You're Pretty Sexy For A Depression-Era Carnie With Magical Powers!

Generally speaking, if I like a television program, it is virtually guaranteed to be cancelled within the first three seasons (Twin Peaks, Strangers With Candy) if not cancelled before I even discover it (The Oblongs), and so it was with great excitement that I noticed the phone booth advertisements popping up around town for the second season of Carnivale. The show had originally sucked me in with the double whammy of sexy Nick Stahl in a starring role alongside Michael J. Anderson, aka the Dancing Dwarf from the infamous second episode dream sequence of Twin Peaks, but I didn't get myself too too excited because I just thought, from the beginning, that it was only going to be around for one season, especially after Nick Stahl took a sponge bath around the sixth episode - surely, something so wonderful that I liked so much would most assuredly meet with a swift and violent death.

But I was wrong! It happens rarely, but when it does happen, lady and gentlemen, I am thrilled. Last season's finale revealed that "Management" was actually the disembodied voice of Linda Hunt - which was, as you might guess, not at all surprising.

After all, on those rare occasions when I've imagined there even is a God, a dubious proposition at best, I've always just assumed She looks and sounds like Linda Hunt. Doesn't everyone?

But it was that final excitement made me realize that Carnivale was perfect for me, and therefore would never possibly make it to a second season. Something similar happened with John Doe when first-season finale revealed there was going to be a big, exciting conspiracy theory based in Rome or something during the second season, it guaranteed that there would never, ever be a second season. I mean, that show opened with the sexy muscular lead man jumping into the water naked during the credits for every episode, and then it turned out he the muscular sexy man was smart, also? Is the television reading my mind?!?!

Every episode you'd get some ass and several interesting factoids - guaranteed! But yet again, it also guaranteed that a) I would watch it religously and b) John Doe would be swiftly cancelled.

However - it ain't over until the bearded lady sings, apparently. Although two showings failed to record due to "the cable signal being out," according to the TiVo (but I think it's far more likely that the hard drive simply overheated when Nick Stahl, for no reason, removed his shirt midway through this season's opening episode to reveal his skanky stinky sexy carnie self) but yesterday, at last, the damn thing recorded and I finally got to watch it.

Well, it turns out - and this isn't really giving anything away - Management isn't exactly God, but it is still Linda Hunt, and there's definitely enough plot and sexy Nick Stahl to fill out several seasons of fun, so I hope all of you out there try a little taste of Carnivale - it's delicious!

What could be sexier than a starvingly skinny guy with healing powers and an inner conflict? That would be a starvingly skinny guy with magical powers and an inner conflict taking a sponge bath. You get to see all the sexy visuals of living through the Depression with none of what I imagine would be unthinkably bad stench. Think about it - I haven't!

In other news, Ed Shepp has a hilarious entry regarding the Brad vs. Jennifer marches which are happening this weekend in New York. Read it now.

That is all.