distance from home and stands up to Fats, whose interest in Gaia leaves Krystal annoyed. After unbearably close election results, the Sweetlove House matter is swiftly decided, and Miles gets a shock at home. During Howard’s birthday party, Samantha and Shirley have a confrontation about their family, and Arf catches two couples in compromising positions. Finally, after Terri gives in to temptation, a desperate Krystal seeks refuge, precipitating another tragedy that rocks the town.

            THE CASUAL VACANCY is an HBO Miniseries presentation in association with BBC of a Bronte Film and Television production; executive produced by Paul Trijbits, Rick Senat, Neil Blair and J.K. Rowling; produced by Ruth Kenley-Letts; directed by Jonny Campbell; script by Sarah Phelps, based on the novel by J.K. Rowling.

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“One of the greatest movies of the year!” – Rex Reed, New York Observer

“An excellent ensemble cast.” - Joe Morgenstern, The Wall Street Journal

“Smartly entertaining… [a] pure

pleasure to experience.” – Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

THE IMITATION GAME

Academy Award® Winner for Best Adapted Screenplay

on BLU-RAY^™ and DVD March 31, 2015

Early Digital Download Window Begins March 20, 2015

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – Anchor Bay Entertainment and The Weinstein Company are proud to announce the home entertainment release of THE IMITATION GAME, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Rory Kinnear, Allen Leech, with Charles Dance,and Mark Strong; written by Graham Moore and directed by Morten Tyldum.  Heralded as one of the top films of the year in nearly every major publication, the independently produced film has gone on to gross more than 150 million dollars worldwide, and received eight Academy Award® nominations including Best Picture, five Golden Globe® nominations, nine BAFTA nominations, and three Screen Actors Guild nominations.  It won the Academy Award® for Adapted Screenplay, was named one of the Best Films of the Year by AFI, received the USC Libraries Scripter Award and was awarded Best Adapted Screenplay by the WGA.  It will be available for digital download on March 20^th before heading to DVD and Blu-Ray ™ with Digital HD on March 31, 2015.           

During the winter of 1952, British authorities entered the home of mathematician, cryptanalyst and war hero Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) to investigate a reported burglary. They instead ended up arresting Turing himself on charges of “gross indecency” – an accusation that would lead to his devastating conviction for the criminal offense of homosexuality. Little did officials know, they were actually incriminating the pioneer of modern-day computing. Famously leading a motley group of scholars, linguists, chess champions and intelligence officers, he was credited with cracking the so-called unbreakable codes of Germany's World War II Enigma machine. An intense and haunting portrayal of a brilliant, complicated man, THE IMITATION GAME is the story of a genius who under nail-biting pressure helped to shorten the war and, in turn, save thousands of lives.

THE IMITATION GAME is rated PG-13 and has a running time of 114 minutes. Blu-Ray™ and DVD special features include The Making of THE IMITATION GAME, deleted scenes and special commentary.  The Blu-Ray™ will also include the exclusive “Q&A Highlights” special feature.  

For more information, please visit TheImitationGameMovie.com.

ABOUT THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY

The Weinstein Company (TWC) is a multimedia production and distribution company launched in October 2005 by Bob and Harvey Weinstein, the brothers who founded Miramax Films in 1979. TWC also encompasses Dimension Films, the genre label founded in 1993 by Bob Weinstein. During Harvey and Bob’s tenure at Miramax and TWC, they have received 341 Oscar nominations and won 79 Academy Awards.

Since 2005, TWC and Dimension Films have released such films as VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA; THE READER; INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS; SCRE4M; SPY KIDS: THE KING’S SPEECH; THE IRON LADY; UNDEFEATED; THE ARTIST; THE MASTER; SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK; DJANGO UNCHAINED; SCARY MOVIE 5; LEE DANIELS' THE BUTLER; PHILOMENA; ST. VINCENT; THE IMITATION GAME; BIG EYES and PADDINGTON. Upcoming releases include WOMAN IN GOLD, SOUTHPAW and UNDERDOGS.

