Carnivàle/Tommy Dolan

Tommy Dolan
Carnivàle
Actor	Robert Knepper
First Appearance	[1x06] Pick a Number
Last Appearance	[2x06] The Road to Damascus
Series Billing	Main Cast
Episode Count	12

From HBO.com

Dolan pioneered the "roving reporter" concept in broadcast journalism on KZAK Radio, Los Angeles in 1932. His "On the Road" series was a ratings success, spawning a number of copy-cat programs nationwide. Dolan left his post at KZAK to produce Brother Justin Crowe's highly successful radio ministry, "Brother Justin's Church of the Air" in 1934.

Season 1

During Justin's sojourn into the wilderness, he comes across a circle of drifters sharing stories by a campfire. Despondent but talkative due to his newfound experience with alcohol, Justin relates his tale of corruption and murdered children. Unbeknownst to him, one of the men sitting by the fire is actually a radio reporter named Tommy Dolan, scouring the countryside for true stories for his "On the Road" series. After airing Justin's story, donations and inquiries came pouring in, and Dolan sought out Justin's only relative, his sister Iris.

Iris, who was initially suspicious of Dolan's motives and quite frosty toward him, eventually formed a rather intimate (for her) relationship with the reporter, telling him about the train crash from her childhood. Dolan, on the other hand, was struck by what a lucrative story he'd found, and soon not only convinced Iris to speak on air, but also wrangled $3000 from Councilman Val Templeton during a highly charged on-air interview. After all this, he made a move on Iris, who rebuffed him.

Upon Justin's return, however, the tables soon turned. Justin was grateful for Dolan's spreading of the word, but wary of the man's intentions. Iris, who now understood the power of radio, began trying to convince Justin to employ Dolan to spread Justin's message even further. During a particularly awkward and unnerving encounter, Justin cut a deal with Dolan: the reporter would help Justin get his message on-air and in return Dolan would receive exclusive rights to the whole story.

The problem was that Tommy Dolan was trying to hedge his bets, and was investigating the Dignity Ministry fire. He discovered that a vehicle (a black Ford) matching Justin's was seen departing the scene at 11pm the night of the fire. Dolan tried to convince Norman to look into it, but the older man remained tight-lipped. The audience soon finds out that it was in fact Iris who burned down the church, but Dolan is left without answers at the end of season 1.

Season 2

Adjusting to his new role at Justin's mouthpiece, Dolan refuses to relent on his investigation of the church fire. Justin, in an odd turn, gives Dolan carte blanche and tells him to follow the path wherever it might lead. Dolan already has his suspicions that it was Iris, but is unable to be sure until he finds a waitress who remembers a distinctly female shape entering the black Ford that she saw the night of the fire.

After bringing this evidence to Justin, the two men sit down with Iris as she dictates her confession, which Dolan transcribes. The reporter is obviously repulsed by the woman whom he once courted, and cannot understand her motives in the matter. Unfortunately, when the time comes for Dolan to read out Iris' confession in front of Justin's congregation, he finds his own signature at the end. Justin's plan becomes visible: just as when he mentally dictated his treatise to the doctor at the asylum, Justin took control of Dolan's mind without the reporter even noticing. Dolan signed his own signature at the end of the confession without ever realizing it.

Thus, Tommy Dolan is escorted away by the police, charged with arson and murder.