DVD Review: "Carnivale - Season Two"

Dave and I have been engrossed by and assiduous in our viewing of the second season of HBO's "Carnivale." The series, filmed in Depression-vision, is set in the 1930s and has twin stories. First, it follows a troupe of carnival folks, travelling across the West; and second, it follows a preacher, Brother Justin, who makes it big as a radio evangelist in California. Each side of the tale has a strong spiritual storyline. The season unfolds as a precursor to armageddon in the characters of Ben Hawkins and Brother Justin.

This show is beautifully cast, sparsely written, and interestingly portrayed. It took me a few episodes to warm up to the story last season, but I was fully engrossed this season. You come to know the characters very well and want to know about them. Dave and I often found ourselves up late to finish the DVD so we could see the next installment.

But there is a downside: the season, and the series it turns out, ends abruptly. Loose ends are waving in the wind as the show draws to a close. I think this show was designed to be a play in three acts. We only saw two and are therefore dissatisfied. The show is a banquet. We just never get to the final course.