Carnivale: Season 1 Episode 3 - Tipton

Pack up the babies! Grab the old ladies! Everyone knows, everyone goes, Brother Benjamin St John's Show!

Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive Reed Edited by Daive Reed

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Trigger Warnings: Death, evangelism, complex boundaries between siblings

 

Summary

Carnivàle shows up in Tipton as a funeral is in progress. Most of the mourners turn away from the coffin and watch the carnival come into town. One fancy guy seems pretty pissed. 

The carnival is setting up as Samson reads off a list for purchases in the town. Samson tells Hawkins to go with Jonesy. Jonesy has never worked this town. They used to have a circuit until Hawkins showed up. Which doesn’t make sense yet. 

Samson has the carnival setting up. The angry, fancy guy comes over. Lyle Donovan, Tipton's sheriff, comes to find Samson. They shoot the shit for a bit, but Lyle sucks and tells Samson he’s not going to allow it. “Because the town is too poor” but probably because Lyle sucks.  

The two have known each other for a long time, but Donovan refuses to let Samson set up the carnival since Donovan doesn't want his people being cheated out of what little money they have left. 

Paying for entertainment is not the same thing as being cheated, you moron. And if they gamble? That’s on them. 

In town, it’s obvious how bad off the town is. There’s hardly any food and no water, even the cows are dehydrated. It’s definitely bad. Jonesy haggles over barely corn while Ben sees a truck with the Big Sky Farms sign on it. 

Just then, the little girl he healed before identifies Ben as a healer. Jonesy pulls up in the truck as the town is being wild and calls over the ruckus to Ben to get into the truck. 

In a nice juxtaposition, the poor migrants from Minten have a new place of worship. Justin and his congregation are having a great time at Chen’s. Justin and Iris are trying to get everyone on key, but we know I don’t want that. Justin preaches that people who God hates are better believers than the ones who don’t have it as hard or something. 

Eleanor gives God credit when shaking Justin’s hand and Justin replies that it isn’t a miracle, just a lot of hard work. Honestly, I want to hear more people say that. Take credit for your hard work! 

Some council members show up and want a “nickel tour”. Iris says “well well.”

Jonesy arrives and says Ben was being called Jesus. Samson isn’t interested because the carnival has been kicked out. BUT Jonesy has an idea.

Samson stages a faith-healing revival in order to circumvent Donovan's edict. Samson plays the organized religion game and talks to the reverend, spinning a cute tale and promising 50% to this guy’s church. There’s a catholic church down the road, and Samson says “why don’t we let the Catholics take care of the Catholics?” The game is on. 

After gaining the support of Tipton's reverend, we get a great shot of Stumpy’s born-again speech. His daughters are dressed up, collecting coins in plates, and looking very "respectable". Quotes because respectability is a patriarchal construct. 

Samson is confronted by Lyle and uses the great “freedom of religion” bullshit we’re all being persecuted under today. It’s a great comparison between what’s happening in Tipton and Minten. The poor folks are being taken by religion.

Lila is dressing Ben, putting product in his hair. Ruthie, Gabriel, and Samson walk in. Samson asks who dressed him, Lodz? Because he’s styled exactly like The Gentleman Geek. Ruthie says it’s like seeing a ghost and Samson shoos her out. 

Ben gets all high-strung, as is his #1 characteristic., and says he’s not going to do it. He tries to leave, but Gabriel physically stops him. Samson says it’s not an option to leave. 

Stumpy's speech is incredible. 

I always love these stories, because they’re humble brags of how much sinning someone has gotten up to in their lives and it kind of makes you jealous. 

As he ends it, his story for introducing Ben is that he was struck down and Ben brought him back, which turned his sinning light around. 

Samson sits behind Lila and Lodz, mentioning the tux was a mean trick. Lodz is thrilled. 

Gabriel looks dapper in his gray suit. 

Stumpy calls for healing, and people want healing. He calls for a woman in the back, in a wheelchair, Gabriel brings her and the chair to the stage. She has stomach cancer,