2. Phenomenal Storytelling
HBOOn the one hand, Carnivale is thematically simplistic in its story telling, exploring the epic conflict between good and evil that has raged for centuries. However, this was rarely the focus in any explicit way and instead, the majority of episodes gave far more attention to smaller character moments within the two parallel story lines. The complexity of the interwoven plots and their unpredictable twists made Carnivale inaccessible for some viewers who complained that the show was difficult to understand, but Carnivale was never cryptic just for the sake of it. Knauf had outlined the overall plot trajectory from the beginning, so viewers who persevered were rewarded with a number of powerful and daring scenes which transcended the shows small screen origins. Some clues were unfortunately never explained in their entirety due to Carnivale's early cancellation, but the writers worked hard to create a satisfying payoff at the end of the second season while still staying true to the shows mysterious tone and feel. Since the cancellation of Carnivale, more and more shows have appeared which tease and mislead audiences, such as Heroes, Fringe and even American Horror Story, all of which enjoyed varying degrees of success. Today, mainstream audiences are more ready than ever to embrace an intelligent show like Carnivale and it's uniquely epic storytelling could help the show compete against other successful programs like Game of Thones and Boardwalk Empire.