#Jonah Breakspear

[kellymagovern]

Carnival Row 2x02 “New Dawn”

[ariadnethedragon]

CAROLINE FORD as SOPHIE LONGERBANE

Carnival Row 2.03 — The Martyr’s Head

[kiraxcute]

Philo beat up your stupid half brother

[shipcestuous]

We don't belong to that world.

It belongs to us.

[lledron]

Carnival Row AU

Okay, just a plot that I took and fixed: Chancellor Absalom Breakspear and his wife adopt two children after Jonah is 13 years old: Sophie and Philo, at the request of Piety, who this time did not leave a secret in the hands of a political rival of her husband as is a bastard daughter. There are so many troops! Okay, I won't have Sophie committing incest to achieve her goals for her, but if she continues to be this cunning, manipulative young woman and the apple of daddy's eye. Needless to say, Absalom loves her, but he isn't actively supportive of her either, sort of like Homer and Lisa's relationship.

Maybe they have a faun or fairy nanny? Think about this, sleepovers and boom, Philo fell on the floor and hit his head because he dreamed he could fly. My God, Piety's conflict. On one hand, she would still look for the bastard of her husband, but on the other, she's disappointed in Jonah and so proud of Sophie and Philo, even though she's never too close to Sophie, lest anyone suspect. On the other hand, Sophie has to present a history paper for one of her classes at her university. They are not going to give her a degree, only a certificate of attendance (that's how the universities of the Victorian era were), while she is studying she comes across murders. Jonha finds out that her mother kidnapped him and tells Philo, who I think he would still be a detective on this. In any case, Absalom dies; Sophie and Philo are investigating the case and discover that her mother is the murderer. Ok, there is so much to say here. Piety is horrified, yes she is a bit of a sociopath, but she loves her children and when she gives up control of her monster, Sophie kills her in front of her when she pretends to hug him. The season ends with Philo putting on his mother's lyrics, and Jonah giving a speech. In the background, we see Sophie giving that speech word for word.

[brilliantsnafu]

"Who needs a prophecy when you have the sense to see an opportunity and seize it?" --Sophie Longerbane, Carnival Row S02E02, "New Dawn"

[upthelagan]

Carnival Row. The Martyr's Hand.

[chronicallylatetotheparty]

White Liberalism in Carnival Row

Season one starts off well enough.

Vignette's abuse at the hands of her "employers" is hauntingly realistic. Blending elements of classism into the fantasy racism that is the main conflict of the story. The scene where she finds the library she was caretaker of back in Tirnanoc is incredibly pointed criticism of how everything in western museums is stolen.

Philo being the only member of the Constabulary who actually cares about the Fae minority because he is half Fae. Trying, and failing, to change anything from within the system to the point he's arrested for hiding his mixed heritage. And eventually deciding to abandon the Constabulary altogether at the end of the first season.

Piety Breakspear's appropriation of Fae magic to attack innocent people in an attempt to protect her status and power.

Jonah Breakspear and Sophie Longerbane joining forces to turn the Row into a ghetto/concentration camp despite ostensibly being sympathetic and/or apathetic to Fae. Showing how the aristocratic ruling class will do anything to promote their own interests.

And yet the fall from biting social commentary into white Liberalism is present even here.

Agreus Astrayon is a rich faun. Who made his fortune by hunting down his own kind who "broke contract" and tried to escape from indentured servitude. In exchange for his own freedom. And in season two it's revealed that he also convinced others to sign exploitative contracts. Abusing the trust his own people had in him to build his wealth.

Which makes his speal promoting the virtues of assimilation and collaboration that much more grating. Agreus is played by a black actor.

Making the connection between the character talking about "working within the system" and real life black conservatives perhaps an inevitable comparison. Remember that at this time all Fae are forced to live in a ghetto they weren't allowed to leave. A ghetto with such filthy conditions that a plague is ravaging the fairy population.

A ghetto Agreus never had to live in because he had to leave the country after defending himself against a human man in his own home.

Sophie Longerbane is made "sympathetic" by showing her regret her part in making the Row a ghetto... Which comes across as quite shallow and meaningless as it changes nothing about her actions.

But worse, when she's arrested Sophie goes into a rant about how much she's been wronged by the men of the ruling class. And how men are the root of all problems... She says this to Vignette.

A fae who has directly suffered due to Sophie's actions against the Fae.

A fairie whose society is matriarchal.

And instead of dismissing the self pitying oppressor spouting white feminism Vignette is "moved" by her privileged viewpoint.

Philo has an epiphany in season two: all his work as a member of the Constabulary, as a soldier in the Burgue's army, hurt his people and contributed to the oppression they faced... And all that is swept away because his friend is killed.

