Ron Moore's Carivale has been reviewed

[KJ]

Here it is?

When I think about the pitch for "Carnivale," I have to imagine it was a tough sell. There just doesn’t seem to be a market for a show about a creepy traveling circus in the 1930s. But, you have to trust HBO. "Arliss" aside, they tend to make very good decisions on the original programming they support. After reading the pilot script for "Carnivale," I’m convinced that the show will be up to HBO’s quality standards, but I’m still a bit skeptical about ratings. The show is quirky in the extreme, and it’s nods to early melodrama may put people off.


The pilot opens with escaped convict Ben Hawkins, sitting with his dying mother in their home, as a dust storm rages outside, and bulldozers wait to tear down the house which has been repossessed by the bank. The storm winds down, and Ben begins to dig his mother’s grave while the construction workers try and force him to move out of their way. The situation is saved by Jones, a former baseball player who now travels with the carnival whose caravan is parked nearby. The carnies get together an impromptu funeral for Ben’s mom, and this provides us with a meet and greet for our characters.

There are Siamese twins, a bearded lady, a retarded strong man, gypsies, snake charmers, a blind seer and a lizard man, complete with tail. As the funeral ends, the bulldozers crush Ben’s home and the carnival decides to take Ben in, just for a few stops.

Cut to a church, where Brother Justin Crowe demonstrates unusual powers in dealing with a member of his flock who steals from the collection plate.

Back to the carnival, where Jones and Samson, the day to day managers of the circus, have a brief conversation about the real “Manager” of Carnivale. This mysterious Management is never seen, and no one but Samson and Jones are allowed into his trailer, but when told of Ben’s arrival and asked how the cash poor carnival is going to feed this extra mouth, the Management only replies, “he was expected”.

Ben is sharing a trailer with blind Lodz and bearded lady Lila. Ben is asleep and clearly dreaming. Lila begs Lodz to read Ben’s dream, and he can and does, seeing a WWI battlefield and someone who Lodz recognizes. Lodz panics and runs to Samson, begging him to speak to Management about what he saw in Ben’s dream. He’s told that if Management wants to know something, Management will ask.

We move to beautiful Sophie the gypsy’s trailer, where she is having a conversation with her mother. All is well and good, except her mother is in a coma. We get more scenes of the carnival oddities, and we get to see Ben absolutely freak out as he realizes that this is one very strange traveling circus. Ben wanders away from the carnival to get a little peace, and ends up at a nearby hobo camp. Poor Ben, there’s no peace there for him, only more tragedy.

As Ben keeps walking and wanders into town, so does Sophie. She stops at a gas station to get a soda, and ends up getting attacked. Of course, Ben saves her. They return to camp and there Ben works with the carnies to set up for the night’s show. We meet more of the carnies, and get to see their acts as Ben wanders through the show at night. Sophie’s attackers show up to get revenge, but Ben is bailed out by Jones and Gabriel, the strong man. All this further cements Ben to the Carnivale.

We then get another scene of Brother Justin, who has an epiphany when strolling through Chinatown. Methinks Brother Justin may become very interesting to Management as the show goes on. Or, will it be the other way around? Will the powers of the Carnivale’s freaks attract Brother Justin?

The final scene shows the carnival packing up and moving on. Sophie reads Ben’s tarot and he has a disturbing flashback. He runs away in terror as we finally understand why Management is interested in Ben. If the Carnivale is a gathering of people with true powers, then Ben certainly belongs there.

As a pilot, this sets things up very well. While I feel Sophie’s attack was very contrived, and that Ben perhaps has a few too many tragedies piled on him for one day, as a whole this sets up the course of the show nicely, while leaving many, many questions to be answered in future episodes. The premise is so unusual, and has the potential to be truly creepy. The weakest element is the dialogue, which is merely purposeful and plain, although, with a plot this baroque, simplicity is probably the best way to go. I’m looking forward to this show, and can’t wait to see how the plot elements entwine in future episodes. While I don’t see this as being a water cooler show, or a huge ratings success, I do envision this as having a strong and loyal cult following which hopefully will be what HBO expected when it green lighted a show about a dust bowl carnival full of freaks with superpowers.

