Too many fans seem to be blown away

Great Film overall

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

to write about Carnivale is more than difficult. because it is a perfect show. because, after more a decade, the trace of each episode is fresh. because the mixture of fascination and fear, tension and revelations has the gift to survive in memory and define more than a great series but a kind of experience. the voice of Clancy Brown, the amazing performance of Nick Stahl, the stories, Michael J. Anderson who propose a real special character, the dust of Great Depression and the mysteries as magic chain are bricks of a phenomenon. because you feel about it be more than a series. but one of stories, not many, growing in yourself. and this does Carnivale special.

words can't describe how much I love this masterpiece from the opening credits to the end credits each of the 24 episodes are brilliant. I just finished this show recently and I was devastated to find out that there were only 2 seasons, I really hope that a network would pick it up. The characters are amazing, Clancy brown, nick stahl etc.... the acting is superb, the best way to describe this show without saying any spoilers, its like the x-files during the great depression but with a traveling carnival, a mysterious minister and an Oklahoma farm boy who has powers that nobody can explain. Please Daniel knauf, I know that 10 years have passed but it isn't too late to resurrect one of the greatest shows ever!!!

Warning! This series is not for a typical TV watcher looking for easy, non-challenging entertainment. Carnivale is a bleak but utterly compelling show that portrays the very worst of the era, the places and the people; yet does it with an unexpected, sparse beauty.This is not a series that will make you laugh, but if you like to be challenged by unusual perspectives on right and wrong, the bizarre, the macabre and the downright weird, this series is an absolute must see! A depression-era carnival/freak-show is perfect for immediately establishing the setting as unusual and strange, and things get more and more 'out-there' as the series progresses.With its engrossing story-lines, superb acting by the large cast, unusual take on the conflict between good and evil, plus suitably dreary and almost colourless locations and cinematography, I rank it as the single best TV show I have seen in 50 years of enthusiastic television watching.

Ah yes, only the good die young. Whether it's James Dean or a multiple award winning HBO show, the wisdom applies in both cases - the demise of the latter of course thanks to the lack of paying viewers, and what doesn't make considerable profit is canceled regardless of quality. Thus Daniel Knauf's exquisitely conceived and meticulously prepared mystery show "Carnivàle" ended already after two out of the planned six seasons - but posthumously it has gained the nimbus of immortality among the fans, just like good old Jimmy. Maybe it's a good thing, as "Carnivàle" ended on a very high note, which seems difficult to top. And while there are also cliffhangers and some open questions when it is all over the main storyline of what Knauf referred to as "the first book" is concluded and key answers are given. Knauf also provided documents on character backstories and hinted on what might have happened in further seasons, so the interested fan will at least find a bit of satisfaction by searching the internet.So what is the fuss all about? In a way "Carnivàle" can be described as John Steinbeck's realistic "Grapes of Wrath" meets Stephen King's fantasy/horror hybrid "The Stand". Yet while the series has many elements of both great epics, reducing it to these elements doesn't do its ingenuity justice. Yes, there's the American dust bowl of the 1930s featuring prominently and there's an apocalyptic confrontation with supernatural elements taking place, but in between and at the heart of it all lies a portrayal of a historic carnival with its superbly developed characters rarely seen in this intensity on the TV screen. Don't look for superheroes though, fast action or a firework of effects. Powers and dilemmas of the chosen are only revealed and understood bit by bit. The show actually excels in a beautifully slow paced exploration of mystery themes with breathtaking cinematography and intensely atmospheric musical pieces, there's a small shocking dose of horror added, all woven into an intricate mythical tapestry that provides the necessary depth. All those things are to be enjoyed even more the second time around. As for the casting: With "Management" the show has one of the most fascinating mystery "characters" (well, that's all you need to know for now), the legendary "Twin Peaks" dwarf Michael J. Anderson gets his starring role here and fully delivers, then there's the always impressive Clancy Brown, Nick Stahl in his best role and Patrick Bauchau plays the enigmatic Professor Lodz and partly even steals the show. If you have time for character development and want to take in a whole magical world, then "Carnivàle" it has to be. Enjoy it, learn to appreciate what a wondrous feat Daniel Knauf accomplished with these 24 episodes. And shed a tear for that day when HBO traded away wonder for reason - and called it quits.