Cast in order left to right. Row 1: Brian d'Arcy James and Jaime Cepero; Row 2: Raza Jaffrey, Christian Borle, Debra Messing and Anjelica Huston; Row 3: Jack Davenport and Megan Hilty; Row 4: Katharine McPhee. (Photo: NBC)
Think Marilyn Monroe. Now throw a little piece of Broadway, Will & Grace, British accents, Chicago, American Idol and The Addams Family into the mix and you've produced the perfect blend of talent and history.
This week, I am providing my take on NBC's new hit show Smash, which debuted on January 6. Smash is a musical drama about the lives of people involved in creating a Broadway musical based on the life of Marilyn Monroe.
WARNING: THIS POST MAY REVEAL PLOT SPOILERS. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.
"There is something in this show for all viewers," said Damian Holbrook of TVGuide.com.
"If you love theater, you'll love the show," said executive producer Neil Meron in an interview with TV Guide. "If you have no interest in theater...well, their lives are like everyone else's, so we'll be dealing with their parents, boyfriends, girlfriends, their families."
Steven Spielberg, producer, knows exactly what the viewers want to watch. And just as he had hoped, Smash was off to a strong start when the show premiered and it "delivered the biggest 10 p.m. rating of any drama this season," said James Hibberd of Entertainment Weekly.
I can't tell if I enjoy this show because of the stellar cast or if I secretly wish I could play the part of Marilyn Monroe on Broadway (I wish I weren't tone-deaf.). Either way, I keep watching week after week to see what new dramatic plot line comes next.
On Monday night, the season showed it's fifth episode, "Let's Be Bad." Let me begin by stating, if you are uncomfortable with sex in any way, shape or form this might not be the episode for you and this is where you should pause for intermission - see what I did there? Karen, played by Katharine McPhee, channels her inner Marilyn - which basically suggests she begins to have more sex appeal - after Ivy, played by Megan Hilty, condescends that Karen doesn't know what she "brings to the party."
Obviously, the subplots prove to be very important for the upcoming storylines: Frank, played by Brian d'Arcy James, is away for business while Julia, played by Debra Messing, gets to play around with former fling Michael (who is playing the part of Joe DiMaggio in the musical), played by Will Chase. Confused yet? Well, that's only the beginning of the story. Also while Dad is away, Leo (Frank and Julia's only child), gets arrested for smoking pot in Central Park, allowing the TV show to plug a controversial topic that will continue to haunt the main characters for at least a few future episodes.
To me, the most jaw-dropping moment would have to be the final scene when the camera pans to Leo watching Karen (his own mother) and Michael kiss on the sidewalk. DRAMAAA. However, I have to admit that I saw it coming.
My favorite part of the show, and most musicals for that matter, are the songs and the UH-mazing voices singing them. I get chills every time I hear Katharine McPhee sing Marilyn's rendition of "Happy birthday." I don't think she needs to work on her sex appeal while she sings this risqué number on Monday's episode.
Karen Cartwright (Katharine McPhee) is singing "Happy birthday" to teach Ivy Lynn (Megan Hilty) how Marilyn's bravado on the note should sound. (Video: Hulu)
I think that performance translates to: "Hey Ivy, put that in your pipe and smoke it." Or possibly: "Good luck being a better Marilyn knowing my voice is sexier than yours."
REVIEW TIME!
My rating scale for Smash will be based on the level of musical productions; the lowest rating being "high-school theater production" to the top rating of "Broadway" (of course). In my opinion, this new drama deserves an "off-Broadway" score - something probably around a typical seven or eight on a 10-point scale.
The show is off to a decent start, but what new program is perfect from the get-go? I think other critics should give the show a full season to work out its kinks before it can truly judge the program. The plot is compelling and the acting is impeccable (probably due to the rockstar cast), aside from less-than-entertaining Emory Cohen, who plays Leo. His acting makes mine look Oscar-worthy (shout out to Ms. Pearson: your eighth grade theater class taught me everything I know).
If you want to get a little taste of what Smash has to offer, you can tune in to NBC on Monday nights at 9 p.m. Trust me. You'll become addicted after the first mention of Marilyn the Musical and continue to watch all the way to the final curtain call.
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