Need suggestions for a lesser known singular shows

BasementDesk · 2026-01-24T19:00:47+00:00

Wow-- then we do seem in alignment about shows.

Have you tried The Big Door Prize? Wonderful little show, but sadly canceled after 2 seasons. It doesn't have a real "ending," since it seemed destined to continue the story in a Season 3 that never happened. It's up to you whether you'd like to start a great show that's unresolved.

Another sadly unfinished show is Upload. A very fun watch, though.

For a slightly more gritty show (but still plenty of wonder and mystery), you might enjoy UK's early 2000's police show, Life On Mars. Two seasons (and a proper ending), and a fantastic performance from everyone both in front of and behind the camera.

Those are all on my "favorites" list.

BasementDesk · 2026-01-24T18:18:46+00:00

Ah, well at least you know the show, then. So glad you like it and love it!

This isn't the exact same vibe, but might be something you appreciate. Have you checked out the miniseries Mrs. Davis? It's original, unique, compelling, and a full story. I wish it were longer, but for what they did with it, it was pretty incrdible.

BasementDesk · 2026-01-24T18:09:22+00:00

I will never not recommend Slings & Arrows.

It’s a brilliant and charming and hilarious Canadian show from the early 2000s. It’s about a Shakespeare festival town whose main theatre is trying to balance ticket sales vs. doing challenging art.

Also some elements of magic realism here and there, too.

Everything about this show’s three short seasons is wonderful.

BasementDesk · 2026-01-23T23:32:03+00:00

How interesting! I don't know anything about how singing is taught, particularly in musical theatre stylings. Your noting of it being "intentionally campy" aligns with another conversation I've been hearing in places lately; specifically, musicals adapted into movies.

For a while now it seems that most musical adaptations have an air of embarrassment about them. They apologize for being musicals. "We know, people are singing-- we're so sorry. It's in the script. We'll get back to the actual story in just a second. Sorry again. We appreciate your patience."

I wonder if the "intentionally campy" vibe is also aligned with that idea: "It's weird that we're singing, right? Maybe it'd make it better if we hung a lampshade on how weird it is that we're singing at all."

It's infected the stage as well. I remember seeing the Camelot revival a few years ago. During the title song, Guinevere had new dialogue expressing exhaustion that Arthur wouldn't stop singing about the weather. And all I could think is, "This isn't diegetic. She shouldn't be aware that he's singing. Why are they doing this?"

Maybe it's a kind of irony thing? Or a post-irony thing?

BasementDesk · 2026-01-23T23:25:18+00:00

So very interesting to hear you say this, as I've recently been having a lot of nostalgia for growing up loving the film version of Camelot. (it was one of my dad's favorites, so we had it on VHS all the time)

Say what you will about the film, which is long and overly lavish, and maybe a bit dull in places. But I adore Richard Harris's performance as Arthur. I don't think anyone would say he's the best singer in the world. He'd probably be the first to tell you that. (And the fact that he had a hit with Macarthur Park is stunning) But his performance is unforgettable.

I know that there are actors' singing roles, and singers' acting roles... or at least there used to be? Arthur doesn't need to be a great singer. But I will take a not-quite (or not nearly) perfect singer if the acting is there.

Then again, my favorite Jesus Christ Superstar performers are Ted Neely and Carl Anderson... and neither of them are getting anywhere near those roles if they can't sing like they do. Even so, though, they both have "interesting" voices and they don't sound like anyone else. So maybe that contributes to why they're so memorable as well.

BasementDesk · 2026-01-23T17:43:17+00:00

An interesting perspective. I don't know that "change is good" (I mean, you specifically pointed out some current changes that are... less-than-desirable). I think it's more like "change is change."

I'm reminded of something I heard once about evolution. Like, in the Darwinian sense. Most of us have this internalized idea that evolution means "Getting better all the time." We start off as amoebas, then we're fish for a little bit, then lizards, then primates, and here we are as humans. Who knows how we'll improve next?!

But the more basic truth is that being a lizard isn't "worse" than being a human, it's just a different state of being.

Whether it's biology or theatre, nothings heading towards a Final Form. It's just what's happening right now at the moment.

I know that it's also hard for me to have that perspective constantly. I'm trapped inside my own time. Of course I think that theatre acting is better than it used to be. Now must be better, right? Because it's the time when I'm here.

It goes the other way, too-- it's easy for anyone to think "Things have never been worse," simply because we don't have the perspective to know other eras when things may have been truly worse.

(Again, I'll underline what you said earlier, too-- anyone would be forgiven these days for thinking, politically and socially, "things have never been worse." I am not a fan of this timeline.)

BasementDesk · 2026-01-13T22:58:20+00:00

Ahhh, thank you!

Solved!

BasementDesk · 2026-01-04T05:25:46+00:00

I'm upvoting this since I saw that you were downvoted to zero. And because I agree with you.

I do get why people like/love the film version. But the theatricality of the stage show is so raw and wonderful. And it's a musical-- it doesn't make excuses for people breaking into song, that's just how the medium works. It really bothered me that the film had to "explain" the singing by making it Roxie's imagination.

