I am – Hercules!!

In the Dust Bowl of 1934, fugitive Ben Hawkins can heal with his hands while evangelist Justin Crowe can hurt with his brain. During the first season of this series, created by writer-producer Daneiel Knauf (“Wolf Lake”) and overseen by writer-producer Ron Moore (“Deep Space Nine,” the upcoming “Battlestar Galactica” miniseries), these two superpowered humans will not meet.

Entertainment Weekly, incredibly, picked Darren “90210” Starr’s “Miss Match” as the season’s best new drama, but “Carnivale” is the one to which I’m most looking forward.

TV Guide says:

… one of the weirdest, spookiest and most hypnotizing mind benders since Twin Peaks. … the 12-episode series feels as ifJohn Steinbeck and Stephen King had collaborated on a a hybrid of The Grape of Wrath and The Stand. … Getting there is the fun … Whether we ever figure it all out is besides the point. In Carnivale, the dark is a magical place to be.

The Hollywood Reporter says:

Although it can be a tad confusing in the early going, mainly because of some puzzling and violent images from who knows where, those who sit tight are well-rewarded by a stimulating and imaginative work of TV literature. … By and large, the characters are as fascinating as the performances …

Variety says:

an absolute visual stunner with compelling freak-show characters - but the series unfortunately takes a leisurely approach toward getting to a point. … Much like Sci Fi's equally creepy "Taken" and, to a lesser extent, "Twin Peaks," the logic of the piece probably won't be clear until the conclusion of the 12th and final episode - if then. …

USA Today gives it three stars out of four and says:

You may find its oddity appealing, or you may find it off-putting, but its distinctiveness is unmistakable. Next to Carnivale, Twin Peaks looks like JAG. …Beautifully shot and expertly acted, Carnivale at least in the early going is as much about mood and atmosphere as it is about plot. That might be fine if it were able to maintain that mood, but too often it slips from wondrous to ridiculous. … Though the plot becomes more assertive in the third hour, I'm still not convinced Carnivale has much more than atmosphere to offer.

Entertainment Weekly gives it a C and says:

what was HBO thinking? … Unfortunately, ''Carnivàle appears to be engaged in an age-old battle of its own, between good and boggy drama. … Clea DuVall's character also amazes with her anachronistically postfeminist attitude. … Perhaps the biggest mystery of all is how ''Carnivàle'' wound up cast as HBO's next big thing -- the show that would fill Carrie and Co.'s Manolos.

9:30 p.m. Sunday. HBO.