I’ve been really looking forward to HBO’s latest show. It takes place in a traveling carnival in the '30s, has some supernatural elements, and stars Clea Duvall and the dwarf from Twin Peaks. That’s all I really knew about it, but it’s enough.
Anyway, just watched the promotional CD-Rom from EW, and I’m a little put off. A whole bunch of gobbledygook about chosen ones, and wars between good and evil–blech. I just want a show about life in a 1930s traveling carnival!
Yeah, it seems like it’s more of a “The Apocalypse is nigh!” story told through crazy characters in a traveling carnival. Looks pretty creepy, I’ll be checking it out.
If only I had HBO.
The presence of the dwarf and the level of weirdness definately gives me a Twin Peaks vibe. Which is very cool. We need a new Twin Peaks. Actually, after seeing two ads I’m dying to see it…it looks a bit like a late 90s’ CD-Rom game brought to life. Which could be very good. HBO certainly has a good track record. I don’t get HBO but it’ll show up on Canadian TV just like most HBO shows do eventually.
Nick Stahl (John Conner in T3) and Clancy Brown are also in it, so I’m sold.
Quote:
| 1934. The Dustbowl. The last great age of magic. In a time of titanic sandstorms, drought and pestilence - signs of God’s fury and harbingers of the Apocalypse - the final conflict between good and evil is about to begin. The battle will take place in the Heartland of an empire called America. And when it is over, man will forever trade away wonder for reason. |
Sounds pretty fucking cool to me. Plus, HBO has never steered me wrong. I’m willing to bet this show kicks ass.
This show does look way cool. It is a series right? So we can expect a season 2. Or is it a 13 episode run and that’s it?
to correct the article the final battle betwwen good and evil actually took place in Sunndale this past May. Ok, not the final cuz there will be more but it was the latest.
HBO can’t miss in my book. I like Clea Duvall and I think it’s absolute genius to set this during the Depression. Will make for barren cinematrography, great downcast characters.
Am a little curious how well they’re pull off this good vs. evil bit for more than one season, but if anyone can . . . .
I saw Rath saying this was pretty good, so i’ll be checking it out tonight.
I like Stahl and Brown, so i’m looking forward to it.
Plus, it’s fucking HBO…
Take Preacher, cross it with Paradise Lost, set it in the Depression, and you’ve got this show, the best thing HBO has ever done–and yes, I’m counting the Sopranos. This is great, great stuff here, folks.
Quote:
| Anya(not)watchin’ the Emmys [QB]This show does look way cool. It is a series right? So we can expect a season 2. Or is it a 13 episode run and that’s it?/QB] |
It is a series, although the creators do have an arc planned out for the show and say they can’t see it lasting more than five, possibly six seasons at the most
Great. This is why HBO’s rep is what it is. Quality all-around. Great performances, strange, twisted story, and amazing visuals.
This is gonna be appointment television. Sunday nights kick ass.
Very, very interesting. I’m just abuzz at where they could go with this show from here. I see parts of Preacher, The Stand, all sorts of good shit…
I wasn’t bowled over. It’s not very subtle and the first ep didn’t leave me wanting more out of the characters. All in all - better than anything on the networks but not as high quality as I was hoping for.
I’ll give it a few more tries, but it’ll have to up the ante a bit.
Well they had a lot of characters to introduced. If they jumped right into the story you’d be pissed that they didn’t develop the characters more.
I think the show was great and left me wanting more. Definitly a must-see.
I must admit, I’m impressed. Great visual style, and there’s a deep, deep mythology building. You can tell that there’s gonna be alot of Christian allegory here (there is allready, in fact). It’s not subtle, and if I were looking for things to dislike, I could find plenty, but I’m not.
Credits sequence was very impressive. Anyone know anything about the music? Sounds similar to the 6’U theme, but even better, and fits the show perfectly. And that evil highlander guy gets to stretch a little, and he’s doing a great job.
I still love that the show is set during the Depression. Gives the right visual look to everything: depressed, slightly off kilter, dirty.
Am most curious about the reverend’s sister. I can’t recall her name, but think she’s a superb actress and I hope they do a lot with her character.
So who’s Management going to be?
Quote:
| alfalfa: Am most curious about the reverend’s sister. I can’t recall her name, but think she’s a superb actress and I hope they do a lot with her character. |
That’s Amy Madigan. She was John Candy’s girlfriend Chanice in Uncle Buck. She’s married to actor Ed Harris. You can find a cast list for the show here.
Didn’t watch the whole episode, but since I have satellite, it’ll be repeating tonight and I plan on watching the whole thing.
Good show, but I can’t help but read commercial failure all over it.
It’s too “out there” to hook the fans of such reality influenced fare as the Wire or OZ…though I do love the idea of this lasting more than 3 episodes (ala Miracles..)
Here’s hoping they can stay on the air. While there were some hokey/odd moments (Stahl stares at kid..kid stares back…stahl..wait for it..stares at kid!, the bit with the greif stricken mother and the dead baby made no sense and contributed nothing..), there was some very cool stuff as well (Subtle talk about “Management”, the dreams Stahl and Brown seem to share..and the ambiguity of who is on what side).
All in all, I’m in for the ride. I just hope it’s given time to find its feet.
Dude, it’s HBO. They let Arliss stay on for 7 years.