TWC boasts an active television production division which garnered nine Emmy nominations in 2013 and five in 2014. TWC Television produces the reality powerhouse Project Runway, with its spin-off series Project Runway All Stars and Under The Gunn.  Recent TWC television productions include John Fusco’s Marco Polo, Mob Wives, Million Dollar Shoppers, Rodeo Girls and Trailer Park: Welcome to Myrtle Manor. Scripted projects in development include Ten Commandments and Daniel Stashower’s The Hour Of Peril.  TWC also developed Nanny Diaries and produced The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency.

ABOUT ANCHOR BAY ENTERTAINMENT

Anchor Bay Entertainment is a leading home entertainment company.  Anchor Bay acquires and distributes feature films, original television programming including STARZ Original series, children's entertainment, anime (Manga Entertainment), fitness (Anchor Bay Fitness), sports, and other filmed entertainment on DVD and Blu-ray™ formats.  The company has long term distribution agreements in place for select programming with AMC Networks, RADIUS, and The Weinstein Company. Headquartered in Beverly Hills, CA, Anchor Bay Entertainment has offices in Troy, MI, as well as Canada and Australia. Anchor Bay Entertainment (www.anchorbayentertainment.com) is a Starz (NASDAQ: STRZA, STRZB) business, www.starz.com.

THE IMITATION GAME BLU-RAY™ with Digital HD

Street date:                  March 31, 2015

Pre-book:                    February 25, 2015

Catalog #:                    BD62251

UPC:                           013132622514

Run time:                    114 minutes

Rating:                        PG-13

SRP:                            $34.99

Format:                       Widescreen

Aspect Ratio:              Widescreen 2.39:1

Audio:                         English: 5.1 DTSHD-MA

                                    Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1

THE IMITATION GAME DVD

Street date:                  March 31, 2015

Pre-book:                    February 25, 2015

Catalog #:                   WC62250

UPC:                           013132622507

Run time:                    114 minutes

Rating:                        PG-13

SRP:                            $29.98

Format:                        Widescreen

Aspect Ratio:              Widescreen 2.39:1

Audio:                         English: Dolby Digital 5.1

                                    Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1

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THE FRESHMAN SEASON OF PENNY DREADFUL IS AVAILABLE NOW ON iTUNES, AMAZON INSTANT VIDEO, GOOGLE PLAY, VUDU, SONY’S VIDEO UNLIMITED,TARGET TICKET AND VERIZON FIOS

NEW YORK – October 7, 2014 – The first season of the critically-acclaimed hit SHOWTIME®drama series PENNY DREADFUL is now available for purchase on iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, Google Play, Vudu, Sony’s Video Unlimited and PlayStation® Store, Target Ticket and Verizon FiOS. The series’ freshman season has been released simultaneously on multiple platforms today, and will be available on Blu-ray disc and DVD from CBS Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Media Distribution on October 14. PENNY DREADFUL stars Josh Hartnett (Black Hawk Down), Timothy Dalton (The Living Daylights, Licence to Kill), and Eva Green (Casino Royale.) Reeve Carney (Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark), Rory Kinnear (Skyfall), Billie Piper (Doctor Who, Secret Diary of a Call Girl), Danny Sapani (The Bill) and Harry Treadaway (The Lone Ranger) also star.  Written, created and executive produced by three-time Oscar®nominee John Logan (Hugo, The Aviator, Gladiator) and also executive produced by Neal Street Productions’ Pippa Harris and Sam Mendes, PENNY DREADFUL is currently in production on its second season in Dublin, Ireland, and will return to SHOWTIME in 2015.

Viewers can go to the following platforms now to purchase the first season of PENNY DREADFUL:

ITunes: iTunes.com/PennyDreadful 

Amazon Instant Video: http://s.sho.com/PDAmazon

Google Play: http://s.sho.com/PDGooglePlay

Vudu: http://s.sho.com/PDVudu

Sony Unlimited and PS Store: http://s.sho.com/PDSonyUn

Verizon FiOS: http://s.sho.com/PDVerizon

In PENNY DREADFUL, some of literature’s most famous characters – including Dr. Frankenstein, Dorian Gray and iconic figures from the novel Dracula, all brilliantly reimagined in a whole new light – have become embroiled in Victorian London. The drama series is executive produced by Logan's Desert Wolf Productions, along with Oscar winner Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Skyfall) and Pippa Harris (Revolutionary Road, Call The Midwife), both of Neal Street Productions. The series is a co-production with Sky Atlantic. For more information and video clips, please visit www.penny-dreadful.com. 

