7.3
NOS4A2
2019
Into each generation is born a creature of light and a creature of darkness.
Carnivàle is an American television series set in the United States during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl. In tracing the lives of two disparate groups of people, its overarching story depicts the battle between good and evil and the struggle between free will and destiny; the storyline mixes Christian theology with gnosticism and Masonic lore, particularly that of the Knights Templar.
MilfaySep 14, 2003 · 58m · ★ 6.8Ben reluctantly joins the carnival after the bank forecloses on his family's Oklahoma farm. Brother Justin has a bizarre encounter with a poor parishioner. Sofie has a run-in at a small-town gas station.
After the Ball Is OverSep 21, 2003 · 57m · ★ 6.6Ben uncovers a piece of his past as a result of Jones' sense of humor. Justin tries to persuade a parishioner to make a deal in real estate. Sofie endures a frightening mishap involving her mother. Samson changes the carnival's course.
TiptonSep 28, 2003 · 50m · ★ 8.3Ben is the main attraction when Samson refashions the carnival as a religious revival to satisfy a town's moral underpinnings. Justin has a powerful ally in a fight against city hall. Sofie accompanies Ben on a journey into his past.
Black BlizzardOct 5, 2003 · 47m · ★ 6.9Jones looks to management when the crew turns mutinous. Appolonia is displeased with Sofie's romantic tastes. Justin faces a difficult choice between his congregations. Ben is tested by Lodz.
BabylonOct 12, 2003 · 49m · ★ 6.9Samson tries to improve the troupe's spirits with a night of revelry. Ben has an enlightening experience at the bottom of a mineshaft. A group of miners is anxious for entertainment.
Pick a NumberOct 19, 2003 · 57m · ★ 8.4Revenge-minded carnies practice their own form of retribution. Justin encounters a group of hobos on his journey of self-discovery. Ben returns from another strange experience.
Carnivàle is an American television series set in the United States during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl. In tracing the lives of two disparate groups of people, its overarching story depicts the battle between good and evil and the struggle between free will and destiny; the storyline mixes Christian theology with gnosticism and Masonic lore, particularly that of the Knights Templar.
Nick StahlBen Hawkins
Michael J. AndersonSamson
Clea DuVallSofie
Cynthia EttingerRita Sue Dreifuss
Adrienne BarbeauRuthie
Amy MadiganIris Crowe
Debra ChristoffersonLila
Brian TurkGabriel
Clancy BrownBrother Justin Crowe
Tim DeKayClayton 'Jonesy' Jones
Toby HussFelix 'Stumpy' Dreifuss
Patrick BauchauProfessor Ernst Lodz
Diane SalingerApollonia
John FleckGecko
John Carroll LynchVarlyn Stroud
Robert KnepperTommy Dolan
Bill MoseleyPossum
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This show was insanely cool and had the potential to be one of HBO's best ever shows. Seriously, I'd take these two seasons over just about anything the premium channel has put out. There's a level of creativity and thoughtfulness that is near unheard of in TV. Unfortunately, these seasons amount to god-tier set-up for shit-hits-the-fan moments that we never got to see. As soon as we were going to get some big pay-offs, Carnivàle was cancelled. Nobody watched it: it was too slow, too smart, too weird for its time. This is one of the biggest creative what-ifs ever in my opinion. I still love these seasons, but rewatching them know that the story doesn't get its proper end isn't too appealing. Still can't rate it lower though: what we got was way too good.
Season 12003 · 12 episodes
Season 22005 · 12 episodes2019
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