Pennyworth Review: Lady Penelope (Season 1 Episode 4)

A nice stop in the countryside and a tragic event mark Pennyworth Season 1 Episode 4, “Lady Penelope,” as a story-shifting episode.

It’s an off-beat episode, taking a trip into absurdist while still making the emotional moments land. When the show takes on a strange tone, it’s usually at its best, striking a unique balance of bizarre and quirky that, combined with the violent turns, makes for a show different than most.

The village is one of the more strange locales, full of rather unique individuals. What catches my eye the most is the sheep on the random corner with prized ribbons attached to them. Is that a recent winning and have they been pinned on for ages? That some of the strange townsfolk become sparring foes for Alfred and Martha makes for a fun little chase sequence, one of the more kinetic of the series so far.

Alfred’s downright boundless enthusiasm and confidence, even after being captured, is such a refreshing character trait. It’s not often such an upbeat character is in the lead of a show, Jack Bannon really selling Alfred’s bottomless sense of adventure. His systematic sniffing out to finally meeting the new leader of the Raven Society may be in vain, as Martha already met her, but the attempt is a lot of fun.

Martha and Alfred share such a defined experience over the course of this episode and Pennyworth Season 1 Episode 3, “Martha Kane,” that they both find the electricity and excitement of the job coming out in a kiss.

That the kiss then becomes a regret, and a moment shared right before Esme’s (assumed) death, will likely play on Alfred’s mind for a long time to come.

Esme’s death comes as a surprise. Just as she’s warming up to Mr. Pennyworth and showing a different side of him, and just as she’s becoming more sure of herself and her place in Alfred’s life, she’s taken. Emma Corrin has been a gentle talent on the show, and hopefully she returns in some form, potentially through flashbacks (like Alfred’s war flashbacks) or as a presence he feels from time to time.

Her manner of death, being choked, is similar to the end point of Bet and Peggy’s prior fight. We’re meant to think of it as Bet taking out her aggression and reciprocating her sister’s move onto Esme, but it’s always possible it’s a red herring and not at all as it seems. The attacker’s shoes and hat obscure who it could possibly be, but my bet isn’t on Bet. It’s likely someone trying to send Alfred a message.

Detective Inspector Aziz did give Alfred a warning at the beginning of the episode, after all.

A side note about Lord Harwood: his transformation from strong and wealthy into a glorified caged homeless animal is a wild shift for a character to go down over the course of a couple of scenes throughout four episodes. It’s certainly a choice, but is it his loss of a facial feature that’s left him destitute, or does his capture and torture lead to a complete dismissal from the Raven Society?

Perhaps he really is the prior leader of the Raven Society, as he said during his torture. Doctor Gaunt being the new leader would certainly suggest that. Maybe they cut off ties, in case he talked and the society does not wish to take any chances.

Pennyworth Season 1 Episode 4, “Lady Penelope,” is a strange and fun romp until reality sets back in. It’s a reminder that there are consequences for choosing sides and that the innocent can end up being caught in the crosshairs.

 

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Pennyworth airs Sundays at 9/8c on Epix.

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