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Vanessa awakens in Malcolm's study. She speaks about the death, and how in some places the dead are prettied up and photographed for men’s spank banks. As she almost purrs about it, Malcolm asks if she remembers her episode the previous night. She’s been asleep since. She asks who dressed her, if he did like he did when she was a child. But he never dressed her, he was always away. It’s Mina inside her, as she talks about her mother weeping over him, missing him as he whored around the continent. She wants to hear about those women, but not Mrs. Ives, she knows all about him. He tells her to stop, but she continues talking about his screwing the natives, making his son screw them along side him even though he didn’t want to, but Peter did anything to please his father. Things start flying about the room, as Vanessa gets out of control, and Sembene is forced to come in and pimp slap her. He carts her off as Malcolm looks over the damage.

Vanessa awakes again. She stares at herself in the mirror, apologizing to Dr. Frankenstein that he has come all this way for no reason. Vanessa claims to be well, but Frankenstein isn’t buying. He checks her vitals, asking about her lip. Sembene’s sedation is a little rough. Everything looks good, as Frankenstein presses her for more information as to what happened downstairs. She doesn’t know what happened, there is usually violence when she goes away. Neither favor an asylum, thankfully. Eva hungers, and notices Frankenstein’s clean hands. She wonders if that is why she’s a virgin, and she tries to pull Frankenstein into her trap. He is scared, and pulls away. She asks if he knows a greater demon. His examination is far from over he tells her as he leaves.

Malcolm has called a meeting. It’s happened before, but he isn’t sure why they happen. Frankenstein asks if she experienced sexual trauma, if she’s intact. Malcolm has no clue. Vanessa has a deep seated psychosexual projection that is manifesting in shame. Malcolm only knows that she was out with a man that evening. Frankenstein reasons that Vanessa’s episodes are caused by guilt over some sexual act. As he touches one of her tarot cards a spider crawls over his hand. He drops the card and the table is swarming with spiders. Malcolm and Frankenstein look at it in horror as the spiders pour onto the floor. Vanessa’s screams pierce the air.

She continues to scream as Ethan arrives. Malcolm meets hi9m at the door, and Ethan is armed. They find Vanessa on the floor, stripped down to her undergarments, grunting. She asks for forgiveness, that she’s not herself. Vanessa is fighting the thing inside for control. She asks him if he fucked Dorian, or if Dorian fucked him. She concludes that Dorian fucked him, and asks if he enjoyed it. She tells him that they’ll Brona, that she already knows the boy. He screwed her too as she bled, tells him to have her show the pictures. Malcolm calls for the sedatives.  It takes three of them to sedate her as Ethan looks on in shock.

Ethan asks what’s wrong with Vanessa. Malcolm tells him that she’s possessed by the Devil, or a devil. Her problem is outside of Frankenstein’s normal scope of practices. Based on the Egyptologist, Malcolm thinks that she’s fighting an incarnation of Amon-Et, and if she gains control it will be disastrous unleashing untold horrors. Ethan wants to get a priest to exercise her, but Frankenstein says that it would do them as much good to get the a witch doctor, or an old gypsy woman. They cannot bring anyone else in. For now they have to keep her alive and let her fight this thing. She told him once that in the end they only have the people the trust, and she trusts them. Malcolm asks Ethan to stay, and he will. He asks if Malcolm understood what Vanessa said to him at the end in a whisper, she said let me die.

