Carnival Row

Prime Video | Amazon Prime Video | Release Date: August 30, 2019

7.4	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 168 Ratings

USER RATING DISTRIBUTION

Review this TV Series

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Please sign in or create an account before writing a review.

Check box if your review contains spoilers

0 characters (5000 max)

User Reviews

User score By date Most helpful

LinttaFlamingoOct 7, 2020

Not bad, but also not awful.

After watching the second season of that ****ing dog**** Knightfall show, I wanted something weird and fun to satisfy my needs. In came Carnival Row with some actual good worldbuilding for a change. The world isNot bad, but also not awful.

After watching the second season of that ****ing dog**** Knightfall show, I wanted something weird and fun to satisfy my needs. In came Carnival Row with some actual good worldbuilding for a change. The world is great. Steampunk, strong accents, mixed in fantasy elements like pixies and half-goats or some ****, Lovecraftian vibe in a couple episodes. It's all awesome!

The first two episodes overall are pretty solid, with the worldbuilding being a strong focus; which isn't surprising since the guy spent one tenth of a century creating it as far as I know. Episode three however is a **** mess. The two main characters, portrayed by Orlando Bloomer and Cara Delevingne, are alright as characters but have a **** cliche rushed romance plot forced in which happens in the span of like four scenes. First scene they're together in, Cara's doing the whole angry ready to haterape kill thing, and the next scene she's showing **** me eyes. I did like it because I'm a creep, but it was rushed. They have a weird sex scene where Cara's pixie wings (because she's a pixie btw) start glowing when they're ****ing. Does this happen only when she's horny? I've no idea. Their movements were also really weird during the intercourse scene. Like Cara had a nob too. The recording also sounded weird. The boom mic is supposed to be above them, not shoved in their a$$holes. The entire third episode is a rushed mess to get some backstory over with, but it's watchable and the acting from Delevingne is surprisingly decent. It's sometimes even good. Although she has her bad moments too.

The rest of the show is also a rushed mess. The season has eight episodes, and by the fourth episode they have three subplots going, a main plot and a triangle drama. One of the subplots almost took over completely, although I didn't mind because Tamzin Merchant was easily the best part of the show. She has some ****ing CHARM.

The main plot eventually becomes a forgettable mess, with this completely out of place Lovecraftian monster that's only there to be a tool for other plots to go forward. By the sixth episode the show devolves into an absolute rushed ****show, with subplots here and there, too many characters, and scenes that feel like they range from a couple minutes to 15 seconds. It's chaos, but the production value's good so I didn't mind watching. And if that wasn't enough, the seventh episode has another romance; this time with Tamzin Merchant and a **** half-goat who's clearly made to be the discriminated N-word race. Predictable and lame social commentary.

By the end I felt like there were no more main characters or main plot. It was just a disaster, albeit an entertaining one! Subplots were wrapped up and intertwined together in like 10 seconds. The seventh episode also introduced another villain that no-one cares about. Go away! She was probably there to bait a second season. Definitely more memorable than Knightfall though, **** that show. If there's ever a second season, maybe I'll just watch it! Overall a weirdass show with good production value, awesome accents, decent acting, and a story that falls apart like my parents's marriage.

What just happened O_o :D… Expand

2 of 6 users found this helpful24

All this user's reviews

papadrew7Sep 20, 2019

This show failed to create a world for the viewer to understand what the hell is going on. The show starts out showing a group called “the pact” that is conquering the fae and their lands. We are never told who the pact is and why they areThis show failed to create a world for the viewer to understand what the hell is going on. The show starts out showing a group called “the pact” that is conquering the fae and their lands. We are never told who the pact is and why they are waging war against the fae and “the burgue”. Nor are we told who the puck are or why they are so looked down upon in this make believe world yet it is constantly talked about how the puck are undesirable. Also the pacing is just bad. The show should have started with the first episode being the fourth, the only really good episode of the show. That would have at least given motivation to why certain characters hate each other. Look I barely got through this show and I would not recommend for you to watch it. There is much better stuff on tv than this.… Expand

2 of 14 users found this helpful212

All this user's reviews

WatchinMoviesMar 16, 2023

Season 1 had a basic mystery plot and the pace was good through the eight episodes. The sub-plots tie in with the main plot and one can follow the entire season. There is too much political correctness and bigotry in the writing but theSeason 1 had a basic mystery plot and the pace was good through the eight episodes. The sub-plots tie in with the main plot and one can follow the entire season. There is too much political correctness and bigotry in the writing but the special effects and settings are nice. The illumination of the background story of the current world is woefully lacking, so one is a bit confused on the why's and wherefore's of the current world.

The second season ups the ante of confusion with multiple story lines, some of them don't illuminate the overall story or help us understand what the sub-plots are and why they matter to the overall story. There are a number of characters that appear and make us wonder what their purpose is too.

But, if one can tolerate the dark atmosphere and gruesome scenes then we'd rate this "It is worth watching, if you have a strong stomach and like fantasy shows."… Expand

0 of 4 users found this helpful04

All this user's reviews

JohnnyC4077Apr 5, 2023

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Giant swing and a miss. 2 characters they built up are killed off in the second season, just b/c. 2 other characters that are not connected to the story are there just to tell us racism and capitalism are bad. Don't waste your time with this.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

All this user's reviews

Current TV Shows

By MetascoreBy User Score

1 92 The Pitt: Season 2

2 90 The Celebrity Traitors UK: Season 1

3 87 Hacks: Season 5

4 87 Industry: Season 4

5 87 Genndy Tartakovsky's Primal:...

6 85 The Beatles Anthology

7 85 The Traitors [UK]: Season 4

8 85 Bait: Season 1