NBC's SMASH Deserved Better | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

NBC's SMASH Deserved Better

'Let Me Be Your Star' used to reign true

45
NBC's SMASH Deserved Better
Pixabay

During the simpler times of 2012, SMASH looked like it was going to be a hit. NBC had been going through a rough patch and desperately needed a win. SMASH's pilot received a lot of praise and as the season went on, the show started to become a joke. How did the once dubbed, NBC saver and become such a joke and victim of hate watching?

I have only seen Season 1 of the show because I have been forewarned that Season 2 is even worse than its predecessor. I had high hopes for the show, being a huge fan of the classics, Hollywood glamor, and of course, Marilyn, I was pumped to watch a show that will paint Marilyn in the light she deserved. Unfortunately, the great music and promising actors were overshadowed by confusing plot points and cartoon like villains. I was never a fanf the show's Karen Cartwright (Katherine McPhee) character over-shadowing the far more talented Ivy Lynn (Megan Hilty). It was like SMASH wanted to self-destruct, but why?

After reading Buzzfeed's 2013 article, "How 'Smash' Became TV's Biggest Train Wreck", it turns out that the downfall was not due to the writer's room, it was the show-runner and claimed creator, Theresa Rebeck. Buzzfeed's article details that Rebeck had never run a show for television and was not interested in having a writer's room. She had writer's write the first draft and then Rebeck would rewrite it. After the pilot, many believed the show was going in the wrong direction.

To me, it was like the show forgot about the main plot point, the Marilyn musical. It was still there, but was dominated by messy character storylines. For example, Debra Messing's character, Julia, had an adoption plot, which made no sense since most of the audience just wanted to see the development of the musical.

At times, it was also very unrealistic. In the third episode, one of the leads, Karen Cartwright, is performing Karaoke and the whole bar is acting like she is performing at a concert, which would NEVER happen in real life.

What bothered me the most, as mentioned before, was the whole Karen Cartwright character. Yes, she was needed for the pilot, but I believed she should have been a guest star and gone episode two. The show wraps around the idea that two women are competing to be the Marilyn role, a seasoned actress waiting for her break (Ivy) and a newbie who has never been in a show (Karen). Ivy was the clear winner but the show kept acting like Karen was the one, even though Ivy was very dedicated and clearly needed it more. At one point, the musical writers in the show put a movie star who doesn't sing as Marilyn over Ivy which again, unrealistic, and ridiculous. Megan Hilty very much deserved better and needed her talents to be shown.

Regardless of the show being messy, the music still holds up today. "Let Me Be Your Star", "Let's Be Bad", "The National Pastime", "History Is Made At Night" and "I Never Met A Wolf Who Didn't Love To Howl", all Megan Hilty numbers, surprise surprise.

It is rumored that SMASH's "Bombshell" will be put into production to be an actual Broadway show, which if true, you will definitely see me buying a ticket. If put on Broadway, SMASH's may be redeemed and who knows, may be given another chance on the small screen.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Adulting

18 Things I Want To Do Now That I'm 18

I'm technically an adult, so I'm legally required to live a little, right?

2376
Happy Birthday Cake

For the entirety of my high school career, I was always seen as the goody-two-shoes. I never got in trouble with a teacher, I kept stellar grades, and when I wasn't doing extracurricular activities, I was at home studying. Even when I did go out, it was usually with a bunch of fellow band geeks. The night would end before 11:00 PM and the only controversial activity would be a fight based on who unfairly won a round of Apples-to-Apples when someone else clearly had a better card (I promise I'm not still holding a grudge).

Now that I'm officially an adult, I want to pursue some new things. I want to experience life in a way that I never allowed myself to do prior to entering college. These are the years that I'm supposed to embark on a journey of self-discovery, so what better way to do that than to create a bucket list?

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics

The holiday classics that shaped my life

1424
10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics
Flickr

The holiday season is full of stress, debt, and forced conversation. While we rush through the month of December, it's important to take a step back and enjoy the moments before they're gone. Most families love to watch Christmas movies, but these beloved films provide more than entertainment. Here are 10 life lessons that I've learned from the holiday classics we watch every year.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

200670
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

21200
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments