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Carnivale

I bet if the show continued we would see his sister being way more evil than Justin. She was... bad. Very bad.
 
The third season was supposed to feature a major plot line of her and Sophie vying to be the one in charge of Bother Justin's ministry and to wield the real power behind the scenes while Brother Justin would be a propped up media figure.
 
Only the fourth one. I'm Netflixing it, and there's only 2 per disc, so I get to see 2 episodes every 3 days or so. Slower on the weekends.
 
The main complaint I've ever heard about Carnivale is that it's far too engrossing of a story that needs multiple episodes to play out. That somehow it doesn't work an an episode by episode basis because episode 10 needs episode 2 to be any good. I of course disagree with this completely, but it will be interesting to see what you think as you move further along.
 
The same complaint could be leveled at Babylon 5 -- or any TV show that attempted to tell a story bigger than 43 minutes could contain.
 
GKarsEye said:
I also just loved the way the show looked- those dust plains and sepia "feel" if not look.
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When I was a little kid in Oklahoma, we still had dust storms, like a couple of times. I've listened to all Woody Guthrie's "Dust Bowl Ballads." So, I could really appreciate that element of the story.
 
Wasn't expecting them to get to Babylon quite so fast, and I wasn't expecting it to be quite so... non-climactic. I thought it was something of a destination, now it's just another spot on the road.

I was expecting it to be rather grim; on that I wasn't disappointed.

Management's from the Old Country, eh?
 
Haha, have to love Brother Justin. He definitely begins to see the beginning of his own powers at this point.

So, you got to Babylon, but not to Pick a Number yet? I think Pick a Number was the one that came after that was exceptionally creepy. Maybe not. Can't remember which one had the bad window scene in the last part.

What's interesting, is if you watch the very first episode after you watch season 1 and 2, you will sit there and go, "holy f***, they gave me so much and I didn't even see it." Especially with Ben's first dream.
 
Oh, I'm sure.

Yes, I've seen Pick a Number (and yes, I think that's the window scene you're talking about). Impressive. Samson's pretty badass in his own way.

It began to dawn on me that Justin and his sister were from Russia, but I didn't realize that they were the brother and sister for a bit. Fits with their father being evil (and, ironically, also a priest). Interesting how the supposedly evil family runs to the clergy and has some pretty decent impulses, while the supposedly good family runs to working carnival sideshows and violence.


Has anyone read "The Circus of Dr. Lao"? I'm seeing some real echoes of that book in this show, combined with a bit of Bradbury's "Something Wicked This Way Comes."
 
KoshFan said:
Has anyone read "The Circus of Dr. Lao"? I'm seeing some real echoes of that book in this show, combined with a bit of Bradbury's "Something Wicked This Way Comes."
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I've seen the film The Seven Faces of Dr. Lao, starring Tony Curtis. And, yes there is just a bit of similarity to that.
 
The film, I'm told, butchers the book. Of course, considering that the book ends with a list of unanswered questions, it's a bit hard to film.

The general thrust of "Circus" is that a fantastical carnival comes to a small town and "wakes it up" -- which I believe is one of Sofie's lines in the first episode, no? -- with a battery of absolute impossibilities for acts. (They've got an aging mermaid, for example.) Some of the townspeople are transformed; others seem rather oblivious.

One of the lines that's been sticking with me, however, is from the unanswered questions: "Was it a bear or a Russian or what?" In Carnivale we have what appears to be a Russian bear. Practically a direct tip of the hat.
 
I think it has been over 40 years since I saw the film, but as a teen, it impressed me. And, it does end with a bunch of unanswered questions, IIRC. But, as you have read the book, and much more recently, it sounds as if you are correct, that Carnivale did draw from Dr. Lao.
 
KoshFan said:
Oh, I'm sure.

Yes, I've seen Pick a Number (and yes, I think that's the window scene you're talking about). Impressive. Samson's pretty badass in his own way.

It began to dawn on me that Justin and his sister were from Russia, but I didn't realize that they were the brother and sister for a bit. Fits with their father being evil (and, ironically, also a priest). Interesting how the supposedly evil family runs to the clergy and has some pretty decent impulses, while the supposedly good family runs to working carnival sideshows and violence.
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Yeah, poor Dora Mae. Sad sad sad. Spending eternity in that situation. Yeah, they are from Russia. I think I remember her calling him Alexie or such? Maybe not. And her name Irina (now Iris.) I'm not sure where I'm getting that from. I'll have to watch again.

So, you finished Pick a Number and The River from the sounds of it?

The whole Scudder deal is quite interesting (through the two seasons.) I won't ruin anything, but he definitely becomes a more prominent character . . . in a sense. Very excited for you to get to the season finale. Hope you have Season 2 soon after. =D Maybe I'll watch it with ya. I only have season 2 at home. Season 1 is on loaner to a friend. Let me know when you start.
 
I may have to take a break: I'm also meaning to watch The Wire S5, and wedge a bit of Angel in there somehow too.

I've seen up through The River and the one after that. One of the ones with a town name.
 
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