Carnival Row's first season was released in its entirety on Amazon Prime Video on August 30, 2019. In July 2019, Amazon renewed the series for a second season, which premiered on February 17, 2023, and served as the series's final season, concluding on March 17, 2023.
Premise
In Carnival Row, "mythical creatures... have fled their war-torn homeland and gathered in the city as tensions are simmering between citizens and the growing immigrant population".[4] There is an investigation into a string of unsolved murders, questions of madness of power, unresolved love, and social adjustments eating away at whatever uneasy peace exists.
Cast and characters
Main
Orlando Bloom as Rycroft "Philo" Philostrate, an inspector of the Burgue Constabulary, investigating a dark conspiracy at the heart of the city. A half-fae passing as a human, and veteran of the war, he sympathizes with the fae to the disgust of many of his colleagues.
Cara Delevingne as Vignette Stonemoss, a faerie (also known by their derogatory name of "Pix") and Philo's former lover who believed him to be dead following the war. She falls in with a group of fae ruffians known as the Black Raven while dealing with her complicated feelings for Philo.
Simon McBurney as Runyan Millworthy, a human street performer and master of a troupe of kobolds.
Tamzin Merchant as Imogen Spurnrose, an heiress who becomes involved with Agreus to support her lifestyle.
David Gyasi as Agreus Astrayon, a wealthy faun (also known by their derogatory name of "Puck") shunned by Burgue high society for his appearance and origin.
Andrew Gower as Ezra Spurnrose, Imogen's brother whom she blames for mishandling the family finances and driving them into debt.
Karla Crome as Tourmaline Larou, Vignette's fae friend and former lover, Poet Laureate of Tirnanoc, and a courtesan at the Tetterby Hotel in Carnival Row.
Arty Froushan as Jonah Breakspear, Absalom's son who rebels against his controlling father.
Indira Varma as Piety Breakspear (season 1), Absalom's manipulative wife who seeks to enshrine her family's legacy.
Jared Harris as Absalom Breakspear (season 1), the chancellor of the Republic of the Burgue.
Caroline Ford as Sophie Longerbane, the power-seeking daughter of Ritter Longerbane who becomes sympathetic towards the Fae.
Jay Ali as Kaine (season 2), a fae allied with the Black Raven who goes to extreme measures to make life better for his people.
Joanne Whalley as Leonora (season 2), a faun with a broken horn and leader of the New Dawn revolutionary movement.
Jamie Harris as Sergeant Dombey (season 2; recurring season 1), a constable sergeant who is known to harbor racist beliefs against the fae and despises Philo for sympathizing with them.
Ariyon Bakare as Darius Sykes (season 2; recurring season 1), Philo's old friend and a former soldier of the Burgue now held in captive luxury at Bleakness Keep due to having been bitten by a Marrok (a type of werewolf created from a virus) during the war.
Tracey Wilkinson as Afissa, the "Puck" housemaid and cook to the Spurnroses.
Ryan Hayes as Constable Thatch, a rookie constable with a strong hatred of the fae.
Waj Ali as Constable Berwick, Philo's timid partner who nevertheless remains loyal to him.
James Beaumont as Constable Cuppins, a constable who finds Philo's interest in the fae unnatural.
Jim High as Fergus, a human servant in Agreus' household.
Scott Reid as Quilliam "Quill", a "Puck" footman, unjustly dismissed by the Chancellor, who turns to radicalism.
Brian Caspe as Nigel Winetrout, a politician and close advisor for the Breakspear family.
Chloe Pirrie as Dahlia, the ruthless "Pix" leader of the Black Raven.
Anthony Kaye as Bolero, the loyal "Pix" second-in-command of the Black Raven.
Sinead Phelps as Jenila, Sophie's "Puck" lady's maid.
Season 1
Maeve Dermody as Portia Fyfe, Philo's landlady whose romantic advances he frequently rebuffs.
