Ep 4. A Blade of Grass

There are a variety of subplots that occur in this episode of "Penny Dreadful." One of the main ones involves Vanessa Ives visiting a psychiatrist, Dr. Seward, in order to try and get help with her mental state. She has been struggling with visions and nightmares that she can't seem to shake, and is hoping that Dr. Seward can provide some sort of relief. The two have an interesting rapport, with Seward being quite skeptical of Vanessa's claims of supernatural encounters. However, she is also intrigued by Vanessa's story and decides to take her on as a patient.

Meanwhile, Ethan Chandler is being held captive by a group of men led by Jared Talbot. We learn that Talbot is the son of Ethan's adoptive father, and he holds a grudge against Ethan for leaving the family and turning into a werewolf. Talbot believes that Ethan is the key to unlocking a family curse, and he is determined to extract that knowledge from him at any cost. This storyline is quite intense and adds a sense of danger and suspense to the episode.

On another front, we see Dorian Gray and Lily continue their quest to gather an army of women who have been abused by men. Their plan is to train these women to fight and exact revenge on their oppressors. However, we also see that Lily is starting to display more and more violent tendencies, and it is clear that her thirst for power has taken over. This is a fascinating character arc for Lily and raises interesting questions about how far one is willing to go in order to achieve their goals.

Finally, we get a glimpse into Dr. Jekyll's backstory, as he recounts his experiences working with a patient named Mary. Mary suffered from a mental illness similar to what Vanessa is experiencing, and Dr. Jekyll was tasked with trying to find a cure for her. We see the lengths that Jekyll is willing to go to in order to help his patients, and it is clear that he is a passionate and dedicated doctor.

Overall, "A Blade of Grass" is an episode that is rich in character development and world-building. It sets up a number of intriguing plotlines that will likely play out over the course of the season and leaves the viewer wanting more.