That god awful NBC show "Smash"...

[RockHard]

The most hated show on NBC may be on the road to recovery. Ellis (the twit assistant/wannabe producer) is gone. Frank (Debra Messing's husband) is gone. Dev (Katharine McPhee's boyfriend) is gone. And Michael Swift (Joe DiMaggio) is gone. I'm holding my breath waiting for news that Leo, the doofus son of Debra Messing's character will also be on the chopping block.

 

I can't recall a time when a TV show garnered so much group hate-watching. Christopher Rosen's weekly "Eyeroll" articles at HuffingtonPost are read by everyone in show business, and became a weekly source of must-read recap comedy.

 

The pilot was an incredible effort, a true smash, especially for theater lovers. It is amazing how such powerful, talented people can bring a great idea to its knees, and I'm not talking blowjobs here.

 

The second season returns in January. It's nice to see the producers have been listening to blogs.

[+ Lucky]

Gosh, RockHard, if you feel this bad about a TV show, I wonder how sad you get for a real crisis.

[jjkrkwood]

Trolls LOVE Smash ! :o:o

[RockHard]

Gosh, RockHard, if you feel this bad about a TV show, I wonder how sad you get for a real crisis.

 

I guess much depends on how one defines "crisis." In my business, if the pilot ignites and excites advertisers, the money to finance an expensive non-reality-show venture pours in. If subsequent episodes fail to excite, and they invite serious ridicule, then the threat of investment dollars is a costly crisis for an expensive TV show.

 

I'm not sad or feel bad (except for the actors), but I am interested.

[unsub2O17]

I thought the show was uneven but with some great episodes. Sorry, but the character I don't like is the gay dancer. He just seems too goody goody for me. Always the voice of calm, clear headed reason? Come on.

[maxwellissmart]

I guess much depends on how one defines "crisis." In my business, if the pilot ignites and excites advertisers, the money to finance an expensive non-reality-show venture pours in. If subsequent episodes fail to excite, and they invite serious ridicule, then the threat of investment dollars is a costly crisis for an expensive TV show.

 

I'm not sad or feel bad (except for the actors), but I am interested.

 

I relate to Rock's viewpoint about bad TV—it's frustrating with something that is obviously shit gets on the air and gets celebrated (and has a tendency to spur competition and imitators), while good, interesting shows never find their footing and are tossed aside.

[jjkrkwood]

I relate to Rock's viewpoint about bad TV—it's frustrating with something that is obviously shit gets on the air and gets celebrated (and has a tendency to spur competition and imitators), while good, interesting shows never find their footing and are tossed aside.

 

Well Max, I suppose thats the Good thing about television. IF you think its bad, you can TURN IT OFF ! There should be no frustration involved.

 

And now onto the NEW dating show with "spiniing chairs"..... (Helloooooo, THE VOICE)...

[bostonman]

I tend to wonder if getting rid of the characters is really the solution. I feel that the writing has always been the weakest part of the show. If that aspect of the show doesn't improve, they can hire and fire whomever they like and it won't be any better.

 

Of those 4, the only one I won't miss at all will be Dev. I liked Swift, but I do feel that entire storyline was in horrible taste (how did Messing and Swift ever agree to it, given the parallel to their real-life affair?). I feel bad for Jaime Cepero (Ellis) who just got painted into a corner with his character being petty and childish, but that could have changed, perhaps. Brian d'Arcy James (Frank) never had good material to work with, but I never felt there was anything wrong with his work.

 

I'm not sure how this show will ever live down the infamous (and I paraphrase) "I can't marry you, I'm in tech" stupidity. That, folks, is horrible writing, plain and simple. It has nothing to do with the cast being good or bad. (And I notice they didn't fire McPhee, who was the one that said that infamous line.)

[jjkrkwood]

I tend to wonder if getting rid of the characters is really the solution. I feel that the writing has always been the weakest part of the show. If that aspect of the show doesn't improve, they can hire and fire whomever they like and it won't be any better.

 

Of those 4, the only one I won't miss at all will be Dev. I liked Swift, but I do feel that entire storyline was in horrible taste (how did Messing and Swift ever agree to it, given the parallel to their real-life affair?). I feel bad for Jaime Cepero (Ellis) who just got painted into a corner with his character being petty and childish, but that could have changed, perhaps. Brian d'Arcy James (Frank) never had good material to work with, but I never felt there was anything wrong with his work.

 

I'm not sure how this show will ever live down the infamous (and I paraphrase) "I can't marry you, I'm in tech" stupidity. That, folks, is horrible writing, plain and simple. It has nothing to do with the cast being good or bad. (And I notice they didn't fire McPhee, who was the one that said that infamous line.)