The New Dawn is an unsubtle fantasy equivalent of Communism. The movement that achieved class solidarity between humans and Fae against the ruling class. Is just Communism.

That is why Agreus' naivety about the virtues of capitalist racism can be portrayed as "in the right". Because obviously rebellion is worse.

That is why protecting the most racist constable on the force is the "right thing to do". Because if you just coddle racists enough they'll realize they were wrong. And hey! At least they're not Communists!

Carnival Row started as a flawed show with potential. But it squandered that potential in favor of white Liberalism that is shown in the actual show to be nonesense.

Because at the end there was nothing stopping the Burgue from reconquering Tirnanoc like they wanted to. There was nothing stopping them from keeping the Fae in ghettos and only letting out "skilled workers" like Sophie planned.

There is no evidence that Philo was actually the illegitimate son of the previous chancellor but he was still given the option of becoming the next one.

The Burgue just suffered it's most devastating "terrorist attack", two chancellor's in a row were assassinated by Fae and we're expected to believe that the Burgue just magically decided to be less racist?

After allowing a race riot to sweep across Carnival Row and a foreign power to radicalize their second class citizens!?

The naivety is astounding.

[my-dear-philo]

So, I just finished Carnival Row season two. Here’s my thoughts (spoilers ahead).

I really liked it at first, but it just kept going downhill. Season one had a twisty storyline, but pretty much all the pieces fit together in the end. This season felt way more convoluted and much less character driven. They tried to do stuff with characters’ motivations, like exploring Philo’s guilt over suppressing his fae heritage and “siding” with humans. It’s just that none of it felt as authentic or compelling as it did in the first season. As a writer myself, there’s a difference between “the characters did this” and “the writers made the characters do this.” It’s a hard difference to explain, but this season felt like the latter. Stuff just happened because it could, with little attention paid to actually exploring character depth in meaningful ways. Overall it felt too rushed and convoluted.

Other points:

If you’ve followed this blog for a while, you’ll know I love Philo. This season, however, he felt far less humanized (which is ironic, because the writers were trying to do just that). His arc in season one was so focused on helping people — he was so defined by his compassion — and I really didn’t feel that was present in season two. He felt significantly less sympathetic.

I couldn’t bring myself to ship Vignette and Tourmaline. Their relationship was a major focus in season one, and it was established that Vignette chose Philo, and that she and Tourmaline were better as friends. I just really hate it when a show establishes two characters as a couple and then totally changes direction in the next season. Philo and Vignette were written as endgame in season one, including the finale, and this season totally erased that. It felt like narrative whiplash.

Why did they bother establishing a connection between Tourmaline and Darius and setting them up to be a cute couple to then do nothing with it? And then just kill him? Lazy writing. Make it flow.

I actually really liked Imogen this season. Her growth in season one was great, and it was cool to see her spunk and competence this season especially in the last few episodes. Also, having her kill Ezra felt narratively fulfilling. He had it coming based on how he’d treated her, and I didn’t feel sorry for him at all.

I will never forgive this show for killing Sophie Longerbane. She was 100% the most interesting character on the show, and just as she was getting even more interesting, they killed her. Let smart, fascinating, ambitious women live, thank you. Seriously. Her arc was so good, and I was so excited to see what she’d do next, and then she DIED. How dare you.

Honestly, the show was more interesting before Sophie and Jonah were killed.

What happened to Philo’s “I’m Breakspear’s son and I’ll be chancellor to help people” plot line? It disappeared after like episode two and only appeared again in the epilogue. For a show about fantasy politics, this season almost totally ignored the most interesting political stuff in its own plot.

Speaking of the epilogue. I like what it did, but holy crap that was too rushed. I need at least a few more episodes to explain how everyone got to that point. I love happy endings, especially to stressful stories, but this felt like a cop-out from actual storytelling. I want the story of Philo revealing his parentage and becoming chancellor. Do Imogen and Agreus get married? I need way more development for Vignette and Tourmaline’s relationship. I just need more. The middle of the season felt like a lot of filler; they could easily have cut that and done a couple more episodes to ACTUALLY wrap up the show.

As always, the costumes and sets were STUNNING. This season had better win awards for that.

[thenightling]

Carnival Row season 2 episodes 1 and 2 review

I just watched the first two episodes of Season 2 of Carnival Row.   There was a very long recap of what happened in Season 1. There was an unusually long gap between season 1 and 2, nearly a full four years between seasons, something rare for TV or streaming but Covid got in the way of Season 2′s already lengthy production and I think they ended up scrapping the original plan for Season 2 to make this wrap up all the loose ends of season 1. First a reminder of what the premise is of Carnival Row.  Carnival Row is about a fantasy world that resembles our own world in the Victorian era.  Carnival Row is the name of the ghetto similar to London’s White Chapel or New York’s Hell’s Kitchen of the nineteenth century.  Faeries (known as pix), trolls, fauns, centaurs, Kobolds, and werewolves.  Supernatural creatures are treated as second-class citizens and are known by the racist slur of “Critch.” (a bastardization of “creature.”)       