Leanne Best as Madame Moira, the proprietor of The Tetterby Hotel, which she uses as a brothel.
Anna Rust as Fleury, a "Pix" courtesan at Moira's brothel.
Ronan Vibert as Ritter Longerbane, Sophie's father, Absalom Breakspear's primary political opponent, and longtime advocate of fae subjugation.
Mark Lewis Jones as Magistrate Flute, the head constable in the Burgue who urges solidarity amongst his officers and frequently butts heads with Philo over his concern for the fae's welfare.
Erika Starkova as Aisling Querelle, Philo's mother and a once-famous "Pix" singer turned to the life of a scavenger.
Theo Barklem-Biggs as Cabal, a "Puck" malcontent seeking to bring his brethren together.
Season 2
Fraser James as Erasmus Fletcher, a politician and advisor for the Longerbane family.
Eve Ponsonby as Phaedra, a "Pix" vigilante and member of the Black Raven.
Stewart Scudamore as Boz Ghaidos, a well-connected cattle-horned "Puck" who manages an underground fighting ring.
Andrew Buchan as Mikulas Vir, a Major in The Pact army who travels to The Burgue to secure a weapons deal with a secret of his own.
Karel Dobrý as Ambassador Anrep, the ambassador for The Pact to The Burgue.
Jacqueline Boatswain as Mima Blodwen, a "Mima" fae, a spiritual leader, who guides Tourmaline.
George Georgiou as Kastor, a high-ranking member of the New Dawn in charge of overseeing Agreus and Imogen.
Vignette Stonemoss escapes Pact soldiers onto a ship with other fae-folk she has helped flee Pact-occupied fae land. A storm at sea leaves Vignette the sole survivor. The ship belonged to Ezra Spurnrose, who lives with his sister Imogen in one of the Burgue’s richer neighborhoods. Having lost a significant profit in the shipwreck, he expects the indentured Vignette to work as a lady's maid to Imogen. Vignette goes to Carnival Row on an errand, meeting her old friend Tourmaline, now a sex worker, who reveals Vignette's lover Philo is still alive. Now a police inspector investigating violent attacks on fae-folk, Philo realizes the suspect is a sailor. He tries to catch the assailant, but the man, before taking his own life, warns him that a "dark god" has awakened under the city. Vignette tells Philo that she knows he is alive. Imogen and Ezra are shocked to learn their new neighbor is a faun named Agreus. Absalom Breakspear, Chancellor of the city, faces strong opposition from his rival Longerbane. He and his wife Piety discuss their son Jonah, whom he warns not to visit Carnival Row.
2
2
"Aisling"
Thor Freudenthal
René Echevarria
August 30, 2019 (2019-08-30)
A female fae named Aisling is murdered near the sewers. Philo learns Aisling was a singer turned scavenger, and asks a fae butcher to perform an autopsy, allowing a fae priestess to perform last rites. Imogen meets Agreus, rebuffing his advances. A drunk Ezra attempts to rape Vignette and she assaults him in self-defense; Ezra files a police complaint accusing her of stealing. Philo overhears this and buys Vignette's contract from him. Ezra tells Imogen they are financially unstable, and he plans to give the house as collateral to the bank to procure another ship. Imogen has her own plans, and writes to Agreus, reciprocating his interest. Vignette joins the Black Raven, a rebel fae group dealing in contraband, and is tasked to steal a flag from inside police headquarters. She succeeds by blackmailing Philo into letting her escape. Philo meets Darius, an old army friend currently in prison. Jonah is kidnapped while visiting Tourmaline. Without a ransom demand, Piety suggests they consult a witch, who sacrifices Absalom's pet bear, Barry, and tells him Longerbane kidnapped his son. It is revealed Piety is behind the kidnapping, asking the witch, her family's loyal servant, to lie.
