Smash: Temper, Temper

Last week on “Smash:” Julia and Peter finished their script. But then Julia doubts Peter’s loyalty, especially as another script pops up on Jerry’s desk. The script they read, though, is the one Julia wrote and everyone loves it. But Jerry wants to do the original script from season one. Tom agrees though Derek and Julia want to do the new script. They let Eileen be the deal breaker. Meanwhile, Ivy meets her new leading man and realizes he is destroying the show. She tries to help but makes the situation worse. And Karen gathers a bunch of people to read through Kyle’s script for “Hit List.” It doesn’t go so well. Kyle mopes while Jimmy tells Karen they should only interact as colleagues. Then they decide that “Hit List” should be sung-through like “Rent.” So what did Eileen chose? Find out!

SMASH!


Derek rehearses the “Public Relations” number and Tom is smiling like a madman. Julia looks like one blonde hair dye job away from playing Narcissa Malfoy while Eileen and Jerry are actually enjoying something. Together. Someone go check hell. Derek says he doesn’t like it and Julia agrees. Tom thinks they are just pissed off that Eileen didn’t choose their script. Which is exactly what’s happening. Tom reminds them that they agreed to go with what Eileen said and Derek said he thought she’d make the right choice. Derek’s just having a tantrum.

But Jerry says they have to cut another song for Public Relations to remain in. Because there are too many songs…for a musical. Julia and Tom are like “What?”

Meanwhile, “Hit List” prepares for the Winter Fringe Festival. Kyle is dismayed to see they are in a basement but Jimmy loves it. Ana says it’s the perfect place to stage the show and everyone sings about it. Until a stage manager from another show comes to shut them up. Karen, though, realizes she has to leave and says she’ll see them that night.

At rehearsals, Karen performs “Never Give All the Heart.” Jerry stops her and declares it is the song that needs to be cut. Julia and Tom both disagree. They argue that it’s the first song they wrote for Marilyn and the one that got them interested in the show. Some people have argued the first song written was “Let Me Be Your Star” but Julia and Tom are right. The final scene of the premiere with Ivy and Karen singing “Let Me Be Your Star” is so powerful it overshadows the other performances in the episode. But it was the video of Ivy singing “Never Give All the Heart”—leaked on purpose by Ellis—which got the ball rolling.

Derek calls a break while Julia and Tom argue to keep the song. Jerry says it’s just another song where some girl sings about how sad she is. Upset, Julia storms off and Tom follows, promising to save their song. Inside, Derek talks to Karen and learns “Hit List” is still doing the Winter Fringe Festival. She takes a call from Kyle and Jimmy who are nervous yet excited about their performance that night. And the write up they got in Time Out New York!

Which Tracy Turnblad has shown to Jerry. He is not pleased and bans Karen from being in the performance, citing it’s a violation of her contract. (Playbill, though, doesn’t confirm this is possible though they do note Smash seems to take place in a reality where agents don’t exist). So she has to cancel on Kyle and Jimmy. Who don’t take it well because how dare Karen chose a paying job over their precious show! Jimmy storms off as Karen has to head back to rehearsal.

Meanwhile, Julia meets with Peter. And complains. You know what I’ve always loved about this show? Julia and Tom’s relationship. You know what I don’t like about this show? When Julia and Tom fight. Especially because it seems to be the same thing: Tom does something that he believes is in the best interest of the show, Julia gets mad that he didn’t talk to her about it and then Tom has to work to get her forgiveness. In some ways, this season’s argument is a bit better than last season’s—Tom was clearly in the right to agree to bring back Michael for the Boston run and Julia needed to put on her big girl pants to deal with it. This time, Tom’s actions are a bit gray. But once again, he is also shown to have more business savvy than his partner. And she seems to be punishing him for it.

Anyway, Peter tries to convince Julia that Tom’s betrayed her and she should dump him. Bad Peter! Julia, don’t listen to him! He invites her to London to help him work on a play there. Um, can the librettist leave while a project is still in rehearsal?

While Julia considers going to London, Tom is busy fighting for “Never Give All the Heart.” Derek and Eileen—correctly—note that Julia should be the one doing that. But they tell Tom that if he can rework the number into something more upbeat, they’ll consider keeping the song. Tom agrees and leaves to work on it.

