Characters of Carnivàle

Most of them are introduced in Ben's storyline: Samson, a little person co-running the carnival with an individual known only as Management; Jonesy, Samson's right-hand man with a crippling knee injury; Apollonia and Sofie, two fortunetellers working a mother-daughter act; Lodz, a blind mentalist, and his lover, Lila the Bearded Lady; the Dreifuss family striptease act; the snake charmer Ruthie and her son Gabriel, a strongman; and many other sideshow performers.

The supporting characters of Brother Justin's storyline are his sister Iris, his mentor Reverend Norman Balthus, the radio show host Tommy Dolan, and the convict Varlyn Stroud.

Show creator Daniel Knauf's original story pitch to HBO included elaborate character biographies, which he gave to the actors, the writers and the studio as an overview of the series' intended plot.

[1][2][3] Daniel Knauf expanded the plot with a complex fictional universe based on a good versus evil theme, led by carnival healer Ben Hawkins and Brother Justin Crowe, a California preacher.

When the beginning of season two makes the mysterious happenings in the carnival clearer, Ben is told to find the preacher of his dreams to prevent an unfolding chain of catastrophic events.

[9] An early draft of Carnivàle, which consisted of diary entries by Benjamin "Ben" Hawkins, summarized his childhood as growing up on a run-down farm with his mother and grandfather in the belief that his father had died in World War I.

After receiving a twenty-year sentence in a state prison-farm for a failed bank robbery, Ben planned his escape to return home to his sick mother, but he accidentally killed a prison guard who drew a gun on him.

[11] Of the many actors auditioning, the producers found that Nick Stahl brought a "particular introspection" to the character, "project[ing] a great deal of sensitivity, of quiet intelligence, of pain.

[13] In reviewing the first three episodes, The New York Times commented that "Ben is a taciturn hero, and Mr. Stahl does a remarkable job of wordlessly conveying his character's moods and yearnings, as well as his ungainly grace.

He has a boyish face, but the grim expression of a worn-out elder",[15] and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer said Stahl "speaks volumes with his eyes and weary frown, so much so that his understated portrayal almost carries the series.

In the beginning of season 2, Brother Justin has begun to gather a huge flock of worshippers of mostly migrants and Okies outside Mintern via his nightly radio sermons and newfound abilities of persuasion.

Brother Justin is killed in a battle in a cornfield near his home, but Sofie as the Omega arrives and places her hands on his chest, causing the corn stalks around them to wither and fall away.

"[12] An early draft of Carnivàle gave Brother Justin's real name as Lucius Crowe, a radio preacher who advocated ethnic hatred, especially for Gypsies and carnival folk.

[29] Although Brown and Madigan wanted to leave the status of their characters' relationship as lovers open, they deliberately played their kisses more intimate and familiar than most people would consider comfortable.

[28] In reviewing the first three episodes, The New York Times saw in "prim, righteous Brother Justin ... more of a caricature, but Clancy Brown finds ways to bring some subtle glints of personality to the role.

"[14] Time commented, "Brother Justin comes across as a typical whited sepulcher – if there's one thing more trite than a dwarf in a surreal drama, it's a preacher with a dark side – and Brown's campy performance largely involves shouting 'Enough!'

Brown also has a difficult task capturing the duality of Brother Justin, a man who presents a physically intimidating presence but who wants little more than to be a subdued and loyal servant of his Lord, and he succeeds on every level.

"[35] Time's James Poniewozik depicted the Boardwalk Empire character Nelson Van Alden (played by Michael Shannon) as "such a histrionic, guilt-wracked, damnation-obsessed monster that he reminds me of Brother Justin".

When Lila finally learns of the circumstances surrounding Lodz's death, she suborns the carnival crew to a mutiny that almost prevents the troupe from meeting with Brother Justin in California.

Radio show host Tommy Dolan, who arrived to help with the arson investigation, develops feelings for Iris, but a romance is hindered by Brother Justin's return from a week-long self-discovery trip.

The carnival's backstory begins at the end of the nineteenth century when Lucius Belyakov, a Russian aristocrat from Minsk and officer in the Tsar's army, became aware of his Avataric powers.

[11] The character of Sofie was originally written as more of an exotic gypsy girl, but Clea DuVall, a movie actress trying to become involved in regular television, got the part after four auditions.

Tim DeKay, who had previously worked with Daniel Knauf on a pilot episode of a different project, was cast as Jonesy because the producers felt he best portrayed a "very American" looking baseball player of the 1930s period.

[21] Similarly, Robert Knepper's role as Tommy Dolan was extended from a few episodes to half of both seasons because the writers had liked his performance as an "ambitious man [who uses] Brother Justin to further his career.

Bree Walker (Sabina) has ectrodactyly, a rare genetic disorder that results in fused fingers and toes; she approached the producers in the second season to let her play a "lobster gal".

[82][83] Several actors for one-time characters like the lobster gal in "Hot and Bothered" and Percy the Praying Mantis in "The Road to Damascus" were also cast for their respective real-life disabilities.

Brother Justin's clothes were made period-correct from the beginning, but the character's foreboding presence was enhanced by fitting his frock on the waist and making the shoulders look bigger than usual for that time period.

[19] As early reviews focused on Ben Hawkins, Brother Justin Crowe and the meaning of Carnivàle, the show's supporting characters received little to no attention other than having their freak appearances mentioned,[14][15] according to Variety's Phil Gallo because "they don't play significant parts in the first few episodes.

Wendy Tuohy of the Australian newspaper The Age stated that Knauf "sprinkled enough magical gifts over the carnival's cast of mind readers, fortunetellers, snake charmers, catatonic psychics, conjoined twins, bearded ladies and lizard men to make the bizarre and the macabre appear just about routine.

"[1] Matt Casamassina of IGN added that "from the opening sequence to the fade out on episode 12 [of season 1], Carnivàle successfully draws you into the Depression-engulfed world of its many oddly likeable characters.