When I was a kid growing up in the 1950's, an annual tradition with my father was taking the family to the local county fair. Right off the main runway next to the Sportsmen's Show, there was a montage of banners that promoted the various curiosities and dare I say it, freaks, that were to be found within. I don't recall a hawker outside with the verbal skills of Stumpy Dreifuss, but I could only imagine what might have been found behind those curtains. I guess it was my Dad's caution and experience that always prevailed; he knew for example, what the 'man eating chicken' was all about. Who would ever fall for a gimmick like that? - while the carny operator collected his quarters hand over fist.
So much of 'Carnivale' has that strangely familiar tone to it, and yet, it's one of the most unique productions one can ever experience. I wasn't sure going in if I would like it much, and I think it was the third episode before I really got hooked to the degree that I had to watch a couple shows each day until I got through the entire two seasons. What's very eerie about the series is that it's grounded in a reality of our country's history that not many people are truly aware of. We hear a lot about The Great Depression today because of what's going on with the current economy, but the Dust Bowl didn't get much more than a footnote mention in any American History class I ever took. That's why the opening of every episode creates such a stark contrast to the story about to be told, as we see images of the rise of Fascism in Europe, while Babe Ruth circles the bases to the cheers of his fans. It's all very disorienting to try and understand that all of this history was happening at the same time.
There are so many great characters and performances in 'Carnivale', that it's pretty safe to say there isn't a single standout. I think my favorite is Samson (Michael J. Anderson), the midget who walks tall as the nominal boss of the carny when he's not reporting to Management. But that's not to take anything away from any of the other principal players, each of whom are entirely transformed and consumed by their portrayals in the course of the story. You never feel you're watching actors playing a role, only characters that continue to grow and develop with each successive chapter.
The other component of this series that captures the imagination is the language and 'code' of the carny. You could go to a strip bar today, but somehow it sounds a lot more colorful if you could catch someone dancin' the cootch ending with a big blow-down. As for drama, The 'Babylon' episode was remarkable in it's treatment of a 'life for a life'. The way Samson upheld the code and still found a way to deliver his own brand of justice made for an intriguing hour.
Knowing the series had been canceled, I had some trepidation about getting the box sets comprising the two seasons, but I think the final episode wrapped things up well enough given the constraints that it was under. The battle between good and evil that played out between Ben and Brother Justin (Clancy Brown) resulted in a victor, however temporary that might have been. Had the series continued, we might have learned that the evil spirit of Brother Justin had taken over the body of Sofie. At least that's what I came away with, along with a nagging suspicion that Professor Lodz (Patrick Bauchau) would have surfaced again in some way, shape and form. We may never know of course, but with the two seasons of programming we do have, it wouldn't be the worst idea to go back and do it all over again.
So much of 'Carnivale' has that strangely familiar tone to it, and yet, it's one of the most unique productions one can ever experience. I wasn't sure going in if I would like it much, and I think it was the third episode before I really got hooked to the degree that I had to watch a couple shows each day until I got through the entire two seasons. What's very eerie about the series is that it's grounded in a reality of our country's history that not many people are truly aware of. We hear a lot about The Great Depression today because of what's going on with the current economy, but the Dust Bowl didn't get much more than a footnote mention in any American History class I ever took. That's why the opening of every episode creates such a stark contrast to the story about to be told, as we see images of the rise of Fascism in Europe, while Babe Ruth circles the bases to the cheers of his fans. It's all very disorienting to try and understand that all of this history was happening at the same time.
There are so many great characters and performances in 'Carnivale', that it's pretty safe to say there isn't a single standout. I think my favorite is Samson (Michael J. Anderson), the midget who walks tall as the nominal boss of the carny when he's not reporting to Management. But that's not to take anything away from any of the other principal players, each of whom are entirely transformed and consumed by their portrayals in the course of the story. You never feel you're watching actors playing a role, only characters that continue to grow and develop with each successive chapter.
The other component of this series that captures the imagination is the language and 'code' of the carny. You could go to a strip bar today, but somehow it sounds a lot more colorful if you could catch someone dancin' the cootch ending with a big blow-down. As for drama, The 'Babylon' episode was remarkable in it's treatment of a 'life for a life'. The way Samson upheld the code and still found a way to deliver his own brand of justice made for an intriguing hour.
Knowing the series had been canceled, I had some trepidation about getting the box sets comprising the two seasons, but I think the final episode wrapped things up well enough given the constraints that it was under. The battle between good and evil that played out between Ben and Brother Justin (Clancy Brown) resulted in a victor, however temporary that might have been. Had the series continued, we might have learned that the evil spirit of Brother Justin had taken over the body of Sofie. At least that's what I came away with, along with a nagging suspicion that Professor Lodz (Patrick Bauchau) would have surfaced again in some way, shape and form. We may never know of course, but with the two seasons of programming we do have, it wouldn't be the worst idea to go back and do it all over again.