<p>agreed. Kind of liked it, kind of didn’t… Hated the bed scene. So cliche and unnecessary. I actually liked the cabaret scene at the end. I thought that it showed the sense of community in the theater world, and that they do hang out, sing in clubs and cheer each other on… They had to give her a musical number to balance the other one, and I think it was a good change of pace.</p>
<p>not sold on it yet… I agree about not connecting with the characters… it does seem cliche. I will watch next week though.</p>
<p>A very disjointed episode, in my opinion. The writing is pretty dismal and whomever told Momcares that this would be the West Wing of the theatre world must have either been delusional or had never see TWW! It’s disappointing, considering that Theresa Rebeck is writing much of this show. I know some people who have seen the first five episodes and have heard from a few of them that things didn’t ‘get good’ until late in the fourth episode. That, along with the big drop in ratings from last week, should be worrisome for NBC. The best thing about the show is still Debra Messing but even she had some embarrassingly cliched scenes last night. And, in the interview about the adoption, the comments about the unusual-in-show-business longevity of her marriage to Brian D’Arcy James was ironic, considering what happened to her own marriage as a result of this show.</p>
<p>Rachel’s recap is up, for those who want a chuckle.</p>
<p>I agree ^^^^^^! the first episode was OK, but the second lost my interest.The writing is poor, inconsistent and boring. I had high hopes for this, but really can’t see it lasting. Not very interesting characters for a business that must be so interesting!</p>
<p>I just watched the second episode, and I must be out of synch because aside from being VERY disappointed that they had Ivy sleep with the director I actually liked the second episode FAR better than the first. I loved that they didn’t make Ivy shallow and mean, which I think would be far too cliche. If they end up going there I’ll be disappointed. I really liked the final cabaret scene – it was the first time in the show that I actually felt moved by the commentary on the life of a theatre artist. </p>
<p>I felt that all the characters became more interesting in the second episode, although I’m still not interested in Karen at all and find it hard to believe the director would be so taken with her talent. </p>
<p>I LOVE @austinmom’s suggestion that they cast Karen as Eliza Doolittle and move on. ;-D</p>
<p>I’m not hooked, but am more interested in seeing another episode than I was last week.</p>
<p>Oh - I’d also meant to mention that it didn’t feel to me like Ivy was cast because she slept with the director, but rather that the director was attracted to her after she did a stronger audition than Karen. I’ve certainly known many directors who are attracted to talent, and unfortunately more than one who would seduce the talent (although I’ve known at least as many managers in other businesses who did the same). </p>
<p>I’ve watched very few TV series. Just curious - do shows sometimes recover from a so-so start, or do they always get worse over time? It seems like Smash has a framework of talented actors and potentially interesting characters and situations. Do successful shows ever take several episodes to really start rolling, or even bring in new writers and/or directors? </p>
<p>Like many here, I’d really like this show to be a success since with kids hoping to be in the business having more potential work for MTs can only be a good thing.</p>
<p>Call me ignorant, but I’m not convinced that Ivy actually slept with the director. Just like Karen had a fantasy at the beginning of the episode singing “Call Me” when in fact she was doing her barista job, I sensed that sex scene was all in the director’s mind. </p>
<p>Nevertheless, I concur that the show needs to some some improvement soon, or my interest and time commitment will certainly wane.</p>
<p>Yes! A friend emailed and asked me if I thought the bed scene was a fantasy. Hmmm . . .</p>
<p>Does anyone else think the teen son is rather old for his lines? I think it would be more appropriate if he were 9 or 10.</p>
<p>^^^Yes! I can’t quite figure out how old the son is supposed to be. His lines would seem more appropriate for a 9 or 10 year old, as do his actions. Having a 16 year old at home, I can say that there is no way he would ever scoot over so that I could sit next to him and let me put my arm around him when he is upset. It is more likely he would go up to his room, slam the door, put his headphones on, and tell me to go away!</p>
<p>Not sure if I love it, but I’m giving it the benefit of the doubt and will continue to watch…</p>
<p>@jbehlend - I thought the same thing about Ivy and the director - sort of like when a “crime show” plays out several possible scenarios, but you don’t know until the end which one is true. </p>
<p>@momcares - I also agree @austinmom’s idea to cast Karen as Eliza Doolittle - afterall, her boyfriend is a Brit and he commented on her poor British accent ;)</p>
