Aliens disguised as clowns crash land on Earth in a rural town to capture unsuspecting victims in cotton candy cocoons for later consumption.

Drawing upon a vast and richly visual archive and featuring a host of performers, historians and aficionados, this four-hour mini-series follows the rise and fall of the gigantic, traveling tented railroad circus and brings to life an era when Circus Day would shut down a town and its stars were among the most famous people in the country.

Bluto is the ringmaster; Popeye is the star attraction. Bluto covets Popeye's assistant Olive. Popeye sticks his head in a lion's mouth, but Bluto has put a steak on Popeye's head. When he gets out of that, he does his high wire act: carrying a piano, and Olive, blindfolded. Bluto sabotages this with a banana peel and tosses Popeye to the monkey cage, while he has his way with Olive - until Popeye eats his spinach.

Bumba is a mischievous, but ever-cheerful clown who in a circus full of sound and colour are performing tricks. In doing so, he gets help from his best friend Bumbalu, while bird Kiwi, the bear Nanadu, the elephant Tumbi and many other colourful characters gleefully join in.

Stripped-back wooden dolls put on the greatest show on Earth via the marvel of stop motion.