NBC's SMASH, Season 2 -- Discussion- Page 24

[kyl3fong2]

Posted: 3/3/13 at 5:06pm

Law & Order: SVU, Chicago Fire, Revolution and Parenthood all look like sure bets to return. Plus NBC has two series already ordered (Crossbones & Dracula) and if Hannibal does well that could certainly be renewed as well.

SMASH is an expensive show so unless ratings start improving I have a bad feeling that this season may be its last

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 3/3/13 at 5:13pm

I'll be in the VERY small group that believe we will get a third and final season. Always stay positive right? Right?

[kyl3fong2]

Posted: 3/3/13 at 5:18pm

Yes indeed. I certainly hope the show will get a third season as well. I really do enjoy all their original songs and the attention it brings to the theatre community in New York.

That being said however, one thing that annoys me about this season is the apparent use of more cover songs. Within the first 4 episodes we have already had 4 cover songs. I don't recall there being so many of them last year...

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 3/3/13 at 5:41pm

I don't really notice that, especially because just getting off of Glee where that's all they do. I am really digging the original songs, though... that's been one of the best parts! And the Bombshell album really is a joy to listen to.

[Wicked Fanatic]

Posted: 3/3/13 at 5:46pm

"That being said however, one thing that annoys me about this season is the apparent use of more cover songs. Within the first 4 episodes we have already had 4 cover songs. I don't recall there being so many of them last year..."

Get ready there's 3 more coming in the next episode--listed at Amazon but not available to buy.
Heart Shaped Wreckage- Katharine and Jeremy- cover
Some Boys- Katharine- cover
A Letter from Cecile- Megan- The only original is written by Shaiman/Wittman.
This Will Be Our Year- Katharine, Jeremy, Andy, Krysta- cover

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 3/3/13 at 5:58pm

I'm not sure how Chicago Fire is lasting. I watch it because my dad does but it's pretty slow and boring.

[kyl3fong2]

Posted: 3/3/13 at 6:23pm

^Yeah, and as I recall Chicago Fire started off to a slow start in the ratings department when it premiered in the fall, but then something just clicked and now in midseason the series is easily increasing in ratings each week and also topping ABC's Nashville.

I think that 2-hour The Voice that aired on the special Wednesday really helped the show. Maybe that's what NBC needs to do for SMASH as well....air a 2-hour Voice to lead in to it.

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 3/3/13 at 6:26pm

A friend of a friend who works with NBC says that "Smash" ain't dead just yet.

[theminutepast]

Posted: 3/3/13 at 9:10pm

I'm in the minority of people here that liked the first season. (Wait, did anyone besides me like it?) I'm losing interest in the show this season. I don't care about the new characters; I don't care for Jennifer Hudson here; and I feel like Karen's new place as Derek's muse has made for many implausible moments.

So many things are underplayed or implausible this season. For instance, did anyone else notice that Karen made her Broadway debut this week and no one said anything about it? Shouldn't Karen have at least commented on it? Also, how did Ivy get the much-desired lead role in Liasons without even a call back? And why wasn't she more excited about it?

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 3/3/13 at 9:13pm

Karen made her Broadway debut? If you're referring to Veronica Moore's concert, I wouldn't count it as a debut.

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 3/3/13 at 9:15pm

Agreed.

[theminutepast]

Posted: 3/4/13 at 6:40am

Would it count as her debut if it was a limited engagement concert? I think it was supposed to be a one-night only event so I can see that not counting.

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 3/4/13 at 8:19am

It was the latter, I believe.

[kieranbec]

Posted: 3/4/13 at 2:24pm

Anyone else really want to hear Jennifer Hudson sing If I Loved You after last weeks episode mentioned it on her setlist?

[trixigold]

Posted: 3/4/13 at 3:31pm

The show has a chance to last this year and maybe even get another season because of the demographics of the viewers. I read a story during last season that said that "Smash" viewers as a whole were high-income people. So, while overall viewership is low, they're valuable people in terms of attracting advertisers. So, it does have that going for it.

[ClydeBarrow]

Posted: 3/4/13 at 6:03pm

I skimmed through the boards but couldn't see the answer to this.

Can anyone tell me the name of the song that Andy Mientus sang in the last episode? Someone mentioned that it was a cover but I don't know of what. I wish that was on iTunes!

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 3/4/13 at 6:07pm

Billy Joel - "Everybody Loves You Now"

[ClydeBarrow]

Posted: 3/4/13 at 6:18pm

Thanks, Phyllis. Really wish they would officially release that one.

[CharlieHayes]

Posted: 3/4/13 at 6:42pm

I hate to say, I really do think this season will be Smash's last. It's too bad, because I think this season will ultimately be much more creatively successful than last season. I say ultimately, because I do think it's taking a while to settle into its new groove. The writers are cramming some things down our throats (WE GET IT: Jimmy is a self-destructive; Kyle is meek; Julia is falling apart.), while other developments are being brushed over (Ivy's big break and Eileen removing herself from the show were practically D-plots in the last couple of episodes.).

However, I think the direction the season is heading in will eventually be satisfying.

-Good original music that isn't all about Marilyn Monroe
-No more trying to insert characters' families into the mostly professional setting
-The apparent conclusion of the always-mismatched Karen/Ivy competition
-The conclusion of this season's stunt-iest bit of casting (and the only actor more dead-eyed than McPhee): Jennifer Hudson

While, I think it's too late to see enough of a turnaround for NBC to order another season, my hopes are higher for the rest of this season than they were after four episodes last year.

[TFMH18]

Posted: 3/4/13 at 6:59pm

Well this is their last week filming so either way the conclusion is now pretty much written in stone and it probably is safe to assume that it was written to conclusively end the show. Such a bummer

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 3/4/13 at 7:02pm

They've all been contracted for a third season so it's not like they can do anything till it gets the official word. Just because it's wrapped filming doesn't mean its over.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 3/4/13 at 7:07pm

They could easily have filmed an alternate, more open last few minutes (although they'd be pretty foolish to have bothered....)

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 3/4/13 at 7:12pm

They had their wrap party the other day, hopefully we still get a third season...

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 3/4/13 at 8:13pm

Sorry all. Do you know how expensive this show is per episode to produce? Do you see how low the ratings are? There is virtually no chance that this is getting a third season. The poor ratings have become a running joke on various late night talk shows, and this week, there was a joke about the low ratings in Entertainment Weekly's Bullseye, which is especially telling since EW put the show on its cover a while back in its tv preview edition. Smash has become an embarrassment for NBC, and it ain't coming back. I feel terrible about this because while the show is not perfect (and what is??), it is fun, it's about Broadway, and it employs stage actors regularly. But no one except us seems to be watching and so if you think this has a shot at a third season, I want to smoke what you're smoking. I hope I am wrong, but unfortunately, I am not.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 3/4/13 at 8:31pm

Matt, who are you preaching to? I thought the majority on here agreed... (I still think it's kinda amazing that it seems like NBC is gonna stick to their guns and air it all--especially considering how quickly they've dropped other similarly rated shows, but I guess that would be even more of an embarassment for them--as long as the ratings don't even slip that much further.)