Customer Reviews

Carnivale: The Complete First Season

5 star:		(132)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

"Carnivàle" is part of small but growing number of quality television shows that are committed to the sort of lengthy and complex story arc that was once the province of the mini-series. But shows like "Wiseguy" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" in the past and current offerings such as "24" and "Lost" have paved the way for television shows that emphasize the big picture rather than the more traditional episodic approach. As such, "Carnivàle" is most similar to "Lost," in that we are pretty sure we know what will happen at the end of the journey, but we have no idea how many seasons down the road that end game will be played out. Does creator Daniel Knauf ("Wolf Lake") have an ambitious five-year plan similar to what J. Michael Straczynski had in mind from the start for "Babylon 5"? We will have to wait and see.

With a show like "Carnivàle" it is easy (and fun) to play with various antecedents that explain the series in simple but readily understood terms. From the start I was thinking of the show as a cross between John Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath," Tod Browning's "Freaks," and Stephen King's "The Stand," all of which I consider to be classics in their respective genres. But there are other options as well (with Michael J. Anderson in the cast "Twin Peaks" becomes an obvious choice), which simply speaks to the potential of "Carnivàle" to resonate with its viewers.

The premise of the show is provided as the opening narration: "Before the beginning, after the great war between Heaven and Hell, God created the Earth and gave dominion over it to the crafty ape he called man. And to each generation was born a creature of light and a creature of darkness. And great armies clashed by night in the ancient war between good and evil. There was magic then, nobility, and unimaginable cruelty. And so it was until the day that a false sun exploded over Trinity, and man forever traded away wonder for reason." The words are spoken by Samson (Anderson), who runs the traveling circus called Carnivàle, but answers to the unseen "Management" figure (voiced by an uncredited Linda Hunt).

While traveling across the Oklahoma Dust Bowl in 1934, the Carnivàle comes across Ben Hawkins (Nick Stahl), who has escaped from prison and returned home in time to watch his mother (Lucinda Jenney) die and bury here before the tractors level their shack. Management wants Ben to join the caravan and given his predicament with the law, he agrees. As the Carnivàle travels down to Texas we learn that Ben is plagued by strange visions of the trenches in the Great War and that he has the power to heal. Meanwhile, in the California town of Mintern a minister named Brother Justin Crowe (Clancy Brown) believes that God is telling him what to minister to the growing number of Okies and other migrant workers streaming west, fleeing the Dust Bowl. Those who oppose Brother Justin's plans find themselves punished for standing in the way.

Ben Hawkins and Brother Justin are the creatures of light and darkness foretold, and while their visions contain glimpses of each other, they are not going to meet during this first season of "Carnivàle." Their meeting is inevitable and clearly will constitute the apocalyptic conclusion of this series, but at this point they are still coming to terms with their places in this strange universe. Each man is trying to find out about their mysterious past, where they came from, and what they can do with their powers. Eventually they will have to decide what they should do with those powers and at the end of the first season they face what will certainly be the first of several escelating crucibles.

While the focus is primarily on Ben Hawkins getting used to his power and Brother Justin doing his work with his older sister, Iris (Amy Madigan), there is also life in the travelling circus during the Great Depression. Ben is of interest to Lodz (Patrick Bachauh), a mentalist who takes an active interest in the young man's powers and who is involved with Lila (Debra Christofferson), the bearded lady. Meanwhile, Ben has taken an interest in Ruthie (Adrienne Barbeau), the snake charmer who is also the mother of the strong man, Gabriel (Brian Turk). The person interested in Ben romantically appears to be Sophie (Clea DuVall), the tarot card reader who is also the medium for her comatose mother, Apollonia (Diane Salinger), who is pyschic. Jonesy (Tim Dekay), the manger of the rousties, is in love with Sophie, but he gets involved with the Dreifuss family that runs the Cootch Show, Stumpy (Toby Huss), the father who is the emcee, mother Rita Sue (Cynthia Ettinger), and daughters Dora Mae (Amanda Aday) and Libby (Carla Gallo).

