Carnivàle

Carnivàle

8/10
HBO Ended Drama • Fantasy • Horror

2 Seasons · 24 Episodes · Premiered September 14, 2003 · Ended March 27, 2005

Carnivàle is set in the United States during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl. In tracing the lives of two disparate groups of people, its overarching story depicts the battle between good and evil and the struggle between free will and destiny, the storyline mixes Christian theology with Gnosticism and Masonic lore, particularly that of the Knights Templar.

Where to Watch: HBO

Official Site

Next Air Time: No upcoming air date

Seasons & Episodes

Season 1

12 episodes
E01
Milfay
Mon, Sep 15 2003 2:00 AM GMT+0000 60 min
Ben reluctantly joins the carnival after the bank forecloses on his family's Oklahoma farm; Brother Justin has a bizarre encounter with a poor parishioner; Sofie has a run-in at a small-town gas station.
E02
After the Ball Is Over
Mon, Sep 22 2003 2:00 AM GMT+0000 60 min
Ben uncovers a piece of his past as a result of Jones' sense of humor; Justin tries to persuade a parishioner to make a deal in real estate; Sofie endures a frightening mishap involving her mother; Samson changes the carnival's course.
E03
Tipton
Mon, Sep 29 2003 2:00 AM GMT+0000 60 min
Ben is the main attraction when Samson refashions the carnival as a religious revival to satisfy a town's moral underpinnings; Justin has a powerful ally in a fight against city hall; Sofie accompanies Ben on a journey into his past.
E04
Black Blizzard
Mon, Oct 6 2003 2:00 AM GMT+0000 60 min
Jones looks to management when the crew turns mutinous; Appolonia is displeased with Sofie's romantic tastes; Justin faces a difficult choice between his congregations; Ben is tested by Lodz.
E05
Babylon
Mon, Oct 13 2003 2:00 AM GMT+0000 60 min
Samson tries to improve the troupe's spirits with a night of revelry; Ben has an enlightening experience at the bottom of a mineshaft; a group of miners is anxious for entertainment.
E06
Pick a Number
Mon, Oct 20 2003 2:00 AM GMT+0000 60 min
Revenge-minded carnies practice their own form of retribution; Justin encounters a group of hobos on his journey of self-discovery; Ben returns from another strange experience.
E07
The River
Mon, Oct 27 2003 3:00 AM GMT+0000 60 min
After a recent tragedy, Stumpy and Rita Sue debate their future in the carnival; in her brother's absence, Iris receives help from a radio reporter; Ben helps Ruthie with her act.
E08
Lonnigan, Texas
Mon, Nov 3 2003 3:00 AM GMT+0000 60 min
Lodz disagrees with Samson's decision to send Ben on a business trip for the carnival; a radio-show host tries to help find a wandering Justin; Sofie considers a career change.
E09
Insomnia
Mon, Nov 10 2003 3:00 AM GMT+0000 60 min
Ben tries to escape his dreams by staying awake; Iris uses a radio ally to help locate Justin; Samson goes back to the drawing board to increase business.
E10
Hot and Bothered
Mon, Nov 17 2003 3:00 AM GMT+0000 60 min
Ben and Samson go in search of the mysterious Scudder; Sofie accuses her mother of foul play; Lodz waits patiently for Ben for fall asleep; Justin returns to Mintern with a new plan.
E11
The Day of the Dead
Mon, Nov 24 2003 3:00 AM GMT+0000 60 min
Rita Sue teaches a newcomer a few tricks of the trade; Balthus is nervous about Tommy Dolan's allegations; Lodz gets approval from Management to help Ben.
E12
The Day That Was the Day
Mon, Dec 1 2003 3:00 AM GMT+0000 60 min
A distraught Ben finally meets with Management; and in California, Balthus and Justin deal with the tragic undercurrents of their ministry. Elsewhere, Stumpy and Rita Sue try to save their marriage; Samson must think fast when the law comes to the carnival.

Season 2

12 episodes

Cast

Clancy Brown
Clancy Brown as Brother Justin Crowe
Nick Stahl
Nick Stahl as Ben Hawkins
Adrienne Barbeau
Adrienne Barbeau as Ruthie
Tim DeKay
Tim DeKay as Clayton Jones
Clea DuVall
Clea DuVall as Sofie
Cynthia Ettinger
Cynthia Ettinger as Rita Sue Dreifuss
Carla Gallo
Carla Gallo as Libby Dreifuss
Toby Huss
Toby Huss as Stumpy Dreifuss
Amy Madigan
Amy Madigan as Iris Crowe
Brian Turk
Brian Turk as Gabriel

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