"Penny Dreadful" TV review, Season 1, Pilot, Episode 1, Showtime/Sky Not cheap, not dreadful, great gothic fun

Victorian England seems to be in fashion. This lush production promises lots of scares, gore (the first confrontation with the nest of vampires was spectacular) and camp silliness. More graphic than NBC's "Dracula", more fun than "Ripper Street" (this show doesn't take itself too seriously).
 I am reminded of the patchy but rollicking flick (2003)/graphic novel "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" with its 19th century horror characters. In this show we have vampires and Mina Harker, Dr Frankenstein and like the aforementioned film, Dorian Gray.
All the Victoriana staples are here: opium dens, Egyptologists, foggy gaslit alleyways, ritzy gentlemen's clubs, Ripper-like mayhem.
The cast is terrific: retired Bond, Timothy Dalton as the intrepid explorer; Eva Green (another Bond link) as the cool but gutsy Vanessa Ives (with the deductive powers of Sherlock Holmes) and Josh Hartnett as the troubled sharpshooter/adventurer.
Sam Mendes is the executive producer, John Logan (Skyfall), the creator/writer (two more links with James Bond).
The idea of a "demi monde" is an intriguing one.
More please. Looking forward to seeing Rory Kinnear as The Creature.
PS. the camera isn't shy with the male nudity.

My favourite James Bond scenes

• "Ninja training camp" in Nimeji Castle, You Only Live Twice, as an 11 year old, this was very cool.
• Aerial shot of Bond fighting henchmen on Kobe docks rooftop in You Only Live Twice
• Bond entering Tokyo subway in You Only Live Twice, meeting Tanaka in his private train.
• Lincoln Continental and hoodlum getting crushed in Goldfinger.
• Bond playing golf with Auric Goldfinger.
• Jill St John with the brat in "Circus Circus" in Diamonds are Forever, "Blow up yer pants!"
• Bond looking absolutely rooted before Diana Rigg skates up to him in On Her Majesty's Secret Service.
• In Dr No Bond leaves the dead would-be assassin sitting in the rear seat of his conertible. He turns to the Government House guard with the line, "See he doesn't get away".
• Entering Dr No's underwater lair (early Ken Adam Bond production design, refined and maxed up in You Only Live Twice.)
• Bond meeting Honey Rider on the beach in Dr No (this is a no brainer).
• Bond with jetpack in the start of Thunderball (the rest of the film is a bit of a bore, surprisingly - the remake Never Say Never Again was infinitely better)
• "Welcome back Mr Bond, I hope we can expect more gratuitous sex and violence" from Never Say Never Again.
• Bond on the Orient Express talking wine with Robert Shaw in From Russia With Love
• Aston Martin showing its stuff in the Swiss Alps (Goldfinger, of course)
• Bond in the old DB5 with M (finger poised on the red gear shift button) in Skyfall
• all the opening titles (even the new ones)
• the excitement generated in the end credits before: "The End of ..... but James Bond will return in ......"

The A-Z of pop culture (a 56 year old's version)

A  The Armstrong Miller Show, funniest sketch show in the last 10 years.
B  Beautiful People, TV series, another gem.
C   Countdown, Sunday 6pm required viewing for baby boomers in 70's and 80's.
D  Django Unchained, just perfect movie - the KKK scene with Jonah Hill will become a classic.
E   E! channel, home to the best 22 minutes on US TV: Chelsea Lately.
F   Fashion Police (see E).  Also the stylish and funny singer F is for Paloma Faith.
G  Ghost - punchy sea shanty-like song by The Presets.
H  Hitchcock, patchy movie from 2012, a better bio is HBO's The Girl.
 I   IMDB, now what do I do with my old Leonard Maltin MovieGuide?
J   Joy FM, always interesting, less crap commercials, good chat, fun music, an alternative to Triple J. Not only for gay listeners.
K  keepvid.com
L   The Late Show, God I miss it, my daughter can quote sketches from the DVD. Thanks Tony Martin, Mick Molloy, Jason Stephens, Judith Lucy and the Working Dog powerhouse (Tom, Santo, Jane and Rob). 
M  Margaret and David ... best movie couple after "Two on the aisle" with Ivan Hutchinson and Jim Murphy in the 1970's.
N   Nesbo, Jo - Harry Hole series.
O  Off colour and non-PC humour in Family Guy. Seth MacFarlane is an encyclopaedia of media kitsch from last century. Naughty genius.
P   The Project, underrated in more ways than one. Charlie Pickering for PM. Panel has great chemistry - I won't mention S. Price. 
Q  Q, the new one, Ben Whishaw. He is also great in BBC's The Hour.
R   RRR 102.7 FM broadcast a great show on Sunday evening in the mid 80's called EEEK! Thanks Philip Brophy and Bruce Milne.
S      Skyfall, the scene with the old DB5 brought a lump in my throat. (Watch that red button on the gearshift, M).
T   Tennant, Neil (half of The Pet Shop Boys), still going strong.
U  Upside down jet in Flight, fabulous fifteen minute sequence - never to be shown on inflight entertainment.
V  Vampires - Let the right one in, great book, two good movies.
W  wotif.com -but use in conjunction with tripadvisor reviews.
X   pirateproXy.net
Y   Youtube - thanks theblackholebowl and nickfulham for your hard work.
Z   Zero Dark Thirty, okay I was desperate for a "z"