Hemlock Grove – A NETFLIX Original Series

If you like Werewolf Mythology, Gypsy lore, Bad Blood, Glamour and Stately Homes, you’re gonna love “Hemlock Grove”. Hemlock Grove was a NETFLIX Original Series, produced by Eli Roth, that aired a few years ago. There are 3 Seasons in total and you can watch it on Netflix if you’ve missed it. It seems very recent to me but it actually first aired in 2013 with 13 episodes in the first season.

“After its opening weekend, Netflix announced that “Hemlock Grove was viewed by more members globally in its first weekend than House of Cards” (Wikipedia)

Hemlock Grove – A Novel and Graphic Novel by Brian McGreevy

The TV series is based on a Horror Thriller novel called “Hemlock Grove” by an American author called Brian McGreevy. His book was published in 2012 and there was also a Graphic Novel version of Hemlock Grove.

“McGreevy stated that he was somewhat inspired by Angela Carter’s The Bloody Chamber and… also drew from his experiences in high school and considers the book’s setting as a Through the Looking Glass version of his hometown of Pittsburgh. He also commented that while the characters of Roman and Shelley were derived from the fictional characters of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Bram Stoker’s Dracula, he drew more from the films based on these characters and from Greek mythology as a whole.” (Wikipedia)

Where can I read these?

Hemlock Grove – The Novel is available online at various outlets. Hemlock Grove – The entire Graphic Novel can be read online on the Science Fiction and Fantasy website, TOR.com. Awesome. 🙂 It’s a prequel to Hemlock Grove and it’s called “Reflections on the Motive Power of Fire”. Written by Hemlock Grove author Brian McGreevy and illustrated by Matt Buck.

Two Boys – Different Backgrounds

Hemlock Grove was a fictional town in Pennsylvania, USA. The town was a mixture of extreme wealth and abject poverty. Our two central male characters come from very different backgrounds, both are equally troubled. Peter Rumaneck, (Landon Liboiron) the long haired character plays a Romany Gypsy boy who has just moved to the town with his mother and has immediately aroused the suspicion of the townsfolk.

Roman Godfrey (Bill Skarsgård) comes from a very wealthy, affluent background and is heir to the Godfrey estate. Peter has a very close bond with his mother Lynda Rumaneck, (Lili Anne Taylor). Roman has a very troubled relationship with his mother, Olive Godfrey. (Famke Janssen) Neither of their mothers like each other or approve of their friendship. The boys have a bond, wealth or lack of it is irrelevant and each sees behind the others mask.

Is Peter a Werewolf?

In Season One, Peter my favourite character is suspected of being a Werewolf. You will have to watch to find out if that’s true. But let’s just say both boys have a lot of dark secrets. Several murders take place in the town and Peter, through no fault of his own is the likely suspect simply for being the unconventional newcomer in town.

Famke Janssen – Femme Fatale

The most instantly recognisable character in this show is Famke Janssen, already an internationally famous actress having starred in movies such as the James Bond “Goldeneye” and “X-Men”. She plays the wicked, glamorous, high maintenance, emotionally volatile, femme fatale to perfection. She resides in a stately home, which is in reality called the “Parkwood Estate” and is a historic site in Ontario.  Most of the filming for the show was in Ontario, Canada. Her love interest is Dr Norman Godfrey (Dougray Scott), a Psychiatrist and part owner of The Godfrey Institute, a centre where questionable experiments take place.

Beasts, Monsters and Madness

Hemlock Grove brings us troubled relationships, passionate love affairs, love triangles, betrayal, dysfunctional families, extreme wealth, extreme poverty, bloodlust, vengeance, murder, heartbreak, small town prejudice and supernatural happenings. Werewolves are considered bad but they are in essence, primal whereas some of the most beastly personalities in this are not in fact werewolves.

Meet Destiny

Season One introduces “Destiny”, Peter’s older sister, a Psychic Medium, Fortune Teller and Feisty Gypsy Healer. Destiny is introduced in Season One and becomes a main character in Season Two. Despite having a few problems of her own she appears to try and help Peter. Destiny is a very interesting character. Very unusual, colourful and multi faceted. She is played by Kaniehtiio Horn. (Tiio Horn)

Characters

But can Peter be saved? Can any of the characters be saved? Season One sets the scene with the main characters, including Shelley Godfrey, (Madeline Martin) Roman’s sister, a mute Frankenstein type female. And Letha Godfrey (Penelope Mitchell) the cousin / half sister of Roman Godfrey. Seasons 2 and 3 bring in some new ones including a Vegan, Miranda Cates, (Madeline Brewer) that falls for a Werewolf. (or 2) The plot, as it progresses, gets very high tech and Dystopian in Season 3. There are so many characters and sub plots, but I don’t want to give anything away. Expect Werewolves, Vampires, Monsters and Mad Scientists.

Beware of The Wolves

If you like SUPERNATURAL Television Shows and have a penchant for Werewolf Mythology, Vampires and Monsters, then this is one to watch. I really enjoyed this one. Very addictive. One to watch on a FULL MOON. 😉

You can watch Hemlock Grove – Seasons 1-3 on NETFLIX. PS. It’s OVER 18.

All the Seasons and Full Box Set of the TV Show are also available on DVD.

©SupernaturalHippie.com

(This post is by Anne-Marie at SupernaturalHippie.com – Not to be reproduced without prior consent.)