(Season 3, Episode 12)

After watching the series finale of Carnivale, all I could think about was how and why HBO canceled this show. I just don’t understand it. I suppose it had to do with ratings and money, as most of these decisions do, but I’m still pretty pissed. I can only imagine that Daniel Knauff, the creator and brains behind the show, is even more pissed than I am, even all these years later. The show was so richly developed, with an intricate mythology and an obvious long-term plan. I just can’t even imagine having a huge story to tell and being cut off a third of the way through. Hopefully the rest of the story will be told at some point in the future.

“New Canaan”

Well, the finale certainly lived up to expectations. The focus was on the great showdown between Ben and Brother Justin. It was pretty spectacular, complete with Justin hacking through a crowd of people with a scythe and gutting a freshly healed Balthus. Apparently, despite the reverend’s best efforts, the power of Christ did not compel Brother Justin, who ran him through with the scythe.

The final confrontation between Ben and his nemesis happened in the middle of a cornfield, as Ben had dreamed about earlier in the series. Justin ended up dead (for a little while anyway), and Ben was wounded badly. One of the final scenes showed Ben in Management’s trailer, behind his curtain. I’m curious if the wound would have been bad enough to keep Ben in the trailer like Management, or if he was just going to be the power behind the carnival now that everyone knew his secret.

The focus of the show was clearly going to shift focus to Sofie, and I can only imagine what it had in store for her. It seems like the “Omega” was a lot more complicated that I first thought. I had figured that it just meant that she was the last in the line of avatars, and seeing as “creature of light” and “creature of dark” status seemed to alternate by generation, I was figuring that she was going to be like Ben. However, as she shot Jonesy, had her eyes go black, and then raised Brother Justin from the dead at the end of the episode, it seems like there was a whole lot of evil in her. She clearly still had some good, too, though, as she displayed Ben’s powers. It certainly would have been interesting watching how she was going to develop, along with her relationship with Justin.

Perhaps, somewhere, someday we’ll see more Carnivale. I’m not holding my breath though. We still haven’t seen anymore Twin Peaks….

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(Season 2, Episodes 10-11)

I only have one episode left in my journey through Carnivale, and I’m a little sad to see it go. I’m sure I’ll be able to keep up better with some of the current shows that have drifted to the back of my DVR, but I’m going to miss the bizarre dust bowl drama. It doesn’t help that it was cut down before its prime, canceled after only two seasons. I’m curious to see how many loose ends are left open as the series concludes.

“Cheyenne, WY”

I guess I had underestimated Iris in my previous entry. I had commented that she was truly evil, killing with little to no remorse to protect her brother. As it turned out, she wasn’t trying to protect him, but herself as she plotted with Balthus to take down her supremely evil brother. It certainly didn’t last long, however, as Brother Justin didn’t need a whole lot of information to figure out what they were doing. It will be interesting to see if there are any further sparks between Iris and her brother before the end of the series.

I’ve thought for a while that Sofie is somehow connected to the Ben/Brother Justin plot, and in this episode it was revealed that Justin is Sofie’s father. Indeed, he was the man that raped Apollonia. This explains why “Sofie is the Omega.” I’m guessing that this means she is the last in the line of ushers and healers. That would seem to indicate that the battle that has been waging is going to end with Ben, Justin, and Sofie.

“Outside New Canaan”

Everything is starting to come together. As a result, the penultimate episode was really great. There was a lot of tension as Ben infiltrated the camp at New Caanan. He got close to Brother Justin a few times, with knife in hand, but wasn’t able to make a serious attempt on his life. I wasn’t really expecting that he would. I figured that would be saved for the finale and it looks like I’m right. It will be interesting to see how things play out. I’m not sure if the show was canceled before the end of the season, so I don’t know if this final episode really played like a season finale or a series finale.

There were more interesting things going on with Sofie as well. With Ben’s warning she began to question Brother Justin, and it didn’t take much to convince her that Ben was telling her the truth: the preacher is evil. Of course it was even worse for us the viewers as we had to watch Brother Justin come on to his daughter, even though neither of them knew about their relationship. I couldn’t resist checking out the “next on” feature on my DVD to check out a preview of the finale. It looks like Sofie is going to be playing a larger part. With the rest of the carnies joining Ben and Sofie in New Canaan, I am wondering what sort of role they are going to play in the finale showdown. Now that they all know about Ben’s powers, I would have to think that they are going to be behind him.

I know I’m looking forward to finding out how this all ends.

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(Season 2, Episodes 8-9)

It’s been a little while since I’ve sat down for some Carnivale. My absence was due to a mixture of being busy with the holidays, catching up on some recently released movies, and trying to draw out the final episodes of the show. Now, however, I’ve carved out some time and I have less than a handful of episodes remaining before I am completely done with the HBO show.

