Carnivàle: Season 1
The forces of good and evil do battle in Season 1 of this HBO series. Ben, a young fugitive taken in by a traveling carnival, and Brother Justin, a preacher, are set on a collision course in which their spiritual powers will decide man's fate.
Episodes
| Episode | Duration | Release date | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
01. Milfay |
240 | ||||
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In the pilot episode of this one-hour drama series, 18-year-old Ben Hawkins (Nick Stahl) buries his mother on the grounds of his family's repossessed farm. With nowhere to go, he is taken in by a traveling carnival on its way through town. The young man's shackles and strange spiritual powers worry a blind mystic named Lodz, but the carnival's manager Samson insists that Ben remain with them. The decision irks head-rigger Jones, who senses chemistry between Ben and a tarot-card reader named Sofie. Meanwhile, in Mintern, California, evangelical preacher Brother Justin (Clancy Brown) receives a 'sign from God' that leaves him awakened to the possibility of his own mysterious powers.
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57 min | 9/14/2003 | 160 | Buy | |
02. After the Ball Is Over |
240 | ||||
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A practical joke leads Ben to a piece of the puzzle that is his past. Meanwhile, Brother Justin and his sister Iris are going through their own changes--including an effort to turn a Chinese brothel into a house of worship for migrants. At the carnival, Sofie tends to her comatose psychic mother, Apollonia, after an upsetting run-in with Ben.
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56 min | 9/21/2003 | 160 | Buy | |
03. Tipton |
240 | ||||
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When authorities of the poor town of Tipton refuse to let the carnival set up, Samson takes Jones's advice and reinvents the troupe as a religious revival show--with Ben as its headliner. Meanwhile, Brother Justin is headlining his own show at the former brothel, making a promise to the migrants that upsets his regular congregation. Back in Tipton, Ben and Sofie visit an ailing woman in search of clues about his history.
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49 min | 9/28/2003 | 160 | Buy | |
04. Black Blizzard |
240 | ||||
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On the road to Babylon (Texas), the carnies come face-to-face with nature's fury. Lured by clues about his past, Ben reluctantly follows Lodz into an abandoned house, where the seer tests Ben's powers; Sofie socializes with a handsome cafe owner, to Apollonia's chagrin; Samson pays a visit to an old flame; and Jones, facing a roustabout mutiny, comes up empty in his effort to meet with Management. Meanwhile, Brother Justin struggles with an ultimatum: give up his new migrants' ministry at Chin's, or face losing his old congregation at First Methodist.
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46 min | 10/5/2003 | 160 | Buy | |
05. Babylon |
240 | ||||
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As Brother Justin tries to make sense of a major catastrophe, the carnival rolls into Babylon, a tapped-out silver-mining town with a luckless history--and few visible inhabitants. Samson looks to raise morale by treating the troupe to a night at a local bar in town, while Sofie and her new friend Libby (one of the cooch dancers) take in a film. Finally, a group of restless miners arrive just in time for the evening cooch show--and the latest tragedy to befall Carnivale.
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48 min | 10/12/2003 | 160 | Buy | |
06. Pick a Number |
240 | ||||
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Thirsty for payback, the carnies get caught up in an obscure yet fascinating phenomenon known as 'Carnival Justice.' Ben's dark adventure ends, and Lodz is there to welcome him back into the fold. Meanwhile, Brother Justin decides to take a trip--destination anywhere--and ends up wandering in the wilderness. Later, he swaps campfire stories with a group of hobos, one of whom is about to change Justin's life.
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56 min | 10/19/2003 | 160 | Buy | |
07. The River |
240 | ||||
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While Brother Justin rediscovers his 'birthright' on the banks of a river, his sister Iris gets some unexpected support from a radio reporter. At the carnival, Rita Sue and Stumpy argue over their family's future; Ben and Ruthie go hunting for snakes to use in her act; Samson goes to work on the bally; and Libby and Sofie see stars on the western horizon.
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51 min | 10/26/2003 | 160 | Buy | |
08. Lonnigan, Texas |
240 | ||||
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Samson sends Ben on a road trip to enlist a new attraction, where he encounters a longtime carny rival named Phineas Boffo. Sofie debates whether to defy her motherand join Libby on the bally; Stumpy tells Jones he needs to get his 'candle waxed'; and Lodz and Samson have a falling out over Ben's errand. Meanwhile, while Brother Justin is receiving treatments for 'religious excitation,' Tommy Dolan is posing a rallying cry for his radio listeners: 'Where are you, Brother Justin?'
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58 min | 11/2/2003 | 160 | Buy | |
09. Insomnia |
240 | ||||
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Ben tries to stave off the torments of his dreams by staying awake, but the lack of sleep is taking its toll. Samson looks to drum up new business by resurrecting several tried-and-true scams, including 'turtle boy' and 'man-eating chicken'; Lodz warns Ben about the dangers of not practicing his 'gift'; Sofie worries that her mother is losing touch with reality; Ben marvels at Ruthie's snake-charming routine; and Lodz's psychic act gets a jolt from a mysterious source. In Mintern, Iris reaches out to Brother Justin over the radio airwaves, and Tommy gets a surprise reaction when he reaches out to Iris.
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45 min | 11/9/2003 | 160 | Buy | |
10. Hot and Bothered |
240 | ||||
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Brother Justin returns to Mintern to chart out a new direction for his ministry. At the Carnivale, Samson's loss is Lodz's gain; Libby catches on to her mother's deception; Sofie accuses Apollonia of 'breaking the rules'; Ben and Samson come up empty in search of information about Scudder's whereabouts; Stumpy takes his lumps in enlisting a new dancer named Catalina; and Lodz and Lila wait for Ben to finally succumb to sleep.
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52 min | 11/16/2003 | 160 | Buy | |
11. Day of the Dead |
240 | ||||
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With Management's blessing, Lodz hatches a devious plan to 'reach' Ben, who is vulnerable after letting his guard down with Ruthie. Rita Sue upstages Catalina in the Gay Paree tent; Sofie reads Stumpy's cards and doesn't like what she learns; and Ben learns that some wounds aren't easy to heal. In Mintern, Balthus is concerned about the influences surrounding Brother Justin, as well as some fiery allegations that Tommy Dolan threatens to make public. For her part, Iris proves she'll do anything to advance her brother's career.
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54 min | 11/23/2003 | 160 | Buy | |
12. The Day That Was the Day |
240 | ||||
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Faced with a crisis of life-and-death proportions, Ben turns to Lodz for advice, and ends up meeting with Management for the first time. Stumpy and Rita Sue strike a deal with each other, and Jones, to save their marriage; Samson covers for Ben when the law comes knocking; and Sofie settles a score with Libby and Jones, only to find herself in the grips of Apollonia's fury. Meanwhile, Balthus and Brother Justin contemplate the former's 'greatest evil,' with the latter pondering the prospect of salvation versus damnation among his congregation: 'The clock is ticking, brothers and sisters...counting down to Armageddon.'
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55 min | 11/30/2003 | 160 | Buy | |