I don’t even know where to begin but I know that I do need to begin. Carnivàle is one of the weirdest television shows that I have ever watched. I am a big fan of weird but after watching the first of the two broadcast seasons, I cannot quite gauge whether the HBO series classifies as ’successful weird’ or ‘WTF weird’. The fact that that it lasted only two seasons gives the thumbs up to ‘WTF weird’. Objectors to this supposition claim that Carnivàle’s short lifespan is a result of the fact that viewers just didn’t get the complexities of the show’s themes and expression. Is Carnivàle so brilliant that it surpasses the grasp of the mediocre intelligence of the masses, or does it merely lack that special formula that grasps audiences by the throat and commands them to sit and watch? (more…)

The mind of a serial killer is a fascinating thing. And the mind of Dexter Morgan is like a delicious trifle that I feel compelled, by the rumblings of a hungry gut, to dig in to, dissect and explore in the hope of finding hidden treasures. Jeff Lindsay’s character has spawned a cult following of readers and viewers. The TV adaptation of Lindsay’s series stars the brilliant Michael C Hall as the killer we love to love. With Harry’s code under his belt and the convenient cover of good-humoured blood-spatter specialist for the Miami PD, Dexter grows into his role as the Dark Defender, as he efficiently and methodically scours the scum from Miami’s streets. (more…)

I am downing Season 3 of The Wire at a rapid rate and thought it best to share the love before the show gets the best of me. Anyone remember a masterful prison drama series called Oz that aired a couple of years back? The Wire runs in a similar vein. Both shows boast a gritty realism that is downright offensive but not the least bit gratuitous – the violence, sex and language are in tune with the brutal reality of a society motivated by the fight for survival in a ‘kill or be killed’ environment. It is not a surprise that the shows share many of the same cast and crew. (more…)