There are several main characters in Carnivàle , an American television serial drama set in the United States Depression -era Dust Bowl between 1934 and 1935. It aired on HBO from 2003 to 2005. It follows the disparate storylines of an ensemble of characters, with the two central characters of Ben Hawkins, a young man working in a traveling carnival ; and Brother Justin Crowe, a Californian preacher.
239-456: Carnivàle has a large cast, with eighteen regular actors over its two-season run. Most of them are introduced in Ben's storyline: Samson, a little person co-running the carnival with an individual known only as Management; Jonesy, Samson's right-hand man with a crippling knee injury; Apollonia and Sofie, two fortunetellers working a mother-daughter act; Lodz, a blind mentalist , and his lover, Lila
478-472: A mummy after a man sold his desiccated body to the carnies. Lodz's demise in season 1 however was planned from the beginning. Besides serving a purpose to the story, it should indicate all bets are off for the other characters. Lila Villanueva, also known as the Bearded Lady of Brussels , is the lover of Lodz and the dressmaker of the carnival. Lila's original biography states she was born into
717-432: A traveling carnival when his mother dies. Ben has displayed inexplicable healing powers since childhood, and with the beginning of the series, he has begun to suffer dreams and visions of people unknown to him. As Ben learns from staying with the carnival, he seems to be related to Henry Scudder, a man who once worked at the carnival. He also learns that his powers come with a price – to give life, he must take life; to raise
956-434: A tuxedo ) and a man with a tattooed tree on his chest, but also of each other. Ben can heal and resurrect beings at the cost of others' life, while Brother Justin can read and manipulate people's minds. Ben and Lodz, a blind mentalist of the carnival, experience visions of the medieval Knights Templar . Carnival fortuneteller Sofie can communicate telepathically with her catatonic mother, whom she once sees being raped by
1195-487: A "personalized, interactive tarot-card reading experience similar to what is depicted in the series". The official HBO website collaborated with RealNetworks to offer Fate: The Carnivàle Game , a downloadable game based on tarot symbolism available for trial and purchase. Carnivàle' s opening title sequence features tarot cards that are panned in and out of in camera perspective; these cards were digitally designed based on paintings and are not available for purchase. As
1434-472: A Major League Baseball game and still being married to Libby, as well as having a son with her. Writer and co-executive producer William Schmidt described Sofie's last seen action as "raising her father at the end, bringing him back to life." This was "to indicate that she was truly evil", although "she is the Omega so there's good in her too." The third season "would have been pretty much centered on Sofie and
1673-700: A Russian aristocrat from Minsk and officer in the Tsar 's army, became aware of his Avataric powers. The birth of his son Alexei evoked dark visions in him. After Belyakov's attempt to kill two-year-old Alexei, his wife fled with their two children to America, but news spread they perished in a train accident soon thereafter. Resuming his duties in Lemberg in 1914 , Belyakov was again afflicted by dark visions. Henry Scudder, an American who had escaped prosecution for criminal activities in his home country by joining foreign armies, had had psychokinetic powers since childhood. At
1912-539: A Supporting Role in a Series, Drama", and won a 2004 WIN Award in the category "Best Actress in a Dramatic Series". Amy Madigan (Iris) was nominated for a 2003 Golden Satellite Award in the category "Best Performance by an Actress in a Series, Drama". Erin Sanders (young Iris) was nominated for a 2004 Young Artist Award in the category "Best Performance in a TV Series – Recurring Young Actress". While HBO entertainment president Carolyn Strauss felt Carnivàle had come to
2151-500: A big and powerful person but with a low intelligence quotient (IQ), is the first carny to experience Ben's healing powers. Shortly after Ruthie and Ben grow close, Ruthie dies from a snake bite. Ben first tries unsuccessfully to resurrect Ruthie, but succeeds later when he strangles Lodz, the carnival's blind mentalist. In season 2, Ruthie starts to encounter people who have died a long time ago. Being possessed by Lodz at night, Ruthie repeatedly approaches Lila, leading to Lila turning into
2390-433: A blind mentalist. The beginning of the series shows Samson delegating Management's orders to the carnies. Samson temporarily loses his position to Lodz for a second time near the end of the first season but retains Management's trust. The death of Management in season 2 leads to Samson's secret deal with Ben to make the boy the new commander of the carnival. Clayton "Jonesy" Jones is an ex-baseball player who suffers from
2629-595: A child will be born with dwarfism. Dwarfism resulting from malnutrition or a hormonal abnormality may be treated with an appropriate diet or hormonal therapy. Growth hormone deficiency may be remedied via injections of human growth hormone (HGH) during early life. Genetic mutations of most forms of dwarfism caused by bone dysplasia cannot be altered yet, so therapeutic interventions are typically aimed at preventing or reducing pain or physical disability, increasing adult height, or mitigating psychosocial stresses and enhancing social adaptation. Forms of dwarfism associated with
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#17327908781512868-424: A collection of media samples from the perspective of a fictional author trying to uncover Ben's mysterious story. These fictional samples consisted of interviews, diary entries, and various newspaper clippings, photos and book references forming the character biographies of all major Carnivàle characters. The character backgrounds were further developed before the filming of Carnivàle began but were not made part of
3107-595: A cornfield. She lays her hands on his chest, and the corn around them dies. Professor Ernst Lodz is a blind mentalist . As revealed both in the show and in his original biography, he has a long history with the Carnivàle . Lodz's character arc starts with Ben joining the carnival. Lodz unsuccessfully hassles the boy to work with him and to listen to his dreams. He later initiates Ruthie's death with Management's blessing to get his sight back. Upon finding out these circumstances, Ben strangles Lodz to death, reviving Ruthie in
3346-501: A crippling knee injury. He is Samson's right-hand man, operator of the Ferris wheel , and the leader of the roustabouts . Jonesy's original biography reveals his past as a star pitcher in the major league whose knee was injured in revenge when he refused to throw a game for the mob. Slipping to the edge of society, Jonesy joined the Carnivàle and found redemption in the eyes of young Sofie. The two became inseparable until Sofie grew into
3585-404: A deeper and more sinister connection" between the two main characters. Visions were summarized as disturbing and grotesque, dreams as cryptic and mysterious, and abilities as unexplainable. Henry Scudder was noted to be "connected to everything and everyone", and it was considered Ben's job to piece together the mystery of his own past. The events of early Season 2 were said to mark a shift in
3824-522: A disabled father who was not commonly accepted as a normal human being. Freaks of the 1930s, however, who may not have found another place offering a future outside of a carnival, tended to be celebrities in the period. Daniel Knauf expanded the plot with a complex fictional universe based on a good versus evil theme, led by carnival healer Ben Hawkins and Brother Justin Crowe, a California preacher. In his story pitch to HBO , Knauf presented Carnivàle as
4063-511: A divine manifestation, with records indicating that they were able to reach high positions in society at the time. The ancient Hindu text Bhagavat Purana devotes nine chapters to the adventures of Vamana , a dwarf avatar of Lord Vishnu. Depictions of dwarfism are also found in European paintings and many illustrations. Many European paintings (especially Spanish ) of the 16th–19th centuries depict dwarfs by themselves or with others. In
4302-415: A dynasty. If the youngest Prince in a dynasty dies, the dynasty is ended. Most dynasties only last on average three generations, since typical Avatara can be killed by any means. When a dynasty ends, the first male child born elsewhere in the world with the most Avataric blood will be a new Prince starting a new dynasty. When a Prophet dies while an Ascendant Prince also lives, one of two things happens. If
4541-729: A few introduction paragraphs on the Pitch Document's cover sheet that were initially not planned to be performed . But whereas Samson's prologue only shortly mentions the Genesis creation narrative before introducing the fictional mythology, the original segment put more emphasis on the battle between God and Satan : "Before the Beginning, after the great celestial war that rocked the very foundation of Heaven and Hell, God and Satan established an uneasy truce. Never again would they face each other in direct confrontation. So God created
4780-463: A fight between Brother Justin and Ben, which had always been Knauf's intention. HBO had then approved the open ending by greenlighting the final scene in the writing phase, budgeting the filming including the final shot, and owning the rights of the final cut of all episodes. There was never a plan to cancel Carnivàle prematurely, and HBO had only decided the cancellation shortly before their announcement. However, Clancy Brown (Brother Justin) remembers
5019-486: A fight with Scudder about his skills and was gifted with mindreading in exchange for his sense of sight. Scudder returned to America in 1915 to flee his nightmares. Several months later, Belyakov located the broken-down Lodz in Venice . Belyakov noticed the mental bond between Lodz and Scudder the power transfer had caused, and promised to restore Lodz's sight if he helped in finding Scudder. Scudder fell in love and married
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#17327908781515258-421: A genetic bone disorder that leaves him at a size of 3 ft 7 (109 cm), while Matthew McGrory (Giant) stood at 7 ft 6 (228 cm) because of hyperpituitarism . Bree Walker (Sabina) has ectrodactyly , a rare genetic disorder that results in fused fingers and toes; she approached the producers in the second season to let her play a "lobster gal". Several actors for one-time characters like
5497-612: A gnarled and bent tree, which in one image is attacked by a Knight Templar holding a knife. Wilfred Talbot Smith interprets this book to Brother Justin, quoting, "By the hand of the Prince, the Prophet dies. Upon his death, the Prince shall rise," and "[Behold the Usher. A dark heart dwells where branches meet.] Anointed dagger plunge thee deep." Management and Ben repeat these verses independently of Smith. As confirmed by Daniel Knauf and
5736-543: A high percentage of "talking heads" with "the vast majority of television writers [not being] visual storytellers." Enjoying his creative freedom as graphic storyteller , he has considered directing his efforts away from television series creation. In 2008, Alessandra Stanley of the Australian newspaper The Age remembered Carnivàle as a "smart, ambitious series that move[s] unusual characters around an unfamiliar setting imaginatively," while The A.V. Club called
5975-466: A hollow figurehead in his burgeoning ministry. Sofie and Iris would be vying for the power behind the throne, with Sofie by far the more dangerous of the two, although Iris is a force to be reckoned with." Knauf had the intention of marrying Brother Justin to Sofie at some point in the future, and the third season would have shown a three-year-old boy amidst Sofie and the Crowes. Knauf left the question about
6214-532: A hormonal cause, such as growth hormone deficiency , once called pituitary dwarfism . Achondroplasia is responsible for the majority of human dwarfism cases, followed by spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia and diastrophic dysplasia . The most recognizable and most common form of dwarfism in humans is achondroplasia, which accounts for 70% of dwarfism cases, and occurs in 4 to 15 out of 100,000 live births. It produces rhizomelic short limbs, increased spinal curvature, and distortion of skull growth. In achondroplasia
6453-549: A journey to Scudder, the man he has been looking for since the beginning of the series. When incorporating tarot symbolism into the show, show creator Daniel Knauf started with the Rider–Waite tarot deck and then took liberties in interpretation. The same deck was used in the series and in several web games, as tarot divination played a significant part in Carnivàle ' s online marketing. The producers had wished to provide
6692-471: A later version closer to the actual series, Ben left his mother's farm at age sixteen and fell into a criminal life in Texas . After receiving a twenty-year sentence in a state prison-farm for a failed bank robbery , Ben planned his escape to return home to his sick mother, but he accidentally killed a prison guard who drew a gun on him. Show creator Daniel Knauf gave the latter as Ben's chain gang background in
6931-666: A little boy with a similar tree painted to his chest and back late in Season 1. Brother Justin finds this tree grown on a hill early in Season 2, which prompts him to get his chest and back tattooed accordingly. The tree is also depicted in the show's Gospel of Matthias book, in a painting at the Templar Hall in Loving, New Mexico, and on many images in the room of Templar chaplain Kerrigan. Management and Wilfred Talbot Smith imply
7170-637: A local girl named Flora Hawkins from Milfay, Oklahoma , with whom he had a son, Ben. When Scudder felt his pursuing enemy again, he left his family and traveled aimlessly throughout the country. After narrowly surviving a cave-in in Babylon, he joined the Hyde ;& Teller Company, a small carnival working the southeastern circuit. Scudder worked as a sideshow geek for nearly a year and got to know Samson, Jonesy, Possum, Lila, Ruthie and Gabriel. Meanwhile, Belyakov used Lodz's tracking skills and purchased
7409-542: A long journey, Ben finds Scudder in Damascus, Nebraska and brings him to the carnival's Management and reveals that Management's son is the Avatar of Darkness. Management attacks Scudder, leading to Ben killing Management to protect him. Scudder flees and moments later, escaped convict Stroud kidnaps him and brings him to Brother Justin. Brother Justin anticipates Scudder's renewed escape and decapitates him. Lucius Belyakov
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7648-655: A long time to be one and the same with the Usher. The Omega is, like the Alpha, a female and the only other known exception to the male restriction in Avatar succession, and because of the allusion to " the Beginning and the End " in naming, the Omega is commonly accepted as the last Avatar. Certain characters have seemingly supernatural abilities from the beginning of the series. Ben Hawkins and Brother Justin Crowe not only have common visions of two soldiers (one of them also appearing in
7887-458: A major dust storm . Rain only occurs twice in the show. The first occurrence is when Ben and Sofie copulate; the writers wanted to highlight that Avataric sex "affects the heavens". The second is when Brother Justin forcibly takes the Boon from Henry Scudder in the episode " Cheyenne, WY ". A major part of Carnivàle ' s story is religion . Samson's prologue in the pilot episode is based on
8126-475: A major obstacle for the carnival's success. Iris Crowe is the older sister of Brother Justin and a devoted supporter of his ministry duties in California. Iris' significance in the series starts when Brother Justin informs her about the church board's plan to take away his new ministry. Shortly after, a fire in the church kills several orphans, but it remains unknown until the end of the first season that Iris
8365-529: A moon. Show creator Daniel Knauf designed this logo. The characters Ben Hawkins and Brother Justin Crowe are revealed to be Avatars through the usage of their supernatural powers; however, viewers did not find it immediately apparent whether a suspected Avatar served as good or evil. The series gave clues, such as depicting the Creatures of Darkness with coal-black eyes (according to Daniel Knauf, Creatures of Light have an invisible aura). An Avatar's nature
8604-539: A natural end with its second season and gave this as the network's explanation for not renewing Carnivàle , it was reported HBO president Chris Albrecht had originally wanted to conclude the second season of Carnivàle with a satisfying and close-ended confrontation between Brother Justin and Ben. Albrecht allegedly preferred a definite demise of Brother Justin to a cliffhanger, but Knauf stated Albrecht might have been misquoted. According to Knauf, Albrecht had wished in preproduction discussions to conclude season 2 with
8843-688: A number of organizations nationally and internationally. They are included in some events in the athletics at the Summer Paralympics . The Dwarf Athletic Association of America and the Dwarf Sports Association UK provide opportunities for dwarfs to compete nationally and internationally in the Americas and Europe, respectively. The World Dwarf Games (WDG) are a multi-sport event for athletes of short stature. The WDG have been held every four years since 1993 and are
9082-431: A pawn between Brother Justin and Iris as siblings, making Brother Justin jealous. The Crowes also regularly hire new maids, which Knauf explained as Iris lining up surrogate women to relieve Brother Justin's sexual pressure. In reviewing the first three episodes, The New York Times saw in "prim, righteous Brother Justin ... more of a caricature, but Clancy Brown finds ways to bring some subtle glints of personality to
9321-477: A physically intimidating presence but who wants little more than to be a subdued and loyal servant of his Lord, and he succeeds on every level." DVDverdict stated in a season 2 review that "Brown's presence and charisma is dazzling; he is both likable and frightening. He is an actor with a great deal of range, and he uses all of it in this series." Referring to Brown's portrayal as "a man of God in Carnivale ",
9560-531: A pilot episode of a different project, was cast as Jonesy because the producers felt he best portrayed a "very American" looking baseball player of the 1930s period. Debra Christofferson impressed the producers with her first and only audition, playing Lila as Lodz's lover instead of his best friend as the script had implied. Adrienne Barbeau (Ruthie) was cast after her first audition as well, although she had originally expected to be cast as Apollonia. She learned to snake-dance afterwards. Brian Turk's role as Gabriel
9799-520: A relationship with Ben's mother once; Samson later confirms Scudder as Ben's father. Season 2 forces both Ben and Brother Justin to find Scudder for their own purposes. It is confirmed that he is the previous generation's Creature of Darkness, and just as Management, the previous Avatar of Light, knew Ben's identity, he knows Brother Justin's, the current Avatar of Darkness. He had repeatedly tried to flee from his destiny, and when he sensed Management approaching he fled to protect Ben and his mother. After
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10038-405: A righteous mission of God until late in the first season. Compared to Brother Justin, Brown stated he practiced religion in moderate ways. Daniel Knauf felt that Brother Justin shares patterns with certain religious leaders who were often persecuted for their delusional visions. Historical figures like Father Coughlin , Aimee Semple McPherson and Brigham Young served as inspiration, although
10277-443: A series of features or graphic novels . Knauf approached Marvel Comics to continue the future Carnivàle storyline that he had kept to himself. They seemed interested, but HBO , who own the show and the characters, would not confer their rights. During the 2007 Writers Guild of America strike , Knauf stated that "an idiosyncratic show like Carnivàle would never be greenlit today," and claimed that present-day television included
10516-437: A small trunk, with average-sized limbs. Proportionate dwarfism is marked by a short torso with short limbs, thus leading to a height that is significantly below average. There may be long periods without any significant growth. Sexual development is often delayed or impaired into adulthood. This dwarfism type is caused by an endocrine disorder and not a skeletal dysplasia. Physical effects of malformed bones vary according to
10755-418: A subliminal message, Stroud escapes prison to find and bring Henry Scudder to Brother Justin. Stroud first tracks Scudder's old life and later follows the route of the carnival . With Ben's unintentional aid, Stroud finally finds the man he is looking for. After delivering Scudder to Brother Justin, Stroud becomes his security manager, which significantly hinders the carnival's aim to kill Brother Justin. Since
10994-482: A trailer fire at the end of the first season. Jonesy rescues Sofie, but Apollonia dies. Nevertheless, season 2 shows Apollonia repeatedly appearing to Sofie and snake charmer Ruthie. Sofie tries to leave her fortuneteller life behind by becoming a roustabout. After a short-lived relationship with Ben, Sofie leaves the carnival altogether and becomes the Crowes' maid in California . Brother Justin introduces her to
11233-483: A trinket with the same symbol to Lodz, the mentalist has the same visions as Ben and falls to the floor chanting " in hoc signo vinces " ("in this sign you will conquer"). The Knights Templar remain a recurring subplot until Ben discovers the symbol's significance in early Season 2. The Lodge of the Benevolent Order of Templar has its last appearance in the mid-Season-2 episode " Old Cherry Blossom Road ", where
11472-520: A vision later in the first season of the Tattooed Man raping her mother. In the season 2 opening episode, Management, the mysterious leader of the carnival, reveals himself as Lucius Belyakov, the Russian soldier of Ben's dreams. Moments before his death several episodes later, Belyakov learns that his son Alexei (Brother Justin) did not die in a train accident, as he had previously believed. In
11711-472: A way to express the struggle of good versus evil, faith, and the nature of humanity. Neither the audience nor the actors were given advice on how to interpret the show's biblical imagery. Clancy Brown , the actor who portrayed Brother Justin, did not know whether his character was the Creature of Light or Darkness during the first season. He however thought that the visions made Brother Justin believe to be on
11950-464: A wide range of professions. Individuals with dwarfism often face prejudice and stereotypes. Research by Klein (2019) has demonstrated that awareness of the stigmatization of this group can promote full participation in society. The research by Green and Pinter (2018) in the field of humor and social psychology can provide insights to reduce stereotypes and promote a more objective perception. In daily life, little people face numerous obstacles because
12189-642: A woman, making their relationship awkward. At the beginning of the series, Jonesy is faced with Sofie avoiding his advances. While she retreats into a friendship with cootch dancer Libby Dreifuss, Jonesy finds sexual relief with Libby's mother Rita Sue. When Sofie begins to show interest in him, he breaks off his relationship with Rita Sue; however, the fact that he was sleeping with her (and that Libby knew about it) causes Sofie to break both of their hearts as pay back. After this Jonesy remains cold towards her yet finds new affection in Libby. The two eventually elope . Jonesy
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#173279087815112428-415: Is catatonic , she and Sofie can communicate telepathically . Their original biographies declare Apollonia a "once renowned seer who read cards for the rich and famous" and "the only psychic Houdini was unable to debunk." A series of seizures during Sofie's birth in 1913 was given as reason for Apollonia's state. Apollonia's sister cared for her until Sofie was old enough to take over, and they began working
12667-404: Is Light and the other Dark. A Creature of Light and a Creature of Darkness have been born to each generation since, and unlike the Alpha, they have always been male. The Avataric Blood travels within families forming a dynasty . The first-born son of an Avatar receives a so-called mantle at birth that manifests him as an Avatar of a new generation; whether the new Avatar is Light or Dark
12906-439: Is a common replacement of the term 'dwarfism', especially in a medical context. Short stature is clinically defined as a height within the lowest 2.3% of those in the general population. However, those with mild skeletal dysplasias may not be affected by dwarfism. In some cases of untreated hypochondroplasia , males grow up to 165 cm (5 feet 5 inches). Though that is short in a relative context, it does not fall into
13145-430: Is a condition of people and animals marked by unusually small size or short stature. In humans, it is sometimes defined as an adult height of less than 147 centimetres (4 ft 10 in), regardless of sex; the average adult height among people with dwarfism is 120 centimetres (4 ft). Disproportionate dwarfism is characterized by either short limbs or a short torso. In cases of proportionate dwarfism , both
13384-525: Is a dwarf and manages the carnival, sets up the show's mythology with a prologue in the pilot episode, talking of "a creature of light and a creature of darkness" being born "to each generation" preparing for a final battle. Most mythological elements in Carnivàle relate to so-called Avatars (or Creatures of Light and Darkness ), fictional human-like beings with supernatural powers who embody good and evil. In its first season Carnivàle does not reveal its characters as Avatars beyond insinuation, and makes
13623-409: Is a modern interpretation ... Carnivàle manager Samson, Anderson gets the best dialogue, dropping terrifically incomprehensible lines." DVD Talk lauded Madigan (Iris), DeKay (Jonesy), and DuVall (Sofie) as "fantastic choices" with particularly convincing 1930s looks. They highlighted Carnivàle 's status as an ensemble show, with "the performances of all the supporting characters [being] essential to
13862-410: Is a mysterious man who appears in Ben's and Brother Justin's dreams as a Russian soldier. He is also revealed to be the previous generation's Creature of Light. Unknown at first, he is also the carnival's Management, hiding in his trailer and communicating with his carny workers solely through Samson. He is also the father of Iris and Justin Crowe. As Management remains unseen during the first season, it
14101-499: Is a repressed memory of Brother Justin of him and Iris as the only survivors of a train accident which had also cost their mother's life. Reverend Norman Balthus later saved Irina and Alexei and raised them in a church orphanage. A vision prompts Brother Justin to get his chest tattooed early in the second season. Some people of the Carnivàle are closely related. Apollonia and Sofie are introduced as mother and daughter working as fortunetellers. Sofie grew up not knowing her father, but has
