NBC's SMASH, Season 2 -- Discussion- Page 75

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 4/21/13 at 4:16pm

Oh, I adore Huston as an actress. She terrified me in The Witches, but her greatest work for me came from Manhattan Murder Mystery and especially Crimes and Misdemeanors.

I've also heard that she's a total class act and was particularly loved on the set of Smash.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 4/21/13 at 4:17pm

I think I've said before that I always find Huston's acting weird on the show, too. There's a sort of flat blankness to everything she says.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 4/21/13 at 4:19pm

8. I'd see a City of Angels revival where the movie stuff was dark and tragic. I don't think it would be good, but I'd still see it.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 4/21/13 at 4:24pm

I think it would have been fun to have a revival on the show. Not a fake revival like Liaisons, but a real show.

Since Jeremy is doing The Last Five Years movie it could have been a nice tie-in to see him and Karen do the revival at Second Stage.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 4/21/13 at 4:26pm

I love City of Angels, I'm just suspicious that "dark and tragic" is what's gonna make a revival click.

[Idiot]

Posted: 4/21/13 at 4:30pm

"I've also heard that she's a total class act and was particularly loved on the set of Smash."

I've met her and she's lovely -- but that's not what I'm talking about.

I remember her in THE WITCHES and she was fine -- but that role's a caricature. I think her Eileen is a caricature too, which is why it bothers me.

I don't remember her in the Woody Allen films -- only vaguely -- I'll have to re-watch at some point. Maybe that's why I remember her fondly.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 4/21/13 at 4:31pm

I agree Phyllis. But that would be the fun! Tom would go on a misguided ego-maniacal journey that would destroy the revival and his career as a director. The character would be redeemed in season 4 by reuniting with Julia after her big success with The Great Gatsby musical, and they would write their ultimate hit together.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 4/21/13 at 4:37pm

If she'll have him back!

9. Why were all the seats in the Lily Hayes filled? What about those "Dig Deep" seats!?

10. Does anyone see diamonds and wish they were all free? Maybe a cat burglar? Think about Marilyn before you steal them diamonds!

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 4/21/13 at 4:44pm

Idiot, She has a supporting, but important, role in Crimes and Misdemeanors and plays it to perfection. I think she's such a nice match for Allen's material and I wish she made more films with him.

[hyperbole_and_a_half]

Posted: 4/21/13 at 5:07pm

hyperbole - I believe SMASH will keep Ivy the way she has been the last two episodes. I think they will end the season with Ivy winning the Tony for Best Actress and dedicating the Tony in a emotional acceptance speech to Karen who I believe they will kill off.

See, I can't get behind this. The writers on Smash would never kill Caucasian Cartwright after they've invested so much time and energy turning her into a Mary Sue for all the fourteen year old Wicked fans they thought they would build their fan base on. It's also not consistent with how Smash treats Karen's only real opposition in the world: Ivy Lynn.

More likely is the following scenario: Ivy and Karen are both nominated for Tonys for Actress/Musical. Ivy is diagnosed with a rare, sexually transmitted cancer of the talent gene. After her deathbed scene -- "This is the world I meant," sighs Bernadette PetersLeigh Conroy, just before Ivy's pupils dilate for the last time, "Couldn't you listen?" "If only she hadn't been so talented..." Tom bangs his head against Ivy's hospital bed in grief. "Or such a slut," moans Derek as he touches himself through the hole in the pocket of his sweatpants -- Karen oh-so-magnanimously agrees to star in both Hit List and Bombshell simultaneously. The emotionally generous Tony Awards Nominating Committee is so moved by Karen's utter selflessness that they amend the nominations at the last second so that Karen can be nominated for both Bombshell and Hit List.

In a season finale that shocks absolutely no one, the results of the vote are tied, and the final broadcast image of Smash is an A-Team freeze frame of Karen jumping into the air during the Tony telecast while double-fisting her two awards. An epilogue text scroll explains that Ivy was the first known carrier of Talent AIDS, and because IVY LYNN IS SERIOUSLY SUCH A HUGE WHORE YA'LL, all of Broadway's talent pool now lays dead or dying, paving the way for a new generation of mousy, talentless Midwestern ingénues to arrive in Manhattan ready to be handed success after success without hard work or sacrifice. They have rallied around Karen. They have named her their queen.

But now rumblings of a new leader have reached the shores of Greater Manhattan from across the East River Sea...another mousy, talentless Midwestern ingénue has arrived in the city, and commands a small, rag tag, but ultimately delicate army of 30 year old high-schoolers from her impossibly large loft high atop the chaos and carnage of Brooklyn. This Usurper is cunning and dangerous, and plots to dethrone Queen Karen and steal her rightful role as Fanny Brice in the first Broadway revival of Funny Girl...

