Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Smash: Poisoned!

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

Ivy and Karen. Karen and Ivy. Over and over and over. We're all sick of this confounded competition, aren't we? I thought that the addition of Rebecca would at least move this story to the side, but nope! Here it is, back at the forefront! I can't believe how many times I caught myself shaking my head at what was going on. And why are we still making a big deal out of Julia and Michael Swift? That horse hasn't been beaten to death yet? And having Leo and Frank in the audience of the first preview so they could get the applause going at the end of the performance was awkward. I realize they weren't plants, but they ended up acting as them anyway. Speaking of the end of the show, did I forget that they were using the suicide as the final scene, or did we not know that? I think a suicide can work to close a production, but probably not Bombshell, at least from what I've put together about the musical. All I know is that I'm ready for this season to be OVER! Throw me some interesting previews and maybe I'll check it out next season, but otherwise, I'm giving this drama the ax.

Smash "Previews" (S01E14): Karen confronts Rebecca about sleeping with Derek, but Rebecca just tells her that people get hurt in show business. [eh. I don't know what Little Miss Midwest was expecting, but this isn't far from what I would have assumed Rebecca would say.] When Ivy confronts Derek, he claims that Rebecca needs his attention. [hahaha!] Eileen also confronts Derek, telling him that he might be starting more drama by being with Rebecca. [ya think?] The first preview goes pretty well, with the exception that nobody applauded at the ending. [that is pretty rough. I also wasn't in love with the scene where Eileen sings at a hotel bar of some sort, but I guess they needed another scene for Nick?] Ending the musical with a suicide is determined to be the problem, so a new ending needs to be written before Monday. [which may be difficult, as Tom and Julia aren't speaking.] Dev returns and he and Karen repair their relationship, though he acts as if he is meeting Ivy for the first time when Karen introduces them, despite the fact that they were intimate the night before. Karen even accepts his proposal, saying that the RJ thing doesn't matter. Well, Dev has lost the ring, and Ivy says it wasn't in her room, but Karen believes that he just left it in New York, as she thinks he went there and back between their fight and their reunification. [I guess I'd buy that?]

Rebecca thinks it was her fault that nobody applauded, and she begins gagging on her smoothie when she talks to Karen. Turns out, someone put peanuts in her drink and she winds up hospitalized, cancelling the remaining previews.
(Photo by: Will Hart/NBC)
So, when Sam invites them, a bunch of the cast members decide to go to church and pray for Rebecca. [I thought that seemed a little awkward. did it come off as a normal thing to others?] Tom is a bit hesitant to go, but he does it for Sam. Eileen is dealing with keeping everything under wraps with the press and Derek is MIA, but most everyone else attends the service, including Julia's family. Karen even joins Sam for a song in front of the congregation. [in my experience, random folks don't sing for the group, but whatever.]

The end of the episode revolves around Rebecca telling Karen that she won't return to the show, and Karen telling the rest of the ensemble.
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