Smash.

[Professor Zoom]

Just rewatched Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog... now THAT'S how a musical should work. I don't think the music is fantastic, but it all works SO fucking well.

The writers at SMASH should sit down and watch and learn.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Ugh. This show is going so far off the rails, I don't even know where to start. It's easier to point to what's still worth watching - Ivy's bitter snark - than what's going wrong - everything else.

Wrongest of all is Uma Thurman. Not only is she physically wrong for Marilyn (the height is more the issue, she looks gawky dancing - the age can be disguised by makeup and the audience's distance from the stage) but it's obvious that Rebecca is supposed to be a comic character, a train wreck in the making. So why didn't they cast an actress with an ounce of comedic talent for the role?

And if Uma can't sing - and wow, she can't - why are they inflicting song & dance numbers on us, as though they have any entertainment value whatsoever?!?

Beyond that, it beggars belief that professionals would get themselves into this situation, on both sides of the equation. What musical producer is so lax that they make no effort to check whether their new movie star can sing well enough not to embarrass herself and waste everyone's time?

And why did Rebecca's agent and manager allow this to happen in the first place? Maybe she's utterly clueless, but isn't she supposed to have people she pays to be clued in, and avert career destroying catastrophes like this musical would be, assuming it ever gets made?

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Meanwhile, ratings keep slipping each week to a new series low.

Smash is one of the NBC boss' pet projects, so I doubt they'll rescind that renewal regardless of the ratings, but I expect big changes next season if they want to salvage this thing.

 

[Guy Gardener]

3 episodes left?

As soon as they said "Peanut allergy" I knew that Uma was a marked woman.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Having her die from peanuts would be stupid even for this show.

 

[Professor Zoom]

Having her die from peanuts would be stupid even for this show.

Don't underestimate them.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Not die.

Just have her through close up and be unable to sing, and then assume that they are assholes who she cannot trust her safety to.

It's that whole fool me once, shame on you thing.

Either she fires everyone, or she leaves.

When they won't fire people... She has to leave.

It's just a question of the motivations of...

Oh goodness.

They really wouldn't leave us in the dark with a whodunnit that will carry over into next season?

That's so fucking Dallas.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Having her die from peanuts would be stupid even for this show.

Don't underestimate them.

Considering how bad the show has gotten, it might be a better strategy to degenerate it further, into farce, vs trying to turn it into anything worthwhile. It's the easier approach and therefore more likely to succeed.

 

[Professor Zoom]

Just finally caught up with the past Monday's episode. It's really bad. Not even in a so bad it's great way. it was BLANDLY bad.

Wow.

I think Season 2 should start with Derek waking up... and this was all a dream.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Waking up to discover that reality is really the 5th season of Coupling?

In that coat the other day.

Who felt like Derek was in the Torchwood Reserve?

 

[Professor Zoom]

Waking up to discover that reality is really the 5th season of Coupling?

I would be down with that.

In that coat the other day.

Who felt like Derek was in the Torchwood Reserve?

That would explain a lot. The costumer on this show should be fired.

 

[Danny99]

This show has made several mistakes:

1) Making Ivy a villain to their hero Karen and then expecting us to give a damn.
2) Making every male character either a complete asshole or be so over the top homosexual that there are flames shooting out of his ass.
3) Having them break out into song just to remind us that Katharine McPhee can sing.
4) Making Ellis this ultra-villain who just seems to like crapping on everyone for no apparent reason, even when it doesn't benefit him.

The premise had so much potential, but it's been destroyed by sloppy writing.

 

[Mark_Nguyen]

Granted, this week's Bollywood scene was pretty badass.

I've got my gripes for Smash, but they are nothing compared to my gripes with that high school show where the kids sing all the time. That said, I do still enjoy a decent musical these days, and Smash is close to it. I don't care for the family / cheating drama - I want drama related to how they make a musical happen. As for the gay stuff, it's not nearly as in your face as that other show, to the point that it really doesn't bother me.

