Two months ago, I got the scoop from “Slings and Arrows” co-creator Bob Martin, who Tweeted during his Twitter conversation with me: “Slings may live again.” They were thinking of reviving the cult TV series that ended in 2007 after three seasons.
What followed our Twitter exchange, Bob Martin now says, “was a hilarious crash course in the power of social media” — more than he might realize: Not only did his Tweets make international news; the conversation and its consequences have been taught in actual college courses (ok, at least a college course I taught at NYU)
So, two months later, are there any more details?
In a podcast for Pressplus1, an online magazine about Canadian entertainment, Bob Martin elaborated a little bit (that’s where he also talked about the power of social media). Yes he and his co-creators Mark McKinney and Susan Coyne “have been meeting about doing something, partly because we can’t ignore the fact that people love the show. I still see articles about the show…
“We have been meeting seriously about how to revisit it. It’s kind of about scheduling at this point — -we’re all busy with other stuff. Whether it will be a fourth season or a special or whether it will be even more interesting, we can’t say at this point. In a few months we’ll be able to be more public about it.”
(Warning for those who want to listen to the podcast: It’s the fourth one on the page, and the interview with Bob Martin doesn’t start until a half hour into the hour-long podcast)
By the way, it’s a shame that Martin doesn’t Tweet more. He’s hilarious.
Examples:
Being stuck in your tiny NY apartment waiting for a delivery is like being an inmate in the most interesting prison in the world.
Fahrenheit 451 could never be written today. Kindles burn at a much higher temperature.
New study reveals nice is the new cool. http://bit.ly/Kn5oUL Lesser findings: plain is the new beautiful, near-sighted is the new eagle-eyed
After an unexpected wildlife encounter while cycling in Woodbine park, my prediction for summer 2012: rabbit is the new raccoon.
Is staggering a legitimate form of exercise? Surely your core is activated when staggering. Or is this the beer talking?
If the miraculous “Slings and Arrows” series became cultish in Canada, a similar reaction has occurred among my American friend, all of whom are in mid-life or beyond. After all, what’s a thinking/feeling person who loves theatre to dislike? It seems to me that Ellen and Jeffrey by the end of the series may have launched themselves on a dubious enough path both professionally and relationship-wise. Much could be make of their interpersonal growth (?). Maybe Jeffrey is now ready to function enthusiastically are artistic director of the festival? Lord knows, he lost his chance to do Antony and Cleo.
So please, please bring back the wacky black humor, the intensity, and all of the characters any which-way you can. “Slings” disappearance has left a hole in my consciousness.
It would be very difficult to revise the series. It ended with just about all of the character arcs wrapped up and almost everyone was on their way to something else. (SPOILERS ahead) Richard had proved once and for all that he was indeed a total ass. Anna was off to Bolivia. Oliver was on the other side. Jeffrey realized (although this was implied and never stated) that he was not insane, that Charles also saw Oliver, which had to have been enormously liberating for Jeffrey. Everyone got fired over the last production. Jeffrey and Ellen were going to Montreal. Of course with Darren as artistic director and Richard having risen past his level of incompetence, in all likelihood it’s easy to imagine a new board begging him to come back, but he has no reason to. Even Frank and Cyril were retiring and planning to open a flower shop, although I’d like to think they took to the road with a two man show of songs and stories, combined reminiscences — A Century in The Theatre — or something.