Los Angeles, 1938. Detectives Tiago Vega and Lewis Michener investigate a murder. Tiago’s brother Raul battles Councilman Charlton Townsend over California’s first motorway and his mother pleads with Santa Muerte.

Showtime’s eight-part spin-off of its 2014-16 Penny Dreadful is set fifty years later, in a different continent, with none of the previous characters. Thematic connections to its forebear are yet to be seen beyond the introduction of an insidious evil, Rory Kinnear appearing (though in a different role) and the show being created and written by John Logan. It’s a solid first hour but there’s an awful of world building to be done.

In the prologue we meet Natalie Dormer’s Magda, a devil, squaring up against Mexican deity Santa Muerte (Lorenza Izzo), like a scene from American Gods. Both establish their intentions – respectively to create hell on earth and help people into the afterlife. We flash forward a few years and meet the LAPD’s First Chicano detective Tiago Vega (It Follows’ Daniel Zovatto) on his first day on the job, teaming up with partner Lewis Michener (The Lion King’s Nathan Lane) to investigate a ritualistic multiple murder.

Elsewhere, the Latino community are up in arms at the planned creation of a motorway through the heart of their community, doctor Rory Kinnear is leading a local Nazi movement and Councillor Townsend is having secret talks with the Third Reich about their planned domination of the US, driving Panzer tanks down Wilshire Boulevard to mark their victory. Significantly, Natalie Dormer is back, but in two different guises – whispering in the ears of the power players to create mischief and inciting belligerent action.

It’s a good-looking show, with effective use of LA’s City Hall and park, and there’s fine period detail in the sets. There’s also a host of guest stars, from Brent Spiner’s (Star Trek: The Next Generation) police captain to Ethan Peck’s (Star Trek: Discovery) Nazi. There’s also a lot going on, the intensity of which should ease as we become familiar with the premise.

Verdict: A strong world building opener which may disappoint through its lack of any real connection (so far) with its parent show, but there’s plenty to intrigue, and it’s handsomely mounted. 7/10

Nick Joy