SMASH!
We open on Kathie Lee Gifford. Hold on, folks, I’ve seen the fourth hour of “Today.” This is going to get boozy. She is in the rehearsal space with Ivy, Bombshell cast members and a bunch of kids. These kids are brought in to experience Broadway and learn from performers. There are actual programs that do do this. Check them out! Kathie Lee interviews Ivy about being on Broadway and her demanding schedule—besides performing 8 nights a week, Ivy has been on a massive publicity campaign (all conveniently on NBC Universal owned programs). Off screen Daphne Ruben-Vega reminds Ivy to smile while being interviewed. She does even though she’s tired. So are Jessica and Bobby. Kathie Lee joins them to perform “The 20th Century Fox Mambo.” Sadly, we don’t get to hear Megan sing the whole thing.
Her schedule also gives her good reasons to avoid Derek. But he still calls. And Ivy gives him the brush off. Which leaves Derek to worry about all the producers coming to possibly invest in a transfer for Hit List. Eileen and Daphne Ruben Vega are worried about them as well. Hit List is Bombshell’s biggest competition since Harold and Maude is bombing and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s latest production has closed up shop (what was it supposed to be? Love Never Dies?). So they want to make sure Hit List doesn’t transfer. Eileen gets them tickets so they can check it out.
But there are issues at Hit List, besides the fact that what we know of the story makes no sense. Jimmy is nowhere to be found! Everyone is pretty sure he’s using again. But he shows up today…when Derek is auditioning people for Jimmy’s understudy. And it’s Sam! Hi, Sam! Jimmy is pissed and gets ragey, accusing everyone of trying to replace him. And he yells at Karen for bringing in her friend. Well, that might be a stretch. Sam has always been civil to Karen, but he’s also always been firmly Team Ivy. I believe Derek bringing him in over Karen doing it. Maybe Tom called in a favor? Jimmy hulks around and storms off.
Karen wonders why he’s in such a mood and Kyle lays the blame at her feet. He says that she begged Jimmy to open up and when he did, she kicked him to the curb. Which is partially true. Jimmy did open up and Karen at first did accept him. It was after Jimmy showed his violent side that Karen kicked him to the curb. Kyle flounces off to follow Jimmy. In another room, they gossip about Kyle and Tom having sexytimes.
Meanwhile, Tom and Julia are still fighting! Scott is like “But I need you to write The Great Gatsby.” Julia’s like “I’m working on it.” Scott talks about how iffy his job is if he doesn’t deliver another hit because he used some of next year’s money on “Hit List.” Julia promises he will put up “The Great Gatsby” next fall. Really? That seems a bit quick, don’t you think?
Anyway, Kyle’s parents are in town! His mom is played by Broadway actress Carolee Carmello. And she is very supportive, along with Kyle’s dad. They are also very proud as they look at the line of people camped out for tickets. One jumps up to get Kyle’s autograph. It all so adorable. Something bad is going to happen.
It’s show time at Hit List! And Jimmy’s high! He messes up his first mark, starting “Rewrite This Story” late. Derek wants to kill him. We fast forward to when Amanda steals Jesse’s music and becomes Nina, a song called “Don’t Let Me Know.” I thought Amanda stole Jesse’s music while he was sleeping and ran off? Why am I trying to keep up? We see Amanda go from singing in a night club, to recording and album to her becoming famous. Jesse watches her, though Derek curses the fact it isn’t part of his blocking. Looks like Jimmy’s just doing whatever the drugs tell him to do.
At some fancy restaurant, Ivy hosts a Q&A with Julia and Tom. Which is quite a task given the animosity between them. Ivy soldiers through, trying to laugh off some of the barbs tossed between partners. One person attending this awkward get together asks if the Levitt-Huston partnership is kaput. One says yes, the other no. As they glare at each other, Ivy wishes she were anywhere else but that room.
Things haven’t improved over at “Hit List.” Jimmy is still stoned as they head into the final scenes. The Diva, now living in disgrace and obscurity, shoots Amanda. Karen falls down but Jimmy is too high to catch her. She hits the set, cutting her arm. This shakes Jimmy into a normal state and he rushes to gather Karen in his arms, apologizing. Backstage, the stage manager bandages Karen up as they rush to get ready for the final number, “The Goodbye Song.”
Okay, I didn’t quite care for the song at first but it’s grown on me. I’m not quite sure about the purple motif. The only thing I can think of is forgiveness, perhaps? Anyway, the beginning makes sense with Jesse and Amanda saying goodbye since the Diva killed her. It’s the ending I’m not sure about. There seems to be no set up for everyone to come out and start dancing other than “let’s have the entire company on stage!” Maybe if it was supposed to be a memorial for Amanda, like we see every time a celebrity dies?
The lights go down and everyone applauds. Jimmy walks off without taking his bows. Backstage, the stage manager tries to convince Karen to seek proper medical care but Karen waves her off. Jimmy’s nowhere to be found and Derek decides they need to fire him. Kyle agrees and asks to be the one to tell Jimmy. They all agree.
Outside the
The cast and crew of “Hit List” go to a bar. That is not the set up for a joke. Jimmy barges in, high. Kyle pulls him aside to tell him he’s been fired. Jimmy doesn’t take it well. He gets up on a chair and gives them all a “Reason You Suck” speech. And by “them,” I mean Karen and Kyle. He even reveals Kyle’s dalliances with Tom, which cause Kyle’s boyfriend to storm out of the bar. Satisfied, Jimmy leaves. Kyle talks with Ana and Karen, who encourage him to stop enabling Jimmy. In another flat line reading, Karen tells Kyle he can’t wait until morning and has to do it that night. Kyle leaves to take Karen’s advice.
Derek sits down with Karen at the bar and reveals no one offered to bring “Hit List” to Broadway. They drink as they commiserate over the fact that when “Hit List” closes at the
At his house, Kyle packs up all of Jimmy’s things while singing “The Last Goodbye.” He brings them to The Place Which Shall Not Be Mentioned, rings the doorbell and leaves. Some Drug Dealer Guy answers, looks down and tells Jimmy it’s for him. Kyle continues to sing as he walks away, looking serious. He steps off the curb and we him covered in bright lights before the episode ends.
Oh noes! Well, okay, we know what happened. After all, the episode aired like a month ago. Of course, there were spoilers that someone would die and spumors (a combination of “speculation” and “rumors” I’ve seen used on the boards at Television Without Pity) targeted Kyle. Because Kyle=Jonathan Larson. (Though if we were honest, Jimmy=Larson, but never mind). Stay tuned for the fallout!
Read Playbill's "Smash" report here
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