The main character is Philo Rycroft, a half-fae who (until the events of season 1) was “human passing” and worked as a police inspector.  Philo’s former lover, a faery named Vignette comes to The Burge (The city-country) as an indentured servant.  She gains her freedom and soon finds herself wrapped up in the activities of a small crime syndicate acting out of Carnival Row.  Vignette (who is bisexual) has a former lover, Tourmaline (a prostitute working out of Carnival Row).

Through many plot twists it is gets revealed that Philo is the bastard son of the Chancellor, Breakspeare (a high ranking political figure).  And he has a half-brother, Jonah.  Jonah is busy stirring up racial hatred for the sake of political manipulations with his lover and supposed political rival who is actually his sister, Sophie. A late-middle aged gentleman named Runyan Millworthy, who has deep sympathies for the fae managed to establish himself in the good graces of Jonah, and so is able to try manipulate things for the better. And a high class human woman named Imogen runs off with a faun lover.

In season 2 of Carnival Row the story begins with Carnival Row sealed off with barbed wire and looking alarmingly like a a World War 2 Jewish ghetto. This is the result of the Chancellor's murder in the pervious season as the fae are being blamed.  

There have always been obvious allegories for immigration, what happened to the Irish during the “Potato famine,” colonialism, and other social allegories but this season is very quick to dive into that darkness.  There’s an illness that resembles tuberculosis plaguing the fae and medicine is scarce. 

Vignette is viewed as a hero for leading raids out of the ghetto to steal medicine. Her former lover, Tourmaline, has gained the powers of a deceased witch who used entrails to see the future. (There’s a gruesome and unnecessary death scene of a child’s cat in the first episode). Philo wins a favor of a minor crime lord in “The Row” (another name for Carnival Row) who helps him free a former soldier friend (a werewolf) from prison, as being a werewolf is an automatic life sentence or death. Imogen and her lover escaped The Burge but find themselves in the domain of The New Dawn (which is very blatantly their world’s version of The Soviet Union).  Last season had The Pact, which was a Nazi-Germany like country driving the fae out of their homeland, which is how they ended up in The Burge.

  During a political dinner Philo intended to reveal his true lineage (with the aid of Runyan) as to try to get Carnival Row opened up again (as it’s a sealed off ghetto now).  This was not likely to work because even if Philo was believed and he inherited his biological father’s title, there is the matter of the racism against him for being half-Critch. Before he could do this, however, Vignette (wearing a mask) and some of her criminal compatriots show up at the dinner in order to present a dying fae woman to show the people in power what they are doing to them. This doesn’t seem to win sympathy or mercy, however, as the heads (and wings) of those Vignette was under in her Criminal organization, are soon nailed to to the wall surrounding Carnival Row. The wall had already gained the heads of four fauns who were used as scapegoats (I just noticed the symbolism of fauns as scapegoats. I’m thick...) for the death of the councilor.  One of these behead fauns, I believe, is the missing brother, of Sophie’s favorite servant, though it’s hard to tell if Sophie actually realizes this or not. Jonah and Sophie are talking about spreading out The Burge as an empire “like it once was” (clearly The British empire) including taking the fae homeland (which is pretty blatantly Ireland). There’s been one unsolved murder in the season, caused by someone who can fly but apparently has leathery bat-like wings and not the fluttery fae wings (My guess is some type of vampire that hasn’t been introduced in the show yet). And that’s pretty much where the plot is right now.  

The pacing of season 2 is decent. Like in Season 1, Runyan Millworthy (the older human character) is my favorite character so far.

The World War 2 allegories are a bit ham fisted and darker than than classism and immigration allegories of the first season, which I used to consider ham-fisted but these are much more blunt.  I get their purpose and meaning but it’s so intense and amplified that I almost wonder if it’s disrespectful to the real horror of what happened in the holocaust.                       A lot of the symbolism is pretty blatant but it’s good to see the world-buliding such as with the “New Dawn” which is a government sprung from revolution (much like the Russian revolution) and feels like an early Soviet Union equivalent for this world. 

