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[ivysaur12]

You can download Smash for free on iTunes now!

Premieres: February 6, 2011 at 10pm
Regular Timeslot: Mondays at 10pm
Network: NBC
Showrunner: Theresea Rebeck (NYPD Blue, L.A. Law)

Description:

There's nothing more exciting than the opening night of a hit Broadway musical, except maybe what happens getting there. While Wicked and The Lion King pack audiences in on the Great White Way, Julia and Tom, a successful songwriting team played by Debra Messing and Christian Borle, begin work on a new musical based on the life of Marilyn Monroe. When a tenacious producer (Anjelica Houston) jumps aboard, so begins the difficult task of casting the silver screen icon.

Ivy Lynn, a tough Broadway veteran, seems like the obvious choice. But enter Karen Cartwright (Katharine McPhee), a young girl from Iowa with a dream of making it on Broadway who walks in and blows everyone away. So who will get the part and begin a journey that will change their lives? It's an age-old story, but a star just might be born once again.

While everyone is consumed with putting the show together, real life has a tendency of getting in the way. Julia and her husband are in the middle of a complicated adoption; the producer's husband begins divorce proceedings which could threaten the finances of the show; and the brilliant but womanizing director could derail everything if he puts the young star in a compromising position. This will be a rollercoaster ride that culminates on opening night when the audience gets to determine whether or not the show is a smash!

In the era of The Voice and Glee, executive producers Steven Spielberg and Craig Zadan & Neil Meron (producers of Chicago and Hairspray), and songwriters Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (Hairspray), bring you the blood, sweat, and tears of the making of a Broadway musical.

Starring:

(from left to right) Jaime Sepero, Anjelica Huston (The Addams Family), Jack Davenport (Pirates of the Caribbean), Katherine McPhee (American Idol), Megan Hilty (Wicked), Debra Messing (Will & Grace), Christian Borle, (not pictured) Raza Jeffrey (MI-5)

NBC 2011-2012 score card!

Up All Night:
Metacritic Score - 64
Episodes before cancellation - still on

Free Agents:
Metacritic Score - 51
Episodes before cancellation - 3

The Playboy Club:
Metacritic Score - 45
Episodes before cancellation - 3

Whitney:
Metacritic Score - 49
Episodes before cancellation - still on

Prime Suspect:
Metacritic Score - 66
Episodes before cancellation - 13

The Firm:
Metacritic Score - 52
Episodes before cancellation - still on, but cancellation inevitable

Are You There, Chelsea?:
Metacritic Score - 36
Episodes before cancellation - still on, for now

 

[echoshifting]

ha, perfect thread title

I was initially quite interested in this show, but every time I see an ad it looks less appealing.

 

[backflip10019]

From the ads that I've seen, it looks really boring.

 

[ivysaur12]

Since it might get lost in the OP - You can download the pilot for free on iTunes now.

 

[lenovox1]

The pilot is also available on Amazon, Xbox Marketplace and on demand for free! Next week, it'll be available for streaming on Hulu and NBC.com.

Christian Borle was in the Legally Blonde the Musical MTV telecast. Anybody see that? Anybody? No one, great.

--

Anyways, I'm not sure if non-theatre folks will get some of the insidery stuff, but overall it's fine if you like melodrama. Everyone should be able to identify with the underdog and/or the overachiever tropes.

From the ads that I've seen, it looks really boring.

It might be if you're not into the genre, but it's not soul sucking like the Playboy Bunny. You could always just try it out on Amazon and see.

 

[ivysaur12]

The pilot is also available on Amazon, Xbox Marketplace and on demand for free! Next week, it'll be available for streaming on Hulu and NBC.com.

Christian Borle was in the Legally Blonde the Musical MTV telecast. Anybody see that? Anybody? No one, great.

--

Anyways, I'm not sure if non-theatre folks will get some of the insidery stuff, but overall it's fine if you like melodrama. Everyone should be able to identify with the underdog and/or the overachiever tropes.



It might be if you're not into the genre, but it's not soul sucking like the Playboy Bunny. You could always just try it out on Amazon and see.

It's engaging enough for someone not involved with theatre. I've seen one broadway show in my life, and I got enough of it.

 

[ConfusingJazz]

Smash you say? I will only recognize one form of Smash on my TV.

 

[lenovox1]

It's engaging enough for someone not involved with theatre. I've seen one broadway show in my life, and I got enough of it.