Vanessa fights the thin g inside of her, and the men try to keep her sedated. They bathe and care for her, and nights pass. Only her screams of anguish pierce the night. She rocks, and fights, and it takes a toll on all of them as they struggle to help her. Frankenstein finds solstice in drugs he injects into himself. Ethan sits by her bedside. Vanessa awakens, normal sounding. She’s been sleeping for the most part of a week. He tells her that she did wake up and got feisty on occasion, which does not surprise her. He hesitates at handing her a glass of water, and she promises not to hurt him. Frankenstein had suggested restraints, and she smiles at that. Vanessa confides in him that it feels like an animal scratching at her insides trying to get out. She doesn’t remember everything, but she knows that he’s been kind. Everyone has been, but not like him. Vanessa admits that she might have fallen in love with him, and he tells her that she still might. She tells him that when the moment comes, to pull the trigger, the other won’t be able to. He will send her to heaven, but admits that he believes in the other place more, a place where he was flung when her cunt of a God cast him out. Ethan turns dark before her eyes. It’s not Ethan, but her old friend. She doesn’t like this game, she doesn’t want to give him a name again, forever hiding his face in another. He draws close, telling her his biggest fear is greatness never achieved. Vanessa will not surrender. He threatens to kill her, and she’s ready for death. He’s sure she can’t resist him forever, but she’s willing to try. He threatens to kill everyone downstairs, and she will not submit, because her soul would still be her own. The darkness wants her to be his demon bride, the mother of his children, ruler of his world where there is no more pain because there are no more hearts to eat. Together they could conquer god and rule over his throne. Vanessa falls into his kiss, listens to his heart’s sweet music as Sembene sits outside her door.

Ethan isn’t in the room at all, he’s in Malcolm’s study, twirling Brona’s necklace. Malcolm asks again about his proposition to go to Africa, and Ethan wonders if he’s trying to relive his glory days. Malcolm isn’t running from his past, like Ethan is though, and he isn’t ashamed of it. Ethan delivers a low blow, pointing out Peter’s death was his fault. Malcolm asks if Ethan knows why he must go to Africa, but Ethan has a case of cabin fever and doesn’t care. He tells Ethan how he found his son nearly eaten away by insects, and placed the body for safe keeping but had to continue his quest. He tells himself that he’s going back to bring his body home, but not even he believes it.

Vanessa’s shrieks interrupt, as she scratches the walls until her fingers bled. She goes into another trance, contorting. Her flesh is ripped into, and she tries to scratch off her own skin. Malcolm asks that she be restrained before she kills herself, and they sedate her once more.

Frankenstein sedates himself with morphine. He tells Malcolm its an addiction. Malcolm leaves him, but Frankenstein is not alone. Proteus lurks outside. Ethan reports that Vanessa is asleep, it’s the best thing for her. Frankenstein admits that for all their efforts they may still have to let her go. He asks Ethan his beliefs, he himself believes in everything but God. Ethan doesn’t think that Malcolm is being completely honest with them. He knows that Malcolm wants her to live, but not why. Frankenstein reasons that she’s like his daughter, but Ethan knows that’s not the true at all. He tells him that the saddest thing he ever saw was the Indian wars, how they white washed the Indians, took their identities from them. The worse was when one of these children would make it back to their tribes, they forgot their stories, their language and were outcast. These children did not fit into either world, like Ms. Ives. Frankenstein asks what they did, and Ethan tells him that they roam and they die. Frankenstein goes to look out at his creature again, and notices that its snowing. He asks Ethan for a favor.

Ethan teaches Frankenstein how to shoot a gun. He’s a very good teacher, or Frankenstein is a natural. Frankenstein hits all of his marks. He tells Ethan to play too, and Ethan fires with flare. Sembene breaks up the fun, since Malcolm is inquiring about the noise.

Another bout of hysterics on Vanessa’s part leave her restrained. It further brings down the hopes of the men. Ethan cooks a mighty fine meal, bringing a plate to Sembene who sits on sentry duty. He picked up the skill on the road. Ethan asks for his story, but Sembene claims to have none. He thinks that Malcolm saved his life and he owes him, or Sembene says that he saved his and now he’s responsible for him. Ethan believes it’s the same thing, and they’re all responsible in the end, even for Vanessa. Sembene thinks that they should call a Priest. He believes in everything.

