20 Best TV Shows Of 2019

Carnival Row landed on Amazon in the summer with a huge cast led by Cara Delevingne and Orlando Bloom, being renewed through its second season before the first one even aired. It perhaps didn’t quite hit the heights Amazon were hoping for, but it laid the groundwork well going forward.

Its central issue was the way it tried to layer the narrative. Delevingne and Bloom have by far the most interesting story, although admittedly some other, lesser stars did bring in great performances; Simon McBurney and Karla Crome especially. However, the late twist towards political intrigue felt too much like set up for things to come, and the drama was unexpectedly cranked up in nonsensical ways.

When it worked, the gritty vibes in the fantasy aesthetic were brilliant. Working out the kinks in pacing for next season should definitely be a big help going forward. The groundwork and the cast are there, it just needs a little fine tuning.