Great! I need this to last a full season for some more Wittman/Shaiman goodness, and Community numbers won't cut it for this one.

Smash you say? I will only recognize one form of Smash on my TV.

I would smash her.

Woah, woah. Let's be real here for a second, folks. The real sexiness in this show is Brian d'Arcy James' eyebrow situation.

You can't help but get transfixed by those little caterpillars.

[But for real though, Megan Hilty all day, ev'ry day.]

 

[BertramCooper]

The positive buzz got me to watch the pilot on Netflix.

Meh. It's better than Glee, but that's hardly a compliment.

 

[RatskyWatsky]

I'm looking forward to it!

 

[ivysaur12]

The positive buzz got me to watch the pilot on Netflix.

Meh. It's better than Glee, but that's hardly a compliment.

That's exactly how I feel, though I feel the Glee comparisons are unwarranted. Outside of the general theme of music, they have very different tones.

 

[JCX]

Pilot was decent. I wonder how long they can keep the

Spoiler

Battle for the Marilyn role

going for long enough. Kind of runs into a similar problem as Glee.

 

[ivysaur12]

Pilot was decent. I wonder how long they can keep the

Spoiler

Battle for the Marilyn role

going for long enough. Kind of runs into a similar problem as Glee.

It'll probably go to Megan Hilty's character with Katherine McPhee as the understudy, and then Megan has to drop out or gets hit by a bus or grows a testicle or something.

 

[lenovox1]

It'll probably go to Megan Hilty's character with Katherine McPhee as the understudy, and then Megan has to drop out or gets hit by a bus or grows a testicle or something.

I read somewhere, don't ask me where, that Ivy (Hilty) was to be the star while Karen (McPhee) was to be the alternate. But everything could have changed by now, and who knows if the information I read was even accurate in the first place. It is the cleanest way the season could end with everyone getting what they want.

 

[BertramCooper]

That's exactly how I feel, though I feel the Glee comparisons are unwarranted. Outside of the general theme of music, they have very different tones.

Well, they're inevitably going to be compared, since they're the only two musical television shows. And let's not pretend that Smash would have happened without Glee.

I do hope it achieves some level of success, since it will most definitely be superior to Ryan Murphy's shitshow.

 

[cory.]

Pilot was really fantastic. A little worried about the long-term storyline prospects, but it should be great for now.

 

[ivysaur12]

Well, they're inevitably going to be compared, since they're the only two musical television shows. And let's not pretend that Smash would have happened without Glee.

I do hope it achieves some level of success, since it will most definitely be superior to Ryan Murphy's shitshow.

Smash was in development at Showtime before Glee.

 

[royalan]

Loved the pilot. It was a little busy at parts, but that makes sense seeing as it was a pilot; they had a lot of ground to establish.

Thoughts:

--So far Smash's original songs shit all over Glee's. I can't wait for the full version of this to be leaked: Touch Me

--I like how the musical numbers seem to be more naturally infused into the plot, as well. Broadway is the perfect theme for this type of show.

--The early promo's seem to focus on Karen so much that you'd think the show was about her journey to inevitably getting the part...but then they made Ivy Lynn way more sympathetic. Unappreciated chorus girl who's been in the business for years and is just itching for her big break. She doesn't act like a bitch and she just screams Marilyn. By the end of the pilot my roommates and I couldn't think of single reason to not root for her. She seems to deserve the part more than Karen, who wants to go from doing high school productions straight to starring in the leading role of a Broadway musical. Gotta pay them dues, girl. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out.

--Debra Messing seems forever doomed to play the best friend of a gay guy. lol

 

[cory.]

--The early promo's seem to focus on Karen so much that you'd think the show was about her journey to inevitably getting the part...but then they made Ivy Lynn way more sympathetic. Unappreciated chorus girl who's been in the business for years and is just itching for her big break. She doesn't act like a bitch and she just screams Marilyn. By the end of the pilot my roommates and I couldn't think of single reason to not root for her.

I think that's my favorite aspect of the show, that both characters are sympathetic. Well, Karen still needs to prove herself, but the season promo seems to indicate that she'll get on Ivy's level.

 

[RatskyWatsky]

Just watched the pilot on Hulu. I liked it. I don't know anything about the behind the scenes world of Broadway, but it seems like it's a really fascinating setting for a TV show. I can't wait to see more of it.