A flashback reveals Philo and Darius were soldiers with the Burguish army, occupying a fae village near a telegraph line. Sent to investigate whether the faefolk are a threat, Philo finds a library guarded by Vignette, who threatens him to stay silent and is ordered to keep a close eye on him by Mima. Vignette helps the Burguishmen fix the telegraph line across a ravine, where they are attacked by Pact soldiers who morph into Marroks (a type of wolf-man) using injections. Darius is bitten, turning into a Marrok which Philo promises to keep secret. Tourmaline and other fae seek refuge at the village when their home is attacked by the Pact. Tourmaline talks to Vignette, her past lover, asking what Vignette’s plans are with Philo after the war. Vignette confronts Philo about their future, and he reveals he is a half-blood orphan who had his wings cut off as a child to pass as a man. News arrives that the Burgue has ordered its troops home. The Pact attacks the village, and Philo asks Mima to tell Vignette he is dead, to protect her. In the present, Vignette tells Philo she will keep his secret, but their love is finished.
Finch, headmaster of Philo's former orphanage and his foster father, is murdered. Philo encounters the killer in the sewers after finding that it left the footprints of a faun and a trow. The priestess explains to Philo that the creature may be a Darkasher, a golem reanimated from various corpses with dark magic. To prove this theory, Philo asks the witch to create a Darkasher bonded to him, which requires her to sexually assault him in Vignette’s form to collect his seed. Distraught, Absalom agrees with Piety to take Longerbane into custody until he confesses to kidnapping their son. Agreus agrees to support Imogen if she helps him gain acceptance from her peers. Suspecting Vignette is an informant, Dahlia orders her to find the real informant or die. Tourmaline forces Philo to reveal the informant is Hamlyn, who tells Philo that a deceased member of the Black Raven named Wren was hired to dig up several bodies. Finding Longerbane on the brink of death, Piety poisons him, telling Absalom where to find Jonah. Vignette attacks Hamlyn, but he overpowers her and Philo shoots him dead. Dahlia promotes Vignette in Hamlyn's place after bringing her his wing. Jonah is returned to Absalom, but recognizes the sound of Piety's heels from captivity. Philo takes his landlady Portia on a date.
As the Darkasher cannot be killed while its master lives, Philo searches for its creator. Over Ezra's objections, Imogen invites Agreus to a tea party with her friends, which proves humiliating when he insists on being treated as their equal. As Agreus prepares to leave, Ezra swallows his pride and permits him to stay. Afterward, Agreus gives him a check. Philo returns to the orphanage, revisiting painful memories, and meets with the assistant headmaster who reveals that Finch regularly traveled to the Tetterby for companionship. Longerbane's ambitious daughter Sophie assumes his office and declares her opposition to coexistence with the fae. Enthralled by her, Jonah grows distant from his family. Runyon's kobold performers are seized by the police and deported as unregistered pets. Philo learns the truth from Madame Moira: Finch was in a secret relationship with police coroner Morange who confesses that Finch knew Aisling in his younger days, leading Philo to deduce Aisling was his mother. That night, Morange is murdered in his home by the Darkasher. Jonah's former footman Quill joins a secret society of "Pucks" after their leader Cabal gives him a book to read.
6
6
"Unaccompanied Fae"
Andy Goddard
Stephanie K. Smith
August 30, 2019 (2019-08-30)
Philo's fellow police officers become suspicious as he seems to be making no progress on his case. Jonah meets Sophie and learns she abhors her father's politics, but cannot afford to alienate his supporters. She tells him they are very much alike, but he is still under his parents' thumb. Philo tells Portia he is a half-blood and she ends their relationship and kicks him out. Vignette discovers her library is on display at a Burguish museum. Enraged, she accosts the patrons and is arrested for trespassing. During a procession, Quill witnesses a fellow Puck being beaten by an abusive foreman which Cabal offers as proof humans will never accept the Fae. Imogen accompanies Agreus to a charity auction where he impresses her with his wit and humiliates a haughty couple who insult her. Constable Dombey forces Portia to reveal Philo's secret. Berwick tries to explain Philo's theory about the Darkasher, which Dombey and the Magistrate are convinced Philo made up to disguise the killings. Runyon tells Philo that the late Mr. Spurnrose, an admirer of Aisling, let her stay at his house to give birth safely. Philo is taken into police custody.
