Just in time to catch all the "Gleeks" falling off the bandwagon as Glee takes a turn for the worse, the series premiere of Smash is here to fill your home with more show tunes!
I Wanna be a Star
Here's the rundown: Julia (Debra Messing) and Tom (Christian Borle) are New York songwriters trying to throw together an original musical about Marilyn Monroe, and the modest, ever-so-cute Karen (Katharine McPhee) is vying for the lead role against seasoned veteran Ivy Lynn (Megan Hilty). So, pretty much everything you saw in the millions of promos during the Super Bowl.
What Could Have Been
When Steven Spielberg originally dreamed up the concept for Smash, he envisioned it on Showtime and marketed as Broadway's answer to Entourage. Flash forward to reality and the show is on NBC, with a pretty watered-down take on show business. Maybe I'm speaking too soon here, but something tells me we are going to see more underdogs landing roles and less starving actors waiting tables on this show.
Hey, It's That Guy!
While I'm not quite sold on McPhee in the spotlight, Smash certainly boasts an impressive supporting cast. We get the always stellar Anjelica Huston as the tough-as-nails (but with a heart of gold) producer, and Jack Davenport looks like he will pull off the role of the predatory director with gusto. And who else noticed the fantastic Dylan Baker as Karen's dad, and the mom from Freaks and Geeks as her mom? Those casting choices earned a gold star right there.
Every Vocal Coach's Nightmare
I know that this is major network television, but once, just once, can we see somebody sing for real on a show that is primarily about singing? I mean come on, Karen's audition scene was ridiculous! But then again, if I were casting a musical and the room transformed itself into a multi-colored disco ball just from the sound of a girl's voice, then she would get my vote too. And don't even get me started on Hilty's jaw tension... vocal instructors across the country just cringed in unison.
Smash has enough talent in its cast to carry the show through its first season, and audiences are more than likely to jump on board. But I'm just not seeing anything too earth-shattering here. So what's the verdict: Is the show destined to be a hit, or will barely make it off the ground?
Best Lines:
"She married Joe DiMaggio. You could do a baseball number."
--Tom to Julia on Marilyn's musical potential.
"You know what she said in her last interview? 'Please don't make a joke out of me.'"
--Julia to her husband, Frank (Brian d'Arcy James).
"I hate the theater, I really do."
--Frank to Julia.
"Great! Or, I could just gouge my own eyes out."
--Tom, unhappy about the idea of hiring Derek Wills (Davenport) as director.
"That's an unfortunate position to take in the American theater."
--Eileen (Huston) after Derek says, "gay men piss me off."
Recommendations:
Glee
