Carnivale: The Complete Second Season

Review By: Michael Dance
MichaelDance@TheCinemaSource.com

“An extremely frustrating show.” That was my initial thought as I finished watching the second season of Carnivale, now out on DVD. Having not watched the first season, I was intrigued and excited by the truly original concept, fantastic cast, and top-notch production values you'd expect from HBO. But alternating with its moments of brilliance -- and there are plenty -- are a handful of deep-rooted problems that are all the more painful when you understand what a masterpiece the show could have been.

I almost wanted to give the show top marks based on its packaging. It takes a full six discs to hold the twelve season two episodes, but they're within a tome designed like an expensive hardcover book, as though you're opening a profoundly important ancient document. On the cover stands our everyman hero, Ben Hawkins, in a desolate wasteland on railroad tracks stretching to nowhere. Above, haunting him like a wraith, is the shadow of Brother Justin, arms outstretched, staring to the heavens. In the distance, lightning strikes.

Awesome. I love stuff like this. And Carnivale actually has the concept to back up its flashy apocalyptic rumblings: in the midst of the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression in the 1930s, a young man with psychic abilities joins a traveling circus. At the same time, a reverend in California begins to acquire a large following of worshippers. Through many visions and prophecies and events, it slowly becomes apparent that they are polar opposite forces in a war between Good and Evil, and their paths veer closer to each other as they prepare for the inevitable confrontation.

I'm a sucker for a good end-times story, and following a traveling carnival circa the 1930s Dust Bowl is so rife with bizarre possibilities that I loved the concept immediately. It was hard to play catch-up at the beginning of the season since I hadn't watched the first, but after three or four episodes, I had gotten the hang of the veritable freak show of characters. Our portal into the world is Ben, played by Nick Stahl, a young man who's still relatively new to the carnival. Samson (Michael J. Anderson), the dwarf that's in charge, is fair and likable. Stumpy (Toby Huss) runs a peep show/prostitution service that employs his wife (Cynthia Ettinger) and daughter Libby (Carla Gallo). Sophie (Clea DuVall), a tarot card reader, just lost her catatonic mother in a fire. Then there's the bearded lady Lila, the snake-charmer Ruthie, and the ferris wheel operator Jonesy. And of course, away from the carnival, many miles away, are Brother Justin (Clancy Brown) and his subtly creepy sister Iris (Amy Madigan).

Yes, it's a lot to digest. But once you get in the show's groove, the cast of characters and their intricacies are the most rewarding part of the show. Unfortunately, the show all ...