NBC's SMASH - Series & Broadway Adaptation Thread- Page 82

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 5/15/12 at 1:27am

"I'm still rooting for Ivy though. Poor girl can't catch a break."

Are you kidding me? Ivy has been a despicable, manipulative, unprofessional mess since day one. She had her shot at playing Marilyn and completely blew it with her erratic behavior, and then proceeded to subsequently get herself fired from another show for being equally unstable. She was lucky to get hired back for BOMBSHELL in the chorus, and her shock at being passed over for Marilyn when she knew she wasn't even the understudy was laughable. The most satisfying part of the finale was seeing her finally get her just deserts after pulling yet another insane stunt to try and sabotage Karen, who has been nothing but graceful and poised in the face of being crapped on by practically every character all season. To watch her step up to the plate and ultimately triumph was incredibly fulfilling.

Say what you will about Katharine McPhee, but she completely earned her stripes tonight and knocked this episode out of the park. I only hope that the "Who will play Marilyn?" drama is finally solved for good, and that next season will move on to exploring the other endless narrative possibilities presented by this cast of characters. Josh Safran has his work cut out for him, but at least things ended on a major high after such a season of lows.

Updated On: 5/15/12 at 01:27 AM

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 5/15/12 at 1:51am

I enjoyed the season in a soap opera type thing.
With some great music.

I think there was a dance double for McPhee in one shot.

I hope there is a real murder next season.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 5/15/12 at 2:22am

What an awesome season finale! That lost song was amazing. I have not been a fan of McPhee's character, but this finale completely changed my mind. Up until this point I had been rooting for Ivy, but Karen was incredible. Really looking forward to next season.

[someone.else's.story2]

Posted: 5/15/12 at 2:25am

I agree with just about everything Beagle said. Clearly, the network wants to make Katherine McPhee into what she lacks (and Megan Hilty has). But it really makes the whole show implausible as there is no way any director who actually knows what he is doing would cast anyone but Megan Hilty in the role.

"beagle, I feel I agree with you regarding Hilty vs. McPhee. I think most Broadway directors would have put Hilty into the role with such short notice(12 hours?). And to add to it that she's simply better than McPhee."

Once again, I absolutely agree. I am so confused by the people who are rooting for her. I'm guessing its less people who are involved with theater and more of the watchers of American Idol. She has a decent pop voice, but the girl really can't sing (or act) Musical Theater. And, for those of us who are performers, it is rather annoying to see someone so clueless and not that talented have these huge opportunities thrown at them.

[TheatreKid3]

Posted: 5/15/12 at 4:03am

story2 - I felt like you for most of the season, but tonight McPhee shined and completely made me finally appreciate her character and her casting, as well as her as an actress in general. She has come a long way from the pilot.

[Owen22]

Posted: 5/15/12 at 4:21am

Derek said it best, as a director, he sees Marilyn in Karen, not Ivy. I'm not sure he was even talking talent. Marilyn seemed a sweet soul. Troubled, but somewhat innocent: Karen. Ivy, through jealousy and contempt is damaged in a totally different way than Marilyn. Marilyn was ambitious, but not cruelly so. She was not hurtful. Ivy is a nasty piece of work. Karen is (mostly) pure. Yes, Ivy is a better singer/dancer and looks more like the original. But Derek sees past that. There are tons of really, really talented chorus people that might/should be playing leads. But he goes deeper, as the best directors do. He sees the essence of Marilyn in Karen.

[iMartynn]

Posted: 5/15/12 at 5:28am

I'm so irritated that Karen got the part. I understand that it makes sense in the fact that it was Karen's story, and if there was going to be no season 2 it was a sensible finale. But now that there is going to be a season 2, I think the creative team of Smash just need to make sense in this world and give the part to Ivy, the much more deserving of the two. Katharine McPhee was incredibly sub par at the last number, she has a horrible falsetto/mix thing going on whenever she tries to belt. I just kept thinking how good Megan would sound singing it.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 5/15/12 at 5:45am

And I'm sure there are gads of non theater geeks (said lovingly) that were perfectly happy to see Karen get the part. They've made Ivy a vindictive and hurtful person that can't be trusted --not too many people root for those types of people to be rewarded. The average viewer could care less about who sings the role better.

