Carnivale: Season 2 + show
Well then... Season 1 managed to be moodier, have a more distinct atmosphere, was overall probably more unconventional than Season 2. I thought the first 5 episodes of Season 2 were somewhat lacking in the magic of Season 1, as well as making everything over-the-top and perhaps spelling stuff out to audiences a little too much. From "The Road to Damascus" and onwards though, the show hit a stride that not even Season 1 hit. Sure, the show wasn't as atmospheric as Season 1 any more, but it really plotted the story lines brilliantly. Whereas before the show had shown its slower-paced tendencies, it began to up the tension and pace in a way that didn't betray what the show was about. It was never full- out crazy, but everything really came together amazingly. I would usually mind all of the chasing shenanigans in the finale, but by that I didn't want Justin to die. I don't know, there's something so beautiful about endings that are left unresolved, even with shows that actually planed series finales. There's shows where you need to have everything resolved, but other times I feel like you don't need it. In a way, leaving stuff open-ended provides a better story up for imagination and speculation. The final shot really should've been Iris looking at the cornfields dying. Amazing. I also want to say that the Jonesey/Libby stuff ended up being perfect. Some amazing development there. GRADE A for Season Two
And I just read about what the characters' fates were supposed to be. So Sofie didn't want to kill Jonesy, and Season 3 would be about a power struggle between Iris and Sofie, with a kid in the household and the parents being unknown? Amazing.
Season 1, I preferred the carnival stuff. Season 2 I preferred the Justin/Iris stuff. Both Brown and Madigan are the easy MVPs of the show, and their work in Season 2 was just outstanding.
As for the show overall, it's flawed, incredibly so at times. Season 1 has a lot of spots where it drags, where it seems as if it's unsure of where to go, and the first few episodes of Season 2 are a bit too cartoonish and the more OTT tone gets some getting used to. Saying that however, I think this is an amazing show. The contrast between the styles of both seasons compliment each other incredibly well. Season 1 most closely resembles the sort of off-kilter vibe Twin Peaks gave off, while Season 2 moves away from that and really delivers on the story lines on all cylinders. While I cherish both, I think the second half of Season 2 is pretty masterful and I prefer the season overall. This really deserves a better reputation, and it deserves the kind of rabid cult following
When I plant a fatass cracker bitch I expect her to stay planted!