LOST & FOUND: CARNIVALE, SEASON 2, EPISODE 1

I haven't commented much, if at all on this series or the Twin Peaks one, Jesse. I aim to correct that at some point. However, I do read them (though I have much catching up to do with the Carnivale series) and love them. Please keep it up.

Much like this first episode of the second season, you really rocked this write-up, Jesse.

A lot of fun, exciting stuff happens in this episode and the next few, a nice change in pace. It really is a bit shocking.

The scene with that nuclear bomb really kicked the show into another level for me. It adds some much needed scope to the story and I think this is where I started to feel some sadness that the show was canceled early. I really want to see these characters outside of the 30's. A lot can happen in the 15 or so years until the Trinity explosion. Where does this mythology take Ben and Justin in that time and how do they change? I think it would have been amazing to see.

And I have to say that I missed a lot of the Knights Templar and religious references. I had no idea that the Gospel of Matthias was anything other than something made up for this show.

I'm almost caught up with your articles. Started E1, S2 late last night but fell asleep. Mostly I don't comment because I don't know what the hell is going on on this show and I don't wanna sound like a dumbass. But I will say that I'm loving how this show mixes the supernatural with the seriousness of period drama. I would like to cite it as an influence for my story but I have a feeling it's going to be more cheesy than this show. Hehe.

Season 2 of Carnivale, on the one hand, is where the story started to click. The narrative picked up steam, and Ben started to actually do stuff, as opposed to being a whiny moper the way he was throughout S1. But on the other hand, this is where the mythology lost much of its mystery and became a disappointingly standard good-vs-evil thing. I really preferred the Lynchian atmosphere and weirdness of the early goings to "you're the scion of good, you must defeat the scion of evil". I'm also disappointed they detailed Management's backstory so much--he's so weird and freaky and works better as something without a lot of explanation.

Its an interesting balance to have to walk though, no?

Explain too little and you end up with a lot of sound and fury signifying nothing, as well as a much-diminished audience. Explain too much and you deflate the Lynch-ian atmosphere. I'm only on the second episode of the second season, but I feel like they've done a pretty terrific job of hanging all the obtuse weirdness on a narrative framework that actually propels the story forward.

For me the second season walks that fine line really well. It never stops being creepy - in fact many of the terrifying images that have stuck with me are from the second season - and yet the answers that it does provide feel like they were properly earned.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jesse Custer 

I wouldn't worry at all about sounding like a dumbass, Pop. I manage that on a weekly basis. This is an intentionally murky show. Would it help if I did a basic summary of what's happened in this week's column?

Haha, thanks. Mostly it was that I didn't know what to make of the cryptic season 1. Like you said, too few details and you're left wondering what to hold onto as important. Now that I'm 2 episodes into season 2, I feel like the show's coming into focus. The looming conflict is building steadily and with a sense of purpose. And finally Ben's not ignoring whatever he's there to do. If anything I'm more surprised by how Justin is coming to terms with his role in all this. With him, you're never quite sure how much he realizes he's turning evil or if he's possessed. Great subtle work from Clancy Brown.

To answer your question, a short paragraph of the basic plot points at the beginning of the write-up couldn't hurt, but that's just me. As long as you thought it was relevant to whatever specifics you're choosing to write about. I'd hate to be a drag on your writing style.