Penny Dreadful: City of Angels Season 1, Episode 2 recap: Dead People Lie Down

Penny Dreadful: City of Angels newest episode gives us more questions and very little answers. Here’s what happened in “Dead People Lie Down.”

Penny Dreadful: City of Angels latest episode picks up where the series premiere leaves off. During a Magda-induced battle between Mexicans and cops, a possessed-Raul aims his gun at Detective Lewis Michener. However, the shot never goes off, because Tiago fires his bullet first — shooting his brother, saving Lewis and fulfilling the repeated prophecy, “when brother will kill brother.”

As soon as the episode starts, we learn that Raul somewhat survived the gunshot, as in, his life depends on a respirator. With his partner, Tiago arrives at a hospital swimming with officers. Lewis warns the other that he should go around back, but Tiago responds, “If I go round back this time, I’ll be going around back for the rest of my life.”

Like with the previous episode, and what’s sure to be all episodes to come, racism plays a massive theme in “Dead People Lie Down.” Lewis’ prior warning holds merit as a fellow officer spits on Tiago on his way into the hospital. This moment isn’t the only time that Lewis attempts to protect his partner, as we see Lewis seconds later claiming he has no idea as to who shot him due to the tear gas.

Once Tiago reaches his brother’s room, he receives the news that Raul will soon have to be taken off the respirator. This doesn’t bode well with their praying mother, Maria, who exclaims that she gave birth to Raul in that very hospital, she won’t see him die there too. Tiago pulls Mateo to the side to tell him to keep his mother and sister safe, but is quickly silenced by a warning, “if he dies, you are not apart of this family.”

Fear of a Mexican Uprising is at the forefront of many minds, especially that of Captain Vanderhoff, who tells the detective team that their current primary goal is to resolve the James Hazlett case, even if that means pinning the murder on a random Mexican. Tiago, however, is determined to get to the root of what really happened and states that the duo should look into the church that Hazlett worked for.

Michener and Tiago head over to the Joyful Voices Ministry to speak to Sister Molly but are instead sent to her mother, Miss Adelaide.

It’s evident from the start that Adelaide is hiding something — what she’s hiding, they’re not entirely sure. Allowing Tiago a chance to search for Sister Molly, Michener manages to get Adelaide to direct him to Hazlett’s office. As soon as Tiago sets eyes on Molly, he instantly becomes enamored by her.

Throughout everything going on, Magda is stirring up trouble through her numerous personas. At the beach, she’s Mrs. Branson, who’s attempting to get inside Dr. Craft’s mind. In the office, she puts on the face of Alex, who’s convincing Councilman Townsend to use the police officers’ deaths as a means to push forward on the motorway project. Besides causing drama in Los Angeles, I’m not entirely sure what Magda’s endgame plan is, but I’m looking forward to seeing how this all unfolds.

After offering to get a very distraught Josefina a drink, Mateo is attacked by a group of officers led by Officer Reilly. During the attack, Reilly exclaims that during the fight, his partner got his eye shot out. He then proceeds to settle the score by sticking his finger into Mateo’s eye.

Fortunately, Fly Rico, flashing his knife, arrives on the scene. Rico manages to get the group to leave after reminding them that there’s “a whole city of him.” He then turns to Mateo and tells him to meet him at The Cat, as Mateo proved himself to be Pachuco material by not screaming during Reilly’s attack.

Tiago finally manages to meet up with Sister Molly, and personally, I am sensing major instant chemistry vibes between the two. Molly informs him that it’s her mother, who deals with the business side of things. And, again, it appears that Adelaide has something to hide.

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Before gaining too much info, besides the fact that the church doesn’t get too close to Parishioners due to attachment, Adelaide breaks up their time and warns Tiago that if he must speak to her daughter again, it’ll be through their lawyer.

Meanwhile, Detective Michener and his Nazi-hunting crew trail Richard Goss and a Cal Tech student who appears to work with explosives.

Before the group gains enough information, or we get enough information as to what’s even happening, one of Goss’ men gets out of a stopped car and shoots Michener’s partner, Sam Bloom.

Our “Dead People Lie Down” conclusion shows Maria, once again, summoning Santa Muerte. After a moment of prayer, Maria opens her eyes to discover that Raul is no longer occupying the bed. Instead, a blood trail lines the hospital floor. At the end of the trail, Maria comes face-to-face with a zombie-esque Raul.

This episode brings up a lot of questions, such as, can we trust Sister Molly? What’s up with Michener’s side anti-Nazi project? Did Maria bargain to bring a living Raul back? Hopefully, we’ll be getting some answers soon!

Catch Showtime’s Penny Dreadful: City of Angels on Sundays at 10/11c.

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