The Rotating Cast Files: Carnivale

Justin goes on a vision quest. Ben throws a fit. Stumpy and Libby decide to leave for Hollywood.

Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive ReedEdited by Daive Reed

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Content Warnings -

In the follow up to Babylon we are all upset and cry a bunch. I also call Ronald D Moore a bunch of names because he made me feel bad feelings. I really hope he writes more for the series.

Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive ReedEdited by Daive Reed

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Content Warnings -

Babylon is finally upon us. Will it swallow us whole as Lodz warned or will we just have a nice time with the creepy bartender? Only time will tell. (No it won't, leave immediately).

Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive ReedEdited by Daive Reed

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Content Warnings: Death, adult themes

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“...And on her forehead, a name was written, a mystery. ‘Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth…”

The carnival rolls into Babylon, a tapped-out silver-mining town with a luckless history - and few visible inhabitants. Samson looks to raise morale by treating the troupe to a night at a local car in town, while Sofie and Libby take in a film. Finally, a group of restless miners arrives just in time for the evening cooch show - and the latest tragedy to befall Carnivale. 

 

We open with Justin squatting and praying in the wreckage of the ministry/orphanage. In his prayer, he mentions Babylon as we fade to a man walking down the road as the carnival approaches. Jonesy and Samson stop to talk to the guy and it’s apparent something is amiss. 

The roadman has an Irish accent and Samson asks if he’s from Babylon. He looks taken aback but reconsiders and says yes. Jonesy tells him there’s nothing behind them but 50 miles of sand and sidewinders, which is the way the man is headed. He asks if they’re a carnival and when they confirm he says they’ve been waiting for them for a long time. Samson asks “how’s that?” but he just smiles and walks off. 

Welcome to Babylon. We should not stop here even for a moment. 

Rita Sue being Rita Sue hollers “hey handsome” at him as they pass. 

The carnival arrives in Babylon and it's clear that no one is happy about being there. Dora Mae says Rita Sue says Babylon is cursed. Ruthie says it’s just a place. Gecko counters with “just a place no other carnival will play.”

Samson tells them to set up, but Rita Sue rightly points out there’s no one around for them to play to. He counters that if that were true they wouldn’t be here, would they? 

Immediately Samson goes to confront Management about why they’re there. He demands management tell him something he can share with the crew, but management is silent. 

Jonesy and his crew are setting up. Gecko is begging to stop by El Paso, which isn’t going to happen apparently. The crew is telling Jonesy they’re going to wire to another show for work and Jonesy calls them some 1930s name that showcases how little he cares. Ben’s working, but sees Lodz’s trailer and beelines it past Jonesy to the trailer. It’s like he was pulled to it. Lodz is shaking in his bed. They call it “the clangs”. 

“You have an infallible, if irritating, gift for stating the obvious.”

Ruthie breaks it up by telling Ben to go back to work. She calls Lodz on his bullshit and threatens him if he keeps messing with Ben. “I will tear your pecker off like a piece of French bread.”

Sofie argues with Apollonia over her recent sexual encounter during the dust storm. Sofie says she liked it, liked the way he held her. Which, I saw that scene, did not occur. Apollonia warns or threatens or suggests she might be pregnant. Sofie says he didn’t knock her up because that only happens in dime novels. Wouldn’t that be great if true?

But, of course, now she’s worried that she may be pregnant. 

Fortunately, when Sofie leaves the trailer she sees the Dreyfuss women practicing. They’re also bickering because everyone is on edge and that’s what you do with families. Also fortunate, as Sofie approaches Dora Mea storms off and Rita Sue is distracted by Stumpy hanging a torn banner. 

It’s obvious these two don’t spend much

The topsoil of 10,000 farms decides to ruin everybody's day. Pretty rude.

Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive ReedEdited by Daive Reed

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Content Warnings - death, adult themes

 

This opening shot is gorgeous! Everything is brown, but they’re situated near mountains. Mountains we will never see again. 

We zoom in and see Ben working on a car. Probably stealing carburetors before it was cool. The conjoined twins are in the background doing their morning stretches. Ben sees them and is fascinated. 

Lodz is being fancy in his trailer with his absinthe, performing his own rendition of Jurassic Park. He seems thrilled about it. 