“Outskirts, Damascus, NE”

This episode picked up right after the momentous events of the previous episode, with the long awaited meeting of Scudder and Management, with Ben caught in the middle. After the big cliffhanger, with Management strangling Ben, the resolution seemed a bit rushed and unspectacular. In any case, Management is gone, and Scudder is on his way to meet Brother Justin.

It was a little touching seeing how upset Samson was over the loss of Management. He really did consider Belyakov a friend. Ben finally won Samson over by giving him an experience inside the perhaps-nonexistent baggage trailer. Other events in the carnival continue to annoy me slightly. The relationship merry-go-round has never been my favorite part of the show and now with the impromptu marriage between Jonesy and Libby I’ve had enough. I guess I’ll just have to see where it goes.

Sofie finally showed up on the scene again in the most surprising of places: Brother Justin’s house as the new maid. That’s sure to bring some good drama.

“Lincoln Highway”

When there was the merest tease of a tar and feathering on Deadwood, I shuddered and squirmed. I guess it wasn’t enough for HBO though, as this episode featured a full blown torture scene as some of the locals tar and feathered Jonesy in retaliation for the ferris wheel accident. It was brutal. Luckily, Ben was there to bring him back from the brink (and cure his banged up knee). More and more people are in on Ben’s secret now. I suppose it’s only a matter of time before the whole carnival is in on the real story.

The most interesting part of this episode were the events going on with Brother Justin and his crew. Iris is one mean lady. I really think she is even more evil than Justin. At least he has the excuse of being the “creature of darkness.” Meanwhile, she’s out protecting him. In this episode that meant bashing in Eleanor’s skull because she was going to tell Brother Justin that she saw the devil in him.

There are certainly going to be some more interesting things going on with Sofie in Justin’s house now, as his latest maid. She definitely has a bigger role to play in all of this and I am very curious about it. Ruthie went into a trance in this episode and wrote “Sofie is the omega” on her mirror. Sofie also seems to have some immunity toward Justin’s “charms.” I hope that I get some answers about this before the end of the series, which is fast approaching.

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(Season 2, Episodes 6-7)

It’s so nice during slow times in the normal television schedule to have something in the DVD player. In my case, that continues to be Carnivale, even though I’m running out of episodes quickly. These were a couple of big episodes, marking the half way point in the season, as well as closing out one of the major storylines on the show since day one. The show is really beginning to kick things into another gear.

“The Road to Damascus”

Among other things, this episode was a fun look into Carnie culture, as the Carnivale gang met up with another carnival on the road. It was also a nice way to introduce a couple new additions to the carnival, as the Scorpion Lady (Samson’s ex-wife) and her new husband left with Carnivale. I think they are going to make for some interesting dynamics moving forward and hopefully act as a breath of  fresh air for the carnival.

The big headline from this episode was Sofie’s departure. I’m not quite sure why everyone is so in love with her (including Jonesy, Ben, Libby et al). To date, I’ve only seen a whiny and annoying girl. Perhaps a little trip to find herself will actual help her grow and make her deserving of the attention from all her admirers.

For a while there I thought that Brother Justin was definitely going to give up Iris for burning down the church. I should have known better. It made for a great dramatic moment when Justin’s set up of Tommy Dolan came to fruition.

“Damascus, NE”

I was half expecting the search for Scudder to take up the entire season, but it all came to a head in this episode. Ben found his father and brought him back to Management. This led to a crazy brawl as Management attacked Scudder and then Ben attacked Management, presumably killing him. Of course, everything was up in the air as this episode ended. Management lunged up from his pool of blue blood after being stabbed multiple times to strangle Ben, while Scudder was possibly laying dead in the corner. It was hard not to start the next episode and watch it right away.

There were other things going on in this episode too. Brother Justin had some truly disturbing dreams/visions and some really graphic projectile vomiting thanks to Ben. I did love his tirade during mass, ripping up the “approved” sermon from the other priests. It’s going to be interesting to see if everyone begins to see the incredible darkness in the man before all is said and done.

No sign of Sofie since she fled the carnival… and I can’t say I really missed her.

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(Season 2, Episodes 4-5)

Sofie has had a very interesting year since her mother died at the end of the first season of Carnivale. In this block of episodes there was a big focus on her. First she was put through the ringer at the carnival, showing up the rest of the crew and proving her worth by digging out the latrine all day and all night long, all by herself. Then in the second episode she finally went back to reading the cards for Ben, and discovered that perhaps she had more power than she thought, as a vision of her mother informed her that she was always the one who could read the cards.

