Amazon’s fantasy series Carnival Row, starring Orlando Bloom and Cara Delevingne, has returned after a 4-year hiatus. In my review of the first season, I mentioned the possibility that there might not be a new season. Apparently, Amazon has faith in the series and has invested in its second season. Frankly, the first season was built upon a great idea that had some flaws. Although the concept’s design was successful, the execution around it wasn’t very creative. However, the second season does what the first couldn’t, increasing the excitement while building an imaginative story using its own foundation. So let’s talk about the series a bit more.
In short, let’s touch on the plot of the series… Mythological beings, pushed into a corner and forced to live like refugees by humans, are faced with a new serial killer in the city. Not only that, but a rebellion against humans is also brewing in the city. The fairies, who are unhappy with their situation, are preparing for war. And that’s not all, The New Dawn, another city, is also preparing to wage war on Carnival Row.
The most successful aspect of the first season was the character and set designs. The series beautifully conveyed the pathetic order built upon racism between humans and creatures. However, the established order failed to create any creative topic other than immigration. The series was more reminiscent of The Alienist. A killer chases his victims at night while the police are after him. But a detective who has been ostracized from the city saves the day. It was pretty classic and lacked creativity.
The second season of Carnival Row managed to expand the existing racism story to a broader audience by adding new elements while building on the foundations established in the first season. The new season has become a more politically charged and mysterious game of Thrones. With the addition of two different uprisings, there is nonstop action in the second season. The fact that the action is built upon the “outcast” community, the races fighting against each other, and this time the killer committing murders without discriminating based on “race,” and even better, the basis of this “killer” is based on the past of existing creature races, brings a consistency to the series that I expected, at least.
The set design, acting, and effects of the series are undeniably successful. When we consider the effects of Amazon’s many top-notch series, Carnival Row surpasses many of them. Not only the main cast but also David Gyasi, Tamzin Merchant, Karla Crome, and Jamie Harris do a fantastic job in terms of acting. The series did not have any problems visually or design-wise in the first season. The only problem was not being able to execute the beautiful and creative idea properly. The first season failed to captivate me, but the second season drew my attention until the end by solving these problems.
In summary, the second season of Carnival Row embellishes its original idea with the stories that emerge from within. The story progresses in three ways, converging in an exciting final act. There are not many loose ends for a third season. However, if it continues, it will pick up where the second season left off. Therefore, I can say that I will enjoy watching a possible third season.
Cast & Crew
creator: Travis Beacham, René Echevarria
starring: Cara Delevingne, Orlando Bloom, David Gyasi, Tamzin Merchant, Karla Crome, Jamie Harris
USA | 2023 | 10 EPISODES |