<p>Personally, I wish that instead of casting a director/choreographer that they had cast those roles as two separate characters and that the choreographer was actually a choreographer/dancer (ie, cast the guy who’s doing the choreography - or at least, cast him as the assistant choreographer). I know there are plenty of people who do both, but I think in terms of introducing the public to the behind the scenes, it would make more sense to keep them separate. (And, speaking of Eliza Doolittle, it would be less like Marni Nixon singing for Audrey Hepburn.)</p>
<p>As far as the Debra Messing character’s family - IMHO: I don’t buy the whole adoption thing with them at this point in their lives - I feel like the whole premise would have been believable if their son was 8-10 years old, not ready to graduate high school… In the first episode, she kept awkwardly kissing his head like he was 8-10. Also, if he was younger, it would make a bit more sense why the dad stays home - for him and to be ready for an adopted child (why have they put it off this long??? and can’t a working couple adopt?). I did like the scene when he asked his mom “what will happen to my sister if we don’t get her” - but again, it would have been more age appropriate from a younger boy (I couldn’t help thinking, “well, just a couple years and you can start your own family and your dad will be a young grandfather, instead of an old father”). Finally, (and again, IMHO) while her sentiments in the letter to “her daughter” were beautiful and seemed heartfelt, I don’t believe, based on what I’ve seen in these 2 episodes, that her feelings and her actions are in sync with her current family, much less adoption.</p>
<p>I like the show. It is so absolutely impossible to get a TV show on the air and so incredibly difficult to keep one on the air. For a show like this to be done as well as it is, it’s quite an achievement. I have a friend who’s a multiple Tony winner (orchestration), and his comment after seeing about 8 of the shows was how wonderful it was to see a show that finally <em>gets</em> what Broadway is.</p>
<p>The numbers are not great, so I would be surprised if it lasts more than one season… The appeal of the show has always been limited, and the choice to make the show-within-a-show about Marilyn Monroe limits the appeal even more (do teenagers even know who she was??)… However, NBC is in such trouble, and they’ve spent so much money on it, I think it’s very unlikely that the show will be canceled before the season’s up.</p>
<p>I like the idea that the Ivy bed scene was the director’s fantasy, but if it was it seemed to be handled in a different way than Karen’s fantasy’s have been. Awkward direction, at best.</p>
<p>I’m glad that @FrancescaBennett brought up the idea that the son is written far younger than he seems to be. Maybe the writers have never had kids?</p>
<p>We know a family who had a whole new set of kids when their older kids were about to leave for college, and the older kids got REALLY in to the babies, but I agree this family dynamic doesn’t seem to fit that model.</p>
<p>Yes, that scene with the son was SO awkward, and unbelievable for a teen boy, that it made it seem like something was wrong with him. And when Debra Messing put her arm around him it was terribly forced and uncomfortable. Why was he talking like a 7 year old? Why would he even want a new adopted sibling at this point. Yes, it seems the writers have no contact at all with teenagers.</p>
<p>I also thought the sex scene was a dream… but I thought it was HER fantasy!</p>
<p>^^ agree</p>
<p>I agree that it was really awkward when she put her arm around him - for several reasons including the fact that she’s the parent who’s never around and that just last week basically forgot they were trying to adopt. While it would have played much better with a younger son storming off crying, “Don’t I get a say?!”, what I did like about the writing of the scene was the fact that he talked about their reason for adopting his “sister” was because SHE needs them - a concept that seems to have eluded the parents… </p>
<p>A more plausible scene for the teenage son: he shows up at a rehearsal and meets Ivy and Karen and has his own fantasy…</p>
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<p>Smash CLEARLY needs to hire a CC MT Forum writing team, stat! ;-D</p>
<p>The previews for next week’s episode show that the bedroom scene was not a dream. :)</p>
<p>Yes, apparently it was a nightmare! ;)</p>
<p>I was really looking forward to this show. But I’m in agreement with takeitallin:</p>
<p>I agree ^^^^^^! the first episode was OK, but the second lost my interest.The writing is poor, inconsistent and boring. I had high hopes for this, but really can’t see it lasting. Not very interesting characters for a business that must be so interesting!</p>
<p>It really does not hold my interest. The acting and singing is quite good, but the writing is very poor indeed. What a disappointment.</p>
<p>If people who love singing and dancing aren’t going to watch, it’s doomed. My mom tried to watch. She lasted 10 minutes. I have friends who tried to watch, even though they are self-described musical theater haters, and you can imagine how long they lasted. My daughter might enjoy it but the last thing she has time to do while in rehearsals is watch television. Who is the audience to keep this going?</p>
<p>alwaysamom, is this new guy the one with whom Debra Messing is rumored to be having an affair?</p>