14340-518: Is a very isolated and quiet character, and yet he carries a significant part of the series on his shoulders. Without the right actor it could be disastrous, but Stahl brings a level of thoughtful emotion to the character such that a glance or a stare speaks volumes." DVDverdict felt in a season 2 review that "both Nick Stahl and Clancy Brown deliver perfect performances. Stahl's gradual acceptance of his own power, and his subsequent struggle, are fascinating." For his portrayal of Ben Hawkins, Nick Stahl
14579-495: Is able to bring Scudder before the carnival's Management. A fight ensues in which Ben is forced to kill Management, leaving him a full understanding of his powers. Season two concludes with Ben's setting out to confront Brother Justin in California, where they finally meet in battle in a cornfield. The carnies find Brother Justin slain and Ben passed out from his own grievous wounds. They take Ben back to their camp and leave New Canaan. As his powers and use of powers already suggest in
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#173279087815114818-537: Is an American television series set in the United States during the Great Depression . The series traces the disparate storylines of a young carnival worker named Ben Hawkins and Brother Justin Crowe , a preacher in California. The overarching story is built around a good and evil theme, which serves as a human-scaled metaphor within a complex structure of myth and allegory . Samson, who
15057-431: Is chance. Therefore, there is one Avatar to each House per generation. Giving birth to a new Avatar leaves the mother barren and insane. Before that time, she can give birth to an unlimited number of females from an Avatar. These children as well as their respective offspring are called Vectori , beings with Avataric Blood who are not themselves Avatara, and who thus become generationally further removed from an Avatar in
15296-816: Is depicted in many books, films, and TV series such as Willow , The Wild Wild West , The Man with the Golden Gun (and later parodied in Austin Powers ), Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift , The Wizard of Oz , Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory , Bad Santa , A Son of the Circus , Little People, Big World , The Little Couple , A Song of Ice and Fire (and its TV adaptation Game of Thrones ), Seinfeld , The Orator , In Bruges , The Tin Drum by Günter Grass ,
15535-407: Is determined by the type and application of his powers. As the Pitch Document states, Avatars draw their talents and powers from the same pool. These abilities may vary in type and strength, and include but are not limited to the manipulation and transfer of life force , spiritual healings , telekinesis and telepathy , and granting small measures of powers to a mortal. Although the series showed
15774-571: Is given as an Avatar's birthright and can be improved through study and practice. Avatars can manipulate and transmit the resulting visions through dreams to others. As far as established, only Creatures of Darkness suffer physical weakness or pain when their opposite makes use of his powers. Avatars can sense the existence of their moral opponent, but are unable to detect or identify them outside of close physical proximity. They can, however, easily detect and locate an Avatar of like kind over great distances with great accuracy. These abilities contribute to
16013-586: Is hospitalized in a sanatorium and discovers his ability to manipulate and control those around him through sheer force of will. Shortly after Brother Justin's return to Mintern, Norman suspects his foster son to be possessed by a demon and confronts him, but Brother Justin is not disturbed by his true nature for long. In the beginning of season 2, Brother Justin has begun to gather a huge flock of worshippers of mostly migrants and Okies outside Mintern via his nightly radio sermons and newfound abilities of persuasion. A scholar named Wilfred Talbot Smith identifies him as
16252-412: Is kidnapped, tortured and left for dead by a man who had lost his wife in a Ferris wheel accident. Ben is able to heal Jonesy including his crippled knee, and Jonesy joins Ben on his last mission. In the series' final minutes, Jonesy and Sofie meet again, and she shoots him in cold blood. Apollonia and Sofie Agnesh Bojakshiya are fortunetellers in a mother-daughter act at the carnival. Although Apollonia
16491-661: Is killed in a battle in a cornfield near his home, but Sofie as the Omega arrives and places her hands on his chest, causing the corn stalks around them to wither and fall away. Besides being the Usher , Brother Justin is also an Avataric Creature of Dark. His spiritual presentation in the series, the Tattooed Man , was portrayed by Don Swayze . Daniel Knauf saw in Brother Justin "one of the most complex devils", and envisioned Christopher Walken to play him when he wrote
16730-496: Is no definitive cause of short stature. Dwarfism is often diagnosed in childhood on the basis of visible symptoms. A physical examination can usually suffice to diagnose certain types of dwarfism, but genetic testing and diagnostic imaging may be used to determine the exact condition. In a person's youth, growth charts that track height can be used to diagnose subtle forms of dwarfism that have no other striking physical characteristics. Short stature or stunted growth during youth
16969-423: Is not possible. The appropriate term for describing a person of particularly short stature (or with the genetic condition achondroplasia ) has developed euphemistically. The noun dwarf stems from Old English : dweorg , originally referring to a being from Germanic mythology —a dwarf —that dwells in mountains and in the earth, and is associated with wisdom, smithing, mining, and crafting. The etymology of
17208-421: Is referred to by the underlying diagnosed disorder. Disorders causing dwarfism are often classified by proportionality. Disproportionate dwarfism describes disorders that cause unusual proportions of the body parts, while proportionate dwarfism results in a generally uniform stunting of the body. Disorders that cause dwarfism may be classified according to one of hundreds of names, which are usually permutations of
17447-439: Is the dwarf co-manager of the Carnivàle. His original biography gave his background as a dwarf strongman who started his career in 1904. Eight years later, he started working on traveling carnivals, including the Hyde & Teller Company. Samson's wit elevated him from performer to general manager until another character, Management, purchased the carnival (to be renamed Carnivàle) and briefly gave Samson's job to Lodz,
17686-404: Is through the efforts of this outstanding cast that makes the entire premise of the show and the period setting so realistic and believable that the audience can't help but get immersed in it." Several supporting actors received award recognition for their performances in Carnivàle . Barbeau (Ruthie) was nominated for a 2003 Golden Satellite Award in the category "Best Performance by an Actress in
17925-417: Is typically small (less than 5 cm [2 in]) and the cost high. The most effective means of increasing adult height by several inches is distraction osteogenesis , though availability is limited and the cost is high in terms of money, discomfort, and disruption of life. Most people with dwarfism do not choose this option, and it remains controversial. For other types of dwarfism, surgical treatment
18164-462: Is unclear at first whether Management exists at all. Late in the season, however, Management is shown to have a conversation with Lodz. In the second season, Management reveals himself to Ben as Lucius Belyakov, the soldier of his dreams who was once badly injured by a bear. Management wants Ben to break an unfolding chain of catastrophic events, which will lead to the death of millions. Management urges Ben to find and bring Scudder to him, as he will know
18403-413: Is usually what brings the condition to medical attention. Skeletal dysplasia is usually suspected because of obvious physical features (e.g., unusual configuration of face or shape of skull), because of an obviously affected parent, or because body measurements (arm span, upper to lower segment ratio) indicate disproportion. Bone X-rays are often key to diagnosing a specific skeletal dysplasia, but are not
18642-660: The Los Angeles Times saw Brown's "eyes always betray[ing] him as someone who, all things considered, would probably be happier caving in your skull and smoking a cigarette afterward than talking to you for another minute." Time 's James Poniewozik depicted the Boardwalk Empire character Nelson Van Alden (played by Michael Shannon ) as "such a histrionic, guilt-wracked, damnation-obsessed monster that he reminds me of Brother Justin". Samson, in earlier drafts also called Edgar Leiber or Edgar Leonhardt,
18881-458: The Usher and tells him that, to gain his full measure of power and fulfill his destiny, he must find and kill a man named Henry Scudder. While escaped convict Varlyn Stroud helps Brother Justin, the Crowes find a new chambermaid in ex-carny Sofie, not knowing that she is Brother Justin's daughter. Brother Justin at long last meets his adversary, Ben, in the final episode of the series. Brother Justin
19120-461: The Bearded Lady ; the Dreifuss family striptease act; the snake charmer Ruthie and her son Gabriel, a strongman ; and many other sideshow performers. The supporting characters of Brother Justin's storyline are his sister Iris, his mentor Reverend Norman Balthus, the radio show host Tommy Dolan, and the convict Varlyn Stroud. Several characters appear in mysterious dreams and visions connecting
19359-523: The International Dwarf Fashion Show to raise awareness and boost self-confidence of people living with dwarfism. A number of reality television series on Lifetime , beginning with Little Women: LA in 2014, focused on showing the lives of women living with dwarfism in various cities around the United States. Avatars (Carniv%C3%A0le) "Before the Beginning, after the great war between Heaven and Hell, God created
19598-537: The Knights Templar , a medieval Christian military order , in the late Season 1 episode " Lonnigan, TX ", where Ben meets the freak finder Phineas Boffo. When Ben comes in contact with Boffo's ring, he experiences a powerful series of visions of the Knights Templar practicing rituals, putting heads on spikes, and being burned at the stake . The ring bears a red-crossed symbol, and when Samson passes
19837-661: The Talmud , it is said that the second born son of the Egyptian Pharaoh of the Bible was a dwarf. Recent scholarship has suggested that ancient Egyptians held dwarfs in high esteem. Several important mythological figures of the North American Wyandot nation are portrayed as dwarfs. As popular media has become more widespread, the number of works depicting dwarfs have increased dramatically. Dwarfism
20076-537: The Tattooed Man in visions, and he can only be killed with a weapon infused with the Vitae Divina that is thrust into the bough of his tree tattoo where his dark heart dwells. Injuries from such anointed weapons are said to never fully heal. Also prophesied is the Omega (known in the Pitch Document as Omega The Destroyer and the Antichrist ), whom Carnivàle ' s occult characters had assumed for
20315-439: The antireligion in the 1930s. The following list specifies the tarot cards featured in the opening sequence, the provided keywords and the used artwork. Executive producer Ronald D. Moore was confident that Carnivàle was one of the most complicated shows on television, while show creator Daniel Knauf admitted that "you may not understand everything that goes on but it does make a certain sense." In stating that Carnivàle
20554-412: The brain or liver , sometimes severely enough to be more of an impairment than the unusual bone growth. Mental effects also vary according to the specific underlying syndrome. In most cases of skeletal dysplasia, such as achondroplasia, mental function is not impaired. However, there are syndromes which can affect the cranial structure and growth of the brain, severely impairing mental capacity. Unless
20793-568: The discrimination they may face. In addition to the medical aspect of the condition there are social aspects. For a person with dwarfism, height discrimination can lead to ridicule in childhood and discrimination in adulthood. In the United Kingdom, United States, Canada , Australia , and other English-speaking countries, labels that some people with dwarfism accept include dwarf (plural: dwarfs ), little person (LP), or person of short stature (see terminology ). Historically,
21032-432: The mucopolysaccharidoses and other storage disorders . Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism may cause proportionate, yet temporary, dwarfism. NPR2 disproportionate dwarfism was discovered recently and is caused by a mutant gene. Serious chronic illnesses may produce dwarfism as a side effect. Harsh environmental conditions, such as malnutrition, may also produce dwarfism. These types of dwarfism are indirect consequences of
21271-416: The "slowly unfolding sadness" appealing over long or would have the patience or endurance to find out the meaning of the show. Viewership did drop significantly in Season 2, and Carnivàle was cancelled in 2005 after two of six planned seasons. In a post-cancellation interview, Daniel Knauf was positive that someone would let him finish his story someday, if not as a television series, then possibly as
