Penelope Season 1 Review: A Scenic, if Slow-Moving, Meditation on Self-Connection

Penelope Season 1 is Netflix’s answer to Wild, featuring a teen girl who feels called to abandon her modern life for the uncharted territory of the wilderness. Admittedly, the premise is unique, which makes the show intriguing enough to give it a whirl. 

Penelope Leaves in a Hurry 

Mark Duplass and Mel Eslyn pen a series (with Eslyn at the helm for every episode) that wastes no time getting to the meat of the narrative. Mere minutes into the premiere, Penelope (Megan Stott) has already abandoned her family in favor of life off the grid. 

While there’s nothing wrong with the plot moving at a steady clip, this abrupt beginning leaves viewers bewildered when the credits roll. We don’t know why she leaves besides what she discloses to Helena in episode four. Sure, there’s that inexplicable pull toward the unknown, but the show fails to flesh this out further and get to the root of Penelope’s choice. 

What’s even more head-scratching is that her parents aren’t abusive (based on what we know or can assume). Our titular lead divulges little and less about her family. Episode five gives us a brief glimpse of her home life and how “alienated” she feels by contemporary society. However, like other elements of this series, the story doesn’t dig deeper than these surface-level reveals. 

Pacing and Themes 

Penelope falls prey to inconsistent pacing, with most moments moving at a glacial pace while seemingly more crucial narrative beats are rushed. As for its thematic exploration, sometimes the series tries to say too many things. For example, episode four touches on generational trauma, introducing intriguing commentary that could’ve easily tied into Penelope’s abandonment of modern life. 

However, the show drops this the minute Helena vanishes. Is the series about connecting with nature as a means of connecting with yourself? Is it trying to tell us that social media and technology aren’t fulfilling? Do we inherit trauma in the womb? Should we be better stewards of our planet? 

Yes to all of the above. It’s all important in the grand scheme of things. That said, introducing too many thematic threads without plumbing those depths can amount to, well, nothing. 

Megan Stott 

Megan Stott triumphs over the challenge of carrying this series on her back. After all, we spend the majority of the show with her (and Mother Nature). Stott delivers compelling, nuanced work as a conflicted teen struggling with self-identity and purpose. She, Duplass, and Eslyn nail the coming-of-age aspect of Penelope.

Stott’s performance is exemplary, but she truly soars in the quiet moments. She can say so much without uttering a word. While the show takes the unorthodox approach of not allowing us to get to know Penelope at the start, we peel back her layers as she battles the elements to build a home in the forest. 

The Score, Cinematography, and Scenery

Music is one of this show’s greatest assets. It contributes to the immersive experience of following Penelope through the woods. The score is atmospheric, with the ethereal strings and vocalizing lending themselves to Pen feeling like she’s in another world. 

In addition, the scenery is jaw-dropping and FOMO-inducing. It’ll make you want to cast your responsibilities aside for a life of simplicity among the trees. In fact, this series has some of the best cinematography I’ve seen all year. It’s beautifully shot and evocative in that regard. 

The camera isn’t afraid of closeups and wide shots, using the former to intimately focus on Penelope’s inner world and the latter to remind us of the scope and scale of the wilderness. Nature itself is a lead character opposite our eponymous teen, with the camera and script working in tandem to make us feel we’ve lost all sense of time along with her. 

All in all, Penelope experiences some growing pains during its first season. However, there’s still plenty to enjoy. That said, I have little faith in this series getting renewed, which makes the lack of resolution and that insane cliffhanger somewhat frustrating. Here’s hoping Netflix gives us a Season 2. 

Stray Observations: 

• Listen, Penelope fared better in the wild than I would’ve at her age, even with social media and smartphones being less prevalent then (cough, 2006, cough). 
• I’ll admit, watching this series made me want to chuck my phone into a lake and move into the woods. I imagine the disconnection from modern life is heavenly—minus potential run-ins with wild animals. 
• I’m surprised Helena, Peter, and the others didn’t try to persuade Penelope to go with them. Why would anyone leave a teenage girl alone in the forest? There’s safety in numbers. 
• I would’ve laughed if Penelope’s iPhone turned on in the penultimate episode after months of no use. 
• I feel like Pen discovering her parents are dead won’t push her to return home. If anything, it’ll drive her further into the wilderness, where she’ll use nature as an escape. 
• AURORA would be perfect for the show’s soundtrack. All the otherworldly vocalizing in the score fits her to a tee. 
• The show captures the awkwardness of two teens crushing on each other quite well, cheesy dialogue included. 

What did you think of Penelope Season 1? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Penelope Season 1 is now streaming on Netflix.

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