Carnivale

In the pilot episode of this one-hour drama series, 18-year-old Ben Hawkins (Nick Stahl) is taken in by a traveling carnival and begins to display mysterious powers. Meanwhile, a preacher begins to have a similar experience.

A practical joke leads Ben to a piece of the puzzle that is his past. Meanwhile, Brother Justin and his sister Iris are going through their own changes--including an effort to turn a Chinese brothel into a house of worship for migrants.

When authorities of the poor town of Tipton refuse to let the carnival set up, Samson takes Jones's advice and reinvents the troupe as a religious revival show--with Ben as its headliner. Meanwhile, Brother Justin makes a promise to the migrants.

On the road to Babylon (Texas), the carnies come face-to-face with nature's fury. Lured by clues about his past, Ben reluctantly follows Lodz into an abandoned house, where the seer tests Ben's powers.

As Brother Justin tries to make sense of a major catastrophe, the carnival rolls into Babylon, a tapped-out silver-mining town with a luckless history--and few visible inhabitants.

Thirsty for payback, the carnies get caught up in an obscure yet fascinating phenomenon known as 'Carnival Justice.' Ben's dark adventure ends, and Lodz is there to welcome him back. Meanwhile, Brother Justin ends up wandering in the wilderness.

While Brother Justin rediscovers his 'birthright' on the banks of a river, his sister Iris gets some unexpected support from a radio reporter. At the carnival, Rita Sue and Stumpy argue over their family's future; and Ben and Ruthie hunt for snakes.

Samson sends Ben on a road trip to enlist a new attraction, where he encounters a rival. Sofie debates whether to defy her mother and join Libby on the bally; and Lodz and Samson have a falling out over Ben's errand.

Ben tries to stave off the torments of his dreams by staying awake, but the lack of sleep is taking its toll. Samson looks to drum up new business by resurrecting several tried-and-true scams; and Lodz's psychic act gets a jolt.

Brother Justin returns to Mintern to chart out a new direction for his ministry. At the Carnivale, Samson's loss is Lodz's gain; Libby catches on to her mother's deception; and Sofie accuses Apollonia of 'breaking the rules.'

With Management's blessing, Lodz hatches a devious plan to 'reach' Ben. Sofie reads Stumpy's cards and doesn't like what she learns; and Ben learns that some wounds aren't easy to heal.

In the Season One finale, Ben faces a life-or-death crisis that prompts him to turn to Lodz for advice. Instead, he ends up meeting with Management for the first time. Meanwhile, Balthus and Brother Justin contemplate the former's 'greatest evil.'