Carnival Row (Amazon)

I watched the first episode not long after it was available, but I've not bothered to watch the rest.

It didn't really grab me. It seemed almost like it could be a purely historical crime thriller, only with some things changed "to make it fantasy," heh. I don't know how to explain my reaction. I've read some reviews that talked about a lack of a sense of wonder; I suppose I'm somewhat in that boat.

 

My impression of the trailer was that it was jumping on a bandwagon of urban fantasy. Well, that's a good thing if you are an urban fantasy author!

 

I really can't judge the whole show, because I've not followed it past the first episode. So there is this caveat.

As a viewer, my own sense of wonder is not dependent on having characters sense the wonder. I believe cinema and television can increase the feeling of wonder by showing characters who feel wonder; perfect example is the LOTR movies, for instance when the Fellowship enter the main hall of Moria:

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There are multiple examples in those movies. Peter Jackson knew exactly what he was doing.

But this isn't required. Maybe the creators of Carnival Row wanted us to feel the humdrum along with the characters; but, why? Heh. I'm not amazed by that humdrum. There are other examples from movies of characters who themselves take for granted their wondrous world, quite accustomed to it, but the wonders still seem quite wondrous to me, the viewer.

 

I found the setting to be pretty interesting, mostly because I enjoy fantasy in industrial revolution-like settings, and the art department did a phenomenal job in creating the world. However, I found the chemistry between the main actors to be weak. Also, from a writing standpoint, it annoyed me that the seperate narratives (the mystery and the upper-class trouble) only quickly connected at the beginning to not come together in the climax.

It's a fun series to watch away, but not brilliant imo.