I'm sticking with this one through the end of the season and beginning of the next to see their inevitable changes, in an attempt to change the admittedly dismal ratings. Six million? That's horrible for a network show, especially for the budget it must take to produce a show this visual.

Mark

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Another bad episode, at this point I'm watching just to mark the time till S2. I'll give the show another chance next season when they have their changing of the guard but if it still sucks, sayonara.

The Bollywood sequence was fun (I was braced for it to be grating) but completely out of left field in context with the story.

The worst part continues to be Rebecca. What would have worked - for Rebecca to be an unexpectedly excellent singer. Then all her stomping around and trying to change the show might have some justification. She could put butts in seats and not immediately drive them off with her voice. She's the show's savior, so of course Derek and Eileen have to toe the line.

But since she is obviously going to sink the show, what's Derek and Eileen's motivation to continue this farce? The show will inevitably fail. And how can Rebecca be so utterly deluded that she can listen to Ivy's performance and not conclude she's out of her league and better scram before she really embarrasses herself and hurts her career? No amount of vocal coaching will get her to Ivy's level - that's talent you're born with, or not. Is Rebecca looking forward to being booed off the stage on opening night?

Making Ivy a villain to their hero Karen and then expecting us to give a damn.

Ivy is so obviously the better Marilyn (this week's episode provided yet another killer performance from her as evidence) that it's impossible to see Derek as anything but deluded for thinking Karen is on the same level (which undermines his credibility as a director). Performing on Broadway is more than just belting out a song. And if/when Ivy finally puts those peanuts in Rebecca's smoothie (plot twist telegraphed with the subtlety of a nuclear detonation), she will be my personal hero, and I doubt I'm alone in that.

Overall, these characters need to be more equal so that their competition can have some dramatic tension. Karen needs to match Ivy for stage/screen presence and acting ability, Rebecca needs to be in the same league in terms of vocal talent - maybe not quite up to their level, but close enough that her star power can more than make up the difference. The way things stand, Ivy is the obvious choice and Derek should kick Rebecca out on the street and make Karen the "shadow voice."

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Smash ticked up a bit from last week's season low of 1.9.

 

[Mark_Nguyen]

The upcoming episode descriptions spoil some stuff happening, but Derek will apparently have reason to keep Rebecca around soon enough.

I'm sure Broadway suffers the effects of stunt casting as much as Hollywood and voice acting in general does. I speak knowledgeable on the latter, where voice actors I personally know voice an animated work only to have a "name" actor come in to phone it in over their work - often with the direction to "do it like the original guy did" - simply to get that actor's name on the marquee and sell a few more DVDs. This seems to be the real conflict here, creativity over the realities of making a musical happen, and I want to see more of this aspect.

Anyway, I'm sure the plot is supposed to corner on the notion that bringing Rebecca in will bring the investors in, and subsequently enough butts in the seats for people who want to see the musical JUST to see Rebecca, to make the venture profitable. This will come at the expense of quality, and I wish they'd drive this point home more. Derek and Julia will understand that - but they won't want to produce a lemon and will have their limits. Eileen however is in a corner and desperate to make a name for herself away from her ex, and will do whatever it takes to have a successful, or at least profitable production. Again, I really wish they'd concentrate on stuff like this instead of maudlin family drama we already get everywhere else. I liked "Studio 60" best when it was doing exactly that, and I wish more people would enjoy this sort of show-within-a-show drama to begin with.

Also, I think Ellis will screw up with the peanuts, after a brief-enough who dunnit mystery.

Mark

 

[Professor Zoom]

Granted, this week's Bollywood scene was pretty badass.

Though one has to one what 1001 Nights, ie, the Arabian Nights have to do fuck all with India...

But, it was nice to see that Dev could dance.

It was pleasant enough, and a diversion from the story...

I'm sure Broadway suffers the effects of stunt casting as much as Hollywood and voice acting in general does.
Mark

It very much does. But stunt casting WORKS. It works WELL. Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig in one show? The ONLY two in the show? Instant sell out. Stunt casting works.

