Bitter Carnivale Outrage
I really wanted to watch HBO's Carnivale when I saw the first commercials previewing it, but I was in college at the time and couldn't bring myself to watch it on the communal tv next to the snack bar. It smelled greasy there. A few weeks ago, a friend of mine informed me that she had the first season on dvd, and kindly lent it to me. And here are my findings: It is the most original tv show I've ever seen. It's set in the Great Depression and the costume/set design alone is astounding. The characters progress seamlessly and are complexly layered, the scripts and acting are masterful, and the plotline is like no other. It doesn't rely on excessive violence, sex, or swearing, it just uses the power of good storytelling. It's refreshing, and addictive. I like 6 Feet Under and The Sopranos just as much as the next guy, but Carnivale is truly unique, and an extremely difficult storyline to pull off. With magic Realism abound, mysterious curtains hiding mysterious creatures, ghosts, telepathy, mind reading, healing powers, religious phenomenon, and of course, a midget, things could quickly and easily get corny. In fact, I was waiting for it to. But it never did. It just got intense. Super intense. Right up until the season one finale, which was the cliffhanger of all cliffhangers. I felt like crying, first of all knowing that the second season doesn't come out until July 18th, and second of all knowing that season 2 ends with and even bigger cliffhanger, and then there's NOTHING! Because HBO cancelled the series!!!! WTF?
HBO's official reason for cancelling the show was that it came to a "natural ending", but upon reading many a Carnivale fan discussion boards, it most certainly did not. It ended with tons of questions unanswered. It was probably cancelled because it wasn't making a squillion swillion dollars, and even though HBO makes some good stuff, at the end of the day, they're just another TV network trying to make a swillion squillion dollars. Upon cancellation of the show, thousands of fans promptly cancelled their HBO. They also started a website:savecarnivale.org, dedicated to bringing back Carnivale. I am now among those outraged thousands. It's so typical that the first TV show that I've felt passionate about in a squillion swillion years wasn't even allowed to finish it's story. Fucking TV.
Fans are encouraged to send these postcards to HBO on Save Carnivale
i kept watching that show in the vain hopes that nick stahl would get naked already. and when he sort of does, he's still completely covered in dust. fucking HBO.
Oh the pain i feel!!
I know all you carnifans are feeling like i am. Like you have just broken up with your one true love.
If my words make a difference at all them add them to the millions of others who are crying out:
Bring Carnivale back!