That was my first thought too. There are mannequins in a bunch of mid-period de Chirico paintings. That's the only real similarity.

I didn't say they were. The  article leaned heavily on the idea that Britney's an airhead and probably coked up in these clips. But no one had brought up the idea that she might've been having manic episodes.

Yeah, because jokes about cold roast beef sandwiches and Von Dutch hats are comedy gold!

Britney is bipolar, right? I don't think we're just seeing just flakiness or evidence of drug use in these clips.

It can't be Fat Neil. Given his history, that would be too dark. And Leonard would be an obvious choice. My guess is that it's Vice Dean Robert Laybourne (John Goodman's character). Other possibilities are Vaughn or Rich.

Von Trier was relating ONE woman's story, not having her be the stand-in for every mentally ill person in the world. In fact, I don't even think he meant Kirsten Dunst's character to be more than a representation of a particular state of mind. The film was a deeply personal vision for Von Trier, who reportedly was…

Contemporary romantic comedies really are dumb, though. They actively
insult the intelligence of the average movie viewer. They are also not
actually that funny or romantic.

I am sick and tired of making excuses for you two! You're an embarrassment to the department. You're off the case and off the force. Your badges, your windbreakers, now. Now! I ain't got all day.

I like Rainn Wilson, which is precisely why I hope this show never happens. I want him to do cooler things than Beet It! (or whatever terrible name they'll stick on this show).

I blame the insurance industry for doctors who rush you in and out of appointments more than gender-based socialization. Men can be excellent listeners too. The best, most sensitive OB/GYN I ever had was a man.

WHAAAT?

I know. The comics aren't great fare, but at least they don't make the mistake of allowing most of the characters to survive for very long.

I wish this show would do like American Horror Story and kill off most of the cast this season. The longer they survive, the less plausible their situation becomes. Either these obvious chuckleheads have magical narrative immunity from death or zombies aren't really that dangerous.

Shane being mean to the other characters has been one of my favorite elements of the show. I consider him to be the voice of the audience.

Don't be. I love The Sopranos and I love this show too, though they're incredibly different.

Yeah, Carnivale was definitely ahead of the curve. It would have fit in nicely with the recent trendlet of dramas set in distinct American historical epochs (Boardwalk Empire, Mad Men, Hell on Wheels). Plus, audiences have come to better appreciate slower-paced, world-building shows like The Walking Dead and Game of…

This Gawker article has a little doohickey (bottom of the post) that unblocks Wikipedia. http://gawker.com/5877140/w…

The Wikipedia entry on Carnivale outlines the mythology and planned plot arcs nicely: http://en.wikipedia.org/wik…

"As portrayed by Patrick Bauchau, Lodz is a great blend of vague menace
and inviting personality. You half expect him to have you sit down for
coffee, then slit your throat."

I love this show too and am glad it was picked for recaps. I agree with VanDerWerff about the show's weaknesses and strengths. I think part of my fascination with the show has as much to do with its flaws as anything else. It had the makings of a great piece of art, but never quite pulled the pieces together into a…