 

Thats funny, but somehow, I am sure there is some showgirl out there in REAL life that WOULD probably utter that line ??? To me the character was putting her career before her personal life and THAT line was the culmination for her.. There have been many shows with ensemble casts. Sometimes each storyline and character within it is STRONG, other times not. When I watch TV, I tend not to dissect everything. On this particular show I bought into the smalltown girl in NYC trying to make it big in a potential new Bway show. Everything else was just "props" for me....

[+ WilliamM]

Gosh' date=' RockHard, if you feel this bad about a TV show, I wonder how sad you get for a real crisis.[/quote']

 

I agree completely. I watch Glee and Veep on a fairly regular basis, and tune out all the implausible parts, and enjoy the few minutes in each show that are funny and vaguely true to life.

[+ Lucky]

I guess much depends on how one defines "crisis." In my business, if the pilot ignites and excites advertisers, the money to finance an expensive non-reality-show venture pours in. If subsequent episodes fail to excite, and they invite serious ridicule, then the threat of investment dollars is a costly crisis for an expensive TV show.

 

I'm not sad or feel bad (except for the actors), but I am interested.

 

Nothing grandiose about claiming an entire industry as "my business."

[bostonman]

I agree completely. I watch Glee and Veep on a fairly regular basis, and tune out all the implausible parts, and enjoy the few minutes in each show that are funny and vaguely true to life.

 

And in the case of Smash, I would say the element I've enjoyed most is the music, in particular the often clever material that Shaiman and Wittman have written for the supposed Marilyn musical. (And also, Anjelica Huston singing Kurt Weill's "September Song" - even though she wasn't quite up to the vocal demands of the song. What thrilled me about that performance was the legacy - her grandfather Walter Huston premiered that song on Broadway back in 1938. It didn't matter that the song came out of nowhere in this case - it was a cool moment.)

[jjkrkwood]

Nothing grandiose about claiming an entire industry as "my business."

I think Trolls do that Lucky..

 

Originally Posted by RockHard

I guess much depends on how one defines "crisis." In my business, if the pilot ignites and excites advertisers, the money to finance an expensive non-reality-show venture pours in. If subsequent episodes fail to excite, and they invite serious ridicule, then the threat of investment dollars is a costly crisis for an expensive TV show.

[Rick Munroe]

Gosh, RockHard, if you feel this bad about a TV show, I wonder how sad you get for a real crisis.

 

Lucky, I'm really enjoying your posts lately!

[operalover21]

Gosh, RockHard, if you feel this bad about a TV show, I wonder how sad you get for a real crisis.

 

ROTFLOL. That was a good one.

 

I always laugh when people go on about something they hate so much and but are still watching? And SMASH was a hit for NBC this season so I'm not sure who all these people are who "hate" it so much.

 

I enjoyed it. It's got some good moments and not-so-good moments. But only a bunch of sad queens can "hate" anything so unimportant as much as all that.

[operalover21]

And in the case of Smash, I would say the element I've enjoyed most is the music, in particular the often clever material that Shaiman and Wittman have written for the supposed Marilyn musical. (And also, Anjelica Huston singing Kurt Weill's "September Song" - even though she wasn't quite up to the vocal demands of the song. What thrilled me about that performance was the legacy - her grandfather Walter Huston premiered that song on Broadway back in 1938. It didn't matter that the song came out of nowhere in this case - it was a cool moment.)

 

Absolutely. But I'm guessing about 17 viewers actually got that connection.

[RockHard]

I always laugh when people go on about something they hate so much and but are still watching?

 

I have a feeling you'd cop a different attitude had you invested money into the show.

 

Obviously you don't own stock, otherwise why would you laugh at the idea of someone hating a downturn while checking in on performance?

[+ Lucky]

I am glad that some liked my little joke. In real life, RockHard knows that I hold him with the deepest respect.

[RockHard]

In real life, RockHard knows that I hold him with the deepest respect.

 

The feeling is mutual.

 

In real life, Lucky knows I adore a good poke and jab.

[jjkrkwood]

i am glad that some liked my little joke. In real life, rockhard knows that i hold him with the deepest respect.

 

why ? perhaps there is something to that "Birds of a feather" saying..

[+ deej]

Absolutely. But I'm guessing about 17 viewers actually got that connection.

 

More than that. The connection was made for them in a TVGuide interview with Huston. :o

[+ WilliamM]

I knew only because I enjoyed TV interviews with director John Houston, Angelica's father. Like many directors, John Houston loved to tell stories about his life and was very good at it.

[bostonman]

Absolutely. But I'm guessing about 17 viewers actually got that connection.

 

More than that. The connection was made for them in a TVGuide interview with Huston. :o

 

Well, since I didn't know about the TVGuide interview, and I'm a huge Kurt Weill fan, count me as one of the 17. ;-)