Figuren aus Carnivàle

Datei:Carnivale Season 1 Cast Promo.jpg

From left to right – front row: Lodz, Lila, Libby, Caladonia and Alexandria, Apollonia, Sofie, Ben Hawkins, Jonesy, Iris, Brother Justin – back row: Dora Mae, Rita Sue, Stumpy, Ruthie, Gecko, Samson.

Carnivàle is an American television series set in the United States during the Great Depression, and was created by Daniel Knauf. The show aired on HBO between 2003 and 2005 and traces the disparate storylines of young Ben Hawkins working in a traveling carnival, and a California preacher named Brother Justin Crowe. Carnivàle had a large cast, amounting to eighteen main cast actors over its two-season run. Most characters are introduced in Ben's storyline: Samson, a dwarf co-running the carnival with Management; Jonesy, Samson's right-hand man with a crippling knee injury; Apollonia and Sofie, two fortunetellers working a mother-daughter act; Lodz, a blind mentalist, and his lover, Lila the Bearded Lady; the cootch (striptease) Dreifuss family; snakecharmer Ruthie and her son Gabriel, a strongman; and many other sideshow performers. The main supporters of Brother Justin's storyline are his sister Iris, his mentor Reverend Norman Balthus, the radio show host Tommy Dolan, and the convict Varlyn Stroud. Several characters appear in mysterious dreams and visions connecting the slowly converging storylines.

Most actors received elaborate character biographies that were written before filming of the first season began. These biographies were however later rewritten and got little to no mention in the series. Parts of the original biographies appear on the official HBO website and in the show's Pitch Document, a summary of Carnivàle's first season that was originally written to give the writers and the studio an idea about the series' intended plot. Although the biography information is not canon per se, such as the full names of most characters, they provide a background for the characters' motivation throughout the series. When the cancellation of Carnivàle left the future of some characters uncertain, the producers revealed some of their plans for the characters' arcs, mostly in relation to the show's intricate mythology.

The thematic and period setting of Carnivàle required a different casting approach than usual. While some actors were hired for their genetic disabilities, most actors were specifically cast for their unique and distinct looks to fit the 1930s period. Costumes and make-up enhanced the illusion. While most reviews lauded the actors and characters, several actors received award recognition for their performances. Vorlage:TOClimit

Ben Hawkins

Ben Hawkins is a young Oklahoma farmer and chain gang fugitive who is picked up by a traveling carnival when his mother dies. Since childhood, Ben has displayed inexplicable healing powers. He has also begun to suffer dreams and visions of people unknown to him. As Ben learns from staying with the carnival, he seems to be related to Henry Scudder, a man who once worked at the carnival. He also learns that his powers come with a price – to give life, he must take life; to raise the dead, he has to deliberately kill someone else. When the mysterious happenings in the carnival become clearer, Ben needs to find the preacher of his dreams to prevent an unfolding chain of catastrophic events; Henry Scudder will know the name of the preacher. After a number of near misses and harrowing encounters, Ben finally comes face to face with his father and brings him before the carnival's Management. A fight ensued in which Ben is forced to kill Management, leaving him a full understanding of his powers. Ben sets out to confront Brother Justin in California, where they finally meet in battle in a cornfield. The carnies find Brother Justin slain and Ben passed out from his own grievous wounds. They take Ben back to their camp and leave New Canaan.

Character creation, inspiration and background

Vorlage:Further As his powers and use of powers already suggest in the series, Ben is what is called an Avataric Creature of Light. The writers had intended Ben to be the leading man and hero of the series since the beginning, showcasing a youthful, innocent and anti-hero quality. The casting process saw a lot of actors, but the producers found Nick Stahl brought a "particular introspection" to the character, "project[ing] a great deal of sensitivity, of quiet intelligence, of pain". They also felt that his seemingly little-trained physique worked well for the 1930s period. The extend of Ben's supernatural powers and talents were discussed over long periods of time.

The show's untimely cancellation left Ben's chain gang background not fully disclosed. In the original vision, Ben was raised by his mentally unstable mother on an Oklahoma farm. At age sixteen, Ben left his home and fell into a criminal life in Texas. After attempting a bank robbery, Ben was captured and sentenced to twenty years in the state prison-farm. When Ben learned of his mother's sickness and wanted to return to her at all costs, he killed a prison guard who drew a gun on him to prevent his escape.

Reception

After having seen the first three episodes, the New York Times commented that "Ben is a taciturn hero, and Mr. Stahl does a remarkable job of wordlessly conveying his character's moods and yearnings, as well as his ungainly grace." Boston.com regarded "Stahl, with his watchful eyes, [as] one of the show's strengths. He has a boyish face, but the grim expression of a worn-out elder," and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer said Stahl "speaks volumes with his eyes and weary frown, so much so that his understated portrayal almost carries the series." In a Season 1 DVD review, DVD Talk thought that "as the two leads, Nick Stahl and Clancy Brown are nothing short of brilliant. Ben Hawkins is a very isolated and quiet character, and yet he carries a significant part of the series on his shoulders. Without the right actor it could be disastrous, but Stahl brings a level of thoughtful emotion to the character such that a glance or a stare speaks volumes." In reviewing Season 2, DVDverdict felt that "both Nick Stahl and Clancy Brown deliver perfect performances. Stahl's gradual acceptance of his own power, and his subsequent struggle, are fascinating."