One of the strengths of "Carnivàle" is that what is going on in that travelling circus is fairly interesting even without throwing young Ben Hawkins into the mix. There is something intrinsically fascinating about how carny folk milk the marks for money, and there is a sense of personal pride in their professionalism that gives them a certain level of dignity. In the short term, I do not know if I like the idea that not all of them are going to be alive next season. Then, of course, there is the whole look of the show. Suffice it to say "Carnivàle" won Emmys for Outstanding Art Direction and Cinematography for a One-Camera Series, along with those for Costumes, Hairstyling, and Main Title Design (you could do a pretty good master's thesis just decoding that last one).

The DVD series for the first season comes with three audio commentaries, a really short featurette on the making of the series, and a giant group discussion with the cast. The commentary for "Milfay," the pilot episode, is the most important one, and twice as good as the other two put together. It has Knauf, director Rodrigo Garcia, and executive producer Howard Klein on it, with the creator/writer and director doing most of the talking, who focus on how they cast the show and how the first episode evolved. We also get the "Previously On" and "Next On" bits that HBO created for each episode.

I recognize that "Carnivàle" is going to be a very maddening show to those who want things to move along at a brisk pace, and there will be those who will abandon the show long before it gets to the promised land (when the circus gets to California, probably in a couple of seasons). But for those of us who remember how "Twin Peaks" fell apart when the hook of "Who killed Laura Palmer?" became the line and (literal) sinker, or who felt "The X-Files" was adding to its mythology without getting any closer to a big finish, the idea that "Carnivàle" has been created with a definitive end point in mind provide some measure of comfort. This first season provides an initial level of confidence and the potential for more, but in the end how good this series is with come down to the quality of the final "blow off." Given that the origin of "carnival" goes back to the Roman festivals of Saturnalia and Lupercalia where there was a temporary subversion of civil order and that the term now refers to the holiday period of the two weeks before Lent, it could be something pretty good. Besides, it is not on television: it is on HBO.

Some may complain that "Carnivale" leaves too many loose ends. I would argue that these people are entirely missing the show's point. If you are the sort of person who likes things to be wrapped up all neat with a little bow, turn back now... Otherwise sit back, and let the pure magic of this show suck you in.

"Carnivale" has a plot that begs to be questioned, mysteries waiting to be theorized upon, and characters that you will truly love (or love to hate). It is a show you can discuss for hours on end. The joy of it is not discovering the answers through the plot itself, but by your own deduction.

In a short period of time, "Carnivale" has grown into my favorite television show. Structured like a dense, epic novel, the production values are sumptuous, the acting uniformly ingenious, and the central mysteries complex and involving. The series, ostensibly about the final battle between good and evil, as wonder gives way to reason, is so firmly rooted in a three-dimensional, realistic world with three-dimensional realistic characters that I would classify it as more magical realism than science-fiction or fantasy. The characters drive the plot, rather than the other way around, which is a difficult feat to accomplish in such a complex narrative that includes shadowy symbolism and prophetic dreams. There have been complaints that the first season did not wrap up any loose ends, but why should it? Season 1 is but the prologue to this novel-for-television, and narratives are never concluded in the prologue. Be forewarned, though, if you are looking for a television show that does not tax your intellectual muscles and does not ask you to do some work to understand it, this is not the show for you. If, on the the other hand, you are looking for a show that is fascinating, multi-layered (the symbolism alone could be discussed for hours), and intellectually stimulating, with fantastical situations that still manages to maintain a strong verisimilitude of character and the time period in which it occurs (1934, the Great Depression, in the Dust Bowl), I would urge you to watch this DVD set immediately, so you can be caught up for the second season, which premieres January 9th. The video quality of this DVD set, by the way, is among the finest I have ever seen. I would rank it up there with "The Lord of the Rings" Extended Edition sets for a near-perfect picture.