Although I thought McPhee was at her strongest while "onstage". She brings more life to Marilyn than she is able to do with Karen.

[random person 112]

Posted: 5/15/12 at 6:17am

^Dramamama, from just looking at most social media websites you can tell that many do want Ivy to get the part and even see her as one of the better characters on the show. So...

[dramamama611]

Posted: 5/15/12 at 6:38am

Note: I didn't say the majority, it's not really a contest about who is rooting for whom. Regardless of 'social media' there are still lot of folks that were happy that Karen (a fictional characte.r) got the part.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 5/15/12 at 7:27am

So will Ellis be brought up on attempted murder charges?

Regarding the ring, that was absolutely Ivy's last ditch way to try and throw Karen off, so she could play the role of Marilyn. If she truly cared and as interested in being honest with her, she would have realized that dropping that bombshell (pun intended!) on her while she was "in tech" was not a good idea.

It also amazes me how many people in this thread are taking this "casting" seriously, as if a real role in a real musical has been cast. Everyone here is aware that Ivy Lynn and Karen Cartwright are fictional characters, yes?

[DeNada]

Posted: 5/15/12 at 7:50am

God, Ellis is the worst manipulator ever. What exactly did he do at any point to make himself a producer? Did he raise any capital whatsoever or do anything rather than get a single actress cast (and then fired when he tried to kill her)? Just insane. I can't decide whether I love to hate him or just want him gone.

I kind of hated the new finale number. I thought Katharine McPhee did a pretty creditable job with it, and musically it was appropriately stirring, but I think lyrically it was rather obvious - a really general sentiment, rather than a Marilyn-specific one. Maybe I'd have liked it if it had been played for a bit of darkness - Marilyn desperate not to be forgotten at the same time as being jubilant - but I guess there was no place for that in this.

Otherwise - nice to see some creative process from Tom and Julia (if it's pregnancy please please PLEASE not Michael's child), I still don't understand Derek's emotional flipflopping, Ivy is unlikely to pop those pills, and god I hope they can think of something to do with Dev next season if they keep him around.

[iMartynn]

Posted: 5/15/12 at 7:56am

I think Ellis is going to kill both Karen and Ivy and triumphantly take the role on opening night on Broadway. Seems likely.

[Kalimba]

Posted: 5/15/12 at 8:00am

I'm glad Ivy gave Karen her ring the way she did. I would have done the same thing. Miss Goody Two Shoes who came figure skating into town without a clue, wearing her Quacker Factory ensembles (purchased on QVC no less) with her midwestern values and her, "I'm better than you" innocence, had it coming. Whew, rant over.

As much as I don't care for her, I thought Katherine McPhee's acting last night was probably the best it has been all season.

Updated On: 5/15/12 at 08:00 AM

[bryan2]

Posted: 5/15/12 at 8:01am

Hilty is a incredible talent and we all know that but the show is not the Megan Hilty show it is SMASH...I know we are all bway lovers and we are biased towards Megan but the show really is about the Karen character and last nigh whether we will admit it Kat was great it is not her fault Karen is the "weaker character" that is the show......also how the hell did Creepy Ellis think he was a producer....and admitting he tried to kill Rebecca??and he still thinks he has power...that is really poor writing and he is really the worst actor on television I have ever seen..he needs to goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo and fast

[Patash]

Posted: 5/15/12 at 9:04am

We can discuss who would make the better Marilyn all we want, but the one thing I have a problem with is body type. Marilyn was voluptuous -- it's probably the single most recognized thing about her -- perhaps even more than her blond hair. Megan Hilty is similarly voluptuous. Katherine McPhee looks like skin and bones in those costumes. And her hair looks like an ill fitting wig. The same (or similar wig) on Hilty looks like hair. It's one thing to try to capture the essence of Marilyn, but quite another to provide an audience with someone who at least looks something like the character she is portraying.