Vanessa stays chained. Malcolm sits by her bed. He goes to her, trying to reach her. He knows she’s somewhere inside. He asks if she can hear her, and she answers him. He knows that she’s in a special place, somewhere between life and death, just like Mina is. He asks her to reach out to Mina, it may be their only chance. She sees that he allowed this to happen, just for this chance. She breaks down into tears over Malcolms cruelty, as he coos for her to find her. Ethan puts an end to it, and get Malcolm away from her. Ethan wants it all to end now, and to get Vanessa a priest. Frankenstein knows that the battle is over, that she is dying, and they need to accept that. They should give her what she wants. Then they should get a catholic priest to deliver last rites and exorcise her so she can lead them to Mina, Malcolm reasons. Frankenstein cannot believe his callousness. Ethan only sees that he has a girl dying inside, telling Malcolm that if he wants a daughter, she’s in that room. Malcolm orders the priest. Ethan swears that if Vanessa is right, if he allowed all of that to happen to manipulate her that he will rip his throat out.

Malcolm asks Frankenstein to give him something to stay awake. Frankenstein gives him a cocaine durative, but it makes an increase for narcotics. There is so much he doesn’t remember because of drugs, his son died because of him. Peter asked once for him to name a mountain after him, and after he died, Malcolm didn’t give him a second thought when he named mountains. He has no shed of decency left.

The priest has arrived. Malcolm tries to give Father Matthews the low down on Vanessa’s condition, but he doesn’t need to hear any of the whys he’s there, only that she was baptized and in good standing with her church. Malcolm admits that he wanted him to do more, that she may be possessed, but Father Matthews tells them that exorcisms are strictly forbidden without permission, and none will be granted. He can do little. Frankenstein is outraged, he tells the father to deliver the last rites and get out. He heads upstairs to do his duty and nothing more. Malcolm leads the way.

Vanessa is in the same grunting trance state she has been in, and Father Matthews is shocked to see it. Malcolm urges him to do what he came to do, and Ethan gets him a chair up close to Vanessa. Father Matthews prepares as Vanessa watches him warily. She is a faithful catholic, and when he asks for her confession she talks about other Matthews she knew and lured in. Vanessa springs forward biting a chunk from the Father’s cheek, and throwing off her shackles. She jumps to the ground on all four, stalking towards them. She leaps onto the wall above, and towards Malcolm. Ethan restrains her, telling the others to leave as the windows break. They scurry out. Ethan draws his gun on her, but he can’t do it. He begs her to come back, and she begs him to do it, to kill her. He places the gun against her chest, and he gives her exercises the demon himself with the help of Brona’s medallion. The deom fights to keep possession, but Ethan prevails. Vanessa falls to the ground.

Ethan walks out of the room, down the stairs and out of the house.

Malcolm finds Vanessa sleeping peacefully in the bed.

Vanessa hears voices, she sees sites of Mina. Plays and blood. Vanessa awakens. She goes down to Malcolm in the sunlight. He tells her that she should be in bed. She knows where Mina is.

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Series Averages Almost Five Million Weekly Viewers And Secures Biggest Sampling For Network Ever

PHOTO: Jim Fiscus/SHOWTIME

NEW YORK, NY – (June 4, 2014) – SHOWTIME has picked up a second season of its critically acclaimed drama series PENNY DREADFUL, it was announced today by David Nevins, President, Showtime Networks Inc. The network has given an expanded order of ten episodes to the series. Created, written and executive produced by three-time Oscar® nominee John Logan, PENNY DREADFUL has been embraced by the network’s subscribers, drawing 4.8 million weekly viewers across platforms since its launch.  The series, which debuted to rave reviews, has claimed the spot as the network’s No. 1 watched new show ever on SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and SHOWTIME ANYTIME® with over 3.6 million viewers on those platforms through the third week of the season. Starring Josh Hartnett, Timothy Dalton and Eva Green, PENNY DREADFUL will go into production, and will once again shoot on location in Dublin, Ireland for a 2015 launch.