The production values on this show are fantastic, making it one of the most expensive shows in history to produce. The acting is supurb and the plot conflicts are captivating. In the wrong hands, this could have been a poorly contrived miasma of failed attempts. But the writing is supremely tight without being stilted.
CARNIVALE goes beyond gothic or any other label. It surpasses what we have come to expect from TV. Some complain about multilayered elements of the plot and the fact the no plot lines were brought to a conclusion in the first season. However, much was revealed and the plot was made even more captivating in the manner in which these revelations were accomplished.
Some viewers complained because the creator admitted that he himself was not sure how parts of the story would go. THANK HEAVENS!!! At last, a TV series that is being given the freedom of a groundbreaking novel. At last, a writer in this field with the ability, historical background and sensibilities to let the characters drive the plot, rather than just be two dimensional devices to move the plot along.
Other viewrs have complained about the intricacy of the plotline itself. If you cannot follow the long phraseology of a symphony with appreciation, stick with the Monkees. In the same way if you do not have the firepower or sensabilities to appreciate the sheer beauty of a plot and atmosphere, as complex and symmetrical as the lines of the Mona Lisa, stick with the Brady Bunch-but don't try to take the symphony away from the rest of us who can appreciate it for the groundbreaking work of art it is.
If you cannot stand the idea of a story where the characters become so real that they influence the plot, stick with Stephen King's version on KINGDOM HOSPITAL, where all plot points are brought to goofy resolution, but let the rest of us enjoy the original Lars von Trier version, incomplete, with little resolved, but full of wonder, delight, humor and irreverence. Only HBO could make a miniseries such as CARNIVALE, which rivals the original Danish KINGDOM, but with greatly improved production values and continuity.
Plese, please try to think outside the box, especially the one marked "TV" and let this perfect crystal continue to grow and shine and not deteriorate under the usual hack writing that we have all become hypnotized into accepting as art.

"Carnivale" has now become my favorite show. I didn't know much about it when I got the first season on DVD for Christmas. I just knew that it looked like something that I'd really like. It seemed to have that strangeness and darkness that I find so fascinating at times. I think it only took two episodes, and I was hooked. I finished the 12 episodes in less than two weeks. Never has a show grab my attention like "Carnivale." It is one of the most unique, beautiful and disturbing shows I have ever seen.

The year is 1934, a pretty dark and depressing time in history. A traveling carnival finds Ben Hawkins, a restless kid that has a lot of mystery to him. He turns out to have a rather remarkable gift of healing, but he has yet to learn the true power of it... or the consequences. States and states away is Brother Justin Crowe, a man of God. He has always tried to serve the Lord to the best of his abilities, until he starts finding out strange things about himself. A darkness within that reveals itself little by little until it is all clear what his real purpose is. This sets the stage for the ultimate battle between good and evil. Even though Ben and Justin have not met each other, they know their paths will meet eventually.

The first season is really a set-up of things to come, but boy does it ever hook you in. The show is so well-written and well-acted. At first, you're not entirely sure what's happening, but with each episode you learn a little more. It doesn't cheat, either. Everything is in there for a reason, even if it's not very clear at the beginning. Out of the 12 episodes in this first season, I did not find a single episode that I didn't like. All of the episodes are intense and mesmerizing. Nick Stahl is terrific as "Ben Hawkins" and you really buy into his role right from the word, "Go." The showstopper, in my opinion, is Clancy Brown, who plays "Brother Justin." He is absolutely amazing in this show. One of the best characters from a series in recent years.

If you plan to check out "Carnivale," then you really have to give it a chance. You have to let it soak into you. It'll take at least two episodes to really pull you in. It is a very complex show, so if you're looking for something simplistic, stay clear from this. Also, the show can be extremely violent at times. While it's not gratuitous, there are more than a few uneasy and disturbing scenes that will get to you, so be prepared for that. The show looks BEAUTIFUL and the sound is superb. There aren't many extras, except for three commentary tracks and a making-of featurette. I really enjoyed the making-of featurette, but I suggest you watch that last.

"Carnivale" is a phenomenal show. It's really set my standards high when it comes to new shows, now. After seeing this, it's hard for any other show to really grab me. As soon as you finish the first season, you'll immediately want to watch the next season... hopefully that'll come out soon (if you thought this season was wild, you haven't seen nothin' yet!) If you're looking for a creative and challenging show, this is the one for you. Just be careful. There's no turning back once you cross that road. See how it all begins and witness the miracle that is "Carnivale." -Michael Crane

It's bad enough that we had to wait over a year between season 1 and season 2. Then season 2 ended on a cliffhanger. And then HBO canceled the show. Now, where's the season 2 DVD set? I mean, how much does HBO think we Carnivale fans can take?

