I don’t know how I slept on the short-lived Canadian TV show Slings and Arrows; I’m a theater critic, for God’s sake. But I don’t think you have to know or care anything for live theater in order to appreciate Slings and Arrows, which neatly balances mockery of the silly aspects of the theater world with an illustration of what live theater is like when it’s actually good. (A useful comparison: It’s to the theater world what Friday Night Lights is to football, meaning you don’t have to care at all about the show’s ostensible subject matter in order to love it. Another useful comparison: Like The Larry Sanders Show, it simultaneously skewers the goofiness of the showbiz world and provides an insightful window into how it operates. Yes, those are two of the best TV shows of all time. Yes, Slings and Arrows is that great.)
The show was co-created by former Kid in the Hall Mark McMinney, and ran from 2003-2006. It’s set at a large Canadian Shakespeare festival, and each season focuses on the production of one play: Hamlet in the first season, Macbeth in season two, and King Lear in season three. Part of the fun of the show, if you’re into that sort of thing, is tracking how Shakespearean motifs are integrated into each episode; other parts of the fun include attractive people trying to nail each other (pre-fame Rachel McAdams is sooo cute), cranky old gay couples being adorable, artsy theater types butting heads with their bottom-line oriented corporate sponsors, and theater people struggling to contain their enormous egos long enough to get some actual work done.
I started season 2 last night and I’m told it just keeps getting better—which is hard to believe, because season 1 is brilliant. (With the exception of the pilot, which is a bit rocky, tone-wise.) It’s on your Netflix Instant. Go watch it. Do it.
All this post needs is a sentence about how adorable Alison’s cat is and it will have covered Every Single Thing Alison Never Stops Talking About Ever.
I watched this show with my dad a few years ago, and we were blown away by how fun and awesome it is. Plus, it introduced me to Paul Gross, who is now one of my favorite actors (And made me question my heterosexuality a bit to boot)
I don’t know why you would publically admit that you are just NOW watching this show. You prolly lost about 8 or 9 theater nerd points with this confession. That being said, you could prolly earn them back by devising an intricate Slings and Arrows drinking game with me… -Noah
This show is fantastic. Even though the era is fading, I snatched the DVD’s up long ago without regret. ALSO, rumor has it they’re bringing it back for a fourth season! WOO.
Drink every time Martha Burns says soorry.
I know, I lose all the points. But I did this post because I’ve mentioned the show to a handful of friends and no one seems to have seen/heard of it. So I sacrificed my theater nerd cred for the greater good, Noah. Like Jesus, kind of. #queequeg