Carnivale Revisited--"Lonnigan, Texas"

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Episode Guide--Season 1, Episode 8: "Lonnigan, Texas"

Carnivale's eighth episode is a strong one, full of (in)tense interactions between characters.  Felix and Rita Sue's marriage continues to flounder after the loss of Dora Mae, and no longer welcoming his ever-amorous wife's attentions, Felix proposes that Jonesy have a tryst with her.  Both Rita Sue and Jonesy balk at the idea of such a liaison at first, but when they do eventually get together, they generate enough sparks to power the entire carnival.

Meanwhile, Brother Justin has an interesting tete-a-tete with the head doctor at the asylum where he's been confined.  "I am the left hand of God," Justin proclaims, meaning that not only is he no longer the Lord's servant, he "never was" in the first place.  As he grows conscious of his extraordinary powers, Justin asserts that "I am His will made flesh."  No, not Satan, he responds to his interrogator, but fails to identify who the dark influence is.  But Justin does admit, "I broke a man's neck.  I willed it and it was so."

Realizing that Lodz has taken a curious interest in Ben, Samson decides to send the boy off on a recruiting mission (to sign up the allegedly claw-handed Scorpion Boy).  Lodz confronts Samson about his decision, worrying that Ben (a chain-gang fugitive) might never return.  When Lodz grouses that someone like Ben is too important to be sent away on such errand, Samson (eager to understand Ben's significance to the Carnivale) retorts: "Why don't you tell me then.  What is he, exactly?"  Naturally, the scene cuts without Lodz offering a clear answer.

The rumored Scorpion Boy turns out to be a Lobster Girl, and Ben misses out on the opportunity to sign her to a contract thanks to the duplicity of rival carnival owner Phineas Boffo.  When Boffo forces a no-hard-feelings handshake on Ben, the latter has a nightmarish vision involving the Knights Templar.  Taken aback, Ben grabs the strange ring off of Boffo's hand, but the sleazy proprietor later comes to the Carnivale camp to retrieve it.

At episode's end, Samson enters Management's trailer, only to find Lodz holding court.  "But we can't overrule the possibility that Scudder--," Samson overhears Lodz speaking to Management, who apparently exists after all ("Samson, leave us," a voice croaks from behind the curtain).  This revelation makes for a surprising conclusion in and of itself, but the episode offers one more turn of the screw.  As the banished Samson stands bristling outside the trailer, he unpockets a medal reminiscent of Boffo's ring and sporting the conspicuous initials "H.S."  Seems that the mysterious history of Henry Scudder involves not just murder and magic, but Masonic intrigue.