For his portrayal of Ben Hawkins, Nick Stahl was nominated for a 2004 Saturn Award in the category "Best Supporting Actor in a Television Series". He was also nominated for a 2004 Golden Satellite Award in the category "Best Performance by an Actor in a Series, Drama".

Brother Justin Crowe

Vorlage:Further Brother Justin is a Methodist minister, who resides with his sister Iris in the small town of Mintern, California. Following strange visions and supernatural abilities, Brother Justin erects a church in his God's name, but a fire in his new ministry leads him almost to suicide. While hospitalized in a sanitarium, Justin discovers his ability to manipulate and control those around him through sheer force of will. Shortly after returning to Mintern, Reverend Norman Balthus suspects Justin to be possessed by a demon and confronts him, but Justin is not disturbed by his true nature for long. He gathers a huge flock of worshippers of mostly migrants and Okies outside Mintern via his nightly radio sermons and newfound abilities of persuasion. A scholar named Wilfred Talbot Smith identifies him as the Usher and tells him that, in order to gain his full measure of power and fulfill his destiny, he must find and kill a man named Henry Scudder. While Justin lets escaped convict Varlyn Stroud help him, the Crowes find a new chambermaid in ex-carny Sofie, not knowing that she is Justin's daughter. Brother Justin at long last meets his adversary, Ben, and is killed in a battle in a cornfield near his home. But Sofie as the Omega arrives and places her hands on his chest, causing the corn stalks around them to wither and fall away, reminiscent of what happened when Ben healed a crippled girl's legs in the show's first episode.

Character creation, inspiration and background

Vorlage:Further Besides being the Usher, Brother Justin is also an Avataric Creature of Dark. When show creator Daniel Knauf wrote the first draft of Carnivàle, he thought about Christopher Walken playing Justin. Knauf had also originally designed Brother Justin as a preacher far along in his career as well as a recurring instead of a regular character, "much more evolved towards the dark side". But after seeing the preliminary pilot episode, Knauf and the producers realized that there was no room for the character to grow in a television series. Hence they made Brother Justin an ordinary Christian minister in a little town, setting him back in his career for about two years. When deciding a specific affiliation for Brother Justin, Knauf contested plans to make him a Catholic priest and rather settled on the Methodist denomination, which he perceived as significantly less suspicious and controversial. Brother Justin never served as the writers' way to retell the story of Father Coughlin, an Irish Catholic priest who broadcasted his sermons over the radio in the 1930s. The writers did however discuss the type and extend of Justin's supernatural powers for a long time.

The producers established the sexual tension between Brother Justin and his sister Iris early on, letting it build towards the end of the first season. While reviewers were unsure what to make of it, Daniel Knauf advertised the relationship as "just as warped and incestuous as ever" in the new season. Clancy Brown (Brother Justin) and Amy Madigan (Iris) acknowledged the lust between their characters but assumed that their relationship had not been consummated in Season 1. They were not in favor of their characters getting together like HBO had wanted, as "that's really not what they're about." Per Brown, the sibling relationship informs Justin's and Iris's character and motives, and continued tension frightens the audience more if it is never resolved. Although Brown and Madigan wanted to leave the status of their characters' relationship as lovers open, they deliberately played their kisses more intimate and familiar than most people would consider comfortable. Several characters intervene the siblings' relationship during the show's run. The writers had planned a sexual innuendo between Iris and Tommy Dolan, a news reporter who investigates in the arson. But Robert Knepper (Dolan) felt that his character might just have been a pawn between Justin and Iris as siblings, making Justin jealous. The Crowes also keep hiring new maids, which Knauf explained as Iris wanting surrogate women to relieve Justin's sexual pressure.

Reception

In reviewing the first three episodes, the New York Times commented that "prim, righteous Brother Justin is more of a caricature, but Clancy Brown finds ways to bring some subtle glints of personality to the role." Time thought "Brother Justin comes across as a typical whited sepulcher – if there's one thing more trite than a dwarf in a surreal drama, it's a preacher with a dark side – and Brown's campy performance largely involves shouting 'Enough!' and 'No-o-o-o!' with horror-flick pathos." Entertainment Weekly replied that "Brown's Brother Justin is delightfully unsettling as the creepy evangelist taking his orders from the wrong superpower," and Variety said that "Brown does a superb job straddling the line between stoic and menacing, and there are hints about his weaknesses, conveyed quickly with subtlety." A Season 1 DVD review by DVD Talk saw Clancy Brown's performance as "nothing short of brilliant. [...] Brown also has a difficult task capturing the duality of Brother Justin, a man who presents a physically intimidating presence but who wants little more than to be a subdued and loyal servant of his Lord, and he succeeds on every level." DVDverdict stated in a Season 2 review that "Brown's presence and charisma is dazzling; he is both likable and frightening. He is an actor with a great deal of range, and he uses all of it in this series."

Characters affiliated with Ben Hawkins

Samson

• Played by Michael J. Anderson (Seasons 1–2 main cast)

Edgar "Samson" Leonhardt, a dwarf, is the co-manager of the Carnivàle. Per his original biography, Samson began his career as a dwarf strongman in 1904. Eight years later, Samson began working with traveling shows, including the Hyde & Teller Company. Samson's wit elevated him from performer to general manager, but he lost this position for a brief time when Management purchased the carnival, renaming it to "Carnivàle". At the beginning of the series, Samson is Management's right hand man and relegates his orders. Lodz temporarily takes over Samson's place yet again, but Samson retains Management's trust. When Management dies, Samson strikes a secret deal with Ben to make the boy the new secret commander of the carnival.

