It's interesting that your take of Penny Dreadful was based on the first season, when I felt the first season was tight and well designed and the flaws you mention (meandering, no plan, shock for no reason, every character inverts their type and reasoning on a dime) were distinctly season 2 problems. Also the scenes you picked were from season 2. Makes me wonder if you realized just how short season 1 actually was.

However, my opinion of the show itself is identical. When I heard they were making a season 3 I said "fuck that noise" and have never given it the barest look.