With her continued visions — including some now involving an explosion in the desert — I have to believe that Sofie is somehow connected to the Justin/Ben story. I’m not sure exactly how, but I’m very curious to find out.

“Old Blossom Cherry Road”

In my previous entry I commented on the creepiness of hillbillies. I think the only thing more terrifying than being kidnapped (and almost buried alive) by hillbillies is finding out that those same hillbillies are actually your relatives. That’s just shudder-worthy.  I’m glad Ben didn’t spend too much time with his murdering, eye-gauging grandmother, but I am eagerly waiting to see when the knife she gave him will pop up again.

Meanwhile, Brother Justin had his own problems, and I’m curious to see how things are going to play out with Iris. Now that Tommy has seen her burning clothes in the desert, he must be certain that she was the one who burned down the church and killed the children. Will Justin sacrifice Iris for the cause, even though she insists that she will not be a sacrifice? I’m curious to see if he is cruel enough to do away with his sister.

“Creed, OK”

One of the side stories that I have really been enjoying this season is Ruthie and the “side effects” that she is experiencing after being brought back from the dead by Ben. She has been having visions of the dead, including Lodz and Apollonia, and it’s driving her a little batty.

Man, does this show do creepy well! This episode featured a little-too-friendly-to-believe old man who makes death masks (including Henry Scudder’s). This led to a horrid encounter between him and Ben, with the man paralyzing Ben and making a mask of the young man’s face. Ben didn’t remember anything about it, believing it to be a nasty vision, but at the end of the episode we saw that Justin had Ben’s mask. When he looked through it, he could see what Ben was seeing. I thought that this was going to be the start of something big, but Justin freaked out when he saw Ben’s face in a mirror and broke the mask.

It looks like Justin is going to sell out Iris after all. In this episode he confronted her, and although she didn’t make it easy for him, she did sign a confession.

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(Season 2, Episodes 2-3)

Season two continues to march on, and Carnivale continues to be interesting and compelling. The relationship drama that had me a little bored toward the end of season one seems to have cooled off, but the character development remains, which is nice.

I’m really enjoying the play between Brother Justin and Tommy Dolan. Dolan is an interesting character. It’s clear that he knows that Justin is somewhat dangerous and that he probably shouldn’t be getting involved with him. At the same time, however, the overly ambitious reporter just can’t help himself. As I watch this show and Heroes, I’m amazed at how different Robert Knepper looks and sounds in the two roles.

“Alamogordo, NM”

I mentioned in my previous entry that it seemed like, perhaps, Ben’s vision of a nuclear explosion could be somehow tied to the Manhattan Project. Is it just a coincidence that the title of this episode is also a town that housed a research facility for the nuclear research program that oversaw the first test explosion? I think not.

Why does Brother Justin get a creepy underling to do all his dirty work and Ben has to do it all by himself? That hardly seems fair, but it’s been fun watching Varlyn Stroud wandering free. Brother Justin was busy in this episode breaking ground on his new temple.

There more visions of the tatooed man, or “the usher” in this episode, with one of them ending up being Sophie. Is she somehow tied into all of this good vs. evil stuff? Management certainly seemed rattled when Ben informed him that he had seen the usher in visions.

“Ingram, TX”

It’s certainly been an interesting start of the season for Sofie. After losing her mom, she’s trying to find where she fits into the carnival. I don’t quite understand why she can’t read the cards without her mother. Certainly the readings wouldn’t be as accurate without her mother’s visions of the future, but doesn’t she still know how to read the cards? I guess it’s just too painful for her.

I think my favorite moment in this episode came during Brother Justin’s radio address. His “notes” for the sermon actually consisted of twisted and dirty doodles. It was a disturbing reminder that Justin seems to be sinking deeper into madness. Iris caught sight of this and closed the notebook to protect her freaky brother.

Poor Balthus is now being “cared” for by Brother Justin. That must be absolutely terrifying for the poor, crippled old man. I’m guessing that he wishes he had the courage to bash in Justin’s head when he had the chance.

It seems like a lot of interesting things were happening at the end of the episode, too. Ben was captured by hillbillies (which remains a completely terrifying scenario. See: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. See: Deliverance. See: The Hills Have Eyes. Hillbillies are freaky), Ruthie is being haunted by Lodz, and Sofie is hearing Brother Justin’s message. That can’t be good.

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(Season 2, Episode 1)

I’m on to the second (and final!?!) season of Carnivale now, somehow finding time to squeeze episodes in even though we’re in the middle of the November sweeps. So far, it seems like things are going to be kicking into high gear if the first episode is any indication. I certainly hope that’s the case because there are only twelve episodes left, and there is a whole lot of story left to tell.

