Melding Fiction and Reality in HBO’s Carnivàle
Carnivàle, created by Daniel Knauf, portrays a travelling carnival wending its way through the Dust Bowl during the unsettled period of the Great Depression, while the overarching story depicts the epic battle between good and evil. The show was cancelled by HBO after two seasons (2003-2005) not onl...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Groupe de Recherche Identités et Cultures
2012-05-01
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| Series: | TV Series |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journals.openedition.org/tvseries/1504 |
| _version_ | 1819119404966739968 |
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| author | Jean Du Verger |
| author_facet | Jean Du Verger |
| author_sort | Jean Du Verger |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Carnivàle, created by Daniel Knauf, portrays a travelling carnival wending its way through the Dust Bowl during the unsettled period of the Great Depression, while the overarching story depicts the epic battle between good and evil. The show was cancelled by HBO after two seasons (2003-2005) not only because viewing rates had dropped significantly but also for financial reasons. The present article explores how fiction and reality interact in the show’s complex narrative pattern, which disrupts the formulaic structure of traditional TV series. The constant oscillation between both realms disorientates the viewers as they venture into a world where dreams and reality conflate, creating its own fictional reality, while the narrative’s complex pattern and subtext induce greater involvement on the viewers’ behalf as the unfolding story requires their complete attention in order to decipher its meaning. The fusion between history (the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression) and fiction enhances the viewer’s sense of confusion. The numerous cultural, historical and geographical references create a blurred area located between fiction and reality. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T06:04:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ef7504535f93491dba059e20feeeb60c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2266-0909 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T06:04:14Z |
| publishDate | 2012-05-01 |
| publisher | Groupe de Recherche Identités et Cultures |
| record_format | Article |
| series | TV Series |
| spelling | doaj.art-ef7504535f93491dba059e20feeeb60c2022-12-21T18:36:28ZengGroupe de Recherche Identités et CulturesTV Series2266-09092012-05-01110.4000/tvseries.1504Melding Fiction and Reality in HBO’s CarnivàleJean Du VergerCarnivàle, created by Daniel Knauf, portrays a travelling carnival wending its way through the Dust Bowl during the unsettled period of the Great Depression, while the overarching story depicts the epic battle between good and evil. The show was cancelled by HBO after two seasons (2003-2005) not only because viewing rates had dropped significantly but also for financial reasons. The present article explores how fiction and reality interact in the show’s complex narrative pattern, which disrupts the formulaic structure of traditional TV series. The constant oscillation between both realms disorientates the viewers as they venture into a world where dreams and reality conflate, creating its own fictional reality, while the narrative’s complex pattern and subtext induce greater involvement on the viewers’ behalf as the unfolding story requires their complete attention in order to decipher its meaning. The fusion between history (the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression) and fiction enhances the viewer’s sense of confusion. The numerous cultural, historical and geographical references create a blurred area located between fiction and reality.http://journals.openedition.org/tvseries/1504Carnivàlefictionreality |
| spellingShingle | Jean Du Verger Melding Fiction and Reality in HBO’s Carnivàle TV Series Carnivàle fiction reality |
| title | Melding Fiction and Reality in HBO’s Carnivàle |
| title_full | Melding Fiction and Reality in HBO’s Carnivàle |
| title_fullStr | Melding Fiction and Reality in HBO’s Carnivàle |
| title_full_unstemmed | Melding Fiction and Reality in HBO’s Carnivàle |
| title_short | Melding Fiction and Reality in HBO’s Carnivàle |
| title_sort | melding fiction and reality in hbo s carnivale |
| topic | Carnivàle fiction reality |
| url | http://journals.openedition.org/tvseries/1504 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jeanduverger meldingfictionandrealityinhboscarnivale |