From HBO Video:
"Before the beginning, after the great war between Heaven and Hell, God created the Earth and gave dominion over it to the crafty ape he called man. And to each generation was born a creature of light and a creature of darkness. And great armies clashed by night in the ancient war between good and evil. There was magic then, nobility, and unimaginable cruelty. And so it was until the day that a false sun exploded over Trinity, and man forever traded away wonder for reason."
In a time of titanic sandstorms, vile plagues, drought and pestilence - all signs of God's fury and harbingers of the Apocalypse - the final conflict between good and evil is about to begin. Set in 1934 during the Great Depression, Carnivàle follows a traveling carnival as it wends its way across the Dust Bowl. It focuses on Ben Hawkins (Nick Stahl), a mysterious 18-year-old fugitive with hidden talents who is taken in by the carnival, and the charismatic, shadowy evangelist, Brother Justin Crowe (Clancy Brown) who will ultimately cross his path.
Comments from The Patriot Resource: Carnivàle was an intriguing show from HBO. The show seemed to be set up to have a specific ending with an arc that had become a popular storytelling approach at the time. However, it also was at times confusing and felt like it was meandering. It was also often dark and disturbing. Setting the show in a traveling circus during the 1930's played into the dark and supernatural motif. Unfortunately, the show did not draw a large enough audience to justify the expensive production so it was cancelled after two seasons with its story incomplete.
Note: This is an HBO series. The content is the equivalent to an 'R' rated film for adult language, adult themes and nudity. Also, the visions of various characters are often intense and disturbing.