Jonesy

• Played by Tim DeKay (Seasons 1–2 main cast) – Further information: Season 2 finale and character fates

Clayton "Jonesy" Jones is an ex-baseball player who suffers from a crippling knee injury. He is the right-hand man of Samson, operator of the Ferris wheel, and the leader of the roustabouts. According to his original biography, Jonesy was once a star pitcher in the major leagues, but when he refused to throw a game for the mob, his knee was injured in revenge. Jonesy slipped to the edge of society until he joined the Carnivàle and found redemption in the eyes of young Sofie. The two became inseparable, but when Sofie grew into a woman, their relationship became awkward. At the beginning of the series, Sofie still avoids Jonesy's protection moves. While she retreats into a friendship with cootch dancer Libby Dreifuss, Jonesy shares his frustrations with Libby's father Stumpy and accepts the offer to have sexual intercourse with Stumpy's wife. Sofie finds out and takes revenge, but Jonesy remains cold towards her after saving her life. Meanwhile, Jonesy slowly grows closer to Libby, leading to their elopement. One night, Jonesy is tortured and left for dead by a man who lost his wife in a Ferris wheel accident. Ben happens to stop by and fully heals Jonesy, even restoring his crippled knee. Jonesy supports Ben on his mission, but when Jonesy meets Sofie again at the end of the series, she shoots him in cold blood.

Sofie and Apollonia

• Sofie played by Clea DuVall, Lilli Babb (as child) (Seasons 1–2 main cast) – Further information: Genealogy· Season 2 finale and character fates
• Apollonia played by Diane Salinger, Elizabeth Kate (as young woman) (Season 1 main cast, Season 2 recurring) – Further information: Genealogy

Apollonia and Sofie Bojakshiya are fortunetellers in a mother-daughter act at the carnival. Although Apollonia is catatonic, they can communicate telepathically. Their original biography reveals that Apollonia was a once renowned fortuneteller who read cards for the rich and famous; not even Houdini was able to debunk her. During childbirth in 1913 or soon thereafter, Apollonia suffered a series of seizures that left her paralyzed and catatonic. Her sister Anash cared for her until Sofie was old enough to overtake the job. They began working the traveling circuits soon thereafter. When the series begins, Sofie evades and rebels against both Apollonia's and Jonesy's control. Late in Season 1, Apollonia sets fire to her trailer. Sofie and Jonesy can escape the inferno, but Apollonia dies. Apollonia still repeatedly appears to Sofie and Ruthie. Sofie decides to no longer work as a fortuneteller and finds joy in roustabout work. Although she grows close to Ben, Sofie leaves the traveling carnival and becomes the Crowes' maid in California. Brother Justin inspires her to get acquainted with religion, and she meets Ben shortly after her baptism. When signs suggest that Brother Justin is not the good man she thought, Sofie withdraws from his sexual advances and berates him. Locked in an abandoned barn, she has visions that insinuate her as the Omega and Brother Justin as her father. When she finds Brother Justin dead in a cornfield, she lays her hands on his chest, and the corn around her dies.

As show creator Daniel Knauf later explained, Apollonia had exercised great control over her daughter since giving birth. When Ben joined the carnival, Apollonia could no longer shield Sofie from her own true self, and Sofie began rebelling against her mother's mental control. Apollonia first tried to drive Sofie to suicide, and when this did not prove successful, Apollonia tried to kill her in the trailer fire.

Lodz

• Played by Patrick Bauchau (Season 1 main cast, Season 2 recurring)

Professor Ernst Lodz is a blind mentalist. As revealed both in the show and in his original biography, he has a long history with the Carnivàle. When Ben joins the carnival, Lodz hassles the boy to work with him and listen to his dreams. Lodz initiates Ruthie's death with Management's blessing and gets his sight back. Upon finding out these circumstances, Ben strangles Lodz to death, reviving Ruthie in the process. Despite his death, Lodz keeps re-appearing to Ruthie and leaves her the message "Sofie is the Omega" on a mirror. He also visits his lover Lila as possessed Ruthie, informing her about the events leading to his death and that "you'll be seeing me soon [...] in the flesh".

Lodz's demise was planned from the beginning and served a purpose to the story. It should also indicate that all bets are off for the other characters. Lodz's last message to Lila was also not meant to be an open plot. According to Clancy Brown (Brother Justin), the writers had originally planned Lodz to return as a mummy after a man sold his desiccated body to the carnies.

Lila

• Played by Debra Christofferson (Seasons 1–2 main cast)

Lila Villanueva, also known as the Bearded Lady, is the lover of Lodz and the dressmaker of the carnival. Her original biography states that Lila was born into the Villanueva circus family in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana in 1890. Lila also had two older brothers, and her family traveled the international circuit as the "Flying Villalobos". Lila's older brother Oscar died in Copenhagen in 1905, and her father committed suicide in 1908. In 1906, Lila already sported a beard and married for the first time. The marriage did not last long, and Lila married over nineteen more times, leaving Lodz as the only true love of her life. During the first season, Lila keeps close to Lodz and notices his growing contact with Management. His sudden disappearance at the beginning of Season 2 worries her, but at first she cannot obtain proof that Samson had his hands in the matter. Ruthie repeatedly approaches Lila at night, seemingly possessed by Lodz, and when Lila finally learns of the circumstances of Lodz's death, she suborns the carnival crew to a mutiny.

