Carnivale

[karohemd]

Boy, I now remember why I liked this so much.

It's not only the superb storytelling and fine acting (for a TV show), it's the fantastic production values, especially the photography. Almost every shot is perfectly lit and framed with fantastic use of perspective and depth of field.
Add to this superb settings and costumes and you have a winner.

Why why why did they have to cancel this after the second season? Why?

Comments

[lineoutrecords.livejournal.com]

Noooooo! I wasn't aware it had been cancelled. I borrowed the first series off sogoth the other day as I'd never seen it, it's great!

[sogoth.livejournal.com]

It got cancelled because it was one of the most expensive series to be produced. As the carnival travelled around, so did the sets which boosted costs by vast quantities. Whilst everyone at the TV company loved it, it was agreed by all, including the director, that the costs far outweighed the number of viewers that it had :(

The cliffhanger at the end of season 2 is just *MNAAAAARGHH!* but does kinda work as the end as well.

There were rumours of the story continuing in book or comic form... but nothing seems to have come from that sadly.

[lineoutrecords.livejournal.com]

Oh well :0(

Incidentally, you can have your DVDs back now ;0)

[nevla.livejournal.com]

really? I just thought it was another casualty of greedy studio execs, i suppose it's some comfort to know it was just too expensive to continue.
I will have to track down the two box sets, i haven't seen season 2 yet but if season 1 was anything to go by it will be splendid!

[psychokatuk.livejournal.com]

I'm gutted too... one of the best TV series I've seen. The sets, the stories, the characters (and Jonesy, rawr!)... Steve and I were addicted after just one episode and absolutely flew through both series. We'll probably end up watching the whole lot again in a few months!

[sogoth.livejournal.com]

Season two is, if anything, better and more complex than the first :)

I think the complexity and iconography were blamed for low ratings in the US as people just didn't understand everything that was going on all the time.

I wanted to see what happened when/if they passed back through Babylon

[nevla.livejournal.com]

It was a clever and intellient show, so obviously a lot of americans didn't get it ;)

[tobykenobi.livejournal.com]

I would like to take this moment to remember Firefly, another excellent series that the Americans couldn't understand, and which succumbed to the same fate.

Although in Firefly's case the fans supported the project so much that a film, Serenity, was made that tied up all the plots.

I urge everyone to watch the series then the film!

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

It's sad, isn't it? *sigh*
You don't have to remind me but I think you can't compare the two. They're both good in their own right but you can't say one is better than the other.

[tobykenobi.livejournal.com]

Ah, just re-read my comment. It wasn't supposed to be a comparison, just a note that Firefly had, possibly uniquely, been made into a film after being cancelled. I followed Carnivale weekly a couple of years ago and was engrossed by the building tensions and dark powers. Must watch it again soon!