Over a decade later, Penny Dreadful’s Dr. Sweet.

The show offers a really interesting take on the Crew of Light in Bram Stoker’s classic epistolary novel. And one less acknowledged hero of Dracula is Quincey Morris, a no-nonsense Texan with a big Bowie knife. Ethan’s introduction as a Wild West showman who doesn’t consider himself a wise man echoes this archetype. As his arc unfolds, that just keeps getting better, making the Josh Hartnett renaissance wholly unsurprising.

Josh Hartnett's Ethan Chandler Is Based On An American Character From Dracula

Ethan’s Gothic Influence Isn’t Just Werewolves

Many have pointed out Ethan Chandler’s werewolf influences, such as The Wolfman and the American Werewolf in London. While this in part informs Ethan, a less acknowledged influence is Quincey Morris from Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Quincey is a Texan who carries a Bowie knife with him at all times, which he uses to stab Dracula in the heart at the end of the novel. He is not as fleshed out as the other characters, which is perhaps why adaptations historically haven’t made much of him. Unlike the other characters, the man of action does not keep a diary.

Ethan Chandler and Quincey Morris share a core. Both are romantic, experienced Texans with a history of facing the supernatural. Mina recognizes that Quincey puts on the Southern charm to impress Lucy, which can be seen in Ethan’s similarly charming dialogue: “I’d never keep a lady waiting”.

In addition to these roguish exteriors, they possess heroic attributes and aren't strangers to the darker sides of the world. In Penny Dreadful, Ethan has an outsider status. But despite his outward incredulity (“Who are you people?”), he has his own experiences with the supernatural. He also, by his own ission, has been a “hired gun” in the past. Quincey Morris recounts a past run-in with a vampire and has many “tall tales.” Both men also show a strong, protective devotion to the central women in their lives. Quincey's self-sacrificing actions for Lucy and Mina mirror Ethan's fierce commitment to Vanessa Ives.

Quincey Morris Is A Really Underrated Bram Stoker Character

Quincey Is A True Hero Of Stoker’s Dracula

More than 200 movies feature Count Dracula, including some of the most iconic villain portrayals in cinema. However, adaptations’ attempts to put the Crew of Light on-screen have been pretty inconsistent in quality. As an epistolary novel, Dracula is a treasure trove for screenwriters — yet, particularly in Quincey’s case, he is rarely more than a cardboard cutout. This is a crying shame, especially because Quincey represents a sense of hope for the future amid all the 19th century anxieties. Although Penny Dreadful is different to Bram Stoker’s book, it was great to see it use underused elements.

It’s great that Penny Dreadful brings such an underappreciated character to the fore through Ethan.

Although Jonathan decapitated Dracula, it was Quincey who made that possible by stabbing him. Ultimately, he laid down his life, happy to die heroically fighting evil. He had a Texan no-nonsense attitude that stood out against the hesitancy of the other characters. During one Crew of Light meeting, he even abruptly shoots a bat he sees in the window, just in case it’s Dracula. Mina and Jonathan ire his heroism so much that they even name their child after him. It’s great that Penny Dreadful brings such an underappreciated character to the fore through Ethan.

Ethan Is More Well-Developed Than Quincey In Penny Dreadful

Ethan Is One Of The Most Fascinating Characters On The Show

Initially, Ethan Chandler's introduction in Penny Dreadful evoked a familiar trope, with Quincey Morris often reduced to a simplistic image of a Wild West archetype. Ethan even starts out having a Wild West-themed show. Penny Dreadful could have fallen into the same trap, portraying a mere caricature, but Ethan swiftly defied these expectations. While Quincey's bravery and loyalty are evident, his inner world and motivations remain largely surface-level. Ethan, on the other hand, is granted a rich interiority. The exploration of Ethan's bisexuality adds another layer of complexity that subverts traditional masculine tropes that Quincey represents.

His overall development transcends the initial, potentially limiting archetype, which is important for his pivotal role in Penny Dreadful’s divisive ending. Unlike Quincey, whose primary function is that of a brave ally, Ethan becomes a figure grappling with his own vulnerabilities, his capacity for tenderness, and a complex understanding of his identity. Quincey does have a tender side, shown in his offer of friendship to Lucy if she loves another. Not many adaptations acknowledge this side of his character, but it's great that Penny Dreadful does.