I'd be lying if I said that I hadn't acutally done that, despite always hearing good things about it. I guess I'll have to go and breeze through it. Regarding "Carnivale" or "Boardwalk Empire", well, that's really a tough one. Both are of a quite high calibur, both are directed quite admirably, and both are acted in a supremely fitting manner. The issue arises in that "Carnivale" is quite unique in its rather bleak atmosphere that touches every aspect of the show. It also has an extremely complex, dense mythology. Perhaps, most importantly, the cancellation really works against it as some clear potential is lost with unanswered questions and unresolved plotlines. In addition, the polarising nature of the show is unlikely to appeal to all, and while it isn't a major time commitment in comparison to something like "The Shield", it's still a sizeable amount if time if you end up dissatisfied with it. "Boardwalk Empire" is a much more typical show but, personally, it falters in that it never convincingly portrays the atmosphere it wants to me. When a character walks along the beautiful sets, it doesn't 'feel' authentic to me, it feels like a character walking down a set. It's hard to convey what exactly is missing, and what the issue is for me, but there is just something 'lacking' from the show despite it, techically, being very impressive. I recognise that this is a personal issue, even if I've seen it elsewhere, so don't let it deter you too much. The plots are generally well thought out, the characters are both complex (in general) and numerous, and it has a much wider appeal. Overall, while it wouldn't be my favourite by any means, I think "Boardwalk Empire" would be the safer option. Both are definitely worth seeing, but if you like shows such as "The Sopranos" and "The Wire", you really cannot go wrong with "Boardwalk Empire", at the worst you may be lukewarm towards it as I am (where as you could end up hating "Carnivale").
EDIT: I never heard of Ryan Kelly, but he is a really lovely man.
Thanks for that. In my experience polarising stuff usually beats the mediocre.
At the moment my shows keep me too busy to start yet another, but I'll remember your advice.