The cast is quite good, especially Anjelica Huston. <3 I don't like the assistant who leaked the video though. He's a little too precious.

--The early promo's seem to focus on Karen so much that you'd think the show was about her journey to inevitably getting the part...but then they made Ivy Lynn way more sympathetic. Unappreciated chorus girl who's been in the business for years and is just itching for her big break. She doesn't act like a bitch and she just screams Marilyn. By the end of the pilot my roommates and I couldn't think of single reason to not root for her. She seems to deserve the part more than Karen, who wants to go from doing high school productions straight to starring in the leading role of a Broadway musical. Gotta pay them dues, girl. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out.

I agree. I think it would have been interesting if Karen had slept with the director to get the part. She's been struggling for so long to get noticed, her competition is more deserving and experienced, and she has a loving boyfriend to boot. Having to sleep her way to the top is more realistic and I think it could have been a good, uncontrived source of drama unlike the adoption story line which, at this point, seems a little unnecessary.

--Debra Messing seems forever doomed to play the best friend of a gay guy. lol

At least here she's married and has a life outside of her work. BTW, did anyone else think her son was very Walt Jr.-esque? (from Breaking Bad) I actually thought it was the same actor for a second.

 

[gdt]

Mcphee is so cute. She should've had a bigger music career, I guess.

 

[lenovox1]

[. . .]Having to sleep her way to the top is more realistic and I think it could have been a good, uncontrived source of drama unlike the adoption story line which, at this point, seems a little unnecessary[. . .]

Oh goodness no. "Sleeping your way to the top" doesn't really happen in the stage world, I'm afraid. Too many people talk. Well, not unless she had a prior relationship with him, of course (the most famous real life scenario being Sarah Brightman and Andrew Lloyd Webber).

But, yes, it'd be much more interesting than the current adoption plot.

Spoiler

However, that storyline should get a little bit juicier soon with the introduction of Will Chase's character.

 

[ivysaur12]

In the original pilot at Showtime, she slept with him. She being Kat McPhee and him being the director.

 

[RatskyWatsky]

Oh goodness no. "Sleeping your way to the top" doesn't really happen in the stage world, I'm afraid. Too many people talk. Well, not unless she had a prior relationship with him, of course (the most famous real life scenario being Sarah Brightman and Andrew Lloyd Webber).

Oh, really? As I said, I don't know anything about the world of Broadway, but I figured that it was the same as in the movie industry. Interesting.

Edit: ^^^ Aha, but does that mean she got the role? Or did she still have to fight for it? Was there an Ivy vs. Karen dynamic at all?

 

[lenovox1]

In the original pilot at Showtime, she slept with him. She being Kat McPhee and him being the director.

Oh, it'd make good drama. I'm just saying that it's not terribly realistic, but I'm not going to be calling for realism in this Grey's Anatomy-style drama

 

[HiroProtagonist]

I have a feeling they'll have Karen play Norma Jeane in Act I, and have Ivy play Marilyn in Act 2. Or not *shrug*. That would be the easy solution.

 

[tim.mbp]

I'll re-watch the pilot again tonight. I really enjoyed the show which surprises me cause I'm not really a big song and dance guy.

 

[BigDug13]

I always thought McPhee was one of the hottest finalists AI ever had. Wasn't a huge fan of her singing, but was definitely a fan of watching her on stage.

Will most likely watch.

 

[royalan]

I think NBC is making a huge mistake replaying the pilot tonight.

They need Smash to be a huge success in the ratings, but they've had the pilot available to watch online and On Demand for weeks now...that's a ton of people who probably aren't going to tune in when they see it's just the pilot again.

 

[onlyindreams]

I loved the pilot, watched it on demand last week.

 

[Cynosure]

A show about a hit musical on a network with no hits

you're forgetting

Spoiler

a.k.a The Voice

 

[Father_Brain]

In the original pilot at Showtime, she slept with him. She being Kat McPhee and him being the director.

Didn't the original pilot script also have the supposedly-straight assistant sleeping with his boss?

 

[ErasureAcer]

Enjoying this so far.

 

[RatskyWatsky]

I think NBC is making a huge mistake replaying the pilot tonight.

They need Smash to be a huge success in the ratings, but they've had the pilot available to watch online and On Demand for weeks now...that's a ton of people who probably aren't going to tune in when they see it's just the pilot again.

It worked for New Girl.

 

[zeeaykay]

That baseball song was great. Really professional looking, lyrics were fun, and the music was great.