I do wish more fantasy shows would tap into the genre of Gaslamp fantasy. It’s as if people have it in their head that if it isn’t Urban fantasy (set in present day in our world) that it should then be medieval-esque fantasy.  A fantasy world that is not actually our world but just similar, and looking a lot like our Victorian era is a refreshingly new visual.  I can almost imagine this world as being the same one from The Witcher, just a few centuries in the future.   I like the setting and the world building.  The special effects are also decent.  But it’s just gotten so bleak.  I would like the show to finally show a little hope.  Gothic does not mean depressing or ugly.   Something can be Gothic and also hopeful. 

[kellymagovern]

Carnival Row 2x01 “Fight or Flight”

[ariadnethedragon]

CAROLINE FORD as SOPHIE LONGERBANE

Carnival Row (2019-)

[usagirotten]

‘Carnival Row’ Season 2 Trailer

The Prime Video fantasy series, co-starring Cara Delevingne, is set to conclude after Season 2. Per the official synopsis, in a fantasy world where humans and creatures clash, Season 2 of “Carnival Row” picks up with former inspector Rycroft Philostrate aka Philo (Bloom) investigating a series of gruesome murders stoking social tension. Vignette Stonemoss (Delevingne) and the Black Raven plot payback for the unjust oppression inflicted by The Burgue’s human leaders, Jonah Breakspear (Arty Froushan) and Sophie Longerbane (Caroline Ford). Tourmaline Larou (Karla Crome) inherits supernatural powers that threaten her fate and the future of The Row. And, after escaping The Burgue and her vengeful brother Ezra (Andrew Gower), Imogen Spurnrose (Tamzin Merchant) and her partner Agreus Astrayon (David Gyasi) encounter a radically new society which upends their plans. With humans and fae folk divided and freedom on the line, each hero will face impossible dilemmas and soul-defining tests in the epic conclusion of “Carnival Row.” Prime Video premieres the final season of Carnival Row on February 17. The ten episodes are set to roll out weekly.    Read the full article

[kiraxcute]

I can’t get over how Philo was born out of love and had nothing while his half-brother was born out of no love and had everything

[fictionalcharactermbti]

CARNIVAL ROW MBTI

Typed August 2020.

Vignette Stonemass [INFP]

Strengths: Loyal and devoted, deep capacity to care and love, warm and playful, excellent at reading feelings and motives of others, desires to meet the needs of others

Weaknesses: Tends to react emotionally, extreme dislike of criticism, tendency to blame themselves, has trouble in conflict situations

Rycroft Philostrate [ISTJ]

Strengths: Good at listening, committed and loyal, precise and detailed, handles criticism well

Weaknesses: Can become too rigid, not generous with praise, desires to always be right, not in tune with feelings

Agreus Astrayon [ISTP]

Strengths: Good at listening, self-reliant, handles conflict well, positive outlook on life, excellent at problem-solving

Weaknesses: Long-term planning can be difficult, uncomfortable in emotional situations, feels trapped easily, needs personal space, can get in trouble when instigating action

Imogen Spurnrose [ESFJ]

Strengths: Friendly and warm, focused on other people’s needs, service-oriented, honors commitments

Weaknesses: Dislikes change, takes the blame for others, interest in how others see them, has trouble with conflict

Tourmaline Larou [ESFP]

Strengths: Fun-loving and warm, Friendly and likeable, artistic and creative, practical and clever, adaptable

Weaknesses: Has trouble with long-term commitments, does not take criticism well, materialistic, takes things personally

Jonah Breakspear [ESTP]

Strengths: Persuasive and charming, humorous and popular, great at dealing with crisis situations, fun-loving and generous, handles criticism well

Weaknesses: Not able to express their own feelings, easily becomes bored, commitments are difficult, can be insensitive with their humor

Sophie Longerbane [INTJ]

Strengths: Good at listening, self-confident, highly intelligent, takes criticism well, honors commitments

Weaknesses: Dislikes communicating feelings, insensitive, can come across as arrogant, unwilling to take blame

Ezra Spurnrose [ESTJ]

Strengths: Dutiful and Responsible, loyal and committed, good at following through with tasks, social and enthusiastic, born leader

Weaknesses: Not natural at expressing feelings, can be blunt and insensitive, likes to always be right, needs to be in charge

Runyan Millworthy [ENFP]

Strengths: Fun, dramatic and optimistic, affirming and affectionate, can read others motives and feelings, excellent communication skills, driven to meet others needs

Weaknesses: Has trouble with conflict and confrontation, can be manipulative and controlling, holds on to bad relationships, gets bored easily

Piety Breakspear [INFJ]

Strengths: Good at listening, excellent verbal and written communication skills, warm, affirming and encouraging, honors commitments, insightful

Weaknesses: Has trouble with conflict, difficulty receiving criticism, withdrawn, holds back

Strengths and Weaknesses from Personality Max