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Critic Reviews
- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
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The writing... is sharp and rich. The production -- from the design of the carnival to the evocative cinematography -- is dazzling. The direction from the likes of "Sopranos" veteran Rodrigo Garcia is first-rate. And the acting is sensational. [14 Sep 2003]
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It's difficult to take your eyes off the screen, not just because it depicts events that are at once moving and puzzling, but also because the pictures themselves are visually commanding. [13 Sep 2003]
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I'm still not sure what's going on. It may be more or less than meets the eye, but I'm sure I want to see more. [14 Sep 2003]
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Even if we are being taken for a ride, there's so much to savor on this trip. [12 Sep 2003]
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Riveting. [22 Sep 2003]
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The overriding strangeness gives way to surprising moments of tenderness. [13 Sep 2003]
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There's no question this intriguing, seductive series is set to a slow boil. ... But this series picks up its pace in future episodes. Anyone taken with the dark mystery of "Twin Peaks" or "American Gothic" is advised to stay tuned.
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After screening three episodes, I am as hooked on this moody, hypnotic saga as I've been on any drama since The Sopranos. I'm not saying this is going to be the next Sopranos. It's too idiosyncratic and strange for that. [13 Sep 2003]
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For those willing to take the plunge, a chilling, hypnotic tale awaits. [12 Sep 2003]
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I've seen three episodes, can't wait to see the fourth even though I am still as confused as hell (or maybe that's heaven) by everything but the incredible production values and acting. [11 Sep 2003]
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The aggressively, self-consciously weird Carnivale is a sideshow step away from most any TV series you've ever seen. You may find its oddity appealing, or you may find it off-putting, but its distinctiveness is unmistakable. Next to Carnivale, Twin Peaks looks like JAG. [12 Sep 2003]
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The Hollywood ReporterAug 2, 2013Although it can be a tad confusing in the early going, mainly because of some puzzling and violent images from who knows where, those who sit tight are well-rewarded by a stimulating and imaginative work of TV literature. [12 Sep 2003]
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The first three episodes are beguiling enough to suggest that beneath the show's mystique there is a mystery worth puzzling. But there is also the mystery of how long viewers' curiosity can stay piqued.
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Chicago TribuneAug 2, 2013Even if the big story strikes you as too arty for its own good, a student film on a professional budget, it's worth watching for the tone-perfect production design. [12 Sep 2003]
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It's beautiful to look at, mind-bending to even try to comprehend, absorbing, compelling, complicated, creepy -- and I have absolutely no clue where it's headed. [13 Sep 2003]
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There's a thrill of discovery here that's missing from the mostly formulaic new series marching into view this fall on broadcast networks. [14 Sep 2003]
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A mind-boggling drama doesn't always make for compelling television. [12 Sep 2003]
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"Carnivale" is so deliberate in its pacing - some would say plodding - it makes "The Wire" look like a breakneck action movie. [12 Sep 2003]
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An absolute visual stunner with compelling freak-show characters --- but the series unfortunately takes a leisurely approach toward getting to a point. [12 Sep 2003]
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At this point, "Carnivale" is a frustrating blend of intriguing and annoying elements. The writers are taking chances, and you have to give them credit for that, but they haven't quite perfected this mystical mixture of metaphor and metaphysics, mystery and magic. [13 Sep 2003]
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Alas, the seductive, interesting surface of "Carnivale" can't mask its facile pretensions. [12 Sep 2003]
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A bloated mess. ... "Carnivale" is a little too full of itself. Believing that it has a fascinating story to tell with all the complex themes you could imagine, the series nevertheless fails the first test of television: Move forward.
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For every genuinely surprising image or premise, another is creepy in exactly the way you would expect it to be. ... For a show that prides itself on strangeness, it is the most conventional HBO drama in years.
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Oh, what a tangled web Carnivále weaves–maybe too tangled for its own good.
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Unfortunately, Carnivàle appears to be engaged in an age-old battle of its own, between good and boggy drama.
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Frankly, I just don't get it. ... "Carnivale" feels too much like mystical, mythical nonsense masquerading behind outstanding production values and good acting. [13 Sep 2003]
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"Carnivale"... moves like molasses and, for all its careful creepiness, generates very little actual suspense and precious few moments of unpredictable wonder.
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Insufferable ... for the most part a stylish and incomprehensible bore. [15 Sep 2003]
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 64 out of 71
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Mixed: 2 out of 71
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Negative: 5 out of 71
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Oct 1, 2013
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Jan 25, 2013
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Jun 3, 2014