Well there it is, seem old Ron has taken references from a particular movie right now for his freaks not to mention, the reviewer said it ain't all that great.

Keeping an open mind though it was actually a good read for certain things, reasons etc. Remember TV production is not only the writers input but actors, producers, directors and crew who bring a creation to life.

When Carivale is about months from now, i'll go to kazza and download it to see for myself how Ron treats other, properties and if this work he has done is any good. Or worth anything.

KJ

[viperman]

Of course, Ray Bradbury's "Something Wicked This Way Comes" immediately comes to mind. It wasn't a half bad movie either. Well, Ron, if you can't think of something original, steal from someone else.

[LordStarFyre]

...Ron's Career reminds me of the old Tom Leher song "Plagerize".

The Man has NEVER created something NEW.

He's utterly incapable of it...

[crash4587]

And they called Glen Larson a theif.......

[kingfish]

The new BG sounds like a circus also so who needs to watch Ron's newest masterpiece when it airs.

[BST]

Just a little "silly":

My new pet name for BSG:The Re-Imagining -- POSTER

...a POS That's Extremely Revolting!!

BST

I know this reply is probably in the WRONG forum, just please don't send me searching for 'solium leaks'!!

[KJ]

Ya know, there must be 5 or 6 off topic posts in the discussion boards right now!. And yet i feel CF has a constant bias against me for some reason???

This has nothing to do with Galactica 2003 just a simple post on Moore's carnivale reviewed script, so whats the excuse this time.

Bored? needed to fill in some spaces here, what?

Never mind Just never mind.

KJ

[siress13]

.

[Micheleh]

Hold off on the personal judgements, please.

G3 = Ron Moore

Ron Moore based post = goes here.

Any questions?

[KJ]

You are still a disturbed individual and you demean this safe haven for true fans

fans?

You siress13?

Please try harder, if anyones disturbed. It's weird "i hate KJ even though i don't know him and i'll carry a grudge against him" ones such as yourself who pretend to play nice when vendettas is all you've got in mind?!!

God only knows why you have them against someone online whom you'll never meet up with, in the first place. I don't know?

Said by Micheleh: any questions?

I said'em. Well after that joker with the bizarre, no knowledge of icon use came in?

All them icons following your tirades are a clear statement of your sanity if you have still have one, Siress13

Work it out for yourself since you said it once again by yourself. "Hold off on the personal judgements, please." Yeah i see you let personal attacks go by, without warnings to siressweirdo13 go on?

Guess birds do flock together?

KJ

Siress13... Whatever!

[LordStarFyre]

...After your $upport of the Milton Collective, you Madam are in no place to call anyone a disturbed Individual.

After seeing the level of your participation in the Milton Collective, and your efforts to further it, and work for it, the words True Fan rot on your Keyboard.

LKJ, while he may have a bit of a Temper, has shown more stability toward the efforts of Saving Galactica than I have seen from you...

Take your wagging finger and go wag it at your friends Apothis and Scifiman76..

[Micheleh]

I'm not letting it go by. I'm giving her the opportunity to delete it herself first. Your attacking back won't help, just provoke.

Back on topic, folks.

[KJ]

Thanks for the support Lordstarfyre i owe you one! My post before siress13 weird hate tirade, was done in jest! Not in rage, note the sarcasm icon. *sigh* anyways

I like to think i have the temper as in, take no B.S. and argue differences with smart wit, not "i'll throw my P.C. into the wall kinda temper? guess i'm doomed to be taken or rubbed the wrong way online, doesn't happen in real life though.

I agree lets get back on track here!

KJ

[Dawg]

Misfits of Science.

That's another influence I see in Carnivale.

I am
Dawg

[Micheleh]

I guess. I've just associated them because whenever the talk turns to Moore, the new series comes up sooner or later. I don't care.