Sofie and her mother argue in their trailer about Sofie’s habit of going to town to have a little fun. She says she never lets it go too far and she’s not lying. Apollonia doesn’t want her to go and slams the door to prevent her, or at least make her point even more apparent. We get a premonition that something is to come. Before Sofie forces the door open she says “what are you talking about? It’s a beautiful day.” FORESHADOW.

Samson is getting all dolled up in the management trailer. As he leaves we see through the curtain where management was, and it’s yanked closed. 

Ben is getting food from the hottest server at the circus. He sits with someone I’ve never noticed before, who pointedly gets up and sits at another table. Why? Weren’t we all thrilled about Ben last episode? Is it because that woman died in Tipton?

At a nearby table, all of our remaining characters are seated. Gecko complains about the heat and the shade while sitting in the shade. Lila riles everyone up by saying a nearby road leads to Babylon. Libby says she heard 3 rousties were strung up there in ‘32. Dora Mea says it wasn’t rousties it was freaks - two pinheads and an albino. Apparently, Gecko is albino-phobic. 

Next, we see Jonesy following Samson through the carnival grounds. He’s worried that his men are going to bolt, everyone’s been jumpy since they went off course. 

Samson says it’s not his call, it’s management. Jonesy says maybe he could talk to management. His men stand behind him, encouraging him. This is what we call foreshadowing. 

Samson shuts it down and walks away. Jonesy follows him to the car. He tells Jonesy he expects everything to be set up by the time he returns. Jonesy shouts to his men to get back to work. No one’s thrilled.

Pack up the babies! Grab the old ladies! Everyone knows, everyone goes, Brother Benjamin St John's Show!

Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive ReedEdited by Daive Reed

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Trigger Warnings: Death, evangelism, complex boundaries between siblings

 

Summary

Carnivàle shows up in Tipton as a funeral is in progress. Most of the mourners turn away from the coffin and watch the carnival come into town. One fancy guy seems pretty pissed. 

The carnival is setting up as Samson reads off a list for purchases in the town. Samson tells Hawkins to go with Jonesy. Jonesy has never worked this town. They used to have a circuit until Hawkins showed up. Which doesn’t make sense yet. 

Samson has the carnival setting up. The angry, fancy guy comes over. Lyle Donovan, Tipton's sheriff, comes to find Samson. They shoot the shit for a bit, but Lyle sucks and tells Samson he’s not going to allow it. “Because the town is too poor” but probably because Lyle sucks.  

The two have known each other for a long time, but Donovan refuses to let Samson set up the carnival since Donovan doesn't want his people being cheated out of what little money they have left. 

Paying for entertainment is not the same thing as being cheated, you moron. And if they gamble? That’s on them. 

In town, it’s obvious how bad off the town is. There’s hardly any food and no water, even the cows are dehydrated. It’s definitely bad. Jonesy haggles over barely corn while Ben sees a truck with the Big Sky Farms sign on it. 

Just then, the little girl he healed before identifies Ben as a healer. Jonesy pulls up in the truck as the town is being wild and calls over the ruckus to Ben to get into the truck. 

In a nice juxtaposition, the poor migrants from Minten have a new place of worship. Justin and his congregation are having a great time at Chen’s. Justin and Iris are trying to get everyone on key, but we know I don’t want that. Justin preaches that people who God hates are better believers than the ones who don’t have it as hard or something. 

Eleanor gives God credit when shaking Justin’s hand and Justin replies that it isn’t a miracle, just a lot of hard work. Honestly, I want to hear more people say that. Take credit for your hard work! 

Some council members show up and want a “nickel tour”. Iris says “well well.”

Jonesy arrives and says Ben was being called Jesus. Samson isn’t interested because the carnival has been kicked out. BUT Jonesy has an idea.

Samson stages a faith-healing revival in order to circumvent Donovan's edict. Samson plays the organized religion game and talks to the reverend, spinning a cute tale and promising 50% to this guy’s church. There’s a catholic church down the road, and Samson says “why don’t we let the Catholics take care of the Catholics?” The game is on. 

