Smash - Chemistry

We have several problems with Smash at this point. It looked good from the beginning and we weren't the only ones excited about the show. The pilot was great and the second episode was eventful. Since then, the show has disappointed by covering songs that are bad for it and failing to have original songs that are as good as the ones in the pilot. It has also disappointed by being uneventful. One of its biggest weaknesses is that the only likeable, non-slutty character is played by the uncharismatic Katherine McPhee.

We don’t care about Julia because the show had her engaging in adultery too soon. The only reasons we forgave Carrie Bradshaw on Sex and the City for this behavior were how bad she felt and that the show waited until season three to spring the plotline on us. We were already rooting for Big and Carrie by that point. We found out that Julia was slutty in the third episode. We’re not prudes, but how are we supposed to root for Julia, her family, and her adoption if she’s a cheater? If you are going to have morally bankrupt, grey-area characters, at least make them interesting, like Don Draper.

These people are snoozes and we don’t get why they have no character, except that they are in the cutthroat, sex-obsessed show business and that they are rich and entitled. There are no decent straight guys on the show. Even Karen’s boyfriend has been kind of a douche. Between the boring happenings, the guest starring Jonas brother, and the lack of people we care about, this show is losing our interest, fast. It needs more Broadway, to take more chances, and to narrow in on a few characters and make us like them. It seems spread out between too many characters to do this. This show can still pull it together, but will it get a chance with its low ratings?

They’ve turned poor Ivy into a nearly one-dimensional villain, so it was hard to feel sorry for her when she damaged her voice. Time to get a new voice teacher, Ivy. There are teachers who can help you sing for hours a day with minimal tiredness afterward. Singers need to find those teachers. There should be no pain in the throat when singing, and if there is, singers need to swap to a new coach or get a coach if they haven’t already. What kind of production is this? They need an official understudy. We guess Karen is it, but they should have announced it and told Karen weeks ago.

Thank God Frank is back. Maybe they will let him sing soon, because last we heard, he had one of the best voices in the world. There’s really no other reason to cast him as Julia’s husband. Ivy’s song in her bedroom was histrionic and lame, as usual. Karen covered “Shake It Out” by Florence and the Machine, a song we love, especially its lyrics. It was a sweet version. Florence’s version has a little more distance between the singer and the listener, meaning that there are lots of special effects in the music. We like both versions. Karen butchered those Jewish songs though.

Debra Messing is still so gorgeous. The woman doesn’t age and we want her hair color. Her affair is supposed to hook viewers with its passion, but it’s not hooking us. In an affair, there is excitement, novelty, it’s secret, there’s danger, and it’s bad, so strong feelings are flying around and people mistake them for real love when people are just being fickle. If it’s not real love, we’re not interested. We liked when Ivy blew up at the director. Everything with Eileen was a little dull, as usual.

At least Bernadette Peters will be on next week! Love her.

Episode grade: C+