Slings and Arrows

I found this terrific series by accident on The Sundance Channel. I watched the first few minutes, was completely sucked in and then ecstatic when I discovered it was an actual series and there were more episodes than the one I had just watched! For those of you out there who loved Paul Gross in the Tales of the City mini-series you must watch this show!! He is wonderfully lost and adorably manic as Geoffrey Tennant returning to a world he thought he had come to hate, but in essence loves so much he can't live without it. But he is not the only gem on this show. All the characters, although they seem like clichés at first, are in truth, impeccably written and wonderfully acted. Shakespeare lovers, or just theater lovers in general will drown in happiness when watching this look behind the curtain.

I can not praise this show enough. It portrays every character and situation with a cutting accuracy, which may seem ludicrous at first glance, but is actually not exaggerated in the slightest. A director who just doesn't care about the details, an actress who's the star of the show... and knows it. A holier-than-thou leading actress who's missing one thing- talent, a lonely understudy and a movie star trying to prove himself; what else can you ask for?

Paul Gross's performance is stunning, and for those of us who saw his 'Hamlet' (which he actually acted in at the alternate reality setting of the show- the Stratford Festival) laughter abounds. People who watch Slings and Arrows will laugh. Actors or Theatre Goers who watch Slings and Arrows will be rolling on the floor within seconds.

Two thumbs up and a standing ovation- Paul Gross, I applaud you to the very echo.

I quite enjoyed watching 'Slings and Arrows' on TMN this past season, and must say - it was a delight to finally see something strikingly original and drop down funny on the telly. It was well received, by the audiences who knew of its existence, but lacked any sort of advertisement and flare that HBO shows get. It's been too long since something like this has been tried, and it sure as hell stacks up to the HBO shows any day. Paul Gross has finally shown he as as good an actor as he is a looker. The characters are thoughtfully developed and the plot line is kept alive by the fast-moving pace of this Stratford-like festival. A perfect score all the way.

I don't have much to say about this series other than it is one of the best television series of all time! Anyone who has the slightest appreciation for Shakespeare or the theatre in general will get instantly hooked on this series, each season having one of Shakespeare's major tragedies at it's focus. Paul Gross proves himself to be one of the most underrated actors working to day as the brilliant Geoffrey Tennant, and his real life wife Martha Burns is wonderful as star actress Ellen Fanshaw. Stephen Ouimette Steals every scene he's in as the ghost of former Artistic Director Oliver Wells, and in season one there's excellent work from Luke Kirby and a pre-Notebook Rachel McAdams. If you haven't seen this series yet, go buy the DVD immediately!

Go to Amazon.com right now and register your vote for "Slings & Arrows" on DVD! This series has been amazing to watch (it's starting a repeat run on Sundance Channel this Sunday night, Sept.17th) and has reminded me how much I loved Shakespeare long ago. Paul Gross is a wonder to watch and even if you aren't "into" the Bard, you will want to see his performance. All of the performances are top notch and the writing is very real. You can recognize these characters as people you know. The script doesn't allow for easy answers to the questions raised, but gives the characters complexities that I have not seen in a mini-series before. It is smart, well observed and funny as hell! Amazon is looking for "votes" to gage interest in production of a DVD of the first series. I urge you to go there now! You will definitely want to watch this show over and over again.