“Los Moscos”

So…. is this show really all about nuclear proliferation? It was a little unclear to me what the nuclear blast that Management showed Ben meant. Is their goal to stop the creation of nuclear weapons? It certainly seemed like the explosion in the desert (with the corresponding warning horns) was a test run during the Manhattan Project. Was that it, or was it a different nuclear blast? Perhaps part of a nuclear holocaust? Or maybe it was just a metaphor and I’m over thinking it.

In any case, it was good to learn about the nature of Management. I wasn’t shocked to learn that he was, at one time, like Ben. I wasn’t expecting him to be one of the “good” guys, though. I figured that since Scudder was Ben’s father, Management would have been on the bad side, and Scudder good like Hawkins. I’m still confused as to why a woman (Linda Hunt) is voicing Management. Perhaps there’s a reason for that which will be revealed later. Perhaps not.

Things were ratcheting up for Brother Justin in this episode too. His twisted sermons began reaching a wider audience as he began preaching over the radio. In a very creepy moment, his sermons touched an inmate, Varlyn Stroud, who heard things that weren’t there, whispers from Justin himself. It seems like both Justin and Ben are going to be searching for Henry Scudder now. Justin searching him out to kill him and become the true “usher” and Ben finding him for Management. It’s going to set up an interesting wild goose chase.

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(Season 1, Episode 12)

I’ve finished the first season of Carnivale. It was a great set of twelve episodes, but mostly, I’m excited to get into season two to find out what is going to happen, and learn a little bit more about the nature of Management, Ben, Brother Justin, and Henry Scudder. Hopefully the relationship merry-go-round will slow down a bit, too. As I mentioned in my previous entry, I felt it was getting a little tiresome.

“The Day That Was The Day”

I’m not sure if Ben’s killing of Lodz was supposed to be a big shock or not, but I saw it coming. It was still a great moment, and clearly what Management was planning all along. I find it a little hard to believe that Lodz didn’t figure out that it was going to happen. Perhaps it was his own hubris, feeling like the boss since he was working for Management. In any case, I don’t think I’ll miss the blind professor that much. He had served his purpose and he was never one of my favorite characters. I think I would have missed Ruthie a whole lot more.

It’s going to be interesting to see what season two has in store now that Ben appears on his destined track. He fell into Management’s plan, but I think it will probably be for the best.

The other big events in the carnival centered around Sophie, Apollonia, and Jonesy. Apollonia has seemingly been dropping deeper and deeper into madness, and I’m not quite sure why. Is it the presence of Ben? Her fighting with Sophie? In any case, she finally snapped in the finale, after Sophie planned on leaving the carnival. Apollonia set fire to the trailer, with her and Sophie inside. The season ended with Jonesy rushing into the blaze. I find it hard to believe that either Sophie or Jonesy will wind up dead because of it. When it was first happening, I thought that maybe Ben was going to have to heal Sophie instead of Ruthie, but that wasn’t the case. I can’t imagine that Apollonia will make it out of the fire alive. She started it, after all, and she is catatonic. It seems like there is a lot more that she knows though — it would be a shame to lose all of that.

There was some great drama with Brother Justin to close out the season too. He seemed to be fighting against his dark side for the last time, begging Balthus to kill him. I’m not sure if he really did want to destroy the darkness within him, or if he was just toying with Balthus, knowing that the old man would never be able to smash his head in. I’m looking forward to seeing how his story is going to progress in season two, particularly with his new partnership with Tommy Dolan in play.

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(Season 1, Episodes 10-11)

I’m just about through with the first season of Carnivale, and I’m finding it hard to believe that that means I’m nearly halfway through the entire series. How did this show only get two seasons? I’ve admitted that it may not be quite as good as some of the classic HBO shows that were on around the same time, but it is still a great show.

That’s just the way things go sometimes, I suppose. I can’t really make any judgement calls on the cancellation until I finish up the series. Maybe it fell apart during the second season.

“Hot and Bothered”

It wasn’t hard to see coming, but I figured that Ben and Ruthie were going to end up in bed with each other sooner or later. It’s an odd match to be sure, but seems to fit on this show. Their relationship is only one of many that seem to be overlapping as season one comes to an end. Sophie and Ben continue to flirt, but at this point she’s flirting with just about everyone, including Jonesy and Libby. Meanwhile, Jonesy is pining after Sophie, while carrying on an affair with Rita Sue. It’s bordering on too much, especially when we could be spending more time with the always interesting Brother Justin.

Speaking of Justin, this episode featured his incredibly creepy return to Mintern, culminating in his “baptism” in the church, complete with the transformation of holy water into blood. I’m curious to see how Balthus will react, as he clearly saw the blood on Justin’s face.