“Picking up PENNY DREADFUL was one of the easiest decisions I’ve made,” said Nevins.  “The series has had worldwide impact, drawing big, passionate audiences on both sides of the Atlantic, and more than any other show on our network has hit the bullseye with viewers who want to watch television in all the new ways that are available.  John Logan has deftly created an epic series that has drawn raves from a wide-range of audiences from quality drama lovers to critics, to hardcore genre fans. We look forward to working once again with our partners at Sky Atlantic and are extremely excited for what’s in store for season two.”

PENNY DREADFUL’s series premiere was sampled early across online, On Demand and authenticated platforms, and the debut episode now ranks as the biggest sneak preview ever and the largest online streaming sampling ever for SHOWTIME, surpassing Ray Donovan and Masters of Sex’s premieres by half a million viewers through the premiere week.  

PENNY DREADFUL is not only a hit in the United States, but has also attracted an early global audience, debuting as the second-highest-rated launch for an original commission ever for Sky Atlantic, and also ranked as the second biggest program of the week in pay TV homes for the premiere episode in the U.K. Additionally, the John Logan created world of PENNY DREADFUL has inspired unprecedented interest with a wide range of licensees.  Special edition classic horror books boxed sets, cast action figures, and tarot cards, are among the early items hitting the marketplace.

The fifth episode of the series airing this Sunday at 10 p.m. ET/PT is not to be missed – viewers will learn the shocking truth behind the bond that connects Sir Malcolm (Timothy Dalton), Vanessa (Eva Green) and Mina (Olivia Llewellyn). Leading up to this Sunday’s episode, SHOWTIME will air two Penny Dreadful marathons on Saturday, June 7th, before and after the 10 p.m. television premiere of The Last Exorcism Part II. Episodes 101 through 104 of Penny Dreadful will air from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. and then again from 11:30 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. Viewers hoping to catch up on what they’ve missed so far can also watch the first four episodes on  SHOWTIME ON DEMAND and SHOWTIME ANYTIME. For a sneak peek at Sunday night’s episode, go to: s.sho.com/1mSeJ9D.

In PENNY DREADFUL, some of literature’s most famous characters – including Dr. Frankenstein, Dorian Gray and iconic figures from the novel Dracula, all brilliantly reimagined in a whole new light – have become embroiled in Victorian London. The series also stars Reeve Carney (Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark), Rory Kinnear (Skyfall), Harry Treadaway (The Lone Ranger), Danny Sapani (The Bill) and Billie Piper (Doctor Who, Secret Diary of a Call Girl). PENNY DREADFUL is executive produced by John Logan's Desert Wolf Productions, along with Oscar winner Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Skyfall) and Pippa Harris (Revolutionary Road, Call The Midwife), both of Neal Street.  A co-production with Sky Atlantic, episodes debut in the U.K. two weeks after their U.S. debut. For more information and video clips, please visit www.penny-dreadful.com. 

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD™, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, FLIX ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND, and the network's authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks™, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution, which offers Smithsonian Channel™. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®. 

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Dorian is hosting quite the kinky little party. Most of the guests are in some form of undress. He sits watching everyone around him have sex with a man by his side and a woman at his feet. The man kisses down his chest, but he cannot be more uninterested as he looks at the painting around. With a cleared out house, and an open chest bearing robe he takes a candelabra and heads through a hidden passage. Down a mirrored hallway to a single life sized portrait, his own. He looks upon it, sitting before it.

Vanessa sits outside of a church. A little girl asks her why she doesn’t go in. She thinks that Vanessa wishes to go in by the way that she looks at it, reminding her that its only an odd church. The little girl prattles on, and asks if Vanessa has a sweetie. Vanessa does not. She tells her that her father put her mother into the ground, but that they don’t stay there. Her musings worry Vanessa for a moment, but the girl only meant Heaven or Hell. Lucy’s nanny comes to collect her. Vanessa goes back to looking at the church and spot Dorian. She’s drawn from her seat finally.

