It's basically all the fun of a Victorian-era murder mystery, with some sexy faeries and hunky fawns mixed in with a plethora of decidedly dodgy Irish and English accents.

While I can't, hand on heart, say the show is greater than the sum of those enjoyable parts, I can say it's just as satisfying, just as compelling, as any one of them.

I can easily see Carnival Row developing a dedicated fanbase and has the potential to breakout into a mainstream hit, but with the very adult-oriented format and subject matter, this may be a show for a very specific audience.

What makes Carnival Row such a compelling drama is its ability to combine unparalleled world building with a series of tales that appear to be unrelated but which are actually inextricably linked.

The best bits are the romantic scenes between creatures and humans, although that isn't enough to make Carnival Row soar to new heights.