“Day of the Dead”

So, is HBO the official network for awkward incest? First it was Six Feet Under, and now it’s Justin and Iris making out on Carnivale. With all the darkness in brother Justin, this episode showed that Iris has just as much inside her too. Indeed, it was she who burned down the church, killing the children inside. Justin seemed to forgive her when she proclaimed, with zealotry, that she did it for him. Early in the season I definitely didn’t think that she had it in her, but she really is as crazy as Justin.

The season finale was definitely set up in this episode as Lodz sent a poisonous snake to Ruthie, presumably killing her. Clearly this is Management’s work, trying to get Ben to embrace his powers. To what end, I’m not exactly sure, but I know I’ll find out.

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(Season 1, Episodes 8-9)

After taking some time to really dive into to some of the characters of Carnivale, including the Dreifuss family and Brother Justin, some of the mystery and intrigue of the series returned to the forefront in these two episodes.

I’m still really enjoying Carnivale. The mood and setting are definitely very interesting, and the production value is very good. Some of the acting is still a bit subpar, in my opinion, but the supernatural intrigue and strong characters definitely make up for any trivial shortcomings on the show.

“Lonnigan, Texas”

The big story from this episode was that we finally got a little hint about Management. At the end of the episode, the audience was treated to a scene of Lodz speaking with the mysterious figure and we actually heard Management’s voice. Not a huge reveal, but at least we know that Management is now an actual entity, insofar as much as he can speak. Beyond that, I really don’t have a clue. Not yet, anyway.

Samson was clearly pissed that Management was having a discussion with Lodz. I was surprised to see it myself, as I had assumed that Samson was the only person who had contact with Management (kind of like Ben and Jacob, from Lost).

There were other interesting things going on in this episode, including more visions for Ben. In this episode he was a vision of a bunch of knights, surrounded by a whole lot of blood, gore, and body parts. Ben also saw himself as a soldier in world war one, missing his limbs. I’m assuming that these are visions of people who came before him with the same powers that he now has.

I can’t leave out brother Justin, who wound up in a mental institution after his incident at the river. He seemed to be embracing his powers, messing around with many of the inmates and doctors at the hospital. I’m curious to see if he continues to reject God and become even more dark as the series moves forward.

“Insomnia”

There was a lot of relationship craziness happening in this installment. In the last episode Jonesy and Rita Sue had a true moment of intimacy and clearly made a deep connection. Things got a little more complicated when Jonesy finally got some attention from Sophie, who he clearly had his eye on for a while. Rita Sue also reconnected with Stumpy and it looked like things were going to end for Jonesy and Rita Sue before they really began. They just couldn’t deny chemistry, though, and ended up back in each other’s arms. To be honest, these relationship stories are not really capturing my interest like some of the other events happening, but they aren’t bothering me either.

Samson pushed Ben pretty hard in this episode, trying to get the young man to open up to him with his secrets. It seemed like nothing but a power play on Samson’s part — a way to beat Lodz and get back into Management’s good graces. Regardless of the motivations, there were some interesting revelations, including Samson telling Ben that Henry Scudder was most likely his father.

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(Season 1, Episodes 6-7)

I’m halfway through the first season of Carnivale, and the show is still going strong. In my last entry, I mentioned that I was curious how the carnival was going to retaliate after losing one of their own. All my questions were answered in this block of episodes. Well, all my questions related to carnie justice, anyway. There was also a lot more exploration of the supernatural universe that these characters inhabit, and it just keeps getting more interesting.

“Pick a Number”

This episode was creepy in so many ways. Firstly, it was interesting to see how the carnies dispatched justice. It was an illogical, and seemingly over-simplified method of judgement. By having the defendant pick a number and play Russian roulette, it seemed like an archaic method of dispensing punishment. I wonder if they figure that Management, who seems to be somewhat omniscient, will make sure that any truly deserving villains get a bullet to the head. In this case, however, the lone living Babylon resident was spared … for a while, anyway.

That’s where the episode got really disturbing; it turns out that all those men who went to the carnival and caused all the trouble in the first place weren’t exactly … alive. The whole town seemed to be under some sort of curse, all the dead souls trapped there, including Dora Mae. It was just downright spine chilling when Samson was walking through the deserted town at the end of the episode and saw the vision of Dora Mae through a window, being dragged back to the crowd of men. I’m curious if Scudder had something to do with the curse, or if his presence there was just coincidental.