Inside the church’s garden Vanessa stalks the seductive Dorian. She sees him stroking some Orchids, inhaling their sweet scent. She approaches him, and he offers to show her something extraordinary. He brings her to some purple flowers and asks her to smell them to describe them. The flowers talk dirty to her, they’re deadly nightshade. He proves to be a fount of useful information, something he’s never been called before. They stroll in the garden, and he continues to charm her, bringing her to what he actually wished to show her. A rare Chinese slipper orchid, one that takes up to fifteen years to bloom. It only blooms for a moment, and Vanessa asks if it’s poisonous. Like all beautiful things, he hopes so. Dorian excuses himself, he has another prior engagement, but tells her where to find him later.

A hematologist, Professor Van Helsing, looks over a blood sample with Victor Frankenstein. Victor uses his steady hands to prepare another sample. The blood decomposes almost instantly. Van Helsing tells him that the blood contains a property that makes the blood not coagulate, one that would make the host need to consume large amounts of blood. Victor closes the door before he continues. He wishes to know what he knows, how he came to be involved when he says that he’s seen it before. Van Helsing tells him that he just met Malcolm recently , that he knows Malcolm is looking for a cure, but there may be none.

The monster, Caliban, is stalking his father, still wanting his father to give him what he thinks he’s owed for having been abandoned. But, what he’s asking for is not an easy thing. Victor needs not only supplies but time. The monster wishes for his bride now, but wants her to be beautiful. Caliban taunts Victor, warning him that humans are such fragile things, that the future belong to the strong. Victor is left shaken.

Ethan is once again in Brona’s arms. She tells him about a past trauma, a previous engagement, where her fiancé couldn’t even look her in the eyes as he screwed her. Her mother told her to marry him, but she didn’t. She turned tricks. Ethan tells her that they’ve both done things in their past that they regret as he pulls her close. He comes up with an idea to take her out for a night on the town, after work. She asks him to be careful.

Fenton struggles in his chains, as Victor prepares a treatment. Fenton asks for Vanessa. Malcolm asks him why he wants her, everyone seems to. Ethan and Victor hold Fenton while Victor injects him, and Fenton turns all weepy. He sees so many monsters, and falls asleep. Ethan asks why they’re doing this again, they’re seeking a cure. Victor prepares to do a transfusion, but Ethan tells him its not a good idea. Malcolm is willing to do it, and Victor warns its going to hurt.

Upstairs Victor and Malcolm discuss the Ripper and his latest victims. Ethan finds them to be too bloodthirsty. Malcolm breaks up the argument before it starts. They’re on the verge of finding the cure. Malcolm asks Ethan to join him when they go abroad to find Mina. Vanessa arrives, and hears their plans to go to Africa. Vanessa seems unusually chipper. Sembene tells them that Fenton is awake, and they go to check on their patient. He asks if they are going to beat him, and they don’t have any plans to. He tells them that he is hungry, and Vanessa rolls him her apple. He goes mad, calling her the devil’s whore. He needs blood and guts he tells them. Victor reiterates that it will be a process.

Vanessa follows Ethan back to the house. It’s not at all what he was expecting she knows. He wonders how far they plan to go. She isn’t sure, but tells him to enjoy his evening. Rather than heading back below, she heads upstairs.

Victor and Malcolm ponder what they should get Fenton to eat. Sembene brings him a dead cat. Fenton falls upon it, ripping at it with his teeth.

Ethan and Brona head to a show, to see the Penny Dreadfuls. Brona has always wanted to come, and she’s very happy to be there. Ethan takes her to her seat, and she’s more than a little nervous. Ethan even buys her an orange. Caliban looks out over the crowd as the show begins. Brona is enraptured in the show, and she’s not the only one who’s watching Dorian Gray is there too, and Vanessa surprises him by showing up.

Victor asks if Vanessa spoke the truth about Africa, and his traveling companions. Malcolm opens up to him. He tells him that he lost his son in Africa, that he reminds Victor reminds him of him. But where his son was weak, Victor is not.

