Smash shifts comfortably into idle in its third episode as the production team finds its Joe DiMaggio and Karen sings a country song for no reason whatsoever.
I'd Sing Like a Dweeb For Ya
In their search for the perfect Joe DiMaggio, Derek (Jack Davenport) and Eileen (Anjelica Huston) scout out rocker dude Michael Swift (Will Chase) who sings a cringeworthy rendition of Bruno Mars' "Grenade." Not to say the guy isn't talented; he'd be perfect in something like Rent -- oh wait, he was in Rent! Anyway, we're supposed to love him because gentle piano music accompanies scenes of him kissing a baby and just being an all-around swell fellow.
I Smell an Uprising
Ellis' (Jaime Cepero) friends plant the seeds of dissent when they tell him that there is no reason why he shouldn't be getting paid for coming up with the entire concept for the musical. So like a good assistant, he steals Julia's (Debra Messing) notebook and acts like a diva anytime he's in the same room with her. Something tells me that this little germ of a problem is going to blossom into a full-fledged tiff down the road.
If Only Karaoke Always Sounded Like This
Karen (Katharine McPhee) heads home to Iowa to drink tea with ma (Becky Ann Baker) and pa (Dylan Baker), and they are less than thrilled about her plans to attend an acting workshop, but give her money like the supportive parents they are. Then she gives a karaoke performance of "Redneck Woman" and proves that she can sound exactly like Gretchen Wilson. P.S. -- her friends are obnoxious.
Past Lives
So how do we feel about Julia's confession that she had an affair with Michael Swift five years ago? It kinda seems like a tacked-on complication to me -- don't we have enough dysfunctional relationships already? With that said, this side plot should give Messing some good dramatic material to work with throughout the season, which is always welcome.
OK, so Michael won me over in the final scene during his duet with Ivy (Megan Hilty). These two really have fantastic Broadway voices, and the song was cute to boot. The episode itself? A tad on the forgettable side.
Best Lines:
"Of course, I should have heard it in the 'O's".
--Derek taking a jab at Dev's (Raza Jaffrey) upper-class English dialect.
How many more do I need to see, my eyes are about to start bleeding."
--Derek on the audition process.
Oh, I'm sorry, I don't know why that keeps happening. Such a klutz."
--Eileen to Jerry (Michael Cristofer), after throwing her drink in his face.
"In shows, people... they sleep together. It happens, it just happens."
--Julia to Tom (Christian Borle), rationalizing Ivy's relationship with Derek.
"You smell good."
--Michael awkwardly compliments Julia.
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