21510-572: The 1920s and 1930s, with additional research put into Asian harlots, Latin dancers and Hawaiian dancers. The costume designers chose the costumes of the Daily Brothers Show, a rival carnival, to have a new color tone to set them apart from the Carnivàle. The dress of Sabina the Scorpion Lady underwent several die-bleaching cycles to achieve a red-orange-purple color that would work well when filming outside. Bert/Bertha's costume
21749-465: The 1930s as "the last great age of magic" being ended by an atomic bomb to herald the Age of Reason. Many reviews quoted and commented on Samson's prologue to explain both the apocalyptic premise and the mythology of the show. Some reviews asserted that the good and evil creatures described in the prologue were Ben and Justin, preparing for a final battle. Still, many reviews were reluctant to state who of
21988-493: The 1930s period. Nick Stahl, who interpreted Ben as "very stoic", "very quiet", with a "dual nature" and a "real internal struggle going on", embraced this role as a personal challenge. In reviewing the first three episodes, The New York Times commented that "Ben is a taciturn hero, and Mr. Stahl does a remarkable job of wordlessly conveying his character's moods and yearnings, as well as his ungainly grace." The Boston Globe regarded "Stahl, with his watchful eyes, [as] one of
22227-674: The Ascendant Prince will be automatically raised to Prophet in his stead, without chance of a boon. Two unique Avatars join the Alpha as an exception to the Avataric rule. Carnivàle ' s Avataric mythology prophesied the Usher of Destruction throughout the ages as a harbinger of the End Times to usher in the Armageddon . He is known by a thousand names in a thousand books, but can only manifest once. He appears as
22466-440: The Australian newspaper The Age stated that Knauf "sprinkled enough magical gifts over the carnival's cast of mind readers, fortunetellers, snake charmers, catatonic psychics, conjoined twins, bearded ladies and lizard men to make the bizarre and the macabre appear just about routine." Matt Casamassina of IGN added that "from the opening sequence to the fade out on episode 12 [of season 1], Carnivàle successfully draws you into
22705-839: The Bearded Lady (Debra Christofferson) and Gecko the Lizard Man ( John Fleck ) are performers without genetic aberrances whose appearances were altered through makeup and prosthetics. To give the illusion of being freaks, the appearance of several actors was modified by make-up elements. John Fleck (Gecko) spent over ten hours in makeup each day to transform into and out of his character. The skin, which needed to look like alligator hide, consisted of seven or eight separate pieces and needed to be glued to Fleck's face. Patrick Bauchau (Lodz) had several contact lens pairs of different opaqueness. While one pair enabled him to see shapes, another pair made him basically blind and he had to be led around
22944-634: The Belyakov genealogy, making a fusion with the Scudder genealogy possible. The casting approach for Carnivàle was to find the best available actors and to show the characters' realness as opposed to depending on freak illusions too much. Carnivàle 's casting directors John Papsodera and Wendy O'Brien already had experience in casting freaks from previous projects. They attended theater showcases, approached smaller agents or hired some actors directly to find people with unique and distinct looks, which
23183-425: The Carnivàle took on new acts such as the fortunetellers Apollonia and Sofie, the conjoined twins , Gecko the Lizard Man, and the Dreifuss family. While Lodz embitteredly waited for Management to fulfill his earlier promise of restoring his sight, Samson ran the show, counseled by Management and assisted by Jonesy. Eighteen years went by until Management felt Ben Hawkins, whom he had sensed as his Ascendant since birth,
23422-473: The Creatures of Light and Darkness of the series' opening monologue. The series portrays Avatars as human-like beings with supernatural powers who embody good and evil , and whose constant and age-long struggle serves to explain the Dark Ages and Ages of Enlightenment in humanity's history in the real world. Carnivàle represents this Avataric duality as Light and Dark in several instances. The surnames of
23661-493: The Depression-engulfed world of its many oddly likeable characters. And sure enough, odd best describes these people ... The show prominently features all manners of freaks, but each is well-crafted, layered, and believable, rather than comical, as easily could have been the case under amateur direction." MSNBC acknowledged the characters "speak[ing] in a dialogue that feels authentic, even if that authenticity
23900-493: The Earth and gave dominion over it to the crafty ape he called Man. And to each generation 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 forever traded away wonder for reason." Samson in "Milfay" Carnivàle
24139-468: The Earth, inhabiting it with the crafty ape he called Man. And henceforth, to each generation was born a creature of Light and a creature of Darkness, and they would gather to them men of ilk nature and thus, by proxy, carry on the war between Good and Evil." Show creator Daniel Knauf believed Carnivàle' s religious aspects stemmed from the epic of good and evil as a major fabric of the 1930s, while executive producer Ronald D. Moore regarded religion as
24378-512: The Hyde & Teller Company, scantily missing Scudder. To remain undercover, Belyakov renamed the troupe "Carnivàle", assumed the name "Management", and replaced Samson with Lodz as the new co-manager. Lodz finally located Scudder in St. Louis , but when Lodz failed in preventing Scudder from going into hiding again (with the Order Templar ), Samson regained his old job. Over the years,
24617-560: The Knights of Jericho" between 1921 and 1923 and becoming its head in 1926. The completion of the construction of his "Temple of Jericho" was set in Nebraska in 1928. At the series' start initially projected to occur in 1930, the character had already gathered a great army of followers through his "Church of the Air" radio sermons. After seeing the preliminary pilot episode, however, Knauf and
24856-480: The Old Indian dhvaras (a type of demonic being). The being may not have gained associations with small stature until a later period. The terms "little person", "LP" and "person of short stature" are the preferred terms of those with this disorder, and while many are uncomfortable with "dwarf" it remains a common term in some areas. However, the plural "dwarfs" as opposed to "dwarves" is generally preferred in
25095-697: The Pitch Document, the Avatars of the current generation (at the end of Season 2) are Ben as the Creature of Light and Brother Justin as the Creature of Darkness. Justin is also the Usher, spiritually represented by the Tattooed Man. Their respective fathers were Avatars of the previous generation: Henry Scudder was the Creature of Darkness, and Lucius Belyakov (Management) was the Creature of Light. At each time, an Avatar's blood color mirrored his status. Ben's and Brother Justin's blood were red when they were Princes, and upon becoming Prophets, their blood turned into Vitae Divina (blue blood). Scudder's father Hilton
25334-418: The Prophet is killed by his Ascendant Prince, the Prince will gain the mantle of the Prophet with a boon (full measure of power). For the boon to be passed, the Prophet must be of sound mind, and either willingly pass on the boon, or be taken by surprise so that he cannot put up a psychic defense. If however the Prophet is impaired, the Ascendant Prince may be driven insane. If a Prophet dies in any other way,
25573-399: The Tattooed Man is often depicted without a focus on his face, although a few frames in the pilot episode show him played by Clancy Brown (Brother Justin). Knauf confirmed the Tattooed Man as the spiritual representation of the Usher of Destruction. "Drought and pestilence fester in the very heart of this great land. Titanic sandstorms, the likes of which man has not seen since the day of
25812-450: The Tattooed Man. The progressing story increases the importance of the two mysterious soldiers, who are revealed as Henry Scudder and Management. Strange words of unknown meaning appear throughout the series. Variations of the phrase "Every Prophet in his House " are repeated, seemingly without context. Ben finds the repeating letter string TARAVATARAVA in a mineshaft, which he is later able to interpret as Avatar . Season 2 introduces
26051-676: The Villanueva circus family in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana in 1890. The family traveled the international circuit as the "Flying Villalobos" until misfortune struck. One of Lila's two older brothers died in Copenhagen in 1905, and her father committed suicide in 1908. At age sixteen, Lila already sported a beard and married for the first time. The marriage did not last long, and Lila would marry over nineteen more times in her life. Lodz would be her only true love . Lila's arc of
26290-452: The actress, "the beard actually determined Lila's voice." Establishing the characters' background rather than prettiness was the main goal of costumes. Ben wore the same clothes in both seasons, and to make them look identical, around twenty multiples of his coveralls were made by hand. It took over six weeks to apply all stitches, patches and the roughly fifty holes, plus the aging process. Brother Justin's clothes were made period-correct from
26529-561: The arson. Trying to further his career, Dolan collects evidence until Brother Justin accepts the arrangement of a special confession announcement for Iris. The confession backfires and Dolan is arrested, with Iris's guilt never proven. Reverend Norman Balthus is Brother Justin's mentor. He rescued and raised young Justin and Iris after he had found them alone in the wilderness. Late in the first season, Norman grows suspicious of Brother Justin's inner motivations. He confronts his foster son but does not carry out Brother Justin's plea to kill him. At
26768-472: The battlefield, searching for his bear Bruno. When Scudder joined Lodz's troupe, Lodz recognized and cultivated Scudder's supernatural abilities, and they started to perform in the salons of war-torn Europe. Meanwhile, Belyakov slowly recovered from his wounds and learned about his true nature and destiny through devoted study of ancient manuscripts. Scudder could feel Belyakov tracking his movements and never stayed long in one area. Growing impatient, Lodz got into
27007-462: The beginning of season 2, Norman suffers a stroke leaving him unable to move or speak. He remains in the care of Brother Justin and Iris until the carnival sets up near Brother Justin's home at the end of the series. Ben heals Norman, but the reverend is fatally lacerated by Brother Justin seconds later. Varlyn Stroud is a convict . His original biography gives insight into his criminal past and names Stroud's sister Clara as his first murder. When Clara
27246-551: The beginning, but the character's foreboding presence was enhanced by fitting his frock on the waist and making the shoulders look bigger than usual for that time period. Sofie's clothes had a strong Bohemian Eastern influence to portray her mother's origin and sensibilities. Stumpy's wardrobe consisted of baggy pants and an Italian bowler hat that gave him a 1920s look instead of the 1930s, showing his clothes were second-hand . The stripper clothes of Rita Sue and Libby were influenced by Mae West , harlot movies and silent films of
27485-704: The bloodline. While Vectori cannot become Avatara, as that mantle is only conveyed upon birth, they can still exhibit some minor powers and often show signs of insanity . The eldest generational Avatar within a House is dominant and called the Prophet . He possesses blue blood, also called Vitae Divina . The next in line is the Ascendant Prince . Any additional Avatara within the House are Princes ranked by generation. Although Avatara form blood dynasties from father to son, House affiliations can be mixed within
27724-427: The body's limbs are proportionately shorter than the trunk (abdominal area), with a larger head than average and characteristic facial features. Achondroplasia is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by the presence of an altered allele in the genome. If a pair of achondroplasia alleles are present, the result is fatal, usually perinatally. Achondroplasia is a mutation in the fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 . In
27963-565: The brain is directly affected by the underlying disorder, there is little to no chance of mental impairment that can be attributed to dwarfism. The psycho-social limitations of society may be more disabling than the physical symptoms, especially in childhood and adolescence, but people with dwarfism vary greatly in the degree to which social participation and emotional health are affected. Dwarfism can result from many medical conditions, each with its own separate symptoms and causes. Extreme shortness in humans with proportional body parts usually has
28202-419: The burned-down ministry in his radio show, Dolan approaches Brother Justin's sister Iris and helps her with receiving funds for a new church. Dolan is seemingly attracted to Iris, but Brother Justin's return prevents further advances. By the beginning of season 2, Dolan has fulfilled Brother Justin's wish to become a radio preacher, yet police evidence surfaces first hinting at Brother Justin's, then Iris' guilt in
