There's a start to everything

I wasn't planning on starting this blog with a movie or television series that I've seen last year or even several years ago, but I'm going to make an exception. Why? Because the television series that I'm going to talk about deserves a (new) audience. It deserves to get 

(re-)discovered and while I know this is wishful thinking, I still hope HBO will pick it back up again. If there are people out there reading this who know me, I'm sure they already know what series I'm talking about and I'm also sure they get quite fed up with it. I'd say: if you feel addressed to, stop reading ;)

Anyway, to those who are curious about what series I'm talking about, I will not let you wait any longer! It is... Carnivale!

Well, if you've clicked on the link, or if you know the series yourself, you'll know that it is a series from 2003, which (unfortunately) ended in 2005. After only two seasons, HBO cancelled the show because ratings dropped and each episode was too expensive to keep producing. Well, I'd say approximately one million dollars per episode is quite expensive, but I doubt Carnivale was, or even is, the only series out there that's got such high production costs. Guess ratings is what makes money go round. I also think it got cancelled due to the fact that HBO couldn't just buy one season but had to buy two if it intended for Carnivale to continue, thanks to creator Daniel Knauf's idea of the series: that it should consist out of three 'books', each book covering two seasons. Anyway, one way or another, after only two seasons it got cancelled and that's just too bad, because the series was just about to really start at the end of season two. ... Maybe that's a reason not to start watching, but let's ignore that!

Well then, what is this series about?  Let me provide you with a warning first: what comes next might come off as some cheesy, lame story that's not worth to watch, but you'll be sorry if you let that little voice in your head that tells you that have its way! 

So, this is what Carnivale's about:  Ben Hawkins (played by Nick Stahl, whom you might know from   Terminator 3: Rise of the machines) is picked up by a traveling carnival comprised of a tarot card reader and her catatonic/telekinetic mother, a snake lady, a blind mentalist and others.  The traveling carnivale is owned and ruled by the mysterious and unseen Management, with Samson (played by Twin Peaks's  Michael J. Anderson) as his spokesperson. Management has plans with Ben, plans Ben doesn't know of, as Ben has got the power to heal the sick and to raise the dead - of course at a price. During his stay with the carnival, Ben is disturbed by cryptic and  prophetic dreams, which he shares with Brother Justin Crowe, (portrayed brilliantly by Clancy Brown, who also provides Mr. Krabs with a voice in SpongeBob SquarePants) who is a preacher in California. Convinced by these dreams he is following God's will, Brother Justin has begun to practice his very own extraordinary talents. But not even acting in the name of God protects you from tragic and even disturbing consequences. Brother Justin and Ben are meant to meet, are meant to wage a battle in this "last great age of magic" set against the Dustbowl in 1934 in America. They are making their way toward a great conflict between Good and Evil, but it remains to be seen on which sides these men will stand. 

Ben Hawkins

So what makes this such a great series to watch? Of course, that's all subjective, but this is what I started blogging for in the first place, so let me try to convince you to at least give this series a try. First of all, the setting is marvelous. Most series that are even in the slightest fantasy-like, with even the slightest hint of magic, lose themselves in ridiculous and incredible settings, which makes it hard for the viewer to actually believe that what they're seeing, is real. Carnivale, however, was able to avoid this. Maybe because Daniel Knauf chose to set the series in a time period that's long gone instead of some era that has never existed. It is clear that he has put energy into looking into the scenery and what the landscape should look like, because there isn't a second that you think the series is based in the here and now. Carnivale is fully convincing in its setting, which makes the viewer able to believe that what's happening, actually could have happened back then. After all, we're talking 80 years ago here, so it's easy for us to let go of the modern way of thinking and accept whatever the 1930's has to offer us according to Carnivale. 

Brother Justin Crowe

Second of all, it's the cast. They are so convincing in their roles, that the viewer is sucked into their play to that point on which

they get the feeling they're actually there, watching whatever drama unfolds in front of their eyes. The actors don't just deliver their role, they are their role. I've always wondered why it's possible for actors who are great in performing in television series, to suck in movies (for example: Josh Holloway may be great as the arrogant and annoying Sawyer in Lost, but he sucks in movies) but I think I understand why now. Whenever you play a part in a series, and especially if it's a bigger (perhaps even important) part, you're able to become the person you're supposed to play in the series. Simply because there's more time to do so and because, if you're playing in the right series, there's character development to your role. That's exactly what Carnivale gives us: character depth and actors who become their roles. Clancy Brown, with his deep and authoritarian voice, was the perfect cast for Brother Justin, just as Nick Stahl was the perfect cast for the somewhat timid and mysterious Ben Hawkins. What you see is what you get, for real. 

I could go on for ages about how awesome this series is and why everyone should watch it, but I don't think anyone's really waiting for that. That's why there's only one thing I want to say to try to convince you one more time: the music. I think people tend to forget how important proper music is for both movies and television series. Most of the time it goes unnoticed (except in horror/(supernatural) thrillers, because music plays a huge part in getting to jump people from their seats), but music has a great deal in making you feel the right emotions, get you into the right mood or setting for the scene to come and even in giving away clues as to what will happen next. The music in Carnivale is beautiful, brilliant, consequent and is highly functional in creating the perfect atmosphere for each and every scene. Jeff Beal is responsible for the awesome music, which will only add to your watching experience in a very positive way. It brings the right vibe and upon hearing the intro theme, you're immediately in the right mood for an episode of Carnivale!