The Dreifuss family

• Felix "Stumpy" Dreifuss played by Toby Huss (Seasons 1–2 main cast)
• Rita Sue Dreifuss played by Cynthia Ettinger (Seasons 1–2 main cast)
• Libby Dreifuss played by Carla Gallo (Seasons 1–2 main cast) – Further information: Season 2 finale and character fates
• Dora Mae Dreifuss played by Amanda Aday (Season 1 recurring)

Stumpy is the manager of the cootch (striptease) show. He is married to Rita Sue, and has two daughters, Libby and Dora Mae. According to the Dreifuss biographies at the HBO website, Rita Sue was born in Michigan in 1895 as the only child of Thomas and Emma Menninger. Her parents paid much for her education at the finest Eastern boarding schools, but the family's financial fortunes declined with Thomas's death in 1903. Rita Sue left home in 1908 and started vaudeville work. She joined several traveling companies and strip-shows, where she met Felix, who had begun his career as a talker in 1910. They married in 1914, and two months later, Libby was born as their first child. In 1916, their second daughter, Dora Mae, was born. When their company's owner died, Stumpy and Rita Sue began traveling with various carnival companies as The Gay Paree Show, and were eventually joined by their two daughters in the late 1920s. Their fortunes steadily declined in the 1930s when more cootch family acts spawned in the difficult times. During the show's run, the Dreifuss family faces many personal and economic problems. Dora Mae dies in an incident in a haunted ghost town, Rita Sue and Libby becoming intimate with Jonesy causes much heartbreak, and Stumpy's affection for gambling almost ruins the family.

Ruthie and Gabriel

• Ruthie played by Adrienne Barbeau (Seasons 1–2 main cast)
• Gabriel played by Brian Turk (Seasons 1–2 main cast)

Ruthie is a snakecharmer and former lover of Henry Scudder. She additionally supports her son Gabriel as a barker in his strongman acts. Despite his size and power, Gabriel's intelligence quotient is not very high, and when Ben accidentally breaks Gabriel's arm one day, Gabriel becomes the first carny to experience Ben's healing powers. Meanwhile, Ruthie and Ben grow close, and when Ruthie dies in a snakebite, Gabriel helps Ben in the secret attempt to resurrect Ruthie. The mission succeeds at last, but Ruthie starts to encounter people who have died a long time ago. She also has sleepwalk-like experiences at night, leading her to Lila's trailer.

Minor characters

• Gecko played by John Fleck (Season 1 main cast) – Gecko is the Lizard Man at the carnival. His disappearance in-between seasons is unexplained.
• Alexandria and Caladonia played by Karyn and Sarah Steben (Season 1 main cast) – Alexandria and Caladonia are twins conjoined at the hip. Their disappearance in-between seasons is unexplained.
• Burley played by Scott MacDonald (Season 1–2 recurring) – Burley is a roustabout at the carnival.
• Osgood played by Blake Shields (Season 1–2 recurring) – Osgood is a roustabout at the carnival.
• Possum played by Bill Moseley (Season 1–2 recurring) – Possum is the cook of the carnival.
• Giant played by Matthew McGrory (Season 1–2 recurring) – The giant demonstrates his size in the Ten-in-One.
• Sabina Engstrom played by Bree Walker (Season 2 recurring) – Sabina the Scorpion Lady worked at the Daily Brothers Show until it closes. She was once married to Samson for nine years.
• Bert/Bertha Hagenbeck played by Paul Hipp (Season 2 recurring) – Bert/Bertha is the current husband of Sabina. He dresses as half a man, half a woman.
• Rollo the Rubberboy/Boneless Billy Benson played by Daniel Browning Smith (Season 2 recurring) – Rollo has the ability to extremely bend his body.

Characters affiliated with Brother Justin

Iris Crowe

• Played by Amy Madigan, Erin Sanders (as child, Irina Belyakov) (Seasons 1–2 main cast) – Further information: Genealogy

Iris Crowe is the older sister of Brother Justin. She is devoted to supporting her brother and his ministry duties in California. When Justin tells her he may have to give up his new ministry, Iris sets a fire in the church, which kills several orphans. While Brother Justin goes on a self-discovery trip, radio show host Tommy Dolan arrives to help with the arson investigation. Justin's return prevents further romantic developments between Iris and Dolan, and Dolan starts to uncover evidence that point to Iris's guilt. A strange twist at Iris's planned public confession results in Dolan's arrest as the culprit, and although Iris murders another innocent Okie, Eleanor, to prevent the revelation of Justin's true nature, she joins her foster father Norman in an ultimately unsuccessful plot against her brother.

Tommy Dolan

• Played by Robert Knepper (Seasons 1–2 recurring)

Tommy Dolan is a radio show host from Los Angeles who regularly travels incognito into the wilderness to collect strangers' stories for his show Tommy Dolan on the Road. On a particular night, he meets Justin around a campfire. After retelling Justin's story of the burned-down ministry in his radio show, Dolan approaches Justin's sister Iris and helps her with receiving funds for a new church. Dolan is seemingly attracted to Iris, but Justin's return prevents further advances. Dolan supports Justin's wish to become a radio preacher, but surfacing police evidence first hints at Justin's, then Iris's guilt in the arson. Dolan keeps collecting evidence until Brother Justin accepts the arrangement of a special confession announcement for Iris. The confession backfires and Dolan is arrested, with Iris's guilt never proven.

