Carnivale episode 3

Is anyone else along for another week based on this ep? I think I am. Discussion?

Count me in, definitely. It had seemed to me, though, from previous posts about Carnivale on the SDMB that folks didn’t seem to care for the show, so I hadn’t added my 2 cents about it here.

I’m under the spell of this show, even though it’s got me all confuzled. Things are being revealed a little at a time, like peeling layers off of an onion, some we don’t know what to make of them either. I’m liking the carnie folks (esp. Gecko–it’s the tail, you know? ;)); they’ve got that “hardness” to them, yet there’s also hints that some of them may really be “gifted.” And Brother Justin seems to be gifted as well (we didn’t see much of him this week); his “talents” appear to have a negative side to them also. So confusing as to what is Good and what is Evil–and maybe that’s how it’s supposed to be, shades of grey.

I’m looking forward to next week, and will probably re-watch this week’s show at least once. :slight_smile:

I’m getting a little frustrated. I understand there’s supposed to be an element of mystery here, but geez, I can’t read minds fercryinoutloud.

When Ben was in the truck with that girl (Sophie?), and she was asking him the questions about the old lady only to be blown off, I felt like reaching into the TV and strangling him. I wish he would open up to somebody just so we could know what’s going on in his damn head. His crazy dreams and usual silence really aren’t giving me any clues as to what his deal is. At this point I don’t really care about any of the Carnie characters, and for a character-driven show, that’s not good.

An air of mystery is one thing. But this is too much. I’m losing interest. The only thing keeping me watching this confounded show is the story involving the preacher.

Happy

My satellite cut out right after Mrs. Donovan(?) refused to be healed by Hawkins. He said, “I need to know the rules” and then everything got all pixelated and the audio dropped out. I could tell that she said something after that and that she died, but I couldn’t hear what it was…could somebody fill me in on what she said and what happened in the rest of the show?

Thanks in advance…

Mrs Donovan told Ben not to touch her, and he announced it to the crowd so they couldn’t be mad at him when she died.

As for the rest of the show…uh…I’m drawing a blank. I just watched the damn thing 3 hours ago and I can’t remember?

Oh and wouldn’t you think that Sophie’s mom would have told her that Ben didn’t do anything? Sophie still seems pissed at Ben for the incident with mom, but we know and so should the mom that he didn’t do a thing.

I’m enjoying the show, but I can’t imagine it going on for several seasons.

Well if you read the other threads on the first two shows you know I haven’t been enjoying it. This was strike three for me…there’s ways of foreshadowing, building suspense and mystery without being utterly cryptic and obtuse. The themes are terribly obvious yet everyone dances around going out of their way not to reveal anything interesting or of substance. I’m sorry unless the people are incredibly interesting just to watch seeing people doing mysterious things while having mysterious conversations filled with mysterious dreams isn’t very exciting.
Or maybe I’m just bitter I expected a twilight zone meets continually instead I got one really really long twilight zone that since it doesn’t have much to say tries it’s damndest not to move the plot forward at all.

I have a problem with a lot of the HBO/Showtimes hour long dramas. I enjoyed most of the first season of Six Feet Under but things moved so slowly I got bored. I loved the Sopranos but I could hardly tell you what happened during the last season and I did watch most of the episodes. I’m starting to feel the same way about Carnivale. Get along with the damn story already.

Marc

I am a hardcore Sopranos fan and a new HBO Original Series excited me when I first heard about Carnivale. I was never able to get into Six Feet Under, so just left it alone.

I have watched all 3 episodes so far and am really enjoying it. I know I’ve missed some stuff, but I, for one, am enthralled with the mystery surrounding it all. Sure, it could be a little frustrating not having any idea what is going on, but I’m still intrigued.

Ben is a tortured individual (who isn’t). And I’m enjoying his journey that he is taking. I think Sophie is a bitch, but I enjoy her strength, although her modernity confuses me a little. She seems too modern to me.

I would like to get to know more about the Siamese twins and the Bearded Lady and the others, but I’m sure that will come all in good time.

I’m not only in for another week. I’m in for good with this one.

So far, so good. I’m one who will give HBO the benefit of the doubt, if for no other reason than that there are no commercials. (Yeah, I know, we pay dearly for that “free” service.) And up to now I’m following the show okay. The mood is a little stark and the characters are slow to reveal themselves, but in a way that appeals to me.

When I consider my options for that time slot, I see two: watch Carnivale or turn off the TV. So I watch Carnivale. I do turn it off when K Street comes on.

I’m still watching, but Ben is pissing me off. I understand he’s supposed to be guarded and scarred from all kinds of traumatic childhood events no doubt stemming from his Magic Fingers, but come on already. I’m getting to the point where I don’t care about his father or his healing powers or even his strange fascination with Ruthie. And let’s get to why he was in a chain gang. The characters I’m still interested in are Brother Justin, Samson, and Lodz. Especially Lodz.

Otho is thin. Until I heard his voice, I wasn’t even sure it was him.

Well, I’m kind of behind on this subject. I caught the middle to end of this 3rd episode. I LOVE IT. I’m hooked, but I don’t know much about any of the characters.

I did notice that Sophie’s mom looks dead. She didn’t look like she was ill, she looked like she was dead. Can anyone explain to me what the deal is with that?

I am in for the rest of the season. I think the show looks really interesting, and I love the images used.

She’s immobile, and can’t talk. However, she can communicate with certain people using her mind, and she can whip teacups and such across the room using her mind, as well.

In episode 2, she got up and walked over to Ben during the night, but Sophie and many of the other carnies believe Ben went and moved her, not believing she could walk under her own power.

I thought this was a much better episode. Things are still cryptic, but they’re also movin’ right along as far as filling in details. I also liked the scene where Rev. Justin dealt with the recalcitrant councilman.

–Cliffy

I know this may be off the wall, and not founded on anything revealed thus far, but I reckon it’s a possibility. What if as things progress we learn that in addition to shared dreams and shared abilities these people actually share bodies? In other words, is it possible that this is some allegory about the multiple aspects of each of our personalities? Surely it’s no big stretch to say that we all have some “dark side” components along with whatever “light side” we all have. Moods, phases, call it something.

So maybe this whole exercise in a bygone era of hardship and susceptibility to fundamentalism and magic and all the trappings of Okies and California and so on, is just a way of making a point that nobody would really argue with. Like so many fantasy tales. The end justifies the means?

Can somebody help me out, please?

Lets see…

Mrs. Donavon died, first saying “Babylon”.

Samson was talking at the end of the episode, basically saying, “blah blah…south through Texas…blah blah cryptic cakes…were goin to babylon”

Other guy whose name I can’t remember with leg brace: “Not Babylon!”

Samson: “Yes, Babylon”

So yes, another episode chock full of plot developement!

Thanks, DaPearl!

You just blew my mind.

There’s a bit more to it than that. Ben is obviously trying to find some connection to his past. We have already learned that his mother may have been married to the Carnie guy who used to work with the Geek Show (and when the midget noticed he “looked just like him” I assume that is who he was referring to) who may be his father. The dying lady knew that guy well, and Ben was asking her for explanations. What she managed to give him as she was dying was “Babylon.” Clearly that word holds some clue to the boy’s past (or maybe even some clue to his “gift”).

As the midget was talking to the leg brace guy in the truck, we now have learned that they have changed their schedule and are now heading to a place in Texas called Babylon. This location has some deep meanings for the two in the truck, perhaps (I’m just guessing now) something to do with the dead Geek Show/Ben’s Father guy’s death, or something.

“The Leg Brace Guy” is named Jonesie.