THE GATE BANNERS SIDESHOWS CARNIES TEN-IN-ONE EXHIBITS COLOSSUS MANAGEMENT THE BALLY
       
       
 
 











 

1x04. "Black Blizzard"

written by William Schmidt
directed by Peter Medak

original airdate: October 5, 2003
running time: 46 minutes

 

BY MATT ASENDORF

Printable Version 1.0 - December 20, 2003; 23kb
(Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view PDF files.)

 

The carnival. Ben is watching the twins, Alexandria and Caladonia, practice their routine; Lodz is sitting in his trailer, nursing a glass of absinthe. The glass begins to tremble. He stills it with his hand, and smiles; "Queen of the Gypsies" is painted on the side of a ramshackle trailer. Inside, Sofie tends to her catatonic mother, Apollonia.

 

SOFIE: "I'm just having a little fun, that's all. I never let it go too far. It doesn't hurt anybody."
APOLLONA: "..."
SOFIE: "Least of all me. I'll be back before we open."
The doors to the trailer slam shut.
SOFIE: "Mother, open the door."
APOLLONIA: "..."
SOFIE: "What are you talking about? It's a beautiful day."

Samson is inside his trailer, preening himself in front of a mirror. He proclaims himself a "handsome devil" and leaves. The breeze from outside rustles Management's curtains; The cook tent. Lila, Gecko, the Dreifusses and the twins are sitting around a table, eating and joking. Lila indicates in the direction of a road and asks the group if they know where it leads to. She tells them in a whisper: "Babylon...." While Felix denies that Babylon even exists, Libby and Dora Mae debate whether or not it was rousties or freaks that were strung up in Babylon, back in '32, "just to watch 'em dangle." Lila settles the debate. "It was three pinheads and an albino named Freddie Neff." Gecko says he hopes Jonesy will convince Samson to turn the carnival around; Jonesy tells Samson that the rousties haven't been happy since the carnival's left the circuit. When Samson replies that it's not his decision to make, Jonesy offers to speak to Management himself. Samson tells him that's not a possibility. A roustie, Osgood, arrives with a sedan. Samson climbs in and drives off, leaving Jonesy surrounded by a gaggle of amused men; Ben enters Lodz's trailer and finds the mentalist wrapping bottles in towels and putting them in drawers. Ben says that he was told Lodz had wanted to see him. Lodz tells Ben he has something to show him, but they'll have to drive there.

The Dignity Ministry, formerly Chin's. Iris leads children in a rendition of "Let the Little Children Come to Me." Justin is gathering hymnals from the pews. Reverend Norman Balthus enters and greets Justin, who offers to show the reverend around. Norman declines and hands Justin a letter. The church board at First Methodist and seventy-two members has written to the Bishop, accusing Justin of neglecting the congregation. Norman gives Justin the Bishop's ultimatum: relinquish the new ministry or be disciplined and forcibly removed from his position at First Methodist. Justin pleads with Norman: God spoke to him, as He spoke to Abraham, Isaiah and Moses. Justin hands the letter back to Norman and walks away.

Sofie stands in front of a mirror in a gas station restroom. She's changed into a white dress and flowered hat. She's rehearsing: "Has it been that long?"; Samson arrives at a home and knocks on the front door. A woman, Miss Jolene, answers. He hands her flowers and she gushes, welcoming him inside; Sofie is sitting in a car outside of Sally's Cafe. The owner of the cafe, Harlan Staub, walks by. He catches Sofie's eye, bewitched; Ben is driving the carnival truck down a dusty road. Lodz sits silently in the passenger seat; Inside Sally's Cafe, Harlan is serving men seated at the counter. He looks out the window at Sofie, checks his watch, then goes outside and introduces himself. Sofie lies and tells him her name is Betty Jones and that she's waiting for her brother, who's running errands. Harlan observes that she's been waiting for an hour-and-half and suggests she waits inside the cafe where's cooler. Inside, Harlan serves Sofie a glass of iced tea and tells her it's "on the house." Sofie offers to pay. "My pleasure, Miss." "Mrs.," Sofie corrects. She tells him she's been widowed almost two years.