Carnivale

[Captain Russ]

I'll send you some Jolt.

It's kindred spirit is definitely Boardwalk Empire. They're both slow burns, but holy shit they're great.

[Nathan]

Haven't made it past the first ep of boardwalk. I fail hard.

[Howard]

This cold weather has me interested again. Perfect show for watching by the fire. *cues up DVD player*

[Captain Russ]

'Bout time, dammit.

[Howard]

I know, I know. I let a re-watch of BSG distract me.

[Captain Russ]

Perfectly understandable.

[Captain Russ]

Good lawd, I don't remember season 2 going so quickly. Whilst season 1 was incredibly decompressed, it established mood and setting unlike any show before or since.

Season 2 illustrates right off the bat that it has made an evolutionary jump in its methods. There remain quiet moments of reflection that force the characters and audience into a shared experience of loss, pain, joy, redemption, and love. But along with the customary marks revisited from the first season, the second barrels like a freighttrain toward an unknown destination (unknown as far as the minutaie of the outcome suggests). The scope of the story feels much more grand and told with an urgency that was not present in the first. The greatest example I can give is in "The Road to Damascus," where there are huge moves made on nearly every front of the story (hell, the original cut for the episode was 90 minutes, cut down into a jam-packed 50-something minute ep), from the burgeoning romance of two different couples, the crossroads of two travelling groups of carnies, and on to the resolution of the church fire storyline on the other side of the country.

In the aforementioned quiet moments, I keep finding myself lamenting the fact there will never be any more moments with these characters nor time spent in their world. The feeling passes just as quickly as it manifests, and I am back to enjoying the ride.

[Nathan]

Good lawd, I don't remember season 2 going so quickly. Whilst season 1 was incredibly decompressed, it established mood and setting unlike any show before or since.

Season 2 illustrates right off the bat that it has made an evolutionary jump in its methods. There remain quiet moments of reflection that force the characters and audience into a shared experience of loss, pain, joy, redemption, and love. But along with the customary marks revisited from the first season, the second barrels like a freighttrain toward an unknown destination (unknown as far as the minutaie of the outcome suggests). The scope of the story feels much more grand and told with an urgency that was not present in the first. The greatest example I can give is in "The Road to Damascus," where there are huge moves made on nearly every front of the story (hell, the original cut for the episode was 90 minutes, cut down into a jam-packed 50-something minute ep), from the burgeoning romance of two different couples, the crossroads of two travelling groups of carnies, and on to the resolution of the church fire storyline on the other side of the country.

In the aforementioned quiet moments, I keep finding myself lamenting the fact there will never be any more moments with these characters nor time spent in their world. The feeling passes just as quickly as it manifests, and I am back to enjoying the ride.

Damn dude.

[Captain Russ]

It was too good for this world.

[Captain Russ]

It is with an overwhelming feeling of apprehension that I've kept the final disc of season 2 on hold for nearly two months.

I think that after I pack my bags, I'll finish this show for the second time and greet the void where this giant stood once more.

(And then it is on to Rome. Or Deadwood. I'm not sure which one I'll bring with me just yet.)

[Captain Russ]

It's finished.

Of all the places to leave a production as large as this was, with every single character at a crossroads was certainly not the best decision.

I'd like to thank Carolyn Strauss for putting this unique and wonderful show down like a dog (understandably it financially made sense, but after such a fantastic leap in storytelling quality it still stings), but more over, thank Howard Klein and Daniel Knauf for bringing it into being.

Lacking any true closure has left this story to the imagination of the viewer, and in a way, is the perfect way to leave such a cryptic and majestic thing. Having seen the production bible, I'm left with a few answers and a guide to what might have been the next step in the history of the show and its characters, and that is better than nothing I suppose.

The ultimate lesson here is to give things that are strange and new a chance. You might be surprised at how fantastic the ride can be.

[Shit Dickface]

Well, shit. I guess I'd better get around to watching this somewhurr.

[gravedigger]

Wait, where is the production bible? Is this something a kind citizen can view online?

[Captain Russ]

There's a basic rundown of the overarching plot and mythology available, but I mispoke. I meant the pitch document (from which the bible was constructed and amended) was what I'd poured over. And it is still on the innernet if you wish to read it, but there is also a rather concise summary via a simple wiki.

It's cool to read how certain things were either excised or expounded upon when it went to series.

Be forewarned, there are a litany of spoilers within the pitch doc as well as the links provided.

[Nathan]

Nice links. Such a weird yet awesome show. Damn creepy too.