The upshot is that I'm into that kind of stuff, but Carnivale just didn't hook me.
The show just kept getting better and better and BETTER, as it went on.
But if it didn't "hook" you, it didn't HOOK you; no big deal.
Did you watch and like TWIN PEAKS?
Do you know anything about the 1930s?
Have you ever seen FREAKS and LOVED it?
Have you ever read SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES and loved it?
If you can't answer YES to all four of those questions, it's probably part of the reason you couldn't get into the show. It really wasn't just something you can lump into the horror genre, only.
What films were covered in your college class and what were your favorite films?