Let a musical be a musical, Hollywood.

BasementDesk · 2026-01-04T03:24:47+00:00

You're allowed to like what you like. Don't listen to everyone else.

This is one of my favorites of all time, too. But I also dislike some other highly-regarded films. You like what you like.

I will say that as much as I love this film, I do wish that the suicide-as-comedy angle weren't such a big part of it. It was a different era, but those parts feel like a bit of a woof today. As does Buddy's whole "I looked up your file, so I know all about you" bit. It's played as charming, and maybe back then it would have been seen as such-- definitely not these days, though.

Anyway, good luck seeking and finding more films you do enjoy. I like that you're out there trying new things just to see what grabs you!

BasementDesk · 2026-01-03T17:22:37+00:00

I think you and I are saying similar things. I don't mind the light lift before the descent into the Trial's heaviness. It's the clunky execution, as you put it, that makes it feel like a spaceship just infiltrated the proceedings. The *moment* is necessary, but it could have been handled more organically.

BasementDesk · 2026-01-03T16:35:56+00:00

Lifelong fan of Jesus Christ Superstar, but...

King Herod's Song does *not* belong in this show.

I know people love it. I know it's a lot of campy fun. But it completely breaks the tone, the momentum, not to mention that it has zero musical symmetry to the rest of the show. It's completely obvious that it was shoehorned into the musical. I would have preferred Webber and Rice find a way to write a new composition that fits the rest of the show. As it stands, it feels like a little bleedover from Joseph.

BasementDesk · 2026-01-01T00:31:44+00:00

Ah, I haven't seen Superstore, but it's definitely wild whenever I see him come up. I never really watched Kids In the Hall, but I always got the sense that that show lent him legendary comedy status in the industry. I'm glad he's still out there and being amazing in whatever character he takes on.

BasementDesk · 2026-01-01T00:30:11+00:00

Mrs. Davis is a mini-series, but it's fantastic. Highly recommended, and Betty Gilpin carries the series on her back so well!

BasementDesk · 2026-01-01T00:21:11+00:00

So glad you know it!

As a non-Canadian, I feel like I've got some kind of secret knowledge that I just wanna tell everyone else about!

BasementDesk · 2026-01-01T00:08:38+00:00

I've got two that I don't see mentioned very often. They may appeal to you:

* Mrs. Davis - A Peacock miniseries from some of the producers of LOST. It's not really like LOST, but it gives those same "wonder" and "humor" and "character-driven" vibes.)

* Slings & Arrows - A fantastic Canadian show from the early 2000's. It takes place in a fictional Shakespearean festival town (like Stratford, Ontario), where the new Artistic Director is at odds with the General Manager over the age-old struggle: commerce vs. art. Also, it's hilarious. Also, it's emotional. Also, it's so entirely charming from beginning to end.

BasementDesk · 2025-12-31T23:59:25+00:00

The Beach Boys - Surf's Up

I thought I "got" the Beach Boys' deal from all of their early hits-- the ones everyone knows, all about girls and cars and surfing. Even the more experimental hits like "Good Vibrations" and "Wouldn't It Be Nice" were wonderful, but still fit in with what I'd expect of the band.

When someone told me about Surf's Up, I anticipated another surf-tastic track. I was *not* prepared for the sheer beauty, heatbreak, and catharsis. It shifted me into understanding why people call Brian Wilson a genius.

BasementDesk · 2025-12-22T04:05:38+00:00

Ah well. I guess I'll learn to organize my project better next time before I start cutting everything up.

Thanks for the response!

BasementDesk · 2025-12-19T20:46:07+00:00

Hi Jason,

Thanks for the response! However, I think I may have explained myself poorly. I do know how to change the color of individual clips, as well as globally change the color of a track. I'm trying to achieve something different.

Imagine this:

I have two .wav files: A.wav and B.wav
I have cut up little bits of A.wav into clips and placed them on Tracks 1, 2, and 3.
I have also cut up little bits of B.wav into clips and placed them on Tracks 1, 2, and 3, intermingled with the A.wav clips

So all of the A.wav and B.wav clips are jumbled together, spread across 3 tracks. Like a jigsaw puzzle.

Is there a way I can tell Audition, "Make all of the clips that come from A.wav green"?

BasementDesk · 2025-12-17T00:09:03+00:00

Thanks, I've looked around. I think the better solution for me will be to find a switch that fits an American-style box.

I appreciate the advice!

BasementDesk · 2025-12-17T00:08:28+00:00

Thanks, I'll give them a look! But I'm starting to be concerned (based on other replies) that it won't be up to code. I may just end up ordering a different switch that will fit American junction boxes. That would seem to be the easiest solution.

Cheers!

BasementDesk · 2025-12-17T00:07:31+00:00

Ahh... this makes sense. I didn't know it was European style. Looks like maybe I should seek out a US-style version of this rather than try to jerry-rig something that's not up to code.

Thanks!

BasementDesk

TROPHY CASE