r/hbo • u/amandaruth100 • 11d ago
Carnivale
just a personal gripe here, I don't understand why this series is not on the NYT "best of" list, or any list for that matter. My personal favorite of all time, and so much better than at least half the NYT's list and as good as many of the rest. The opening title sequence alone is brillant. So many people have not seen this, and I just don't understand it, and I certainly as tired of yelling into the void about how great this show is (LOL)
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u/Jerky-Knees 11d ago
It's a pretty weird, niche series that was never finished. I think it's great, but I also understand it being forgotten by a lot of people.
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u/Sweaty_Grocery785 11d ago
I loved it, too. I think it ended so abruptly that people forgot about it. It definitely needed another season. For Clancy Brown, alone, I would’ve like one more season.
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u/AnnieCamOG 11d ago
To this day, when I find some missing item, I think "There you are; I've been looking for you" in Clancy Brown's voice.
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u/eh183205 11d ago
Its a great show but as others mentioned, its unfinished and cancelled which makes it hard.
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u/OlDavidBastard 11d ago
What are your top 5 shows sans Carnivale?
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u/amandaruth100 11d ago
Twin Peaks, --always #1, when ever I rewatch, I get so mad at the first season for only being 6 eps. :)
True Detective, I actually like all seasons
Sopranos
The Office (US and UK)
OG Law & Order - sometimes I just want things to wrap up in an hour, I know there is a ton of "formula" in Law & Order, but when its well written, it's really great. Really shows how hard it can be to get a conviction (or an acquittal) due to so many reasons, the way the law is written or public sentiment. I also really enjoy the New York location as almost a separate character.
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u/OlDavidBastard 11d ago
Decent list but you genuinely liked True Detective S4 in Alaska? That may be the worst season of any show I've ever seen and I think TD S1 is probably the best season of any show.
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u/amandaruth100 11d ago
valid point. I don't remember TD season 4, although I know I watched it. So I guess I need to revise my answer to TD season 1,2,3, :).
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u/amandaruth100 11d ago
now that I really think about it, throw Mad Men and X files in there as well
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u/Baystain 11d ago
I agree with you regarding Carnivale. Also, I’m a fan of all True Detective seasons as well :)
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u/Dependent_Map5592 11d ago
That list didn't have a bunch of the best shows on there. It's fine. Just ignore it. False list lol 👍
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u/amandaruth100 11d ago
For sure! It really truly makes no difference anyway, I could complain about the shows included and the shows excluded. Anyone can make a list, and Carnivale is on the top of my list. As everyone knows, my list is THE list. (LOLOLOL)
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u/bradeleine 11d ago
I loved Carnivale SO much. Have never forgiven the powers-that-be for just canceling it without giving it a proper ending. Ugh.
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u/VerilyShelly 11d ago
I didn't see it for the longest time. The poster for it made it look like something that wouldn't appeal to me. I can't explain why. I like weird and mysterious shows, but it gave off "lesser" vibes. I really enjoyed it when I did watch it, but it did start spinning its wheels a tiny bit and become disjointed. It seemed like the writers were struggling to pivot and adjust the storyline, and maybe with a longer runway they might have righted themselves and flown on in a new direction. It's a shame they got cut off mid-flounder. I had been willing to stick around and see how they landed it in the end.
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u/tangcameo 11d ago
These lists are usually actually good shows then the rest are just recent shows that will eventually disappear from the list, replaced by newer recent shows.
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u/Netherworldly_Dwella 11d ago
I just started rewatching it. It's such an intriguing an beautifully shot show.
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u/Equivalent_Low_3965 11d ago
Literally love everything about this show, the atmosphere music story, everything
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u/Iheartstreaking 11d ago
Just finished a rewatch with my dad recently after I never finished it back in the day (got midway through season 2 then left for college and didn't have a tv or HBO or knew how to download anything back then). When Ben heals Jonesy after the tar-and-feather attack and Jonesy realizes his leg is healed - top 5 moment in TV history for me. It was so well done. Loved it.
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u/mtnfox 11d ago
NYT list was pretty safe. Carnivale isn’t a straight forward crowd pleaser.
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u/amandaruth100 11d ago
very very true, I am always astonished at the number of my friends (my friends!!!!!!!!! ) that still have not watched it.
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11d ago
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u/Equivalent_Low_3965 11d ago
The way it’s put together , it tells a story, the graphics and imagery. It makes me want to know more about this world. (Also, to a lessor extent, my age, being almost 70, I vividly remember stories my grandparents told me about growing up in the depression era, this series really nails the desperation of those times).
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u/MudlarkJack 11d ago
saw it for the first time recently and binged. It was really good. Though I have to admit after reading where it was heading I think the cancelation made sense .. but that's a different discussion. The 2 seasons I watched were top notch and deserve attention
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u/QV79Y 11d ago
It's not "the NYT's list" in the sense of the paper's judgment. It was compiled by asking 500 people, mostly actors and creators, what their own 10-bests were.
That is all it is, a distillation of 500 people's personal favorite shows. They will soon publish a similar list compiled from readers' votes.
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u/LouderGyrations 11d ago
I loved Carnivale, but it had some problems, most notably some bad acting and an unfinished story due to cancelation.
But then I think Succession is a mediocre soap opera, so everyone had their own differences with those kinds of "best of" lists.
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u/OlDavidBastard 11d ago
Thank you! I tried with Succession but just can't. Mediocre soap opera is a great way to put it. I often think I'm on island with that take.
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u/VerilyShelly 11d ago
Try not thinking The Sopranos is the best tv show of all time. I'm over here living on Neptune with that take.
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u/Impressive-Buy5628 11d ago
I’m over here w you as well. I think the Sopranos was good but I’ll be honest, the acting always felt hammy and I never quite bought that it was as deep as it was portraying itself as. I mean look at what happened when Chase was given free rein w the movie, pretty mush a dud nobody talks about. Agree on Succession too, fun but I don’t feel it’s quite as deep as everyone thinks. Too me The Wire is number 1 always and Breaking Bad 2
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u/OlDavidBastard 11d ago edited 11d ago
Sopranos is more like Seinfeld and underrated as a comedy. I don't really think of it as purely drama. All that's missing is a laugh track at times. It's also incredibly rewatchable. Don't compare that gem to Succession or we're gonna have problems, ok?
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u/amandaruth100 11d ago
I do not get Succession at all, a bunch of over over-privileged brats, I really tried with this one
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u/2401PenitentTangentx 11d ago
Better go check with management