Thursday, May 23, 2013

Smash: The Producers

And the TV recaps resume.

In my TV recaps update post yesterday I mentioned that I would recap the episodes of the shows I've missed in one post per series. Well, I changed my mind. I had so much to say about this episode that I'm going to have a post per episode just as I have in the past. Go figure.

Now that Bombshell has opened on Broadway, Eileen has to make sure that it stays open. At least long enough to get Tony nominations. And Hit List just wants to get to Broadway. Unfortunately, Jimmy is the biggest obstacle since he can't seem to get over his breakup with Karen.

Observations:

Kathy Lee Gifford as a platinum blonde. I don't think so. But she is pretty funny.

We get it. The cast is tired.

It's fun to see "The Twentieth Century Fox Mambo" again. We haven't seen it since early in the first season.

Scott announced to his board that they would be doing Julia's version of The Great Gatsby at his theatre, but does Julia have the rights to it yet?

Why would Hit List give a big plot line away in a major magazine? Having the Diva pointing a gun at Amanda is really a strange thing to do.

I love all of the fictional musicals they've made up to be against Bombshell for the Tony awards.

I thought that shows could be nominated for a Tony even if they close before the actual Tony awards (which are in June). I thought the nominations could be any show that opened during the season. So, why wouldn't the fictional Lloyd Weber musical not be eligible just because it was closing in April? Hmm.

I'm sure Marisa Tomei was shocked to learn that she broke her leg, and that Andrew Lloyd Weber was surprised to find out he had a show close that he didn't even know opened. *wink*

Why can't Julia still make The Great Gatsby into a musical with Tom? At least this show would have a script to begin with - unlike Bombshell.

Scott has only read one scene of The Great Gatsby and he says that it's "not just an adaptation. It stands on its own." How can he tell from one scene? And the only way it wouldn't be an adaptation is if Julia was writing a whole different story. If it has Fitzgerald's story, it's an adaptation.

How would Julia be breaking her promise to Scott if she turns it into a musical? Does he only want to do a play, not a musical? This plot line is just so strange to me. It's that circle of Smash. One person does something to make someone mad, and then just as they make up, the other person does something else to make the first person mad. It just doesn't stop, does it?

It's really horrible that Scott is making his career hang on Julia. If she doesn't give him what he wants, his career is over again. That's a lot of pressure to put on someone.

Why would Jimmy be shocked that they are auditioning understudies for his role? Most shows have an understudy for the leads, it's not like it's a new thing.

I like Leslie Odom, Jr, but he can't sing "Rewrite This Story" like Jeremy Jordan.

Everything is always about Karen. She think the show is probably going to be ruined because she broke up with Jimmy. She just has so much power doesn't she?

Eileen is scheduling to do a number from Bombshell at the Brighton Beach Senior Center. Wow, I'm sure that's going to sell a lot of tickets. *wink*

I love Kyle's mother's reaction to seeing Kyle's name on the poster outside the theatre. What a happy mamma.

I have this love/hate relationship with both Tom and Julia. They do the same things to each other, and then complain about each other doing the same thing. Julia gets mad at Tom because he wants to direct on his own. Tom gets mad at Julia because she wants to write Gatsby on her own. Children, children, grow up and stop fighting!

Why would Jimmy be late after all of that? Passive-aggressive much?

The announcement at the beginning of Hit List that using cell phones and other recording devices is permitted and encouraged is pretty revolutionary (I'm sure that was the point), and it's also very unlikely a show would actually permit that. I just hope they didn't mean that audience members could also use their cell phones to text and tweet during the show too. Now, that would just be rude  to the other audience members. Also, if they don't own the show any more than the audience, does that mean the audience will get a cut of the profits? *wink*

Love "Rewrite this Story." I wish they didn't cut to another scene just as the song started. I'll have to go back and watch the episode that has the number again.

It looks like Tom just broke up the partnership of Houston and Levitt.

I love the blocking and choreography for "Don't Let Me Know." I would be interested in seeing a full production of Hit List, just for the songs and choreography. Click here for a synopsis of and list of songs for Hit List. Reading the synopsis, I can't see how this could be a through-sung musical. So much happens between the songs, and we haven't heard any songs that are "recitative" that could take the place of dialog. The lyrics of the songs are very popish, not very musical theatre. I have some more issues about the plot, but I'll have to leave that for another post.

The stage manager says that Jimmy is usually "down left" when they notice he's not where he should be. Then, seconds later, when the Diva shoots Amanda, the stage manager asks why Jimmy didn't catch her. He couldn't have caught her anyway if he was supposed to be "down left" since Amanda is up center on a platform that he has to run up stairs to get to. There was a disconnect there.

So, "The Goodbye Song," the last song in Hit List is very a very interesting way to end a show where one of the main characters just died. Everyone is jumping doing a happy dance as Amanda goes off into heaven, or wherever.

I love how the producers are talking about Rent with Agnes (played by Daphne Rubin-Vega, who originated the role of Mimi in Rent on Broadway). It's so flippy.

Andy Mientus (Kyle) has a great voice. Why didn't they give him more songs to sing?

That big billboard of Bombshell outside of Eileen's office window is so cool.

I have so many thoughts and opinions about that last one minute of this episode. I'll get to those in subsequent posts.

Quotes:

Karen: So, you're still seeing him?
Anna: Yes, I am. Adam's funny. He makes me laugh.
(Side note: I know this is random, but this line, and the way Krysta Rodriguez delivers the line, reminds me of Cinderella's line to her Fairy Godmother in Faerie Tale Theatre's Cinderella, "I like you. You make life fun.")

Derek: Tell you what... if a bomb goes off tonight, Broadway as we know it will probably cease to
exist.

Agnes: Marisa Tomei broke her leg, which means...
Eileen: Moonstruck won't be going to Broadway this season.

Blake: How's he doing?
Kyle: He's detoxing, I hope.
Blake: Let me know if you need any help.
Jimmy: I'm right here.

Kyle (to Jimmy): Don't blow everything up just because somebody broke your heart.

Derek: The good news is I've found your understudy, so the next time you decide to go on a bender, the show won't suffer.
Jimmy: No, only the audience.

Julia: We never really disagree about lyrics.
Tom: Hmm. Because she writes them.

Julia: Maybe we're just going in different directions.
Tom: Or, maybe this partnership only works when it's all about you.

Anna (to Jimmy): You are stronger than you look.

Eileen: Oh, you know how most producers are. Taste doesn't motivate them, money does. And they just see the money.

Derek: What do you think it means if a women you thought you were seeing that you've called five times in a day doesn't answer the phone.
Karen: Ooh. Goodness. She's probably on the other line getting a restraining order.

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