Carnival Row (Amazon)

Enjoying it. The sets are spectacular. I especially like how there are layers to the world and to the storytelling. They're taking their time. Still have the last two episodes to watch. Also, the rose is not yet off the Bloom.

 

I saw the first episode the other day and this captures my own thoughts exactly. And if you look at it as a purely historical crime thriller, dealing with race and refugees, I thought it was a pretty boring one, plotwise. And the fantasy, so far, is races that are human-with-wings, or human-with-horns, as well as a coming darkness, ohh and dog monsters. It's two genres in one, but it's both at a basic, run of the mill level.

But that was just the first episode. I'm going to keep watching. Maybe it's going somewhere. The sets are amazing, and the acting is strong, and it's fun to see wings. Maybe the fantasy elements will pick up? And it won't be hard to get into the characters: Even as it is I'll probably be hooked after another episode. But I was hoping to see something in it as a fantasy story to geek out about, and I think it's not there.

 

This is on my watchlist. I'll make sure to see the first episode tonight.

 

Finished it last night. I thought it was interesting and worthwhile.

 

The premie of the show may make it harder to establish a sense of wonder, because there is no wonder on the part of the characters. Fae are known quantities. Not only that, they’re roundly despised. These aren’t elements of the world the characters are going to feel wonder about, so it’s difficult to put that sense onto the viewer without changing the aesthetic of the show. Maybe as it goes on more powerful and unusual beings will be brought into the show and that wonder can be captured. When it comes to the fae, though, they’re not supposed to impart wonder—they’re just another part of the world.