Back in college i was first exposed to Dream On on HBO, and that probably got me hooked intially. More recently, shows like The Sopranos and Sex and the City have been well-done and reasonably entertaining, though I have to say that I think Sopranos jumped the shark a while ago, so I'm happy that this will be the last season-- maybe they'll turn it around and end on a good note.

I really, really like Deadwood because I think the acting is superb, the production value is very high, and the stories are based on real characters and events. Basically, it's just plain well-done and a joy to watch. I think the new season starts in March 2005, and I'm really looking forward to it.

But season 2 of Carnivale has begun, and tonight is the second episode. I actually watch this show twice if possible, because I really enjoy the edginess of some of the characters and their interactions, Here again, excellent production value, some great characters, and a weird plotline that is keeping me interested.

If you caught the first one, then maybe you'll agree with me-- the search for Hack Scudder is related to the Trinity test and the Manhattan Project and all that, so now we know that young Ben Hawkins was not able to put a stop to that timeline. I'm not sure why they went in this direction, so I'm still motivated to find out where this is going despite knowing that they don't stop the discovery and use of nuclear weapons. Hmmmm.

Where a show like Six Feet Under is just plain dark and depressing (that definitely jumped the shark, before the last season in my opinion), Carnivale mixes dark-- no, evil-- with a bit of intrigue, some compelling characters, the supernatural angle, and the thing that still bothers me a bit-- the stuff about the trenches in WW I and this thing with the bear. The darkness of Six Feet Underis just plain overwhelming, and the characters and story are just not compelling anymore. In fact, after this past season it feels to me like the writers have hit the wall and were just trying out some of the stuff they had tossed into the trash can.

I'm looking forward to this season for both of my favorite HBO original series, and I'll be watching tonight, to be sure.