“The River”

This episode focused a good amount of time on Brother Justin and his struggles on the road. It was a well crafted episode, with a bit of a twist ending. Through the bulk of the episode, the audience watched Justin struggle after having thrown himself off of a bridge and into a river, ending up severely injured on the riverbank. Two children find him, but don’t help him. He begs and pleads, and it is eventually revealed to be a vision. The two children were really a young Justin and Iris, and Justin was reliving his memories from his first victim’s point of view. There was another great, and creepy, moment when the young Justin twists the man’s head around almost completely, killing him.

Back at the carnival things were a little more low key, with Stumpy, Libby, and Rita Sue still trying to come to terms with the murder of Dora Mae. Libby and Stumpy just wanted to run away to Hollywood, but Rita Sue was a little more realistic. In the end, Stumpy just couldn’t leave the carnival, and more importantly, his wife.

Through the first few episodes it seemed like Ben and Sophie were destined to end up together, so I’m a little glad that they are both exploring other relationships at this point. The growing bond between Sophie and Libby seems to be a little more than friendship, and I think it’s only a matter of time before Ben and Ruthie hook up. He certainly got very jealous when Lodz told him that Ruthie had laid down with Scudder.

It’s still early in the show, but there are a ton of remaining questions, and I can’t wait to get the answers.

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(Season 1, episodes 4-5)

These two episodes of Carnivale had a nice mix of character development and mythology. The show certainly started to explore the characters of the carnival in much greater depth, which I really appreciated. It looks like the show will take some time to develop rich and full characters, which can only make a show great.

If I had any complaint about this block of episodes, it’s that there was barely any brother Justin in them. I hope that he won’t take a backseat for much longer. Even though I haven’t watched that much of the show, I’m already enamored with his character.

“Black Blizzard”

Perhaps I was a little hasty when I was accusing the show of having bad special effects because I thought they did a pretty nice job with the dust storm that was the center of this episode. This installment certainly had a different feel to it, as many of the characters were split up into small groups due to the black blizzard.

Lodz and Ben wound up together out in the middle of the storm, with Lodz confronting the young man about his powers. Lodz seems to be more intrigued with Ben than anyone else in the carnival. I’m not really sure what his intentions are, but I’m curious to find out. It seems that he knows a lot more about Ben than even Ben knows. I’m wondering if the whole Carnivale knows that there is a connection between Ben and Scudder.

There was some great character development with Samson in this episode too, with him getting all dressed up to spend some time with a hooker. There was some genuine insight gained in watching the way that he humiliated and shamed the woman after she clearly wasn’t interested in him or his games. Up to this point, Samson had come across as a really friendly type of person, but there is clearly some darkness beneath the surface.

The other big event in this episode was Jonesy entering Management’s trailer to “check up on him,” after the storm. I find it very interesting that Management is not referred to as “The Management,” and that he definitely has a gender. This would seem to indicate that Management is a person, or at least some sort of entity, and that he does actually exist, even though Jonesy didn’t see anything in the trailer.

“Babylon”

Things took a decidedly darker turn in this episode, but it was nice to dig a little deeper into the characters in the carnival and put some of the supernatural stuff aside. The entire town of Babylon was very creepy from the moment they arrived there. It was clear that there was something not quite right about the town, which at first look seemed deserted. When I first saw the miners approaching the carnival carrying lit torches, I was afraid they were just going to burn the tents down.

As it turned out, there were even more sinister motives at work. After Samson warned the cooch crew not to do a “blow off,” they did anyways, and it pretty much incited a riot. At the end of the night, Dora Mae was hanged by the randy men, with “HARLOT” carved on her forehead. I’m very curious to see how the carnies will react, and presumably retaliate for this injustice.

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Lot’s of people have told me that I would love Carnivale. I think a lot of folks know about my Twin Peaks obsession and felt that Carnivale had the same type of bizarre supernatural feeling that the classic cult soap had. Also, Michael J. Anderson was in both shows, though in very different capacities. He was a major character in Carnivale, and just a backwards talking vision in Twin Peaks.

After hearing lots of things about Carnivale, I’m pretty sure that it is the type of show I’m going to love. I’ve watched the first three episodes and so far I’m really digging it. There’s a lot of bizarre stuff going on, great characters, and some amazing set design. Not everything is perfect though, as I get the sense that the overall quality of the show isn’t quite up to the standards of the HBO shows that I have previously loved (The Wire, Deadwood, and Six Feet Under). To be fair, though, those three show are some of the best to ever grace the television screen.

“Milfay”

The first thing that struck me about the show is what an interesting premise it has. I think the setting is one that is not explored often, in either television or film. Add to that a crazy carnival with a bunch of mystical and bizarre people and you’ve got yourself one fascinating show.