EDIT: There were a few awkward moments (the house sitter talking about being "whole" comes to mind), but overall it was great. Katherine McPhee in the scene at the directors apartment... so sexy.

 

[ErasureAcer]

It was alright of a show. Villains seem too cliche though...horny director, greedy ex-husband, unsophisticated father...eh. I'm sick of all those plotlines already. Think I might pass on episode 2.

 

[dead souls]

I think NBC is making a huge mistake replaying the pilot tonight.

They need Smash to be a huge success in the ratings, but they've had the pilot available to watch online and On Demand for weeks now...that's a ton of people who probably aren't going to tune in when they see it's just the pilot again.

The mass television audience >>> than people who watch stuff online and On Demand. It would be suicide to skip the first episode for the regular broadcast audience, especially considering that The Voice will provide a great lead-in.

As for the pilot, it was decent, but paled in comparison to Glee's.

 

[ivysaur12]

Didn't the original pilot script also have the supposedly-straight assistant sleeping with his boss?

Yup. And his schitck was that he was going to fight for rights to the idea for the show.

 

[Staccat0]

I felt like this was just a lot of thought clearing. I will wait for the 2nd ep before I jump ship. The basic premise seems like dumb fun.

 

[Vyer]

Haven't seen this, but McPhee looks good.

 

[Nesotenso]

Speaking of NBC, I hope Awake is good. Any word on that yet?

 

[royalan]

The mass television audience >>> than people who watch stuff online and On Demand. It would be suicide to skip the first episode for the regular broadcast audience, especially considering that The Voice will provide a great lead-in.

As for the pilot, it was decent, but paled in comparison to Glee's.

Good point. Hopefully the show opens to big ratings, because I really loved the pilot.

But more importantly, I can't wait to see what episode 2 is like. This pilot has been floating around since last summer. We'll see what adjustments they've made next week.

And, being catty, am I the only one wondering who Katherine McPhee is fucking to get such prominence amongst the cast? Every ad that aired during the Super Bowl and The Voice was Karen, Karen, Karen - which is weird because the pilot didn't seem to be as focused on her story as I thought. Poor Megan Hilty's getting the shaft.

 

[ivysaur12]

Good point. Hopefully the show opens to big ratings, because I really loved the pilot.

But more importantly, I can't wait to see what episode 2 is like. This pilot has been floating around since last summer. We'll see what adjustments they've made next week.

And, being catty, am I the only one wondering who Katherine McPhee is fucking to get such prominence amongst the cast? Every ad that aired during the Super Bowl and The Voice was Karen, Karen, Karen - which is weird because the pilot didn't seem to be as focused on her story as I thought. Poor Megan Hilty's getting the shaft.

Because Katherine McPhee is the main character?

 

[royalan]

Because Katherine McPhee is the main character?

Is she, though?

 

[Hours Left]

I liked it.

The only part I wasn't into was when the assistant starting explaining why he was so excited to be a part of the musical and the cheesy music starting swelling. Though reading what the original storyline was, this is probably better.

Karen's BF is hot.

 

[ivysaur12]

Is she, though?

Yes. This isn't really high art - it's relies on the "building a star" cliche (which can be fine). This is Katherine McPhee's story. Everything from the tone of the pilot to the marketing to the previews says that.

 

[beat]

In the original pilot at Showtime, she slept with him. She being Kat McPhee and him being the director.

In the original pilot, the day of the callbacks, did Tom and his PA wake up together? The moment as aired (Tom waking up by himself) felt like it was shot for a little reveal of whoever he woke up next to, which for story reasons would almost definitely have to be the PA, but then it just cut instead.

 

[RatskyWatsky]

Link

Smash started off with a 4.2 demo rating, then slipped to a 3.4 come its second half-hour, averaging out to a 3.8.

 

[dead souls]

Link

Good numbers, especially for NBC, though that half-hour drop is pretty brutal. It will be interesting to see where the numbers are at in a month or so.

 

[ivysaur12]

Good numbers, especially for NBC, though that half-hour drop is pretty brutal. It will be interesting to see where the numbers are at in a month or so.

Those numbers are merely okay, I guess, considering the amount of promotion that went into the show. The problem is, this is where they're starting - where the show goes from here is the issue. NBC needs a show that can average in the 3s, especially for how expensive Smash is.

But those half hours aren't that worrisome, since every 10pm show drops at 10:30.