The series is ending after two seasons on Prime Video.
Orlando Bloom has described Prime Video’s Carnival Row as “before its time”, with the fantasy drama set to conclude this week after two seasons on the streaming service.
The series is set in a Victorian-style city called The Burgue, where faun and fairy refugees are arriving in large numbers after being displaced in human-waged colonial wars.
They are treated with extreme prejudice upon arrival, with politicians spouting dangerous rhetoric and – in season 1 – a serial killer stalking the streets, appearing to target fairies specifically.
Bloom plays Inspector Rycroft ‘Philo’ Philostrate, who is drawn further into the city’s bitter divisions in season 2, telling RadioTimes.com that the final chapter “packs a real punch”.
“I think what sets it apart is it was a bold and courageous idea and it wasn’t even necessarily intentional to begin with… the social justice aspect of it,” he continued.
“To kind of address the way life and art mirror one another. It takes a hard look at some really challenging topics and through the lens of a fantasy drama, it kind of plays that out, which I think is certainly an altruistic and wonderful idea.”
Read more:
- Orlando Bloom talks The Rings of Power: “It was really courageous”
- The Witcher: Blood Origin’s Lenny Henry wants to return to “shocking” show
In season 1, we learned that Philo is half-human half-fae, a trait he kept secret for decades as it is deemed shameful by the discriminatory society of the show. Fans can expect this storyline to continue in the second outing.
Bloom explained: “What I wanted to explore is really the truth of what it would mean to a man who has hidden a huge aspect of who he is from the world. If you’re somebody who has hidden this part of who you are, denied this part of who you are.
“That could be anything – like if he was a straight man desiring another man. You can mirror that in any way you like. But to me, it was such a phenomenal thing to unpack.”
He added: “It’s a lot, it’s almost maybe a bit before its time. It’s a tall order, but I think that, in season 2, all of the characters get a really well-rounded finale, and I’m really proud of the show.”
The final season of Carnival Row saw a substantial delay caused primarily by the COVID-19 pandemic, with fans waiting three-and-a-half years to discover the fate of Philo and his fairy lover Vignette Stonemoss (co-star Cara Delevingne).
Carnival Row is available to stream on Prime Video. Season 2 premieres Friday 17th February 2023. Sign up for a 30-day free trial of Prime Video and pay £8.99 a month after that.
Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on.
Try Radio Times magazine today and get 12 issues for only £1 with delivery to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times View From My Sofa podcast.