It was nice to see that Carnivale was intriguing right from the get-go. There was so much going on in the first episode, much more than just the establishment of characters and plot. Already, big questions are being asked: Exactly who or what is Management? What is the nature of Ben’s dream visions? Exactly what sort of powers do Ben and Brother Justin have? Why do so many members of the carnival seem to have mystical powers? And what the heck is the deal with Sophie’s mom?

As interesting as the things in the carnival appear to be, I think I may be more fascinated with Brother Justin. There certainly seems to be a real sinister streak in the man, but I’m not sure he even realizes it. I’m assuming that it was he who caused the coins to come bursting out of the thieving church-goer’s mouth, but did he know he was doing it?

“After the Ball is Over”

I loved the beginning of this episode, with the shared dream between Ben and Brother Justin. Dare I say that it reminded me of Twin Peaks? I’m curious about the two other men that showed up in the diner. Are they the previous two agents of good and evil? That’s my best guess at the moment. I’m figuring one of them was in the first world war, which appears to be a major motif in Ben’s troubled dreams. I’m eager to learn more.

There seems to be a very Lost and Jacob-like feel surrounding the carnival. In this episode, Ben cleaned out the baggage trailer only to learn later that it doesn’t exist. I’m pegging Management for some supernatural entity that is toying with Ben now, or at the very least guiding him. The scene in the trailer was very reminiscent of the scene in Jacob’s cabin. And the creepy fetus in a jar? Was that Management?

Brother Justin’s evil power came into more light in this episode, as he used the sins of one of the members of his church to get what he wanted: the building in town that was currently being used as a brothel. Unfortunately, this also led the man to kill himself when he was faced with his own sins. Justin didn’t seem too broken up about it, though.

“Tipton”

The third episode showed even more of Justin’s power, as he killed one of the town councilmen — whether he meant to or not — over the matter of his new church. I’m very curious to know how much Brother Justin knows about his powers. Does he realize that he is doing these things? This episode also made it clear that Ben’s healing powers are pretty much a mystery to him, so I’m figuring Justin is in the dark too.

The rest of this episode focused on Carnivale using Ben as a fake (or so they thought) evangelical healer. I think it was probably the slowest of the first three episodes, but I’m pretty much sold on the show at this point, so I didn’t really mind. The characters are all engaging, especially Samson, who really stood out in this episode.

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(Season 2, Episodes 18-21)

Not a mention of The X-Files “MythArc” throughout these four episodes. No sightings of the Cigarette Smoking Man, nor Skinner. The closest we got was animal abductions, which may or may not have been extraterrestrial.

But it didn’t matter. These were some good yarns. As an anthology horror series, The X-Files had the potential to be one of the best. From animal abductees, rapid aging, circus freaks and a bizarre demonic twin possession, the tension just kept right on moving. I’d been getting worried that The X-Files was starting to get boring before this, but that’s certainly not the case anymore.2.18 – “Fearful Symmetry”
(Original Air Date: February 24, 1995) There’s a huge hole in Mulder’s theory. If the animals were being abducted from their cages and then dropped back off invisible several miles away, then how are people getting mauled by invisible animals right outside those cages? Of course, we never get an answer to that.

This episode was powerful in its depiction of the inhumane treatment of animals, and the inadequate facilities many face at zoos. I’ve grown up around St. Louis, and while we have one of the premiere zoos in the nation, I still remember in my youth the elephants living in small pens much like those seen in this episode.

It’s still a work in progress to develop habitats more suitable to the happiness and well-being of the animals we keep in captivity. As for the notion that it takes alien intervention to preserve species that we would push to oblivion, as Mulder says, perhaps it is so. Certainly, we hold little regard for our actions even still.

2.19 – “Dod Kalm”
(Original Air Date: March 10, 1995) Not the best old person make-up on these guys. Plus, in regards to the captain specifically, why would his nails have grown a bit, but no facial hair growth? The early aging make-up used on Mulder, Scully and Trondheim was much better. Perhaps because it wasn’t trying to represent such a dramatic age difference.

The final moments together of Mulder and Scully before their rescue were haunting and poignant. There was a tragic fatalism in the air, but it was one of the more beautifully produced sequences the show has had so far. I just loved the affection the characters clearly had for one another as they faced what they knew were their final moments.

This was an incredibly satisfying episode. A perfect blend of suspense and mystery, and a true danger of impending doom for our protagonists. What more could I want?

2.20 – “Humbug”
(Original Air Date: March 31, 1995) A nice bit of misdirection to open the episode, with us thinking the Alligator Man was the threat. It was refreshing to see him as a caring and loving father; to remind us that not everything can be judged by its package.

Also cute was Scully and Lanny both getting caught staring at one another by one another; him at her cleavage and her at his conjoined twin. And then in unison, they closed their robes. Someone was having fun putting this circus sideshow episode together.