Story by : René Echevarria Teleplay by : Peter Cameron
August 30, 2019 (2019-08-30)
Dombey hopes Philo will be killed by human prisoners. Vignette warns him and he fights them off. The witch warns Piety that she will die soon and that the police have the wrong man. Guilt-stricken, Portia tells the police she lied about Philo. The Magistrate offers to free Philo if he swears he is a man, but Philo admits he is half-fae. Dombey plots to have Philo murdered before trial. Hired as Jonah’s tutor, Runyon lambasts him for his lack of purpose, driving Jonah to accept Sophie’s offer to force his father from power. Furious to learn his father sheltered Aisling, Ezra tells Imogen that Agreus will cast her aside. She visits Agreus where they confess their mutual feelings and have sex. Cabal inducts Quill into his society by having him kill the foreman. Philo and Vignette reconcile and realize the killer is Philo's father who wants to rid himself of his half-blood son and has been killing those close to him to learn his identity. Philo is removed from his cell by Dombey, having been warned by Berwick of his plans. Instead of being killed, Philo is taken to a rural estate to meet his biological father: Absalom.
Absalom prepares to kill Philo until Philo convinces him that he did not kill Aisling. Swapping stories, Absalom promises to free Vignette, but a disguised Quill stabs him in his office. Piety reveals to Jonah that Sophie is his half-sister from her affair with Ritter and Jonah realizes his father always suspected he was not his biological son. Catching Agreus and Imogen sleeping together, Ezra tries to shoot Agreus who strikes him. Piety smothers her husband and inspects his liver, learning of Vignette's existence. The witch is killed, warning Philo that Vignette is in danger. Piety is revealed to be the master of the Darkasher and sends it to kill Philo, but Vignette frees herself and stabs Piety with a pair of shears, killing her and her monster. As his mother's body has not been found, Jonah assumes the role of acting chancellor with Runyon as his chief advisor and deduces Sophie was responsible for the blackmails by convincing Piety that Philo, not him, was destined for greatness. Nevertheless, Jonah forms an alliance with Sophie. Agreus and Imogen take Agreus' ship to find a new home. In light of the uprisings, Jonah establishes a ghetto for the Fae, forbidding them to leave the Burgue or interact with humans. Fleury is shot for trying to fly away from the Tetterby Hotel. Embracing his fae heritage, Philo joins Vignette and the other fae in the ghetto.
After the events of Season 1, Philo earns money in an underground fighting ring where he fights a Trow while Vignette is robbing a train with members of the black raven. After defeating the trow, Philo reminds the ringmaster Boz Ghaidos of their deal when Boz tells him to come back the day after. Vignette brings the spoils of their robbery, a substance called Anodyne, to an infirmary to ease the symptoms of Bás Dubh, an illness that befalls Pixies. Jonah Breakspear publicly executes the Puck of Cabals society and Mr. Millworthy tries to get him to visit the Row to have him see the conditions there for himself. Sophie Longerbane overhears her party members plotting to overthrow her after her mourning period ends and she tries to prop Jonah up to secure their seats, but Jonah has doubts because of the execution. Mr. Millworthy visits the Row himself and talks to Philo who expresses to take the chancellors seat himself. Together they plot to publicize Philos pedigree at the state banquet the day after. Tourmaline visitis the workshop of the old Haruspex, sees her standing in there and has a vision of Philo fighting the Darkasher. Vignette is initiated into The Raven by getting a branding, but is threatened by Dahlia for going behind her back with the train job. After meeting with Vignette, Tourmaline has another vision of the old Haruspex in which she breathes out a blue fog that drives into Tourmaline. After coming to, Tourmaline killed and gutted a cat with a knife but she can't remember doing it. Philo is suddenly escorted out of the row by the army and brought to a crimescene by Constable Berwick. Berwick accuses the Black Raven of killing a police officer and wants Philos help but is interrupted by Dombey who commands that Philo's be put back to the Row. Imogen has a nightmare of Ezra killing her and wakes up next to Agreus on the ship they left the Row with. They discuss if they should land but Imogen convinces Agreus to stay on board, when suddenly they are approached by a Pact airship that signals them to follow, even threatening with bombs.
