That’s about as close as this gritty six-part drama gets to Doctor Who, though. When Peter Capaldi, here playing mysterious criminal Gideon Shepherd, says “my perception of time is better than anyone’s,” it’s clear that The Devil’s Hour creator Tom Moran is having a little fourth-wall-breaking fun with his former Time Lord leading man. With its quasi-Victoriana aesthetic and a preference for ornate character makeup and prosthetics, Carnival Row is also one of the most distinctive-looking series in recent years-just make sure your TV can handle deep, dark contrast levels, as it’s also one of the most literally dark shows. In the second, tensions erupt as the oppressed fae make a stand for their freedom-putting Philo and Vini on opposing sides. The first season introduces human police inspector Rycroft “Philo” Philostrate (Orlando Bloom) and his former lover, fae Vignette “Vini” Stonemoss (Cara Delevingne), as a string of murders rocks the gaslit city of The Burgue. But there’s still a neat package of 18 beautifully produced episodes to enjoy for a relatively concise binge. Sadly, the Covid-19 pandemic massively delayed its second-and ultimately final-season. Its strong first season showed huge potential, framing deeper themes of class, immigration, and race within a fantasy world where dominant humans and refugee fae live in uneasy lockstep. There’s an element of “what might have been” about Carnival Row.