Reverend Norman Balthus

• Played by Ralph Waite (Season 1 recurring, Season 2 main cast) – Further information: Genealogy

Reverend Norman Balthus is Brother Justin's mentor. He rescued and raised Justin and Iris after he had found them alone in the wilderness. When Norman becomes suspicious of Justin's inner motivations, he confronts him but does not carry out his plea to kill him. Soon after, Norman suffers a stroke, which leaves him unable to move and speak.

Varlyn Stroud

• Played by John Carroll Lynch (Season 2 recurring) – Further information: Carnivàle episodes

Varlyn Stroud is a convict whose first murder, according to his original biography, was his nine-year-old sister; he had deliberately upset a Ferris-wheel car so that his sister Clara fell to her death. Stroud has also been able to cover the murder of his grandfather three years later as a hunting accident and has possibly committed over a dozen contract-killings. Although he has never been convicted of murder, he still spent most of his life in prison on a variety of charges. His story arc in the series begins when he hears Justin's radio sermon. Made Justin's apostle in a subliminal message, Stroud escapes prison and tries to find and bring Scudder to Justin. Stroud first tracks Scudder's old live and later follows the route of the carnival. When Ben's quest finally leads Stroud to Scudder, he brings him to Brother Justin and becomes Justin's security manager.

Minor characters

• Eleanor McGill played by K Callan (Seasons 1–2 recurring) – Eleanor McGill is an Okie who becomes a devoted follower of Brother Justin.
• Val Templeton played by Glenn Shadix (Season 1–2 recurring) – Val Templeton, cousin of Chin's owner Carol Templeton, is a councilman in Mintern.
• Ned Munson played by Matt McCoy (Season 1–2 recurring) – Ned Munson is a councilman in Mintern California, assisting Val Templeton.
• Wilfred Talbot Smith played by Time Winters (Season 2 recurring) – Wilfred Talbot Smith advises Brother Justin in occult matters in relation to the Usher.
• Bishop McNaughton played by John Aylward (Season 2 recurring) – Bishop McNaughton oversees the church of Reverend Norman Balthus and Brother Justin.

Characters affiliated with the past

Datei:Carnivale Scudder Belyakov.jpg

Belyakov and Scudder in a dream in the episode "After The Ball is Over".

Since the first episodes of Carnivàle, Ben's parentage is one of the big puzzles. As a man named Henry Scudder seems connected to everything and everyone, it is Ben's job to piece together the mystery of his own past. The progressing series indicates that many characters are closer interrelated than what both the characters and the audience would imagine at first. Although these links rarely receive plot attention, the immediate genealogy of the main characters is cleared up by the end of the second season. Other character links like hinted at with the trench war and the Hyde & Teller Company remained largely unanswered after Carnivàle's cancellation. Show creator Daniel Knauf, character biographies on the HBO website and the Pitch Document later provided further detail for what was originally envisioned. Although the nature of these sources does not qualify them for canon status, they provide a framework for hints dropped in the series.

Henry Scudder

• Played by John Savage (Seasons 1–2 recurring)

Henry "Hack" Scudder is a mysterious man who appears in Ben's and Brother Justin's dreams wearing a tuxedo. His mentions in the first season reveal that he once worked at the carnival's geek show and was Ruthie's lover. Ben also learns that Scudder had a relationship with his mother; Samson later confirms Scudder as Ben's father. Season 2 forces both Ben and Brother Justin to find Scudder for their own purposes. After a long journey, Ben finds Scudder in Damascus, Nebraska and brings him to Management. When Scudder escapes moments later, Stroud as Justin's apostle picks him up and brings him to his master. Scudder can again escape, but Brother Justin is already waiting for him in the car and decapitates him.

Lucius Belyakov

• Played by Michael Massee and Vladislav Kozlov (Russian soldier), Cameron Clapp (body), Linda Hunt (voice of Management) (Seasons 1–2 recurring)

Lucius Belyakov is a mysterious man who appears in Ben's and Brother Justin's dreams as a Russian soldier. Unbeknownst at first, he is also the carnival's Management, hiding in his trailer and communicating with his carny workers solely through Samson. As Management remains unseen during the first season, Jonesy at first suspects that Management may not exist at all. Shortly after however, Management has a conversation with Lodz. In Season 2, Management reveals himself to Ben as Lucius Belyakov, the Russian soldier of Ben's dreams who was once badly injured by a bear. He urges Ben that, in order to break an unfolding chain of catastrophic events, Ben must find and bring Scudder to Management. After Ben has accomplished this mission, Management's attack on Scudder forces Ben to kills Management. With his last breath, Management informs Ben about the use of the blade against the Usher, Ben's ultimate nemesis.