28441-402: The carnival storyline. The second season amounted to thirteen main cast members, supplemented by several actors in recurring roles. Although such large casts make shows more expensive to produce, the writers have more flexibility in story decisions. Ben Krohn Hawkins is the protagonist in Carnivàle . He begins the story as a young Oklahoma farmer and chain gang fugitive who is picked up by
28680-608: The cast for only a few episodes, but was not told the story reasons at that point. The writers prolonged the character arcs of recurring John Carroll Lynch (Stroud) and K Callan (Eleanor) considerably beyond their original intention. Similarly, Robert Knepper's role as Tommy Dolan was extended from a few episodes to half of both seasons because the writers had liked his performance as an "ambitious man [who uses] Brother Justin to further his career." Genetic disorders or unusual body features are not uncommon among Carnivàle actors. Michael J. Anderson (Samson) has osteogenesis imperfecta ,
28919-492: The categories "Outstanding Costumes for a Series", "Outstanding Hairstyling for a Series", and "Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Miniseries, Movie or a Special" in 2005. In the same year, Carnivàle was nominated for two Costume Designers Guild Awards in the categories "Outstanding Costume Design for Television Series – Period/Fantasy" and "Excellence in Costume Design for Television – Period/Fantasy", winning
29158-482: The characters' free will to overcome their destiny . Free choice allows the story to portray Avatars as deliberately not making use of their powers or as acting contrary to their nature; an Avatar would however still have to put consistent effort into not lapsing back into his defined moral behavior. The Pitch Document described Avatars as sharing the ability to envision the past, present and future, both literally and symbolically. Accessing this plane of pure truth
29397-448: The child's parents open. Ben's future would face other hardships. According to Knauf, Ben's wounds of the season 2 finale would require repeated suturing, causing him to lose his Vitae Divina and draining him of strength. Ben would be a different man than he was before, with a personality closer to Management, and while he and Sofie would be bound together by love, their ultimate fates remain uncertain. Dwarfism Dwarfism
29636-530: The circumstances surrounding Lodz's death, she suborns the carnival crew to a mutiny that almost prevents the troupe from meeting with Brother Justin in California. Felix "Stumpy" Dreifuss is the manager of the cootch ( striptease ) show. He is married to Rita Sue, and has two daughters, Libby and Dora Mae. Their original biographies state Rita Sue was born in Michigan in 1895 as the only child of Thomas and Emma Menninger. Her parents invested in her education at
29875-565: The complex mythological structure. The first Prophet in the mythology of Carnivàle is the Alpha . This creature is never mentioned in the series, but Knauf described her as a female who lived before the Flood and whose story was lost with the destruction of the Royal Library of Alexandria . The Alpha spawned the first pair of Avatara , manifestations of some higher power or House ; one
30114-399: The concepts of the Alpha , the Omega and the Usher . These Wild Card Avatars have special rules in addition to, or replacing, the normal ones. Reviewers rarely focused on the significance of the mentioned Avataric terms and their implied characteristics in the story, despite detailed explanations by Knauf and the later public availability of Carnivàle ' s Pitch Document, setting out
30353-649: The context of achondroplasia, this mutation causes FGFR3 to become constitutively active, inhibiting bone growth. Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) is a medical condition in which the body produces insufficient growth hormone . Growth hormone, also called somatotropin, is a polypeptide hormone which stimulates growth and cell reproduction. If this hormone is lacking, stunted or even halted growth may become apparent. Children with this disorder may grow slowly and puberty may be delayed by several years or indefinitely. Growth hormone deficiency has no single definite cause. It can be caused by mutations of specific genes, damage to
30592-438: The convergence of the two storylines in Carnivàle . Daniel Knauf overlaid the Avatars of the fictional universe with an elaborate order of succession by blood, similar to the ascent of royal families . The descriptors Royals , King and Prince are replaced in the series with Vectori , Prophet and Prince . Female royals like Queens and Princesses do not have a fictional counterpart and are instead replaced with
30831-412: The creative team behind the opening titles stated, it was their goal "to create a title sequence that grounded viewers in the mid-1930s, but that also allowed people to feel a larger presence of good and evil over all of time." The creators offered a detailed interpretation of the tarot cards in the opening titles, and covered topics like good and bad , heaven and hell , wars, and the age of science as
31070-480: The creators and producers, especially for leading characters. Nick Stahl had the strongest consensus among the producers to portray the leading man and hero of the series with a youthful, innocent and anti-hero quality. The character of Sofie was originally written as more of an exotic gypsy girl, but Clea DuVall , a movie actress trying to become involved in regular television, got the part after four auditions. Tim DeKay , who had previously worked with Daniel Knauf on
31309-399: The dead, he must deliberately kill someone else. When the beginning of season two makes the mysterious happenings in the carnival clearer, Ben is told to find the preacher of his dreams to prevent an unfolding chain of catastrophic events. Henry Scudder, at this point revealed to be Ben's father, allegedly knows the preacher's name, and after a number of near misses and harrowing encounters, Ben
31548-573: The effects of the Dust Bowl . Farmers often not only ran into debt and lost their properties but also risked their health; dust pneumonia was a common cause of death. Carnivàle is a retrospective interpretation of these times. Okie Ben loses his mother and his farm to the dust when a carnival picks him up. While the carnival travels throughout the Southwestern United States , California preacher Brother Justin tends to
31787-414: The effects of the condition, but lack of proportion may be permanent. Pain and disability may be ameliorated by physical therapy, braces or other orthotic devices, or by surgical procedures. The only simple interventions that increase perceived adult height are dress enhancements, such as shoe lifts or hairstyle. Growth hormone is rarely used for shortness caused by bone dysplasias, since the height benefit
32026-420: The endocrine system may be treated using hormonal therapy . If the cause is prepubescent hyposecretion of growth hormone, supplemental growth hormone may correct the abnormality. If the receptor for growth hormone is itself affected, the condition may prove harder to treat. Hypothyroidism is another possible cause of dwarfism that can be treated through hormonal therapy. Injections of thyroid hormone can mitigate
32265-425: The environment is tailored to average-sized individuals. Some little people can only use ATMs, kitchens, toilets, and sinks with aids. Low stools and step stools play a special role, as they can be used in various ways to bridge the height difference. Stools are also useful as footrests while sitting, as the legs of short people dangle in the air when sitting on an average chair, which can be painful and uncomfortable in
32504-528: The escaped convict Varlyn Stroud uses it to track Ben. When Wilfred Talbot Smith asks for the location of the Saunière manuscript late in Season 2, Scudder answers that it is hidden in Rennes-le-Château . Despite being of only tangential importance to the series' two seasons, the Knights Templar have an elaborate backstory that was left untold due to the cancellation. The Pitch Document described
32743-568: The exact number of those affected unknown. Prognosis is largely on a case-by-case basis depending on the severity, and life expectancy may not be impacted unless there are respiratory complications. Other causes of dwarfism are spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita , diastrophic dysplasia , pseudoachondroplasia , hypochondroplasia , Noonan syndrome , primordial dwarfism , Cockayne syndrome , Kniest dysplasia , Turner syndrome , osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), and hypothyroidism . Severe shortness with skeletal distortion also occurs in several of
32982-427: The extreme ranges of the growth charts. Disproportionate dwarfism is characterized by shortened limbs or a shortened torso. In achondroplasia one has an average-sized trunk with short limbs and a larger forehead. Facial features are often affected and individual body parts may have problems associated with them. Spinal stenosis , ear infection , and hydrocephalus are common. In case of spinal dysostosis , one has
33221-534: The fictional Order, then simply called the "Order Templar", as a fraternity of fellow travelers that was once charged by the Roman Catholic Church with locating and aiding the Avatars. Knauf said both Henry Scudder and his father Hilton were members of the Templars; Scudder was so because he wanted access to their knowledge and library. The Saunière manuscript would have been "mildly relevant" for
33460-416: The finest Eastern boarding schools, but the family's financial fortunes declined with Thomas's death in 1903. Rita Sue left her home in 1908 and started vaudeville work. She joined several traveling companies and strip-shows, where she met Stumpy, a barker who had begun his career in 1910. They married in 1914, two months before the birth of their first child, Libby. In 1916, their second daughter, Dora Mae,
33699-429: The first draft of the show. Knauf originally designed Brother Justin as a preacher far along in his career as well as a recurring instead of a regular character, "much more evolved towards the dark side." An early draft of Carnivàle gave Brother Justin's real name as Lucius Crowe, a radio preacher who advocated ethnic hatred, especially for Gypsies and carnival folk. It also mentioned Brother Justin joining "The Order of
33938-415: The first episodes of Carnivàle , Ben's parentage is one of the big puzzles. As a man named Henry Scudder seems connected to everything and everyone, it is Ben's job to piece together the mystery of his own past. The progressing series indicates many characters are more closely interrelated than what both the characters and the audience would imagine at first. Although these links rarely receive plot attention,
34177-423: The first season is limited to being with Lodz until she notices his growing contact with Management. His sudden disappearance at the beginning of season 2 however makes her suspicious. Samson's subsequent evasive behavior suggests external forces, but Lila finds herself unable to obtain proof. Ruthie repeatedly approaches Lila at night, seemingly possessed by Lodz, and leaves her clues. When Lila finally learns of
34416-428: The following roots: Examples include achondroplasia and chondrodystrophy . Many types of dwarfism are currently impossible to prevent because they are genetically caused. Genetic conditions that cause dwarfism may be identified with genetic testing , by screening for the specific variations that result in the condition. However, due to the number of causes of dwarfism, it may be impossible to determine definitively if
34655-508: The future storyline. The Season 2 episode " Los Moscos " has Management urge Ben to seek Scudder; Ben needs to learn the name of the preacher of his dreams (Brother Justin) to prevent a future catastrophe. An induced vision transports Ben into a desert where he suddenly hears an alarm-like noise. A massive explosion occurs, followed by a rising mushroom cloud. When Ben opens his eyes from the blast of dust, Justin kneels in front of him and asks "Ye offspring of serpents, who warned you to flee from
34894-403: The generally unhealthy or malnourished condition of the individual, and not of any specific disease. The dwarfism often takes the form of simple short stature, without any deformities, thus leading to proportionate dwarfism. In societies where poor nutrition is widespread, the average height of the population may be reduced below its genetic potential by the lack of proper nutrition. Sometimes there
35133-497: The heck was going on, [which] can be a problem for a dramatic television series." TV Zone however considered Carnivàle "a series like no other and [...] the fact that it is so open to interpretation surprisingly proves to be one of its greatest strengths." Carnivàle was lauded for bringing "the hopelessness of the Great Depression to life" and for being among the first TV shows to show "unmitigated pain and disappointment", but reviewers were not confident that viewers would find
35372-404: The identity of the current generation's Avatar of Darkness. After Ben accomplishes his mission, Management attacks Scudder and is stabbed by Ben to protect the latter. Ben reveals to Samson that Management had planned for Ben to kill him so all his powers would pass to Ben. With his last breath, Management tells Ben how to defeat the Usher , Ben's ultimate nemesis. Although Carnivàle is set in
35611-455: The immediate genealogy of the main characters is cleared up by the end of the second season. Other character links that were largely unanswered after Carnivàle 's cancellation concern the trench war and the Hyde & Teller Company in relation to the emergence of the Carnivàle. Daniel Knauf, character biographies on the HBO website and the Pitch Document later provided detail for what