Carnivale is a TV show that seemingly came out of nowhere and debuted on HBO in 2003. It depicts the struggle between good and evil, light vs. darkness and how they are forever intertwined. This battle takes place during the Depression with its focus on the inner workings of a traveling carnival.

Disc One features an audio commentary on "Milfay" by director Rodrigo Garcia, series creator Daniel Knauf and executive producer Howard Klein. This is a very informative track with all the participants making some good observations.

There is also an audio commentary on "After the Ball is Over" by director Jeremy Podeswa, Klein and Knauf. They talk about the casting of certain characters with people who looked like they came from that time period.

Disc Five features an audio commentary on "Hot and Bothered" by Podeswa, Klein and Knauf. They talk about the look of the show. One quickly gets the feeling that they started running out of things to say by this track judging by the lengthy lulls between comments.

The final disc has a Making Of featurette. Knauf felt that the inner workings of a carnival had never been dramatized before. The cast and crew talk about their characters and the themes of the show.

Ultimately, Carnivale poses a lot of questions. How did Ben and Justin get their powers and why them? How does Ben's fevered dreams of a man fighting in the bloody, dirty trenches of World War I figure in his past and that of the mysterious owner of the carnival whom we never see (and might not even be human)? By the end of the season there are precious few answers but some tantalizing clues that will hopefully be explored in more detail in the upcoming season.

When I first watched this show I adored it. Battle for good and evil, good music and cinematography, Clancy Brown, etc.
But my concern with the DVD was the expense, and the desire to watch it over and over. I am currently on viewing four in the last month, and I can attest to the fact that it actually improves upon rewatching. Though other reviewers complain regarding the pacing (and I did the first time through) it is truly where the genius of the series lies. Unlike more traditional serials, the writers do not need to show all their cards immediately, and while on the first watching I was saying things like "don't dwell on this subplot, tell me about the bear," it makes the inevitable explanation that much sweeter. Also, unlike the X-Files, the show has proven to me in only 14 episodes (time of this review) that there will not be a forgotten symbol or plot point. The black goo will not be different in two seasons, and while I may know more about the tree tattoo by the end, it's meaning will not change or be lost.
In the first episode when Hawkins gets his tarot reading from Sophie. She asks him if he wants his past, present, or future, and he dismissively says it doesn't matter. He then gets a reading which is clearly his past. But each time you go back and watch the first episode, it is clear that it actually doesn't matter. That what she tells him is true of the past, present and future.
And because I will watch it again and again, looking for and finding new things, the original cost is more than worth it.

In an age where there is so much garbage on television, it is refreshing to find that there are shows around that dare to force you to use the gray matter that is stuffed inside your skull...The plot of Carnivale will not appeal to everyone and there is some debate about what the plot actually is...Carnivale, set in the Depression era Dust Bowl of the midwest, is a tale where the forces of good will be pitted against evil.....the montage of images during the main titles illustrates historically that the world will soon be plunged into such an epic battle of "Wills" known as World War II... will 30's America be facing a similiar "political" battle or will this war be between apocalyptic forces? This remains to be seen, but though the plot does develop slowly, the strength of the ensemble cast is so strong, that even rather non-momentus moments in this series are facinating...the first season concerns the slow spiritual awakening for the main protagoninst Ben Hawkins (Nick Stahl) and the rather rapid spiritual decline of Brother Justin Crowe (Clancy Brown) both of whom share similiar dreams and powers..Hawkins however is rather reluctant to accept his gifts to the frustrating point that you want to slap some sense into the daft boy. By season's end, Brother Justin was beginning to get a measure of what he is capable of, and for added depth, you have ambivilent feelings towards the Preacher because he does show moments of kindness, only to be thwarted by his fellow man. You cannot help but pity him as you learn more of his past. He is not portrayed as a stereotypical villian.....Because Carnivale, as with THE WIRE, and LOST (when it's out on DVD), have so many layers of plot, these DVD's will not grow mold on your bookcase, for you will always go back to these type of brilliant shows and discover something new....Enthusiastically Recommended!