Emergence of the Carnivàle

See also: Mythology of Carnivàle: Avatars

At the end of the nineteenth century, Lucius Belyakov, a Russian aristocrat from Minsk and officer in the Tsar's army, became aware of his Avataric powers when his son Alexei was born. After Belyakov's attempt to kill two-year-old Alexei, his wife fled with their two children to America, but news spread that they perished in a train accident soon after. Belyakov resumed his duties in Lemberg in 1914, when he was afflicted by dark visions of a man, Henry Scudder. Scudder, an American who had escaped prosecution for criminal activities in his home country by joining foreign armies, has had psychokinetic powers since childhood. At the time of Belyakov's visions, Scudder was stationed in Lemberg as an observer for the Austro-Hungarian Army. Obsessed, Belyakov deserted his post to find and kill Scudder as his spiritual enemy. An escaped circus-bear feeding on the dead nearby surprised Belyakov in an attack, injuring Belyakov so gravely that he lost an arm and both legs. Scudder escaped in the meantime and encountered carnival performer Lodz on the battlefield, searching for his bear Bruno. As Scudder joined Lodz's troupe, Lodz recognized and cultivated Scudder's supernatural abilities. The two men performed in the salons of war-torn Europe, while Belyakov slowly recovered from his wounds and learned about his true nature and destiny through devoted study of ancient manuscripts. Scudder could feel Belyakov tracking his movements and never stayed long in one area. When Lodz grew impatient, he got into a fight with Scudder and was gifted with the ability to mind-read in exchange for his sense of sight. Scudder hoped to flee his nightmares by returning to America in 1915. Several months later, Belyakov located the broken-down Lodz in Venice. Noticing the mental bond between Lodz and Scudder, Belyakov promised to restore Lodz's sight if he helped in finding Scudder.

Scudder fell in love and married a local girl from Milfay, Oklahoma, Flora Hawkins, with whom he had a son, Ben. When he felt his pursuing enemy again, Scudder left his family and traveled aimlessly throughout the country. After narrowly surviving the cave-in in Babylon, he joined the Hyde & Teller Company, a small carnival working the southeastern circuit, where he got to know Samson, Clayton Jones, Possum, Lila, Ruthie and Gabriel. Scudder worked as a sideshow geek for nearly a year. Meanwhile, Belyakov used Lodz's tracking skills and purchased the Hyde & Teller Company, scantily missing Scudder. To remain under cover, Belyakov renamed the troup "Carnivàle", assumed the name "Management", and replaced Samson with Lodz as the new co-manager. Lodz finally located Scudder in St. Louis, but when Lodz failed in preventing Scudder from going into hiding again (with the Order Templar), Samson regained his old job. Over the years, the Carnivàle took on new acts such as the fortunetellers Apollonia and Sofie, Gecko the Lizard Man and the Dreifuss family. While Lodz embitteredly waited for Management to fulfill his earlier promise of restoring his sight, Samson ran the show, counseled by Management and assisted by Jones. Eighteen years went by until Management felt that Ben Hawkins, whom he has sensed as his Ascendant since birth, was old enough to be approached.

Genealogy

See also: Mythology of Carnivàle: Who is an Avatar?

The pilot episode begins with Ben Hawkins waking up from a dream of a tattooed man, a man in a tuxedo, and a Russian soldier. Ben was raised on a farm by his mother Flora; his father had left them when Ben was an infant. Late Season 1 confirms what early episodes had already suggested – the man in the tuxedo, Henry Scudder, is Ben's father. In Season 2, Ben meets his paternal grandmother, Emma Krohn, and learns that she killed her husband Hilton Scudder in the night of Henry's birth, along with Henry's older brothers Owen, Gilbert, and Alvin Sr. (According to Knauf and the HBO website, Emma's other sons were from a previous marriage to Clarke "C.W." Powell, who had died by natural causes.) Emma introduces the people living with her as her grandchildren and Ben's cousins.

Brother Justin Crowe is introduced as a devoted Methodist minister, who is supported by his sister Iris. On a self-discovery trip, Justin has an elaborate vision of two Russian immigrant children, Irina and her younger brother Alexei; Irina talks of her evil father. As revealed shortly after, this vision is a repressed memory of Justin, showing him and Iris as the only survivors of a train accident that also cost the life of their mother. Reverend Norman Balthus later saved Irina and Alexei, raising them in a church orphanage.

Some people of the Carnivàle are closely related. Apollonia and Sofie are introduced as mother and daughter working as fortunetellers. Sofie grew up not knowing her father, but has a vision of the Tattooed Man raping her mother later in Season 1. In the Season 2 opening episode, Management, the mysterious leader of the carnival, reveals himself as Lucius Belyakov, the Russian soldier of Ben's visions. Moments before his death several episodes later, Belyakov learns that his son Alexei did not die in a train accident, as he had previously believed. In the meantime, Sofie has become the Crowes' maid. When she has a chat with Iris about her childhood, Iris has a vision of Justin as a young man raping Apollonia during his seminary studies in Saint Paul. Although Iris only informs Norman of her suspicions, Sofie sees Justin's tattooed chest in the final episode of Season 2 and has implicit visions insinuating Justin as her father.

Casting, costumes and reception

Casting

Michael J. Anderson at CarnyCon 2006.

The casting approach for Carnivàle was to find the best available actors and to show the characters' realness as opposed to depending on freak illusions too much. Carnivàle's casting directors John Papsodera and Wendy O'Brien already had experience in casting freaks from previous projects. They attended theater showcases, approached smaller agents or hired some actors directly to find people with unique and distinct looks, which was trying as Los Angeles is a stronghold of good-looking actors. The producers generally preferred actors who were not strongly identified with other projects, but were willing to make exceptions such as for Adrienne Barbeau as Ruthie.

