Carnivale

I just finished watching the 2nd season on DVD.
What a shame that they cancelled this show.
The crew and cast were all eager to continue.

The characters all look so authentic.
The photography is so beautiful, with the long sweeping shots,
instead of the MTV choppy style of editing that has become so popular.

HBO really comes up with some amazing stuff.

Ra...

I was just watching some of the extras on the DVD.
There is one 30 minute segment of a show done for the Museum of Film and Television. ( after Season 1 )
There are about 5 cast members, along with Producer Dan Knauf and a woman who was President of HBO.
At the very end, Knauf is comparing their series to a 900 page novel and how there are no car chases in the first 20 minutes
but the time taken to set-up the characters pays off in deeper moments later.
He added that the worst thing for the audience, would be for a guy in an expensive suit, with capped teeth,
to come in and end it all at page 450... but fortunately, they were working with HBO and he was thrilled to report
that HBO was behind the production to the bitter end.
He then looked at the HBO President and she sheepishly tapped her teeth and said; "No caps here."

He obviously had no idea about the cancellation... but I suspect that she already knew
that HBO wouldn't be giving Carnivale a 3rd season.

A lot of the expense for this show was the elaborate sets.
They also had a commited cast. What a shame to waste all that.

The atmosphere that this series cast upon it's viewers was like a portal into another world.

Ra...

It was strange, seeing the actors out of character.
They looked fake to me.
Ben, Jonesy, Sophie, Iris and Brother Curtis are the ones who seem so real and earthy and authentic.
The actor's real personalities make them look weak, in comparison.