Carnival Row is indeed a masterpiece. A 2019 TV series of dark fantasy that draws one into a magical and deeply human world. And to be honest, sometimes I don't like watching series like Carnival Row because they end up making me go deep into my thoughts and emotions about the nature of humans.
PLOT
Carnival Row is a TV series of a world where humans exist alongside Faes. Faes are mystical and quite magical creatures, beings from fairy tales: Winged humans, minotaurs, trolls, and Sparas. And as usual, like every other series, and like every other reality, including the one I now live in, humans fear what they do not understand the most. And they don't like that fear; they feel like the only way they will escape this fear is by fully dominating and conquering the Faes.
The humans who wage war on the Faes form a nation named the Pact. While the other group of humans, whose conscience doesn't allow them to leash and cage the Faes like animals, build a powerful government called the Burgue. The Burgues have convinced themselves that they are more human than the Pact because they don't leash all the Faes. But they lie to themselves. In the Burgue, there is a culture of racism against the Faes. They still fear the potential of the Faes, so they make sure to limit them.
In this world of Faes and humans, there is a Fae, the girl Vignette, with insect wings and a human Philo who serves in the police force who fell in love during the war. They got separated with Vignette thinking Philo was dead. But when she escapes captivity from her homeland, she finds out Philo is alive and has lied to her. The moment this Vignette arrives at Carnival Row, the life she expected to build goes a totally different way.
MY THOUGHTS
I feel like the series showed us the nature of both humans and Fae. The envy, the want for power, and the need to survive, even at the detriment of others.
Carnival Row was really a great watch for me. The graphics, the costumes, the cinematography, the entire script, and plot were all genius. I have always been a fan of fantasy, so trust me when I say that seeing people with insect wings like fairies made so real take flight gives me a great thrill.
The character I liked most was the human Imogen, who has lived her life treated as a porcelain doll by her family of a great name in the Burgues. But her life changes when her brother threatens to lose their home and everything they inherited from his failed ventures. She comes up with a plan which involves the “puck,” a slur they called him, a Fae, Agreus, who moved into the expensive house opposite.
Agreus was a Fae who was very rare, as he wasn't like other Faes. For one, he is rich and even has human servants, and he doesn't see the world as others see; the Fae and humans, but rather he sees the world as the rich and then the poor. At first, Imogen hates the idea of a Fae being her neighbor; she sees his presence as unnatural and only wants to use him for his wealth. But with the little time she spent with him, she discovers another side to herself, a side she likes better than following the rules of the society she has been made to believe in from birth.
A FEW DISAPPOINTMENTS
The show's plots and twists were great, and of course, you can't have these without a great and talented cast. Although there are some deaths that I didn't like. Some characters that I wish had a longer story, like Sophie Longbourn. She was one of the characters I wished I could see her full potential and how she would actually turn out. Even till seconds before her death, I was hoping she would survive in some way.
When I was at episode 8 of season 2, I checked and found out that I had just two episodes left, and I didn't like it. I felt it was too short, and it would be rushed without a good ending. But I stayed strong, and I was rather surprised how the end was not only good but satisfying. I have to give it to the writers for doing a good job.
FINAL THOUGHTS
So far, the series has been a great fantasy thriller. And let me not forget to warn you, there are quite some gory scenes with organs and blood, and the Sparas that looked real were a wonderfully terrifying sight. So maybe be careful not to watch while eating. I will give the series a rating of 9/10. Not minding it was short-lived, it left a lasting impression and is definitely a fantasy series worth watching.