The script for the pilot episode was the basis for the casting procedure, with little indication where the show would go afterwards. This resulted in some preliminary casting disagreements between the creators and producers, especially for leading characters. Nick Stahl had the strongest consensus among the producers to portray the leading man and hero of the series with a youthful, innocent and anti-hero quality. The character of Sofie was originally written as more of an exotic gypsy girl, but Clea DuVall, a movie actor trying to become involved in regular television, got the part after four auditions. Tim DeKay was cast as Jonesy because the producers felt he best portrayed a "very American" looking baseball player of that period. Adrienne Barbeau originally hoped to be cast as Apollonia but got the role of Ruthie after her first audition. Brian Turk's role as Gabriel was originally intended to be a mute character described as "big, larger than life, with the face of an angel, and slightly mentally challenged" according to Turk, but the writers later gave him a speaking part to not have another mute character like Management and Apollonia. One of the only actors who never had any real competition was Michael J. Anderson as Samson, whom Daniel Knauf had wanted as early as the initial meeting; Samson was inspired by Knauf's father and was also Daniel Knauf's favorite character.

The filmed pilot episode served as basis for additional tweaking of intended story lines that would take 14 months. The expanded role of Brother Justin encouraged the creation of his sister Iris as a supporting character. The character of Tommy Dolan (Robert Knepper), who was originally only planned for a couple of episodes, was liked so much that the writers prolonged the character's arch as an "ambitious man [who uses] Brother Justin to further his career." Little was changed on Ben Hawkins' side except for the addition of the cootch (striptease) Dreifuss family; a Carnivàle consultant had elated the producers by calling attention to his research about families managing cootch shows in the 1930s. Before the opportunity for Carnivàle came up, Cynthia Ettinger (Rita Sue) lost her role as Martha Kent in the pilot episode of Smallville and had turned to theater jobs; she chose Carnivàle because of the theater-like experience. Amanda Aday (Dora Mae) knew she joined the cast for only a few episodes, but was not told the story reasons at that point.

Genetic disorders or unusual body features are not uncommon among Carnivàle actors. Michael J. Anderson (Samson) has osteogenesis imperfecta, a genetic bone disorder that leaves him at a size of 3 ft 7 (109 cm), while Matthew McGrory (Giant) stood at 7 ft 6 (228 cm) because of hyperpituitarism. Bree Walker (Sabina) has ectrodactyly, a rare genetic disorder that results in fused fingers and toes; she approached the producers in Season 2 to let her play a "lobster gal". Several one-time characters like the lobster gal in "Hot and Bothered" and Percy The Praying Mantis in "On the Road to Damascus" were also cast for their respective real-life disabilities. Cameron Clapp (Management) had lost an arm and both legs in a train accident at the age of 15. Daniel Browning Smith (Rollo the Rubberboy) holds two Guinness World Records for his body-bending abilities. The conjoined twins (played by Karyn and Sarah Steben), Lila the Bearded Lady (Debra Christofferson) and Gecko The Lizard Man (John Fleck) however were roles created for the series.

Make-up and costumes

Datei:Carnivale Libby Costume.jpg

Production sketch of Libby's costume.

To give the illusion of being freaks, the appearance of several actors was modified by make-up elements. Debra Christofferson (Lila) had a fake beard applied to her chin, which in the early episodes was so heavy that the chemicals caused her skin to be raw at the end of the shooting day. The beard was later split into three pieces, but Christofferson still had to be careful with the way she moved her mouth when talking. According to the actress, "the beard actually determined Lila's voice." Patrick Bauchau (Lodz) had several contact lenses pairs of different opaqueness. While one pair enabled him to see shapes, another pair made him basically blind and he had to be led around the set. John Fleck (Gecko) spent over ten hours in makeup each day to transform into and out of his character. The skin, which needed to look like alligator hide, consisted of seven or eight separate pieces and needed to be glued to Fleck's face.

Established the characters' background rather than prettiness was the main goal of costumes. Ben wore the same clothes over Season 1 and 2, and to make them look identical, around twenty multiples of his coveralls were made by hand. It took over 6 weeks to apply all stitches, patches and the roughly fifty holes, plus the aging process. Justin's clothes were made period correct from the beginning, but the character's foreboding presence was enhanced by fitting his frock on the waist and making the shoulders look bigger than it would have been in that time period. Sofie's clothes had a lot of Bohemian Eastern influence to portray her mother's origin and sensibilities. Stumpy's wardrobe consisted of baggy pants and an Italian bowler hat that gave him a 1920s look instead of the 1930s, showing his clothes were second-hand. The stripper clothes of Rita Sue and Libby were influenced by Mae West, harlot movies and silent films of the 1920s and 1930s, with additional research of Asian harlots, Latin dancers and Hawaiian dancers. The costume designers chose the Daily Brothers costumes to have a new color tone to set them apart from the Carnivàle. The dress of Sabina the Scorpion Lady underwent several die-bleaching cycles to achieve a red-orange-purple color that would work well when filming outside. Bert/Bertha's costume was made in a hurry from a vintage tuxedo and an old feathered dress, which helped to give it a "made it on the road" feeling.