35850-539: The intended storyline, backed up and expanded upon the assumed mythological rules. The term Avatar (also spelled Avatara ) originates in Hindu mythology , where it most commonly refers to the incarnation (bodily manifestation) of a higher being or the Supreme Being on Earth . Carnivàle ' s story never clearly establishes the meaning of this term, yet HBO and the writers used the term interchangeably with
36089-457: The internal struggle of her good versus evil." The nature of the Omega would have taken two seasons to unfold. Both Ben and Brother Justin would have been alive in the third season. Daniel Knauf would have written Brother Justin as a man "with an inoperable chunk of shrapnel near his heart", which the anointed blade had caused in the final season 2 episode. Brother Justin would have been "severely weakened and prone to exhaustion, serving as
36328-587: The involvement of dwarf athletes. " Midget wrestling " had its heyday in the 1950s–'70s, when wrestlers such as Little Beaver , Lord Littlebrook , and Fuzzy Cupid toured North America, and Sky Low Low was the first holder of the National Wrestling Alliance 's World Midget Championship . In the next couple of decades, more wrestlers became prominent in North America including foreign wrestlers like Japan 's Little Tokyo . Although
36567-441: The kiss vision open to both the characters and the audience. The tarot readings of fortunetellers Sofie and her mother Apollonia advance the plot significantly. Sofie's readings in the pilot episode induce visions in Ben that give insight into his healing powers of his childhood. Season 2 shows Sofie's attempts to leave her former job, which is repeatedly interrupted by tarot cards reappearing. Another of her readings sets Ben on
36806-617: The last Carnivàle episode. The context for some of these events is provided by the (fictionally used) Gospel of Matthias , a book in Season 2 that connects the Templars to Ben's father. Written in archaic English, reminiscent of the King James Bible translation , it contains parts of Samson's Season 1 prologue, mentions the Avatara , and alludes to an apocalyptic passage in the Book of Revelation . It also contains etchings of
37045-399: The latter. As early reviews focused on Ben Hawkins, Brother Justin Crowe and the meaning of Carnivàle , the show's supporting characters received little to no attention other than having their freak appearances mentioned, according to Variety 's Phil Gallo because "they don't play significant parts in the first few episodes." Critics who reviewed full seasons gave more credit. Wendy Tuohy of
37284-425: The limbs and torso are unusually small. Intelligence is usually normal, and most people with it have a nearly normal life expectancy. People with dwarfism can usually bear children, although there are additional risks to the mother and child depending upon the underlying condition. The most common and recognizable form of dwarfism in humans (comprising 70% of cases) is achondroplasia , a genetic disorder whereby
37523-584: The limbs are diminutive. Growth hormone deficiency is responsible for most other cases. There are many other less common causes. Treatment of the condition depends on the underlying cause. Those with genetic disorders such as osteochondrodysplasia can sometimes be treated with surgery or physical therapy. Hormone disorders can also be treated with growth hormone therapy before the child's growth plates fuse. Individual accommodations such as specialized furniture, are often used by people with dwarfism. Many support groups provide services to aid individuals and
37762-617: The lobster gal in " Hot and Bothered " and Percy the Praying Mantis in " The Road to Damascus " were also cast for their respective real-life disabilities. Cameron Clapp (Management) had lost an arm and both legs in a train accident at the age of 15. Daniel Browning Smith (Rollo the Rubberboy) holds two Guinness World Records for his body-bending abilities. The actors playing the roles of the conjoined twins ( Karyne and Sarah Steben , identical twins and real-life trapezists), Lila
38001-720: The long run and may hinder fine motor skills during work. To be mobile, some individuals use customized scooters or bicycles, as it can be problematic, depending on the type of short stature, to walk longer distances. With specially adapted vehicles, most individuals of short stature can drive without further hindrances. Generally, pedal extensions and an individually adjusted seat at the correct height are required. Some little people are tall enough to drive without pedal extensions. Usually, patients with skeletal dysplasia with limited mobility can receive allowances or grants for vehicle assistance through governmental help or rehabilitation providers. Dwarfs have support and compete in sport by
38240-411: The lungs. Symptoms starting at birth may be mild or can be fatal. There are recognizable features in individuals with this genetic disorder. Some are short stature, narrow chest, "facial features such as a prominent forehead, underdevelopment of the upper jaw, cheekbones and eye sockets (midface hypoplasia), and a squared-off jaw." It is considered a more severe skeletal dysplasia, but is very rare, with
38479-447: The lust between their characters but assumed their relationship had not been consummated in the first season. They were not in favor of their characters getting together like HBO had wanted, as "that's really not what they're about." Per Brown, the sibling relationship informs Brother Justin's and Iris's character and motives, and continued tension frightens the audience more if it is never resolved. Although Brown and Madigan wanted to leave
38718-414: The main characters was good and who was evil, aware that it might take some time until this question was answered for sure. Ben and his healing powers led most reviewers to believe that he was the good creature, and that Justin was a demon or at least a dangerous zealot who received instructions from either God or Satan. Some reviews described the question of Ben's parentage as one of the big puzzles and
38957-508: The main characters, Ben Hawkins and Justin Crowe , suggest a symbolic link to hawks and crows , the winged Creatures of Light and Dark . The last two Tarot cards seen in the Carnivàle ' s opening title sequence are " The Sun " and " The Moon ", standing for God and the Devil . By the same token, the show's title card and the logo of the carnival depict a sun placed opposite
39196-478: The man in the tuxedo, Henry Scudder, is Ben's father. In the second season, Ben meets his paternal grandmother, Emma Krohn, and learns she killed her husband Hilton Scudder on the night of Henry's birth, along with Henry's older brothers Owen, Gilbert, and Alvin Sr. (According to Knauf and the HBO website, Emma's other sons were from a previous marriage to Clarke "C.W." Powell, who had died by natural causes.) Emma introduces
39435-523: The meantime, Sofie has become the Crowes' maid. When she has a chat with Iris about her childhood, Iris has a vision of Brother Justin as a young man raping Apollonia during his seminary studies in Saint Paul . Although Iris only informs Norman of her suspicions, Sofie sees Brother Justin's tattooed chest in the final episode of season 2 and has implicit visions insinuating Brother Justin as her father. Future seasons of Carnivàle would have expanded
39674-589: The medical context, possibly because the plural "dwarves" was popularized by author J. R. R. Tolkien , describing a race of characters in his The Lord of the Rings books resembling Norse dwarfs . " Midget ", whose etymology indicates a "tiny biting insect", came into prominence in the mid-19th century after Harriet Beecher Stowe used it in her novels Sunny Memories of Foreign Lands and Oldtown Folks where she described children and an extremely short man, respectively. Later some people of short stature considered
39913-427: The mid-1930s, Ben and Brother Justin have visions and dreams suggesting the story began much earlier. Samson summarizes the backstory in a monologue at the beginning of season 2, without mentioning names. The Pitch Document, which served as the source for the character biographies on the HBO website, provides context for all clues. The carnival's backstory begins at the end of the nineteenth century when Lucius Belyakov,
40152-417: The mythology but did provide hints about the mythological structure to online fandom both during and after the two-season run of Carnivàle . Nevertheless, many of the intended clues remained unnoticed by viewers. Knauf left fans a production summary of Carnivàle ' s first season two years after cancellation. This so-called Pitch Document, originally written to give HBO and Knauf's co-writers an overview of
40391-610: The nature of suggested Avatars a central question. By the second season it is established that Ben is a Creature of Light and Brother Justin a Creature of Darkness. Other than through the characters, the show's good-and-evil theme manifests in the series' contemporary religion , the Christian military order Knights Templar , tarot divination , and in historical events like the Dustbowl and humankind's first nuclear test . Show creator Daniel Knauf did not respond to questions about
40630-480: The needs of Dust Bowl refugees, who slowly become his biggest supporters. Although Carnivàle replaces the real sociological-scientific reasons for the drought conditions with fantasy elements and the presence of the Devil , it still addresses the Dust Bowl situation repeatedly. Samson's catch phrases are variations of "Let's shake some dust!" The episode " Black Blizzard " focuses on Ben and the carnival coping with
40869-489: The next Avataric generation. The other affected women are human mothers who began to suffer from mental illness or strange behavior after giving birth to an Avatar. Ben's mother Flora was a religious fanatic who would not touch her son. Scudder's mother Emma cut her eyes out and killed several of her family members the night Scudder was born. Sofie's mother Apollonia became catatonic after Sofie's birth. Justin's and his older sister Iris's mother receives no special mention in
41108-576: The official HBO website. After the show's cancellation, the writers revealed future character arcs and forwarded all original biographies to fans as part of the show's so-called "Pitch Document". Due to their nature, these sources do not offer canonical information as such but provide a frame for the characters' motivation throughout the series. The thematic and period setting of Carnivàle required an unusual casting approach. While some actors were hired for their genetic disabilities, most actors were specifically cast for their unique and distinct looks to fit
41347-588: The original last shot of the series as Iris watching the corn die, not of Ben in Management's trailer. Following the cancellation, the writers did not immediately answer fan questions about the characters' future, arguing the story ideas should not be revealed just for instant fan gratification and should wait to be told when the opportunity arises. They later provided clues in DVD special features and at conventions, in forums and in online chats. Tim DeKay mentioned that
41586-421: The people living with her as her grandchildren and Ben's cousins. Brother Justin Crowe is introduced as a devoted Methodist minister, who is supported by his sister Iris. On a self-discovery trip in the middle of the first season, Brother Justin has an elaborate vision of two Russian immigrant children, Irina and her younger brother Alexei; Irina talks of her evil father. As revealed shortly afterwards, this vision
41825-453: The pituitary gland, Turner's syndrome , poor nutrition, or even stress (leading to psychogenic dwarfism ). Laron syndrome (growth hormone insensitivity) is another cause. Those with growth hormone issues tend to be proportionate. Metatropic means "changing form" and refers to this form of skeletal dysplasia as there is an abnormality in the growth plates. Skeletal changes continue over time and may need surgical intervention to help protect
42064-428: The powers of Ben and Brother Justin, reviewers were still unsure about the main characters' Avataric nature by the end of the first season. When Ben's good nature and Justin's dark heritage became clearer in Season 2, reviewers began to describe Carnivàle ' s underlying message as "essentially the opposite of spiritual belief: fatalism ". Daniel Knauf disputed any theory of determinism , and repeatedly pointed to
42303-409: The present? [...] I found myself desperately wishing that [ Michael J. Anderson (Samson) would start speaking backwards again], partly because then at least something in Carnivàle would make a little sense." —Dennis Cass of Slate in reviewing the first two episodes Reviewers of the first three episodes interpreted Carnivàle' s story as being full of myth and allegory. The show
42542-447: The process. Nevertheless, Lodz repeatedly appears to Ruthie and leaves her the message "Sofie is the Omega " on a mirror. Using Ruthie's body, Lodz also visits his lover Lila and informs her about the events leading to his death and "you'll be seeing me soon ... in the flesh." Lodz's final appearance as Ruthie was not supposed to be his last. According to Clancy Brown (Brother Justin), the writers had originally planned Lodz's return as
42781-409: The producers by calling attention to his research about families managing cootch shows in the 1930s. Cynthia Ettinger (Rita Sue Dreifuss) had lost her role as Martha Kent in the pilot episode of Smallville before the opportunity for Carnivàle came up and had turned to theater jobs; she chose Carnivàle because of the theater-like experience. Amanda Aday (Dora Mae Dreifuss) knew she would join
