Sideshow Freaks

Summer is starting to really look up in TV-land. After ABC's My Favourite Book (Lord of the Rings was Australia's favourite book btw), a preview for a new show came on. I gasped and pointed and waved excitedly at the television because Nick Stahl walked into frame. I wasn't excited over Nick Stahl, I was excited because a very short man was behind him. No. I'm not into little people that way either. It was a trailer for the bizarre series called Carnivale.

Carnivale is a very short series at only 12 episodes, but looks to be worth catching from the very start. The official site's summary blurb is:

CARNIVÀLE follows a traveling carnival as it wends its way across the Dust Bowl, focusing on a mysterious young fugitive with hidden talents who is taken in by the carnival, and on the charismatic, shadowy evangelist who will ultimately cross his path. The 12-episode dramatic series takes place at a time of worldwide unrest, with evil on the rise around the globe and the Great Depression wreaking economic and social havoc here at home.

As they become aware of their abilities, Ben and Brother Justin find themselves wrenched from their lives to realize that the world they thought the knew -- this tenuous, prosaic reality shared by humankind -- is actually a chessboard upon which is played the ancient conflict between Light and Darkness, and they are key players in the battle.

With a hugely diverse cast from name actors like Nick Stahl, to familiar character actors like Michael J. Anderson, and Clancy Brown, to Cirque alumnae Karyne & Sarah Steben, Carnivale looks weird and hopefully will be weird. Airing on HBO it's bound to push boundaries.

Harry Knowles from Ain't It Cool News, had very good things to say about it's imminent US DVD release:

I LOVE THIS SERIES! All of my coolest friends had been raving to me about it. And noted TV hater - Father Geek had caught a couple of episodes – and been raving. So the second I got it I put it on… 12 hours later I was finished. Any series whose star is Michael J Anderson… well that’s a series for me. This thing plays like some strange Lynchian riff on GRAPES OF WRATH and DARK CARNIVAL mixed with a touch of Stephen King. It’s a geekgasm waiting to happen. I mean – the whole younger / older relationship with Stahl and ADRIENNE BARBEAU!!! OH MAN!!! Then there’s Clancy Brown, fingernails on a chalkboard creepy! A truly great series – and a great set. Commentary on 3, behind the scenes – and more. Definitely a must for all those without HBO. This is a GREAT series!

Ok, so he's not terribly eloquent, but he does get excited about good stuff.

I look forward to it getting a decent timeslot and will post when I find out exactly when it is.