After gaining the support of Tipton's reverend, we get a great shot of Stumpy’s born-again speech. His daughters are dressed up, collecting coins in plates, and looking very "respectable". Quotes because respectability is a patriarchal construct. 

Samson is confronted by Lyle and uses the great “freedom of religion” bullshit we’re all being persecuted under today. It’s a great comparison between what’s happening in Tipton and Minten. The poor folks are being taken by religion.

Lila is dressing Ben, putting product in his hair. Ruthie, Gabriel, and Samson walk in. Samson asks who dressed him, Lodz? Because he’s styled exactly like The Gentleman Geek. Ruthie says it’s like seeing a ghost and Samson shoos her out. 

Ben gets all high-strung, as is his #1 characteristic., and says he’s not going to do it. He tries to leave, but Gabriel physi

Ben gets sent on a wild goose chase but it turns out that the goose isn't so wild. Justin learns a fun, new trick he can do. And we are all left with a sense of foreboding.

Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive ReedEdited by Daive Reed

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Content Warnings - pedophilia suggested, suicide

The Recap

Love me or leave me plays on the sound system in the diner. 

The lyrics are disagreeable from start to finish and absolutely distract me from what’s happening, which is…

Justin walks into a diner and sits on a stool at the counter. Ben walks in and sits next to Justin. The two men don't acknowledge each other's presence. 

After a few minutes, Scudder, dressed in a black tuxedo and top hat, walks in and sits at the booth behind Ben and Justin. Ben and Justin watch him intently in the mirror above the counter. 

Eventually, Belyakov, previously seen in both Ben and Justin's dreams chasing Scudder during World War 1, enters the diner and sits across from Scudder at the booth. 

The waitress moves over to Belyakov and Scudder and comments ominously, "Every prophet in his house." Scudder and Balyakov raise their wine glasses in a toast. As the glasses clink, the large window that Scudder and the soldier are seated next to explodes inward, showering the four men in shards of glass. The dream ends.

Ben and Justin wake suddenly from the shared dream.

Ben goes to wash and gets harassed by the Dryfuss ladies - Libby and Rita Sue. It’s pretty fun. Because, as I said while watching, it’s not dangerous. 

Sofie and Appolonia argue. 

Jonesy is assigning men to work for the morning and sends Ben to clean out the baggage trailer, a carnival joke since the baggage trailer doesn't exist. 

Ben, however, finds a run-down trailer filled with baggage which he proceeds to dig through on the pretense of cleaning it. I love luggage with all those stickers - the real thing, not the Home Goods version. I’d go through it too, you know, for organizing purposes. 

He finds a suitcase containing not only Scudder's top hat (which Ben pops), but also Scudder's trademark black tuxedo (which is spattered with blood). 

In an old cigar box, he finds an old photo of his mom standing in front of a truck with the label "Big Sky Farms." He exclaims and the wind closes the door, so he pulls out a zippo. A definite fire hazard.

Heading back through the carnival Samson asks where he’s been hiding. Samson shares the joke, but Ben was in the trailer. He shows Samson the photo to prove it since taking him to the non-existent trailer proved fruitless. 

Samson lies about not recognizing the picture, and so does Ben. Samson wants to hold onto it, but Ben pockets it. On the back of the picture is written "H.S. and Flo." He pockets it. 

Samson goes to the management trailer and finds the picture in the photo album. He asks management, who’s behind a curtain, “what the hell are you up to?” 

Cut to Justin, who’s getting ready for work and making me realize just how little I understand about men’s clothing. Why doesn’t that second shirt have a back? When he wears the overcoat, you can’t see it anyway. Why? 

Also, staring at your sister’s nipples is probably frowned upon by parts of the bible. 

At church, we have my favorite singer, Eleanor’s son. Eleanor has been “set right”. I love that he says he enjoyed parts of the service when Justin asks. He’s so honest!

The rich folks are unhappy with the migrants and make it known to Justin.

Lunch at the carnival.

The cooch family - “No one wants to see a lumberjack dance the cooch.” I do. 

Jonesy is pissed about Babe Ruth. But not really. 

Ben and Sofie sit together for lunch. 

Lodz and L

It's the Great Depression and we're meeting our new cast of friends. It's very dusty, possibly magical, kind of fun, and a bit depressing.

Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive ReedEdited by Daive Reed

Thanks for being here and if you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, and subscribe. Or, even easier, tell people about us! It really helps us out. 

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SHOW NOTES

 

Set Up: In the midst of the Dust Bowl, a traveling carnival roams from town to town scratching out a living. And a Methodist minister regains his faith in the lord after seeing amazing visions.

Trigger Warnings: Sexual assault, human death, animal cruelty and death, child exploitation.

 

Opening Lines: Samson: Before the beginning, after the great war between Heaven and Hell, God created the Earth, and gave dominion over it to the crafty ape he called man. And to each generation, there was born a creature of light and a creature of darkness. And great armies clashed by night in the ancient war between good and evil. There was magic then, nobility, and unimaginable cruelty. And so it was. Until the day that a false sun exploded over Trinity, and man traded away wonder for reason.

 

Summary:

Nightmare sequence.

In Ben's opening dream, we see, various:Scudder being chased by the Usher through a cornfield

Scudder retreating from Bruno the bear in World War 1

a hand (possibly Ben's or Boffo's) holding a Templar ring (probably Boffo's) bearing the motto "In Hoc Signo Vinces" ("By this sign you shall conquer" in Latin)

Scudder, in a black tuxedo, and Belyakov face each other in the diner

Sofie turning over the Magician during Ben's tarot reading

the funeral procession in Tipton

Ruthie with a snake during one of her acts

Scudder popping his top hat

a dead lamb

a photo of the Babylon mining crew, focusing in on Scudder's picture

Apollonia's rape by the Tattooed Man

a picture of Felix's gun on a pillow next to four bullets

a picture of Lobster Girl from Gunderson

Ben wakes up from a dream with no arms or legs

more scenes from the trench during World War 1, featuring Belyakov aiming at Scudder

a shot of Dora Mae's funeral

On a barren farm in the middle of a dust storm a young man, Ben Hawkins, watches over his dying mother. He reaches for her when she has a coughing fit and she pulls away, disgusted. "Don't touch me," she says before dying. 

It’s fine. This probably won’t impact the rest of his life. 

Outside, a group of trucks rolls down the highway. They stop to find Hawkins digging in the rock-hard ground with a man on a bulldozer shouting at him. 

Samson, the co-manager of a traveling carnival, bets his right-hand man, Jonesy, that the man on the bulldozer "squashes" Hawkin's meager resistance. Jonesy takes the bet and gets out of the truck to help. 

He realizes that Hawkins is trying to bury his mother and, after the bulldozer guy comes over to see what’s up and finds out, Jonesy asks if he has shovels and has the carnival roustabouts help. The eclectic troupe, including conjoined twins, a giant, and a bearded lady, hold a small burial service for the deceased. 

The bulldozer man waits for the burial and funeral to complete, which is good of him, then destroys the house. 

As Samson and the gang try to decide what to do with Hawkins, a car is approaching and Ben collapses, so Ruthie has Gabriel carry Ben.

In Mintern, California, Brother Justin Crowe delivers a sermon on the devil. An older woman, Eleanor, is listening to the sermon and as the plate is passed she reaches in and makes eye contact with the plate holder, to distract him. She takes money from the plate, but Iris, Crowe’s sister, sees her. As Eleanor tries to leave during a song Iris stops her. Iris is terrifying. 

Justin talks to Eleanor in his home after the service, Iris leaves the room and E

It's the finale of Crazyhead! Find out what happens with the ladies and what we're doing next.

Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive Reed

Edited by Daive Reed

Thanks for being here and if you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, and subscribe. Or, even easier, tell people about us! It really helps us out. 

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Amy is worried about Harry but Daive thinks it's going to be a-ok.

Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive ReedEdited by Daive Reed

Thanks for being here and if you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, and subscribe. Or, even easier, tell people about us! It really helps us out. 

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The podcast that was mentioned in the episode - Congressional Dish

The gang tries to come up with a plan to free Suzanne but falls into Callum's trap. But Amy and Tyler finally get jiggy!

Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive ReedEdited by Daive Reed

Thanks for being here and if you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, and subscribe. Or, even easier, tell people about us! It really helps us out. 

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