And of course the climactic battle had to happen in a funhouse. I was expecting the Joker to be revealed as the real villain. Still, a disjoined conjoined twin? That’s certainly novel. And then eaten by The Enigma. Gotcha.

It was great seeing Michael J. Anderson. It reminded me how much I miss Carnivale and how HBO really needs to find a way to revive that show. Or at least give us a movie or something. Things are going well now, the money’s coming in. You know you want to!

2.21 – “The Calusari”
(Original Air Date: April 14, 1995) Whenever Scully asks Mulder what he’s going to do when the two of them separate, he never gives her a helpful answer. “To find help” it was here. And she just accepts this? I know it makes for a more dramatic television show, but in real life it would drive her crazy. “Just give me a straight answer for once, damn you!”

Creepy kids are always the worst when it comes to horror. There’s something so much more menacing about an innocent lost to the depths of darkness. I enjoyed The Dark Half aspect of this, with the stillborn twin being the true culprit of the horrors.

It’s the hold that Michael had over Charlie during these episodes that made it more disturbing. Charlie watched his little brother die and had virtually no reaction. Maybe he truly didn’t remember those moments.

The exorcism sequence at the end was particularly disturbing; the kid playing Charlie/Michael did a fantastic job throughout. His exorcism shrieks were particularly harrowing. And he was appropriately sinister in his expressions throughout.

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Like many of the shows featured on CliqueClack Flashback, HBO’s Carnivàle had — and I daresay still has — quite a cult following. I’ve heard many people compare the show to Twin Peaks, and since I’ve never seen Twin Peaks beyond the movie, I can’t quite attest to that. Both were definitely otherwordly bizarre and shared one familiar actor: Michael J. Anderson, who starred as carny head man, Samson.

The story of Carnivàle starts in the Depression-era dust-bowl of the U.S. in the mid ’30s, with the main protagonist Ben Hawkins hopping a ride with the traveling carnival, as he slowly discovers and eventually reveals to others his mysterious ability to heal others. In some ways his healing ability reminds me of that on Pushing Daisies, since another life must be sacrificed in order for him to make use of his powers.

At the same time, we follow a separate plotlike that eventually meets the other, with Clancy Brown’s Brother Justin and his sister Iris. Brother Justin seems a very righteous man at first, though as he comes to discover that he has abilities of his own — those which are of a much more sinister form than Ben’s — he comes to believe the evil he’s doing is God’s work.

Ben eventually learns, throughout the different towns that the carnival visits, that he is destined to seek out and destroy Brother Justin, or else the horrific visions he’d been experiencing would no doubt come true, including the destruction of the world.

HBO aired Carnivàle between 2003 and 2005, for two seasons. The show did an incredible job of capturing the feel of the 1930s era. There are constant references to World War I, for example. The wardrobe is torn right from an old photograph of the times, and the locales and mannerisms of the characters suck you right into the time period. It’s a brilliant mix of science fiction, fantasy and macabre with a time period most wouldn’t associate with it.

Usually with a gripping main plot to follow, the stories of the secondary characters in a show would take a far back seat. Not so with Carnivàle, as each small story within it was interesting and engaging and, ultimately, made sense within the rest of the story. You can’t ask for a more diverse set of characters, too, from the blind psychic Lotz to the “cooch show” Dreifuss girls.

The opening sequence was incredibly well done, both grabbing the look and feel of the time period along with the weirdness of what pulls into town when the carnival wagons wheel in.

There are just too many oddities throughout each episode to list here in one post without making those who haven’t seen the show scratch their heads and wonder what the hell I’m talking about (if you’re not already). Blue blood, avatars, the Tattooed Man, Alpha and Omega … there’s so much more. In fact, I warn you that, in taking on this series, you could spend days sifting through forums and web pages dedicated to Carnivàle lore and theories — I know I spent my fair share doing it. Luckily, though, creator Daniel Knauf has helped answer some of the dangling questions since the show’s second season was through, including a Carnivàle season one pitch document that was reportedly what he showed to HBO.

As for the show’s untimely fate, in one way you could call it complete. Knauf has said that he envisioned Carnivàle as being three “books,” with each book consisting of two seasons. Keeping that in mind, the two seasons we were handed did feel very much like a complete story, though one that could continue on, should there be the means to do so. The first season ended in a way that demanded a second season, though season two gave us what we’d been waiting for, and more.

Fans continue to cling on to hopes that the show will come back, though with every passing year it seems very unlikely. Knauf has said he has the entire story laid out, though he continued to refuse to release it to the public. I’d say fans would be happy even for a written continuation to the story, though since this show was so beautifully filmed, I wonder if we’d actually be missing out.

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