Carnivale....

[fajrdrako]

I just watched the first three episodes of "Carnivale" (recommended to me by maboroshimaki all in a row.

Interesting show. It's different, and there's not much I like more in a TV show than originality. It keeps you guessing. It's not action-packed and fast-paced, which is a relief, as I am getting awfully tired of a fast pace in movies and TV shows. It's about a carnival in the southwest U.S. in the 1930s, where there is a farmboy with special powers (who is not in the least Clarklike) and a Preacher who is.... odd. And the battle between good and evil.

Impossible to tell for sure yet who is good and who is evil, though my guess is that the farmboy (Ben Hawkins) will turn out to be good and the preacher (Father Justin Crowe) is evil. He reminds me a little of Gabriel in the Dunnett novels.

None of the characters are particularly endearing, though I like the diminutive Samson, the Boss of the "carnivale", and Ruthie, an older woman who is flirting with young Ben. Or something. I am intrigued by Sophie and her mother Apollonia, the catatonic-telekinetic. And Gecko, the reptilian freak, who looks good. I also like the mysterious "management" which gives Samson his orders.

There's a lot to speculate on here, both natural and supernatural. Sometimes it's hard to tell if the oddities and anomalies are deliberate or meaningful and, if so, what they portend. If the show doesn't answer some mysteries I can see myself getting impatient and bailing: if we don't have more elucidation of plot soon, it's going to feel like a show about nothing. Just vague hints. Meanwhile it's fun as food for thought.

It feels like something Neil Gaiman might write. And though it hasn't slipped from fantasy into horror, its ambiance is fairly dark, especially Ben's life and his role.

Comments

a little bit of horse-tradin'

[walkingowl.livejournal.com]

You are so lucky to be able to see Carnivale. I used to get HBO, but don't now, and so I have not seen it. I am highly interested in carnie life, and so am quite curious about how well this is being done. Also find Paddy... darn, what's his last name... anyhow, he's very interesting an actor.

Can you and I work out a barter, within which you send me taped episodes of Carnivale and I send you something else equally tasty?

Re: a little bit of horse-tradin'

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

We don't get HBO in Canada at all. It's on one of the digital movie channels.

Who is Paddy? I looked at the credits and don't see a name like that, unless you mean Patrick Bauchau, who has a very interesting role.

I could tape it for you but I won't have the first three episodes unless they rerun it, and that's kind of important. I don't think it's the kind of story you can pick up on and still understand. On the other hand, they might show reruns in future.