Meanwhile, Karen talks to Ana before “Hit List” starts. Ana says that got an actress she worked with to replace Karen but it wasn’t the same. And that Jimmy was acting like the Incredible Hulk. She heads inside to get ready while Karen hangs outside. And who approaches her there? Cynthia! You remember, she who pushed Ellis into his sense of entitlement? She who slept with Ellis, eliciting cries of “HE’S STRAIGHT?” from viewers everywhere? Karen recognizes her and they talk. Cynthia says she broke up with Ellis because, guess what? HE’S GAY! (And people across America breathed a sigh of relief knowing their gaydars were not defective). Cynthia then reveals Ellis went away but that’s been working with Jerry. She heads inside to see “Hit List” but Karen seems to be putting things together.

Let’s go check in with Liaisons, shall we? It’s still a mess. Seriously, this show makes it sound like a Broadway show gets a TV/movie actor and everyone kowtows to them. This is why I’m calling it a rehash of the Rebecca Duvall storyline sans deadly smoothie, no matter how much you have to imagine Veanne Cox and Ivy want to give one to Terry. And have they ever given Veanne Cox’s character a name? At all? The press will be viewing Liaison the next day and everyone but Terry is dreading it. Ivy tells Derek outside they’re going to the skeeviest Chinese restaurant in Manhattan and praying for food poisoning. Should be easy—all NYC restaurants have to display the grade they received from the Department of Health.

Derek, though, talks her out of it. He tells her to be her usual good self. She wonders what the point would be if the show is so bad. Derek explains how a great actress in a good show shines bright but a great actress in a bad show shines even brighter. So Ivy runs off, happy.

The next day, Tom presents his new version of “Never Give All the Heart.” He orchestrated it to make it more upbeat and no longer a ballad. And he lays out his vision of it: No more Marilyn lamenting her failed relationships. It is now Marilyn keeping her heart from the men in her life so she won’t get hurt. She dances around the men as they try to get her attention. When the song finishes, Derek hates it but Julia loves it. Tom confesses he got the idea from her version. Eileen and Jerry love it as well. Derek snaps, giving everyone a “Reason You Suck” speech before quitting and flouncing out of the rehearsal room.

Eileen and Karen give chase. But Derek won’t be swayed. He hops in a taxi and leaves them behind. Karen tells Eileen about Ellis working with Jerry. She thanks Karen and asks her to keep it a secret before getting in a taxi herself. Karen, feeling left out, also gets in a taxi.

Over in Brooklyn, Kyle reads the reviews for “Hit List.” They aren’t good. Jimmy blames Karen because—why not? Apparently no one can understand his genius unless she is singing his songs. He says they should just cancel but Kyle wants to see it through to the end. But Jimmy just storms out.

Remind me again: Are we supposed to root for Jimmy?

Back in Liaisons, the press is bored with the scenes they are seeing. During her scene, Ivy goes full out and it is a true testament to the depth of Hilty’s talent. The press perks up and loves her number while Sean Hayes stands there trying to vaporize Hilty with his eyes. So afterwards, he tells Ivy that they are cutting her number so she storms off. He follows and Ivy finally gives him the what-for. So that night, he asks for the cast to be honest with him and—after some encouragement from Ivy—they let him have it as well. He’s willing to improve and asks the director if it’s too late to make some changes. Good news—it’s not!

Eileen breaks into Jerry’s office and goes snooping.

Over at the Winter Fringe Festival, Jimmy arrives to grab some stuff. But Karen appears and says she’s doing the show tonight. So Jimmy’s in. They perform “Heart Shaped Wreckage,” which is a pretty good song. Everyone applauds and at the end, JESSE L. MARTIN comes up to them. He says he’s the director at the New York Manhattan Theater Workshop and says he wants to help Kyle and Jimmy stage “Hit List.” Kyle looks ready to pass out. JESSE L. MARTIN (I miss you on my TV screen) asks if they have a director and Derek says they do—him. So JESSE L. MARTIN (oh, please, tell me they let you sing this season!) asks if Jimmy and Karen will be in the production. Jimmy says he’s not an actor and Derek’s like “When someone asks you if you’re a god, you say YES!” But Karen is still obligated to Bombshell. JESSE L. MARTIN doesn’t mind and treats everyone to drinks. Except Karen, who has rehearsal in the morning. So the others happily walk away and leave her alone.

In China Town, Eileen meets up with Julia and Tom to reveal Jerry’s evil scheme. She promises to get the show back. But they still have no director. Except they do! Tom’s the new director!

So this will be interesting. Tom’s the director! Hit List is being made! JESSE L. MARTIN! And hopefully Peter’s gone and won’t be messing up Julia and Tom’s relationship.

Read Playbill's Smash Report here