Meanwhile our power went off in Central Western NJ last night just as Marilyn was dying on the sofa. It came back on as she was singing a final note, arms raised. Who can I sue?????

[bryan2]

Posted: 5/15/12 at 9:18am

If you want to go that route ...Joe Dimaggio was a very italian looking man with a very prominant nose...Will Chase looks like an all american boy handsome as hell but italian-not so much-

[MrMidwest]

Posted: 5/15/12 at 9:24am

People always say that Megan has the same body type as Marilyn, but it's just not true. She might be curvy, but she's shorter than Marilyn was and her torso and waist are wider. Don't get me wrong, she's definitely sexy, but she really resembles Jayne Mansfield more than Marilyn.

[Patash]

Posted: 5/15/12 at 9:26am

True, but how many people know what Joe DiMaggio looked like as opposed to how many people know what Marilyn looked like? She was KNOWN for her body and looks. DiMaggio was not.

[nygrl232]

Posted: 5/15/12 at 10:01am

Yeah, Karen learning the whole show in one day and a final number in 15 minutes is a bit much with the Mary Sue stuff. But I liked Karen as Marilyn, but I don't like Karen as a character, and I'm not a fan of Katharine McPhee, but I think she pulled it off. Ivy will get her due. Not sure how. Girl needs a break.

The last song was a bit cheesy. Liked that it captured the moment, but it was a little too light and too demonstrative in tone as to the moral of the story.

[Jane2]

Posted: 5/15/12 at 10:01am

"Everyone here is aware that Ivy Lynn and Karen Cartwright are fictional characters, yes?"

Are you serious with that question?

This is a thread to discuss the TV show, not a real show. I like that we're into the TV show enough to post about how we feel about the characters created for the TV show!

[Gothampc]

Posted: 5/15/12 at 10:12am

A few comments:

The show never really decided whether it wanted to be drama or soap opera. Is this show Law & Order (drama) or is it Dallas (soap opera)? If they choose soap opera, then Ivy and Karen have to do a lot more slapping each other's faces. That needs to be decided by Season 2.

I think the show works best when we see a Broadway musical in the making. All the other subplots (Dev's career, half-wits running away should be dropped).

It's hard to believe that anyone associated with this show knows anything about musical theater. We all know the Patti LuPone losing her voice during Evita tryouts and Terri Klausner going on. Setting up that dynamic between Ivy and Karen would be more interesting.

The writing needs to be improved. The director opens a door to an alley and low and behold Dev is standing there? Half wit brings his parents fish and chips and Dad likes his with vinegar? Need better writing.

Glad to see Ann Harada with more screen time. One of the great things about "Slings & Arrows" was that we got to see things from the long suffering stage manager's point of view.

McPhee is not really Marilyn. She's too skinny to be a sex object. But Hilty has too hard of a look to portray the innocence of Marilyn.

The final song, while nice, really isn't right. Marilyn's image is one of the most iconic in history. It's everywhere. Who's going to forget Marilyn? Don't forget me? History won't allow us.

[Jane2]

Posted: 5/15/12 at 10:29am

"The show never really decided whether it wanted to be drama or soap opera. Is this show Law & Order (drama) or is it Dallas (soap opera)?"

I understand what you're saying and I think the producers may have decided that putting the show in one or the other of the two genres would cut down on the potential demographic. This way, they attract people like BWers who want to see realism in theater production AND the broad spectrum of Americans who like soaps.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 5/15/12 at 10:34am

I feel like it decided it was a soap opera.

[Jon]

Posted: 5/15/12 at 10:38am

So, they finished writing the last song 15 minutes before curtain, and not only did Karen learn it, but a complete set of orchestra parts magically materialized!

...and lighting cues too!