43020-584: The producers realized there was no room for the character to grow in a television series. They demoted Brother Justin to an ordinary Christian minister in a little town, but when Brother Justin's affiliation needed to be decided, Knauf contested plans to make him a Catholic priest; he rather settled on the Methodist denomination, which he perceived as significantly less suspicious and controversial. Although Brother Justin shares traits with Father Coughlin , an Irish Catholic priest who broadcast his sermons over
43259-535: The prophets. I ask myself, what are these things?" — Brother Justin Crowe in " Milfay " The story of Carnivàle takes place in the mid-1930s during the worst of the Great Depression , a time of massive social and political upheaval. Unemployment rates were high, and European fascism was on the rise, in the years leading up to the Second World War . People in the Great Plains suffered from
43498-461: The radio in the 1930s, the writers never tried to retell that particular story. The producers added Justin's sister Iris as a supporting character in the revised series, and established a sexual tension between the two characters early on. While reviewers were unsure what to make of it, Daniel Knauf advertised the relationship as "just as warped and incestuous as ever" in the new season. Clancy Brown (Brother Justin) and Amy Madigan (Iris) acknowledged
43737-497: The risk of making an emotional connection." Carnivàle , as The Australian stated, "seems to have been conceived in essentially literary terms" which "can sometimes work on the page but is deadly on the large screen, let alone a small one. It's almost like a biblical injunction against pretension on television." A reviewer admitted his temptation to dismiss the first season of Carnivàle as "too artsy and esoteric" because his lack of involvement prevented him from understanding "what
43976-434: The role." Time commented, "Brother Justin comes across as a typical whited sepulcher – if there's one thing more trite than a dwarf in a surreal drama, it's a preacher with a dark side – and Brown's campy performance largely involves shouting 'Enough!' and 'No-o-o-o!' with horror-flick pathos." Entertainment Weekly considered Brown's Brother Justin "delightfully unsettling as the creepy evangelist taking his orders from
44215-491: The second season, Iris joins her foster father Norman in an ultimately unsuccessful plot against Brother Justin. Tommy Dolan is a radio show host and news reporter from Los Angeles , who regularly travels incognito into the wilderness to collect strangers' stories for his show Tommy Dolan on the Road . His first appearance in the series occurs when he meets Brother Justin around a campfire. After retelling Brother Justin's story of
44454-421: The series' 1930s setting. Award-winning costumes and make-up enhanced the illusion. Reviews generally lauded the actors and characters, and several actors received awards for their performances. Conceiving the initial script for Carnivàle between 1990 and 1992, Daniel Knauff set its plot in a carnival environment in the 1930s Dust Bowl , which he felt had not been dramatized as a series yet. He had grown up with
44693-465: The series, Ben is an Avataric Creature of Light . An early draft of Carnivàle , which consisted of diary entries by Benjamin "Ben" Hawkins, summarized his childhood as growing up on a run-down farm with his mother and grandfather in the belief that his father had died in World War I . After both his grandfather and mother had died from cancer , he was " shanghaied by a group of carnies " in 1930. In
44932-605: The series, but the Pitch Document mentions her chronic paranoid schizophrenia after Justin's birth. As far as known, none of these mothers became pregnant after giving birth to an Avatar. Knauf hinted at more Avatars in a February 2005 chat: "What do Jesus, Caligula , Alexander the Great , Caesar , Buddha , Vlad the Impaler , Brother Justin, Ben Hawkins, Luscius [ sic ] Belyakov, Hilton Scudder, and Henry Scudder have in common?" The Pitch Document stated, "If an Avatar
45171-450: The series. The writers always intended Ben to be the leading man and hero of the series, and were looking for an actor to showcase a youthful, innocent and anti-hero quality. Of the many actors auditioning, the producers found that Nick Stahl brought a "particular introspection" to the character, "project[ing] a great deal of sensitivity, of quiet intelligence, of pain." They also felt that his seemingly little-trained physique worked well for
45410-447: The set. Debra Christofferson (Lila) had a fake beard applied to her chin; the beard was custom-made by hand-tying human hair onto lace that would disappear when the beard was glued onto the skin. The beard of the early episodes was so heavy that the chemicals caused Christofferson's skin to be raw at the end of the shooting day, and was later split into three pieces. Christofferson still needed to be careful with mouth movements. According to
45649-507: The short-lived reality show The Littlest Groom , and the films The Station Agent and Zero . The Animal Planet TV series Pit Boss features dwarf actor Shorty Rossi and his talent agency, "Shortywood Productions", which Rossi uses to provide funding for his pit bull rescue operation, "Shorty's Rescue". Rossi's three full-time employees, featured in the series, are little people and aspiring actors. In September 2014, Creative Business House along with Donnons Leur Une Chance, created
45888-418: The show's driving mystery, but refrained from defining further details of the series. The lack of revelation of the characters' roles was apparent by the end of the first season, although critics expected Sofie to gain significance later in the story. DVD reviews for Season 1 and previews for the Season 2 premiere had the advantage of retrospective on the first season, and some reviewers continued to consider
46127-401: The show's mythology convoluted, circuitous, "peek-a-boo" and silly. The significance of the prologue was emphasized again, while previous reviewers' character descriptions, the good-versus-evil theme and the assumed story merge were generally repeated. The good nature of Ben and evil nature of Brother Justin seemed clearer to most reviewers, with "many bizarre coincidences that seem to imply
46366-425: The show's run. Dora Mae is murdered by an inhabitant of a haunted ghost town, the sexual relationships between Jonesy and Rita Sue, then Jonesy and Libby, cause much heartbreak, and Stumpy's affection for gambling almost ruins the family. Ruthie is a snake charmer and barker for the strongman acts of her son Gabriel. Their arc in the story reveals Ruthie as a former lover of the mysterious Henry Scudder. Gabriel,
46605-480: The show's strengths. He has a boyish face, but the grim expression of a worn-out elder", and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer said Stahl "speaks volumes with his eyes and weary frown, so much so that his understated portrayal almost carries the series." In a season 1 DVD review, DVD Talk thought that "as the two leads, Nick Stahl and Clancy Brown are nothing short of brilliant. Ben Hawkins
46844-417: The show's success. Particularly inspired is the voice of Linda Hunt as the decidedly creepy 'Management' and John Savage as Henry Scudder." A DVDTown review further praised the supporting performances of Bauchau (Lodz) and Michael J. Anderson (Samson), pointing out that "in fact, every single character on the show, no matter how small, quirky or sinister they are, produce noteworthy performances all round. It
47083-417: The show's visible structure. The audience would therefore only get to know the characters as a natural aspect in the story. The characters themselves are confronted with "self-realization and becoming aware of these [supernatural] powers and learning to harness them, and the implications of this battle between good and evil." Seventeen actors received star billing in the first season; fifteen of whom were part of
47322-498: The show. A man with a tattooed tree on his chest and back is introduced in the opening minutes of Carnivàle' s pilot episode, and appears in many other Avataric visions and dreams: in Ben's and Brother Justin's common recurring dreams chasing Henry Scudder in a cornfield, in Ben's microsleep-like visions, in Sofie's visions of the rape of her mother, and in an extended vision of Brother Justin foreshadowing his dark future. Ben encounters
47561-426: The slowly converging storylines. Show creator Daniel Knauf 's original story pitch to HBO included elaborate character biographies, which he gave to the actors, the writers and the studio as an overview of the series' intended plot. These biographies were rewritten before the filming of the first season began. Receiving little to no mention in the series afterwards, the original character backgrounds were summarized on
47800-453: The small town of Mintern, California. As the series reveals in later episodes, Justin's birth name is Alexei Belyakov. He and his sister Iris are orphaned immigrant children in the wilderness, who were found and raised by Reverend Norman Balthus. Following strange visions and supernatural abilities in the pilot episode, Brother Justin erects a church in his God's name. But after a fire in his new ministry leads him almost to suicide, Brother Justin
48039-446: The sole diagnostic tool. Most children with suspected skeletal dysplasias are referred to a genetics clinic for diagnostic confirmation and genetic counseling . Since about the year 2000, genetic tests for some of the specific disorders have become available. During an initial medical evaluation of shortness, the absence of disproportion and other clues listed above usually indicates causes other than bone dysplasias. In men and women,
48278-399: The sole requirement for being considered a dwarf is having an adult height under 147 cm (4 ft 10 in) and it is almost always sub-classified with respect to the underlying condition that is the cause of the short stature. Dwarfism is usually caused by a genetic variant; achondroplasia is caused by a mutation on chromosome 4 . If dwarfism is caused by a medical disorder, the person
48517-432: The specific disease. Many involve joint pain caused by abnormal bone alignment, or from nerve compression. Early degenerative joint disease, exaggerated lordosis or scoliosis , and constriction of spinal cord or nerve roots can cause pain and disability. Reduced thoracic size can restrict lung growth and reduce pulmonary function. Some forms of dwarfism are associated with disordered function of other organs, such as
48756-451: The status of their characters' relationship as lovers open, they deliberately played their kisses more intimate and familiar than most people would consider comfortable. Several characters intervene in the siblings' relationship during the show's run. The writers had planned a sexual innuendo between Iris and Tommy Dolan, a news reporter who investigates in the arson case, but Robert Knepper (Dolan) later felt his character might just have been
48995-548: The story from mystery to journey, with Ben accepting and exploring his powers, while Brother Justin was seen completely embracing his evil nature. Reviewers regarded Sofie's turn in the final episode as an unexpected new threat in the story. Carnivàle was often compared to David Lynch 's 1990s mystery TV series Twin Peaks and John Steinbeck 's 1939 novel The Grapes of Wrath . Matt Roush of TV Guide called Carnivàle "the perfect show for those who thought Twin Peaks
49234-534: The story, Knauf replied no. Carnivàle relies on other religious symbols and parallels for its mythology. The National Shrine of the Little Flower , funded by Father Coughlin in the 1930s, was an inspiration for the temple in Brother Justin's vision in the episode " Los Moscos ". This vision foreshadows the world that Justin will potentially build as he comes to power as a radio preacher. The producers planned to use radio towers instead of regular steeples for
49473-472: The temple; the design also incorporated Eastern European domes and Western European cathedrals. In the same vision, the Tattooed Man appears near a tree that resembles the iconic Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil , and implies that Justin is the Usher . According to Knauf, the Usher represents a "timeless character who shows up in all different cultures", and who is "there to usher in the Armageddon " as "the harbinger of End times ". Carnivàle introduces
49712-513: The term midget was used to describe dwarfs (primarily proportionate); however, some now consider this term offensive. A defining characteristic of dwarfism is an adult height less than 2.3% of the CDC standard growth charts . There is a wide range of physical characteristics. Variations in individuals are identified by diagnosing and monitoring the underlying disorders. There may not be any complications outside adapting to their size. Short stature
49951-632: The term is seen by some as pejorative, many past and current midget wrestlers including Hornswoggle said they take pride in the term due to its history in the industry and its marketability. In art, literature, and movies, dwarfs are rarely depicted as ordinary people who are very short but rather as a species apart. Novelists , artists , and moviemakers may attach special moral or aesthetic significance to their "apartness" or misshapenness. Artistic representations of dwarfism are found on Greek vases and other ancient artifacts, including ancient Egyptian art in which dwarfs are likely to have been seen as
