HBO’s First Fantasy Show, Released 8 Years Before Game Of Thrones, Has 91% On RT & Was Canceled Too Soon

Within the fantasy genre on TV, there are some truly unforgettable pieces of media that have become crossover hits for HBO. Over the past few decades, HBO has put out some of the fantasy TV shows with the best world-building, from the iconic Game of Thrones to the underseen His Dark Materials. Many of the more recent projects that HBO has been known for fall into the fantasy genre, such as The Leftovers or the GOT spinoff, House of the Dragon​​​​​​. Thanks to the resources at the network’s disposal, these projects are always of the highest quality.

It’s well known that Game of Thrones is an HBO TV show everyone should watch, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some series that have flown under the radar. Fantasy is an interesting position in the 2020s, as there have been many recent cancellations of magical shows that could have continued for many seasons. Of course, HBO isn’t immune to ending a great show before its time, as this happened to an intriguing series long before Game of Thrones, or any other ambitious fantasy project, premiered on the network.

Carnivàle Was HBO’s First Ambitious Attempt At Fantasy TV

This 2003 Series Pushed Fantasy Boundaries

Set against the bleak yet beautiful backdrop of the U.S. Dust Bowl during the Great Depression, Carnivàle was a big, intriguing fantasy project that changed things for HBO. Long before HBO invested in the future of Game of Thrones and its impact on the fantasy landscape, it dedicated a lot of time and resources to Carnivàle. Created by Daniel Knauf, Carnivàle followed a traveling carnival populated by unique characters trying to carve out a life for themselves in the midst of fantastical circumstances.

Though Game of Thrones has had some successors in the years since it ended, viewers should look to the past at Carnivàle for a great fantasy series that will scratch the same itch. Though only two seasons long, Carnivàle stood apart because it was unlike anything audiences had seen within the genre before. Full of rich mythology, Carnivàle balanced the magic of its world with relevant conversations about the real world and nuanced discussions of social and cultural issues.

Why Carnivàle Was Canceled After Just Two Seasons

The Show Didn’t Get To Fulfill Its Potential

These days, it’s not uncommon for a great fantasy TV show to be canceled before its time, and this is what happened so many years ago with Carnivàle. There are many reasons why a show like Carnivàle would be canceled after its second season. Despite its strong critical reception, Carnivàle wasn’t getting the viewership numbers required to justify its high production cost. This is a tricky situation, as part of the reason Carnivàle was so good was that HBO invested so much in the show, but this also ultimately contributed to its downfall.

Related

7 Fantasy TV Shows That Changed The Genre Forever

There have been many great fantasy TV shows that pushed the genre forward, but these series are considered benchmarks for all other fantasy shows.

There are some fantasy shows that have been canceled after just one installment, so in some ways, it’s lucky that Carnivàle got the two seasons it did. It would still be worth watching Carnivàle today even if it had only one season, but it’s interesting to see the direction that the series was taking as it propelled itself into the future. While Knauf had additional seasons planned, audiences might never know what would have happened to the intricate characters that made Carnivàle so fun to watch.

HBO Should Revisit Carnivàle After Its Fantasy Successes

There’s A Path Forward To Bring Back Carnivàle

HBO is known for drama, comedy, and almost every other genre of TV, but it consistently hits it out of the park when it comes to fantasy. It’s clear that the network understands how to craft a work of speculative fiction and knows what audiences are looking for when they seek out series like this. In the years since Carnivàle was canceled, viewers have come to associate incredible fantasy shows with HBO, making this the perfect time to return to Carnivàle in one way or another.

Whether this is a reboot, revival, or spinoff, there are many ways that HBO can return to its roots and bring Carnivàle back into the cultural conversation. After all this time, HBO has learned a lot about what works and how to market a series like Carnivàle. Since so many works of fantasy have gone off the air before their time, there’s a niche open for another great original fantastical show that will capture viewers’ imaginations and leave them on the edge of their seats like Game of Thrones did.

Carnivale

Release Date

2003 – 2005-00-00

Network

HBO

Directors

Jeremy Podeswa, Jack Bender, Scott Winant, John Patterson, Rodrigo García, Tim Hunter, Alan Taylor, Alison Maclean, Dan Lerner, Peter Medak, Steve Shill, Todd Field

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  Bree Walker

  Sabina Engstrom