Fenton feels his master’s presence. He tries to break out of his chains, and cannot, so like any trapped animal he begins to chew off his limb.

Caliban works the stage below as the show continues up above. The show is a gory mess, as it concludes. The blood frightens Brona for a moment, but is a hit for all. The crowd goes wild. Sembene watches from the shadows.

Malcolm and Victor continue their research. They hear a noise up above, but Sembene has the night off. The chains below are empty. Malcolm and Frankenstrin go to investigate the noise. A vampire growls at the men, Fenton jumps upon Malcom’s back. Vanessa is not in her room. Fenton warns his master that she is not there, and he runs off. Malcom finally manages to throw Fenton from his back, and he skewers his head.

During intermission Vanessa runs into Ethan. She isn’t surprised to see him there. He introduces Vanessa to Brona. Dorian finds Vanessa, and Brona goes all uncomfortable. Brona pretends to not know Dorian, but he definitely remembers her. As they chat about how Ethan and Vanessa met, Brona makes an escape. She’s upset over Ethan and Vanessa’s easy friendship, and tries to drive Ethan into the other woman’s arms. Brona knows she’s dying, its only a matter of time. She tells Ethan the next time he wishes to sleep with her, he’ll have to pay her like everyone else. A shocked Ethan watches her run away into the night. Dorian comes out to find Ethan, to tell him that the next act is about to begin. Ethan asks if he ever wished he was someone else. Dorian tells him if that is what he wants to come with him. Ethan asks if drinking will be involved, and it will, but Vanessa will not be involved, she is who she wishes to be. Ethan goes with Dorian, and it looks like the show is about to get even sexier than ever, or so one can hope.

Brona’s consumption gets worse as her hacking continues. She falls upon the street, coughing up more blood than ever. I think someone is about to get his bride!

Dorian takes Ethan to a place that isn’t completely legal, Ethan assure him that it isn’t his first time. Through a darkened passage way they descend. Bets are being made, and rats are dumped into the ring below. This is not exactly the thing he was expecting. They bring out ta dog that is going to kill the rats, one of the best. He begins the slaughter, as the men cheer. Dorian watches, but Ethan is not amused. As the crowd’s roar becomes deafening, Ethan has to get away. He heads to the bar for a drink. At the bar some men take offense to Ethan not enjoying the little sport. They poke at Ethan, and he gets into a fight. The group overpowers Ethan.

Dorian apologizes for Ethan’s experience in Dorian’s bathroom. The walls of the bathroom are lined with bottles of fragrance. Ethan asks Dorian how he chooses, it would depend on how he wants to feel. Dorian asks Ethan if he like portraits, and Ethan goes all guy’s guy on him. It delights Dorian, that he plays his part to perfection. The pair imbibe in some absinthe, Ethan’s first.

Vanessa returns home, and knows something is wrong. Malcolm tells her that the creature came, that the boy is dead. The creature was after Vanessa, that it allowed Fenton to be captured and they took the bait. Vanessa fears that Mina may be beyond their help, that she may be her enemy. Vanessa reminds him that she isn’t the only one that Mina may hate. He plans to carry on in the fight.

Ethan asks Dorian if he has a favorite portrait, and he does, but it isn’t in here. Ethan opens up to Dorian about an Indian town that are thousands of years old that have some of his favorite artwork. They were pictures of everything they found important. He appreciated the primitive but honest art. Dorian wonders if anything can be honest, he thinks perhaps music can be. Dorian pulls out some music for his vibraphone, and plays the heart breaking opera for Ethan. Ethan relieves his entire night with Dorian. His meeting with Vanessa and her cards, seeing the mutilated bodies taken out and a bite upon his hands. More Absinthe, death, the dog killing rats, Fenton, mayhem. He stalks towards Dorian as the music nears its conclusion, grabbing him by the throat and kissing him. He rips away Dorian’s shirt and stops stunned. Dorian takes his cue, and removes Ethan’s shirt as the music dies down. The two share a string of sweet kisses as they look into each other’s eyes. Dorian proves just how seductive he can be. Seduction 101 demonstrated perfectly by Dorian.

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