In news that is positively 4th street, Australian writer-director Josh Wakely is developing an hour-long series for Amazon where everything that happens is inspired by Bob Dylan songs, Variety reports. Lionsgate is closing in on a deal with Amazon to produce the show.
Wakely has managed to secure a wide-ranging rights deal for Dylan’s song catalog, and intends to base the show on the characters, themes, and watchtowers from the singer-songwriter’s extensive oeuvre. Although details are scarce at this point, the plan for the first season is to introduce two storylines pulled from Dylan songs and eventually have them collide in some way. Perhaps two lovers living in New York City have a big split where one decides he’s better off, a la “Don’t Think Twice It’s All Right.” Then, for a change of pace, he leaves the city with a woman named Maggie to work on her family’s farm—where he’s admonished for slamming doors and quickly realizes doesn’t want to do this anymore.
Much in the way that DC Comics fans each year are excited to learn about what new character will join the Daredevil TV show, Dylan fans too will gather in convention halls and eagerly anticipate the announcement of which songs will provide dramatic fodder for the next season. After realizing that the stakes weren’t high enough in season one, Amazon might announce “The Hurricane” as the inspiration for season two, prompting geeks in Blood On The Tracks t-shirts to rant on Twitter, “BotT ignored again by @Amazon. #underrated #dylansbest.” It will be adorable.
Wakely is also tackling a children’s animated series for Netflix called Beat Bugs that will feature stories inspired by Beatles tunes, so apparently this guy is really into drama that was previously sung. We recommend he make it easier on himself and use George Thorogood as inspiration for his third show, because songs like “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer” don’t require much plot work.