Neo Noir Fantasy Series ‘Carnival Row’ Returns For Final Season
by Tito W. James
Carnival Row is an allegorical fantasy series that focuses on the political tensions between the magical fae folk and humans. The complex relationship between Cara Delevingne and Orlando Bloom’s characters was really well done– more akin to Del Toro’s The Shape of Water than other generic paranormal romances.
The social satire is also handled in an intelligent way, with the fae folk representing the persecuted immigrant class. While the emotional core of the series is strong, Carnival Row also delivers in its intricate world-building and Neo Noir presentation.
I believe that Carnival Row is ending after only two seasons because there wasn’t a built-in fan base tied to a book series. Therefore, I hope that fans of the first season are given closure with a satisfying ending. Many fantasy TV shows are trying to address the discriminatory bias within the fantasy genre while also delivering compelling entertainment. None do so quite as well as Carnival Row.
Carnival Row will be streaming on Amazon Prime February 17th.