If one were to look back on HBO's track record for TV shows, they would see an incredible mix of superior shows that are almost perfect in every way. From the prison drama Oz to mafia life in The Sopranos, to new shows like the phenomenal Deadwood and the great show Carnivale, which I'm reviewing here.

Carnivale takes place in 1934, in the dustbowl of America during a sad period of history, the depression. "To each generation was born a creature of light and a creature of darkness." So says Samson(Michael J. Anderson) at the very start of the first episode. Samson is the head of a particular Carnivale that comes across Ben Hawkins(Nick Stahl), an escaped convict that has just lost his mother. Ben is the creature of light that Samson and the other carnies except into their fold, and soon Ben finds himself traveling through the dustbowl of America with this Carnivale. What Samson and his right hand man Jonesy(Tim DeKay) don't know is that Ben has the power to heal, but at a price.

Back in California is the creature of darkness, Brother Justin Crowe(Clancy Brown) a minister who can cause people to have troubling visions about their worst sins. Brother Justin is bringing about the Apocalypse even though he doesn't realize it. Brother Justin doesn't even believe he's evil, nor does his sister Iris Crowe(Amy Madigan) who has what one can only call an 'odd' realationship with her brother.

Along the way we meet plenty of strange and intersting characters. There's Sophie(Clea DuVall) who is a Tarot card reader, even though it's her catatonic mother who is the real fortune teller. There's also Professor Lodz(Patrick Bauchau) a blind man with a cane who can touch people or items and read them. Lodz has a strange relationship with the bearded lady of the carnivale, Lila(Debra Christofferson) who is most times conniving and outspoken. There's also the Dreifuss family who run the Kooch show at the carnivale, with an intersting mother and daughters act. There's Ruthie(Adrienne Barbeau), an older woman who is a hypnotic snake charmer and the mother of the strongman and who also takes quite an interest in Ben, as well as Sophie in the beginning. And then there's management, who's only a voice from behind a curtain. Management is a person you never see who makes all of the decisions about the carnivale and seems to have a hand at knowing everything that's going on. Only Samson and Lodz are even allowed to talk to management.

Throughout the season all of the characters go through many trials and mishaps. Brother Justin and Ben each wander the road to self discovery, as well as many of the other characters. There's plenty of droughy, incredible dust storms, murder and death as well as the classic X-files element of who do you trust, as Ben comes to find out from the very beginning. We see Carnival life as it was back then. The hardships, the money problems, the different ways the carnies would rip off "Rubes," or customers. We get a perfect view of carnie life, in all of its beautiful and ugly glory. You see the different stages of the carnivale being put up and ripped back down.

Everything in this show is authentic, from the cars to the carnivale rides. The people who made this show actually bought original stuff to make the viewer feel like they are there, in the story, which brings me to another point. Pretty much everything that is shown in the show is real. Rarely is CGI ever used because the makers never wanted to bring the viewer out of frame of mind that this show was actually taking place in the 30's.

Another strong point of this show is that it's not something you can half-watch. As a viewer you have to watch everything that happens or you'll miss something important along the way. This is a show that makes the viewer think. You have to piece together this slowly unraveling mystery that twists and turns at every corner. A big part of this show is showing, not telling. There's not a whole lot of dialogue. Most of the points and feelings are made through strong imagery and emotion emitted from the wonderful actors and actresses in this series. The title sequence is incredibly artful and the cinemtography is wonderful, with full mountain ranges and miles of desert surrounding most of the carnivale locations.

This is a show filled with wonder and mysticism. It's ground in very believible reality and then there's moments of magic and enchantment that fuels the story and leaves you craving more, without ever taking you out of the reality part of the story. They filmakers have crafted such a wonderful universe here that the viewer can believe when magic takes place, without doubting the reality behind it. Another strong point of the show is that it moves along and builds slowly. Some people might not enjoy this, but that's part of the reason it's a thinking show, but with the slow build occuring, moments of violence, magic or visions jump out at you that much more and are more vivid and emotional.

This is an incredible show and I hope HBO keeps making dramas as good as all of their others. My only real complaint is that I don't have HBO and therefore can't watch season two that is on right now. I guess I'll just have to wait until it comes out to DVD too.