Carnivale

Carnivale is an HBO drama about a mysterious carnival traveling around the dust bowl during the Great Depression. Nick Stahl plays Ben Hawkins, a poor Oklahoma farmer who joins up with the traveling carnival after the death of his mother. Ben is quiet and untrusting, and very much a fish-out-of-water amidst the motley band of circus freaks and sideshow acts. Elsewhere in the country, a young Methodist minister named Brother Justin begins having strange visions of his past and possible future that lead him along a path towards ultimate power. What begins as two confused souls grappling with their unwanted but unavoidable destiny becomes a tense tale of good versus evil. The series is filled with colorful characters, like the no-nonsense manager of the carnival, Samson, who organizes the traveling show with an iron fist despite his small stature. Carnival ran for two thrilling seasons from 2003-2005, and won five Emmy Awards out of fifteen total nominations. MORE