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A Failed Attempt, in More Ways Than One. Review: Smash – “The Coup” @NBCSmash

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  • March 27, 2012

  • 8 mins to read

Review, Smash, S1 E8 – “The Coup”

Air Date: Monday, March 26, 2012, 10/9c on NBC

Rating: ★★★★★

 

Everyone is sitting or lying around waiting to hear from Eileen (Angelica Huston) about the workshop and “I hate the theater” seems to be the common thread for all involved. But Derek (Jack Davenport) has something up his sleeve—another direction to take the workshop that he feels will get them to Broadway. Derek’s “coup” has to be the worst kept secret ever.

Try as I might, my interest in Smash is waning. “The Coup” is a perfect example why. The hour is filled with a lot of nonsensical things and trite storylines that do nothing for the series. For instance, Frank (Brian d’Arcy James) tries to cheer up Julia (Debra Messing) by playing Rock Guitar and singing to her. Leo (Emory Cohen) overhears his dad singing and takes it as a sign that everything is ok. Aww, isn’t that cute? How inane can one get?

John tries to represent Leo in court with Frank and Julia at his side, but Julia can't contain herself

Then there’s the scene wrapping up Julia and Michael’s (Will Chase) relationship. Julia asks Michael to meet her in the park and he brings his family with him. Of course, isn’t that something you would do when you’re going to meet your former lover? No, you say? Me either. Julia and Michael do this little dance, by which I mean they have a strained conversation where Michael tells her he’s quitting before she can tell him he’s fired. All of a sudden he realizes his family is everything to him and he’s been acting so stupidly? It’s like the writers couldn’t come up with anything else for these two so they wrap up the storyline like a gift box with a pretty little bow on top. I don’t understand why they had to end this relationship so suddenly.

On to Derek’s genius (she said sarcastically) plan to save “Marilyn: The Musical.” He convinces Karen (Katharine McPhee) the show needs to go in another direction so he whisks her off to a warehouse in Brooklyn where she meets Ryan Tether of One Republic who’s written a new song for her, “Touch Me.” It’s all supposed to be very secretive—don’t tell Tom (Christian Borle) or Julia—but of course, good old Ellis (Jaime Cepero) overhears Eileen talking to Derek about Karen and tells not only Tom, but Ivy (Megan Hilty) as well. I’d be surprised, though, if he ever kept anything to himself. This man-child is such a troublemaker! Something tells me it’s commonplace to find such a person behind the scenes on Broadway. Ellis is swiftly becoming the most hated character on the show, so kudos to Cepero for eliciting such a profound emotion!

Katie begs her mother not to turn into her father

Eileen’s daughter Katie (Grace Gummer) is back from Micronesia because she knows her father Jerry (Michael Kristofer) putting $3 million in her trust fund is a signal something’s wrong between her parents. Sure, that’s what every rich kid thinks. Katie tries to convince Jerry to give Eileen money to live on and the conversation turns into a screaming match between them. So typical of the contentious divorce most people go through. I don’t know whether Katie is successful in persuading Jerry to release some of Eileen’s money or takes it upon herself but when Eileen goes home, it’s to a fully furnished contemporary apartment. At least the woman doesn’t have to live out of boxes anymore. That was beginning to grate on my nerves.

Karen bring the sex during her performance of "Touch Me"

Derek and Eileen finally bring Tom and Julia to the Brooklyn warehouse where Karen performs a sexy rendition of “Touch Me” where she’s supposed to represent a contemporary Marilyn—“A Marilyn for a new generation,” according to Derek.  This is so ridiculous I’m actually at a loss for words. What the hell were Derek and Eileen thinking? Tom and Julia apparently don’t know either as they keep looking at each other as if to say, “Derek is out of his mind. What the hell is he doing?” Even Katie can’t believe her eyes, and admonishes Eileen, saying, “You can’t just turn into dad, mom. Really, you can’t.” Such pedestrian dialogue. But Katie doesn’t plan to stay around and see—oh no, she’s off to “Alaska, to count wild salmon.” Don’t you hate do-gooders who blow into town, tell you what you’re doing wrong, and then blow back out, all under the guise of love? Yeah, me too.

Dev’s (Raza Jaffrey) ethics are questioned when RJ Quigley (Tala Ashe) feeds him some salacious information about Mr. Dempy (Charlie Semine), the politician who’s after Dev’s promotion. “When Dempy was down in D.C., he met the Mayor’s daughter at some benefit. He tried to woo her with some Anthony Weiner-style photos.” Should he use it? The minute I saw Dev and RJ hugging in celebration of hacking Dempy’s emails, I knew Karen would walk in and act all jealous. The writers are dragging this story out; if they’re going to write a Dev and RJ affair, I wish they’d get to it already.

The gang gets it on with "Dance to the Music"

So far, Smash has been able to avoid imitating Glee but I knew it was going to happen anyway. Ivy’s friends take her bowling to get her mind off things and it turns into a song and dance fest with the group lip-synching to Sly and the Family Stone’s “Dance to the Music.” I have to admit, I enjoyed this part and was even tapping my foot to the beat of the music.

At the end, we know Ellis thinks Tom is “a loser,” and he wants to become a producer. Ivy, though upset she’s being replaced by a star, gets the guy after all when Derek comforts her and they end up sleeping together. I guess Derek has feelings for her after all. It’s all beginning to sound a little soap opera-ish to me. The writers need to provide more sophisticated plotlines. They seem to have lost their way.

If the show runners don’t get their shit together, I have serious doubts about the future of Smash. That’s not to say I’ll stop watching. No way because I have hope and I love a good song-and-dance routine as much as the next person. I beg you Smash, please go back to whatever you did in the season premiere that grabbed us by the seat of our pants and wouldn’t let go! What say you, fans? Are you going to hang in there with me?

Tune in to Smash, Mondays at 10/9c, only on NBC.

All photos courtesy of Patrick Harbron / © NBC Universal Media. All Rights Reserved.

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Linda

Love TV, movies, and books--mostly mysteries, with a good love story thrown in every now and then. I have four adopted dogs who I adore. I love trying new recipes, and enjoy eating what I make. English language perfectionist. Reading in bed, Italian food, warm weather, the beach, all types of games = favs!

Linda

Love TV, movies, and books--mostly mysteries, with a good love story thrown in every now and then. I have four adopted dogs who I adore. I love trying new recipes, and enjoy eating what I make. English language perfectionist. Reading in bed, Italian food, warm weather, the beach, all types of games = favs!