Slings and Arrows: Playing the Swan

Slings and Arrows: Playing the Swan
Movie Central
8 December 2003
Sitcom
DVD
B

This is a mostly satisfying season-closer.  Yes, I find it hard to believe that Richard would put up with Holly's emotional and physical abuse only until he sees the magic of a well-directed and acted play, and I don't know that power games and "he was my director" is enough to explain Ellen sleeping with very gay Oliver years ago.  But I do like that Geoffrey gets good, maybe great (we only see snippets) performances out of Jack and Kate, and the parallels that are drawn between the middle-aged and young acting couples.  I like that, while Ellen still has her young lover, she is true friends with Geoffrey in the end.  The series could've ended here, but I'm curious to see where they go in Season Two, including what play(s) the troupe will perform.  As for this season, it ends up averaging B.

Jonathan Crombie is Hamlet Understudy here, which is confusing since it matters to the plot that Jack doesn't have an understudy; he'd later play the punningly named Lionel Train.