The music swells ominously and gives way to the steady militaristic patter of tribal drums. The audience can feel it: we are going to war. "Wintergarden is coming..." whispers an offscreen Matilda. BOOM. Smash cut to black, and then a test pattern as the entire NBC network implodes.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 4/21/13 at 5:23pm

if they kill off anyone, I'm guessin' it's Messin', since she has a new series lined up.
(But she's being careful coy about it in interviews)
I know some Actors have moved to LA (including
phyliss' boytoy, maybe they know something or plan to move back if the show continues.
NBC shold just renew it already, How many hrs a week can they air the insipid VOICE?

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 4/21/13 at 5:38pm

I wouldn't be shocked if NBC DID renew it. Honestly, they have nothing besides The Voice going for them. Have any cast members, etc. tweeted about possibly being at up fronts for NBC which are in a couple of weeks.

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 4/21/13 at 5:44pm

I was on the lookout for Edward Hibbert and managed to completely miss him. What scene was he in?

He was with Donna McKechnie in the beginning discussing how he hated Bombshell while Ivy stood listening.

Updated On: 4/21/13 at 05:44 PM

[lovebwy]

Posted: 4/21/13 at 6:27pm

How hot was it when Jimmy sucker punched his brother? So butch. Jeremy Jordan is such a hunk. I would let him do unspeakable things to me that I've only seen on the internet.

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 4/21/13 at 6:30pm

lovebwy, that just made me laugh out loud. He's a cutie but for some reason I'm drawn to Mientus and he's not my type. But man he's a cutie.

PS. That's life is 46 on itunes. Updated On: 4/21/13 at 06:30 PM

[lovebwy]

Posted: 4/21/13 at 6:38pm

Mientus is too girly. Jordan has that whole "muscular with a thin layer of baby fat" thing going on.

I'd like to be the meat in a Channing Tatum/Jeremy Jordan sandwich.

[Pammylicious]

Posted: 4/21/13 at 7:02pm

My question is : if so little people are watching the show how would they know about the songs performed on an episode the night before making it hit the top itunes chart?

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 4/21/13 at 7:07pm

Maybe people like Hilty and/or McPhee's singing and just don't like the show?

ETA: Plus, I don't know how many downloads it takes to make number 46 on itunes.

Updated On: 4/21/13 at 07:07 PM

[NYadgal]

Posted: 4/21/13 at 7:17pm

I suspect this has a large number of viewers who aren't measured by the current Nielsen ratings system. Until there is a consistent measurement metric to capture online, mobile and all time-shifted viewing, including VOD, shows will be held to the traditional Nielsen rating. Unfortunately, it hasn't delivered well.

I hope NBC takes the iTunes numbers into consideration. And the fan campaigns to save the show.

Sadly, I suspect the show won't see a new season, but I hope, hope, hope that it will be given another chance. The last few episodes have been fabulous.

I've loved this show since day 1, despite some flaws. I'll really miss it when it's no longer on the schedule.

Updated On: 4/21/13 at 07:17 PM

[kyl3fong2]

Posted: 4/21/13 at 7:21pm

Ranking at #46 on iTunes is the highest any of SMASH's songs this season has gone other than "Broadway Here I Come" which I believe went to #25.

[Pammylicious]

Posted: 4/21/13 at 7:21pm

NYagal

That's what I've been thinking. The numbers aren't really that accurate. The itunes surge, eonline's save the show and it being at the top, makes me suspicious about how accurately numbers are being reported. Perhaps this is why NBC isn't jumping to cancel yet.

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 4/21/13 at 7:22pm

Pammy are you suggesting that numbers are being marked up or down? Just confused by your statement.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 4/21/13 at 7:29pm

Part of the ratings number is how much ad sales they can get. I noticed both this week and last that one of the commercials was for an NBC soap opera. So I don't think they are selling all their ad time.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 4/21/13 at 7:29pm

The Nielsen ratings are 'accurate' - for what they capture.
But they don't account for viewing that is being done outside of the traditional Nielsen sample, which includes some DVR-playback, but not the mobile, online, VOD, etc.

While #25 and #46 may not be top 10 on iTunes, they represent a large number of people who have interest in the songs, which gives an indication that there is viewership and interest beyond the traditional Nielsen ratings.

NBC is trying to build a schedule, and can't afford to give up time-periods to low-ratings, but, they also have alot of hours to program, due to a few seasons of poor program development. They're on an upswing, so it remains to be seen if they keep the low-rated show on the schedule. It will be interesting to hear the schedule when it's announced the week of May 13 - or before, if they share with the press before the Upfront announcements.

Updated On: 4/21/13 at 07:29 PM

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 4/21/13 at 8:05pm

What iTunes chart is it on? Was it a single day or is it on a Soundtracks chart on something? I just looked at the top 100 and there's no Smash song on there.

ETA: Found it. It's 133 now. Updated On: 4/21/13 at 08:05 PM