50190-481: The third season would have opened five years after the events of the second-season finale. Daniel Knauf said Jonesy would have recovered from his gunshot wound, having been saved by Iris. Producer Howard Klein however pointed out that Jonesy "wasn't shot in a specific place – he [just] collapsed", and Knauf added, "Sofie's intent in shooting Jonesy was to stop him from taking her back to the carnival", not to kill him. Season 3 would have opened with Jonesy pitching in
50429-545: The time of Belyakov's visions, Scudder was stationed in Lemberg as an observer for the Austro-Hungarian Army . Belyakov became obsessed with killing his spiritual enemy (Scudder) and deserted his post, but an escaped circus bear feeding on the dead nearby surprised him in an attack. Belyakov was so gravely injured he would lose an arm and both legs. Scudder escaped and encountered carnival performer Lodz on
50668-488: The traveling circuits shortly afterwards. It remains unknown until late in season 2 that Sofie is the Omega , although the character's importance for the show's mythology is suggested much earlier. When the series starts with Ben joining the carnival, Apollonia can no longer shield Sofie from her own true self. Sofie begins to evade and rebel against her mother's mental control, but Apollonia counters by first trying to drive Sofie to suicide, then by attempting to kill her in
50907-484: The tree's significance for the resolution of Carnivàle . Show creator Daniel Knauf stated that the tree in Carnivàle is the iconic Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden . Its implied meaning and power prompted him to place it on the Tattooed Man's chest because "this is where you will build your empire. This is what it all boils down, [...] and it just had a certain power." Played by Don Swayze ,
51146-440: The visions and the beings of good and evil were not necessarily drawn. The characters' stories were described as unfolding in "zig-zagging starts, moving back and forth in time and space, dropping oblique clues along the way." Carnivàle ' s central premise was considered "cloudy", "unconventional", and filled with "convoluted symbolic interpretations of historical events" after Daniel Knauf had told TV critics that he regarded
51385-457: The word Usher in particular relation to Brother Justin. Management repeats this term to Ben in two instances. After Management's death, Ben has sudden knowledge about Princes , Prophets and the Usher , even knowing to whom these terms apply, respectively. The sentence "Sofie is the Omega " is seen once, written across a mirror without further explanation. Sofie demonstrates powers and attributes similar to those of Ben and Brother Justin in
51624-626: The word dwarf is contested, and scholars have proposed varying theories about the origins of the being, including that dwarfs may have originated as nature spirits or as beings associated with death, or as a mixture of concepts. Competing etymologies include a basis in the Indo-European root * dheur- (meaning ' damage ' ), the Indo-European root * dhreugh (whence modern Dutch droom ' dream ' and bedrog ' deception ' ), and comparisons have been made with
51863-527: The word to be offensive because it was the descriptive term applied to P. T. Barnum 's dwarfs used for public amusement during the freak show era. It is also not considered accurate as it is not a medical term or diagnosis, though it is sometimes used as a slang term to describe those who are particularly short, whether or not they have dwarfism. Individuals with dwarfism are capable of actively participating in various aspects of society. They have access to education, sports, and can pursue careers, engaging in
52102-427: The world of religion, but several signs suggest the preacher is not the good man Sofie thought. After berating Brother Justin in the final episode, Sofie is locked in a barn where visions insinuate her as the Omega and Brother Justin as her father. She later shoots Jonesy, and her eyes have taken on the coal-black appearance of Brother Justin's eyes. The final minutes of the series show Sofie finding Brother Justin dead in
52341-469: The world's largest sporting event exclusively for athletes with dwarfism. The Dwarf Sports Association UK organizes between 5 and 20 events per month for athletes with restricted growth conditions in the UK. For instance, swimming and bicycling are often recommended for people with skeletal dysplasias, since those activities put minimal pressure on the spine. Since its early days, professional wrestling has had
52580-663: The wrath to come?" Ben drives past this location one episode later in " Alamogordo, NM ". In a shared vision in the episode " Creed, OK ", Ben and Sofie kiss in a desert, surrounded by bright light and swirling dust. Season 2 takes place in 1935. Reviews interpreted these visions as Ben's challenge to find and defeat Brother Justin; Ben has to ultimately stop the creation of the atomic bomb as "the world's march towards doomsday." The Season 1 prologue already suggested this interpretation, mentioning "a false sun explod[ing] over Trinity," at which point "man forever traded away wonder for reason." The Trinity test near Alamogordo, New Mexico
52819-544: The writers refrained from re-telling their particular stories. Daniel Knauf originally thought of making Brother Justin a Protestant minister , but when the producers needed to decide on a specific religious affiliation, Knauf contested their plans to make him a Catholic priest. Knauf, a Catholic himself, settled on the Methodist denomination, which he perceived as significantly less clichéd, suspicious or controversial. When asked whether God had influenced him to write
53058-404: The wrong superpower", and Variety thought Brown was doing "a superb job straddling the line between stoic and menacing, and there are hints about his weaknesses, conveyed quickly with subtlety." A season 1 DVD review by DVD Talk saw Clancy Brown's performance as "nothing short of brilliant. ... Brown also has a difficult task capturing the duality of Brother Justin, a man who presents
53297-457: Was an Avatar of undisclosed nature. The mentalist of the carnival, Lodz, was merely a mortal who had once received Avataric skills from Scudder in exchange for his sense of sight. Several women in Carnivàle are tied to Avatars, but only two have Avataric blood: Belyakov's daughter Iris is a Vectorus by definition, and Justin's daughter Sofie is the Omega. Although Sofie is two years older than Ben, her father's Avataric generation places her in
53536-495: Was born. When their company's owner died, Stumpy and Rita Sue began traveling with various carnival companies and were eventually joined by their two daughters in the late 1920s. Their fortunes steadily declined in the 1930s when more cootch family acts spawned in the difficult times. The series mentions Stumpy and Rita Sue had three more children, one of whom was stillborn and two of whom died of influenza . The Dreifuss family continues to face many personal and economic problems during
53775-515: Was dedicated to developing and mastering his power, he could direct it with the precision of a scalpel. Such was the case with many of the Prophets, with Buddha, Jesus and Mohammed , with Caligula and Vlad Dracul." In this early plot summary, Rasputin and the Borgias were Avatars as well. But like other Avatars in Carnivàle , none of these historical figures were explicitly revealed as such on
54014-481: Was humankind's first test of a nuclear weapon in 1945, and Daniel Knauf would have finished Carnivàle ' s six-year run with the explosion of an atomic bomb as the beginning of the "Age of Reason". Still, Knauf's story is "not about the deployment of the bomb, it's more about the invention of the bomb," with the focus "around Alamogordo and the Trinity test site rather than Hiroshima and Nagasaki ." Much research
54253-400: Was inspired by Knauf's father. The filmed pilot episode served as basis for additional tweaking of intended story lines. The expanded role of Brother Justin encouraged the creation of his sister Iris in a supporting role, for which Amy Madigan was cast. Little was changed on Ben Hawkins' side except for the addition of the cootch (striptease) Dreifuss family; a Carnivàle consultant had elated
54492-503: Was made in a hurry from a vintage tuxedo and an old feathered dress, which helped to give it a "made-it-on-the-road" feeling. In 2004, Carnivàle won a Hollywood Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist Guild Award and two Emmys in the categories "Outstanding Costumes for a Series" and "Outstanding Hairstyling for a Series". The show was also nominated in the Emmy category "Outstanding Makeup for a Series (Non-Prosthetic)" both in 2004 and 2005, and in
54731-404: Was meant to be a demanding show with a lot of subtext, Knauf refrained from giving explicit clues. He did not wish his intent as an author to supersede the viewer's interpretation. "If Carnivàle asks a central question, it's this: What is the link between Hawkins and Crowe, and what do their dreams have to do with reality? Are these visions of the future, residue of the past, or an allegory for
54970-493: Was nine years old, Stroud deliberately upset a Ferris wheel car so Clara fell to her death. Stroud's second murder was his grandfather three years later, which he covered as a hunting accident. Having possibly committed over a dozen contract-killings, Stroud was never convicted of murder, yet still spent most of his life in prison on a variety of charges. Stroud's story arc in the series begins in season 2 when he hears Brother Justin's radio sermon. Made Brother Justin's apostle in
55209-438: Was nominated for a 2003 Saturn Award in the category "Best Supporting Actor in a Television Series". He was also nominated for a 2003 Golden Satellite Award in the category "Best Performance by an Actor in a Series, Drama". Brother Justin Crowe is the antagonist in Carnivàle ; reviewers also saw in him a possible alternate protagonist. Brother Justin is introduced as a Methodist minister who resides with his sister Iris in
55448-461: Was old enough to be approached. At this point, the first season of Carnivàle resumes the story. The pilot episode begins with Ben Hawkins waking up from a dream of a tattooed man, a man in a tuxedo, and a Russian soldier. Ben's childhood is revealed in flashbacks and dialogue; Ben's father had left the family's farm when Ben was an infant, leaving him in the care of Flora, Ben's mother. Late season 1 confirms what early episodes had already suggested –
55687-427: Was originally envisioned. Although the nature of these sources does not qualify them for canon status, they provide a framework for hints dropped in the series. Henry "Hack" Scudder is a mysterious man who appears in Ben's and Brother Justin's dreams wearing a tuxedo . Scudder is mentioned several times in the first season, revealing he once worked at the carnival's geek show and was Ruthie's lover. Scudder also had
55926-431: Was originally intended to be a mute character described as "a mildly retarded strongman with the face of an angel", but the writers later gave Turk a speaking part to not have another mute character like Management and Apollonia. One of the only actors who never had any real competition was Michael J. Anderson as Samson, whom Daniel Knauf had wanted as early as the initial casting meeting; Samson, Knauf's favorite character,
56165-467: Was put into the visual effects of the explosion. Stock footage of the first beats of nuclear explosions and a self-created explosion of 300 gallons of gasoline were used for reference. The ground effects and blowing dust were created with combinations of volumetric computer graphics smoke, and the fireball of the nuclear explosion was built from Hubble images of the Sun . Knauf left the interpretation of
56404-521: Was seen as more than just a human-scaled metaphor of good and evil , with the power of spirits as one of the show's strongest elements. Some reviewers were deeply confused and described almost everything as "mysterious" – the characters and their powers and abilities, characters and scenarios within visions, the whole carnival – wondering how it all fit together. The visions of the two main characters were shortly addressed, distinguishing between violent and benign visions, but parallels between
56643-533: Was the arsonist. Radio show host Tommy Dolan, who arrived to help with the arson investigation, develops feelings for Iris, but a romance is hindered by Brother Justin's return from a week-long self-discovery trip. Dolan starts to uncover evidence pointing to Iris's guilt, but a strange twist at Iris's planned public confession results in Dolan's arrest as the culprit. To prevent the revelation of Brother Justin's true nature, Iris murders an innocent Okie , Eleanor. Late in
56882-442: Was too accessible", whereas the show reminded Salon.com 's Heather Havrilesky of the "disappointment you feel as a kid when you come to the last few pages of The Grapes of Wrath ." She argued that a "surreal Twin Peaks -style shockfest [...] hardly bears repeating," especially if it "avoid[s] the 'hugging and learning' of mainstream television [by serving up] such a steady diet of anguish and dashed hopes that viewers refuse to take
57121-454: Was trying as Los Angeles is a stronghold of good-looking actors. The producers generally preferred actors who were not strongly identified with other projects but were willing to make exceptions for established actors such as Adrienne Barbeau (Ruthie). The script for the pilot episode was the basis for the casting procedure, with little indication where the show would go afterwards. This resulted in some preliminary casting disagreements between
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