Though, in the case of this show, it still amateurish on the part of the producers. They didn't know Rebecca's weaknesses? Obviously, the process of making theater for Broadway has been dumbed down and sped up for TV, but, seriously, it makes everyone in the show look like morons.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

But stunt casting WORKS. It works WELL. Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig in one show? The ONLY two in the show? Instant sell out. Stunt casting works.

But they're talented! What if instead of those guys they got Rob Schneider and one of the Kardashians for the same show. I'm not sure which show you're talking about, but I'm 100% certain it wouldn't be an improvement.

As I said before, if they cast an actress who can sing in the role, it would solve the logic problem. It simply isn't reasonable that all these professional people would ignore a problem that will wreck the show. Why put any effort into something that's doomed? Also, it's painful to have to listen to Uma sing, and I'm afraid that's going to be inflicted on us again.

Anyway...is a healthy dose of Gossip Girl-ness really what this show needs?

After series creator Theresa Rebeck exited in March, NBC's freshman drama Smash began auditions for the role of new showrunner. Well, they may have finally found their leading man: Gossip Girl executive producer Josh Safran! We are hearing lots of of speculation Safran is trading in the Upper East Side for Broadway and will be taking over showrunner duties when the troubled musical returns for its second season.

So what would Safran's new gig mean for Gossip Girl's sixth season? And what might he tweak on Smash?

...

First off, NBC would only acknowledge there is speculation about Safran but the network declined to release a statement. A Smash insider tells us there is no deal in place yet.

...

Soon after NBC renewed the show for a second season, news broke that Rebeck would be stepping away from the showrunner spotlight. The Broadway vet will still serve as an executive producer, but she has relinquished day-to-day operations.

While Smash intially enjoyed rave reviews from critics and viewers, the show soon received backlash for several storylines, including Julia's Debra Messing) adoption and affair with Michael (Will Chase), focusing on secondary characters' deemed unessential to the central plot and, what we receive the most emails about, the cartoonish villain that is assistant Ellis (Jaime Capero).

Presumably Safran will refocus the series on the musical numbers and interplay between the two would-be [Marilyn Monroe[s, played by the charismatic dueling divas Katharine McPhee and Megan Hilty.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Though one has to one what 1001 Nights, ie, the Arabian Nights have to do fuck all with India...

IIRC, there are Indian influences in the 1001 Nights. And India was ruled by Muslims for a couple of Centuries so there was some cultural interchange.

 

[Professor Zoom]

But stunt casting WORKS. It works WELL. Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig in one show? The ONLY two in the show? Instant sell out. Stunt casting works.

But they're talented! What if instead of those guys they got Rob Schneider and one of the Kardashians for the same show. I'm not sure which show you're talking about, but I'm 100% certain it wouldn't be an improvement.

I'm talking about A Steady Rain. It was a two person show with Craig and Jackman.

They wouldn't have cast Rob Schneider for it. BUT, I could see someone casting Rob Schneider in a comedy on Broadway, and it helping.

And yeah, actually, the Kardashians, in the right show, would work.

Julia Roberts appeared on Broadway in... I think it was Three Days of Rain, that sold well, even with poor reviews of her work.

Hollywood actors want to be on Broadway, gives them cred.

As I said before, if they cast an actress who can sing in the role, it would solve the logic problem. It simply isn't reasonable that all these professional people would ignore a problem that will wreck the show. Why put any effort into something that's doomed? Also, it's painful to have to listen to Uma sing, and I'm afraid that's going to be inflicted on us again.

Pretty much. It makes the cast of characters look stupid. Er. MORE stupid.

Though one has to one what 1001 Nights, ie, the Arabian Nights have to do fuck all with India...

IIRC, there are Indian influences in the 1001 Nights. And India was ruled by Muslims for a couple of Centuries so there was some cultural interchange.

My Indian wife disagrees with you. Not about the facts of Muslim rule, but that 1001 Nights having anything to do with India.

It would be like... singing a Russian folk song dressed in Mongolian clothing. (It's the only example I could come up with.) The countries probably had cultural influences, but not in that way.