Reception of supporting characters

See also Reception of Ben Hawkins and Reception of Brother Justin Crowe

As early reviews focused on Ben Hawkins, Brother Justin Crowe and the meaning of Carnivàle, the show's supporting characters received little to no attention other than having their freak appearances mentioned, namely because "they don't play significant parts in the first few episodes." Critics who reviewed full seasons gave more credit. Australian The Age stated that show creator Daniel Knauf "sprinkled enough magical gifts over the carnival's cast of mind readers, fortunetellers, snake charmers, catatonic psychics, conjoined twins, bearded ladies and lizard men to make the bizarre and the macabre appear just about routine." Matt Casamassina of IGN added that "from the opening sequence to the fade out on episode 12, Carnivàle successfully draws you into the Depression-engulfed world of its many oddly likeable characters. And sure enough, odd best describes these people [...] The show prominently features all manners of freaks, but each is well-crafted, layered, and believable, rather than comical, as easily could have been the case under amateur direction." MSNBC acknowledged the characters "speak[ing] in a dialogue that feels authentic, even if that authenticity is a modern interpretation [...] Carnivàle manager Samson, Michael J. Anderson gets the best dialogue, dropping terrifically incomprehensible lines." DVD Talk lauded Amy Madigan (Iris), Tim DeKay (Jonesy), and Clea DuVall (Sofie) as "fantastic choices" with particularly convincing 1930s looks. They also highlighted Carnivàle's status as an ensemble show, with "the performances of all the supporting characters [being] essential to the show's success. Particularly inspired is the voice of Linda Hunt as the decidedly creepy 'Management' and John Savage as Henry Scudder." A DVDTown review further praised the supporting performances of Patrick Bauchau (Lodz) and Michael J. Anderson (Samson), pointing out that "in fact, every single character on the show, no matter how small, quirky or sinister they are, produce noteworthy performances all round. It is through the efforts of this outstanding cast that makes the entire premise of the show and the period setting so realistic and believable that the audience can't help but get immersed in it."

Several supporting actors received award recognition for their performances in Carnivàle. Adrienne Barbeau (Ruthie) was nominated for a 2004 Golden Satellite Award in the category "Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Drama" in 2004, and won a WIN Award in the category "Best Actress in a Dramatic Series". Amy Madigan (Iris) was nominated for a 2004 Golden Satellite Award in the category "Best Performance by an Actress in a Series, Drama". Erin Sanders (young Iris) was nominated for a 2004 Young Artist Award in the category "Best Performance in a TV Series – Recurring Young Actress".

Season 2 finale and character fates

While HBO entertainment prexy Carolyn Strauss felt Carnivàle had come to a natural end and gave this as the network's explanation for not renewing Carnivàle, it was reported that HBO president Chris Albrecht had originally wanted to conclude the second season of Carnivàle with a satisfying and close-ended confrontation between Brother Justin and Ben, showing that Brother Justin was more definitively dead, instead of the producers' cliffhanger. Show creator Daniel Knauf replied that Albrecht might have been misquoted. Albrecht had wished in preproduction discussions to have a fight between Brother Justin and Ben in the Season 2 finale, which Knauf had planned anyway. Knauf also stated that HBO had agreed with the open ending because they had greenlit the final scene in the writing phase, budgeted to filming including the final shot, and had the final cut of all episodes. According to Knauf, there was never a plan to cancel Carnivàle prematurely, and HBO had only decided the cancellation shortly before their announcement. However, Clancy Brown (Brother Justin) remembers the original last shot of the series as Iris watching the corn die, not of Ben in Management's trailer.

Following the cancellation, the writers did not immediately respond to fans asking about the character future, arguing that the story ideas should not be revealed just for instant fan gratification and should wait to be told until the opportunity arises. They later provided clues in DVD special features and at conventions, sometimes also in forums and online chats. Daniel Knauf said that Jonesy would have recovered from his gunshot wound, but did not address how exactly he would survive. Producer Howard Klein however pointed out that Jonesy "wasn't shot in a specific place – he [just] collapsed," and Knauf added that "Sofie's intent in shooting Jonesy was to stop him from taking her back to the carnival," not to kill him. Season 3 would have opened with him pitching in a Major League Baseball game and being married to Libby.

Writer and co-executive producer William Schmidt described Sofie's last seen action as "raising her father at the end, bringing him back to life." This was "to indicate that she was truly evil," although "she is the Omega so there's good in her too." Season three "would have been pretty much centered on Sofie and the internal struggle of her good versus evil." The nature of the Omega would have taken two seasons to unfold.

If a third season had taken place, both Ben and Brother Justin would have been alive. Daniel Knauf would have written Brother Justin as a man "with an inoperable chunk of shrapnel near his heart" which the anointed blade had caused. Brother Justin would have been "severely weakened and prone to exhaustion, serving as a hollow figurehead in his burgeoning ministry. Sofie and Iris would be vying for the power behind the throne, with Sofie by far the more dangerous of the two, although Iris is a force to be reckoned with." Knauf had the intention of marrying Brother Justin to Sofie at some point in the future, and Season 3 would have shown a three-year old boy amidst Sofie and the Crowes. Knauf left the question about the child's parents open. As for Ben, Knauf said that his wounds would require repeated suturing, causing him to lose his Vitae Divina and draining him of strength. Ben would be a different man than he was before, with a personality closer to Management.

External links

• Vorlage:Imdb title
• Cast and crew at hbo.com
• Character descriptions at themovienetwork.ca
• Character descriptions at cnn.com