On January 9, 2015, Amazon signed a development deal for the series which, at the time had Guillermo del Toro on board as a co-writer, executive producer, and director. The series, set to be co-written by del Toro, Travis Beacham, and Rene Echeverria, is based on a feature film spec script written by Beacham, entitled A Killing on Carnival Row. The company ordered three scripts with the expectation that if the series went into production del Toro would direct the first episode.[5] On June 6, 2016, the production was given a pilot order with the previously announced creative team still set to be involved.[6]
On May 10, 2017, the production was given a series order with Beacham and Echeverria still executive producing, and with Echeverria expected to act as showrunner. Filmmaker Paul McGuigan was set to direct the series. By this point, del Toro had stepped away from the project, as his feature film schedule did not permit him to stay on as an executive producer as the project moved forward.[7] On November 10, 2017, filmmaker Jon Amiel replaced McGuigan as director.[8]
In July 2019, Amazon renewed the series for a second season.[9] In November 2022, Amazon announced that the second season would serve as the series's last.[10]
The series spent almost five months in pre-production before filming began. The series was shot entirely in the Czech Republic throughout 108 shooting days.[20] Principal photography began in October 2017.[21] Much of the work was done at the Barrandov Studios in Prague, while locations included the city of Liberec, the chateaux in Frýdlant and Krnsko, and at the Prachov Rocks (Prachovské skály) area.[22] Filming for the first season concluded on March 14, 2018.[20]
Production on the second season commenced in November 2019 but was halted in March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. As of the first week of May, preparations for resumption of production were underway.[23][24] However, by June 2020, Amazon had yet to resume production on the series.[25] Upon production halting due to the pandemic, the production team were reportedly three weeks away from concluding filming for the season.[26] Filming for the second season continued in August 2020 in the Czech Republic.[27] In a February 2021 interview, Tamzin Merchant revealed that only five out of eight episodes were wrapped up.[28] Filming for the second season officially wrapped in September 2021.[29] Production for the second season resumed in May 2021 in the Czech Republic, mainly to film the remaining scenes which involved Orlando Bloom, who was not available in 2020 due to the birth of his child.[30][31][32]
Release
On June 3, 2019, it was announced that the series would premiere on August 30, 2019.[33] The second and final season premiered on February 17, 2023, with episodes releasing weekly in batches of two episodes.[10]
Themes
The Chicago Tribune wrote that the show is about government oppression, sexism, and elitism.[34]Travis Beacham, the original script writer and one of the executive producers, said that the show is also about class, race, and immigration. Despite the script being written 17 years before the show's production, the same issues were just as relevant by the time it aired. The show, based on a Victorian fantasy setting, served as a hypothetical space where political and social issues that reflected the real world could be safely discussed.[35]
Reception
Critical response
On Rotten Tomatoes, the first season of Carnival Row holds a 57% approval rating based on 68 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "Beautiful, but bloated, Carnival Row boasts meticulously crafted mythology and luscious world building—unfortunately its story of haves and have nots simply has too much going on to create anything cohesive."[36] The second season holds a 44% approval rating based on 16 reviews.[36] On Metacritic, the series has a weighted average score of 58 out of 100, based on 22 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[37]
Sam Brooks of the New Zealand-based The Spinoff noted that the premise of the show is "a mish-mash of influences and inspirations, from Neil Gaiman to Mortal Engines (the novels not the film)".[38][39]
