Not Your Mother's Carnival: Carnivale on HBO, Sundays at 9 p.m.

Carnivàle - February Episodes

Episode #17: "Creed, OK"
Debut date: Sunday, February 6, 2005 (9 to 10 p.m. ET/PT) Other HBO playdates: February 8 (11 p.m.), 9 (9 p.m.), 12 (9:45 p.m.) and 18 (9:00 p.m.) HBO2 playdates: February 7, 2005 (8:00 p.m.) and 10 (7 p.m.) Dolan (Robert Knepper) pushes Justin (Clancy Brown) to make a difficult decision; Iris (Amy Madigan) gives an important dictation; Ben (Nick Stahl) has a nightmare visit with a mask-maker; Ruthie (Adrienne Barbeau) shares her visions with Sofie (Clea DuVall), who decides to help Ben; Rita Sue (Cynthia Ettinger) is generous with Stumpy (Toby Huss), who bets on a big fight; Libby (Carla Gallo) fishes for a compliment from Jones (Tim DeKay); Stroud (John Carroll Lynch) continues his pursuit of Ben; and Justin receives a mysterious gift that gives him a new perspective. Written by Tracy Torme; directed by Jeremy Podeswa.

Episode #18: "The Road to Damascus"
Debut date: Sunday, February 13, 2005 (9 to 10 p.m.) Other HBO playdates: February 15 (11 p.m.), 16 (9 p.m.), 18 (10 p.m.) and 19 (12:15 a.m. ET/11 p.m. PT) HBO2 playdates: February 14 (8:00 p.m.) and 17 (7:00 p.m.) The troupe breaks bread with another carnival and Samson (Michael J. Anderson) makes a deal with Sabina (Bree Walker), an old friend; Iris and Justin prepare for their most difficult sermon yet; Stumpy panics as Rita Sue goes on a charity mission; Jones and Stumpy both try to defend Libby's honor; Lila (Debra Christofferson) makes a new friend; and Ben and Sofie dance around family issues. Written by Nicole Yorkin & Dawn Prestwich; directed by Tucker Gates.

Episode #19: "Damascus, NE"
Debut date: Sunday, February 20, 2005 (9 to 10 p.m.) Other HBO playdates: February 22 (11 p.m.), 23 (9 p.m.) and 26 (midnight) HBO2 playdates: February 21 (8p.m.) and 24 (7 p.m.), and March 11 (8 p.m.) Justin and Iris placate Bishop McNaughton (John Aylward) with a hearty breakfast; Ben follows his visions to a seedy hotel, with Stroud hot on his tail; Sabina airs her dirty laundry with Lila; Libby and Rita Sue do some self-reflection; Iris displays her strength to Norman; the troupe worries about Sofie; Libby gives Jones special treatment; and Samson is distracted while Management tries to destroy a gift from Ben. Story by William Schmidt; teleplay by John J. McLaughlin; directed by Alan Taylor.

Episode #20: "Outskirts, Damascus, NE"
Debut date: Sunday February 27, 2005 (9 to 10 p.m.) Other HBO playdates: March 1, 2005 (11 p.m.), 2 (9 p.m.) and 5 (10:30 p.m.) HBO2 playdates: March 3 (7 p.m.), 4 (11 p.m.) and 11 (9 p.m.) Ben and Samson have a heated argument; Iris and Justin back a local politician; Rita Sue tries to play hardball with Stumpy's debt collector; Libby shocks her parents with an announcement; Ruthie seeks refuge in the safety of her trailer; Smith (Time Winters) interprets a bad sign for Justin; Stroud nurses a wound; Jones is blamed for an accident; and Sofie finds a new job. Written by Daniel Knauf; directed by Timothy Hunter.