Smash Episode 206: The Fringe

Hit List or La Boheme?

So if it's the WINTER Fringe and Julia's now-invisible son Leo is almost on his WINTER break, how come everyone is dressed as if it's late summer on Smash this week? Last week we were left hanging as to whether Bombshell was going with the earlier, flashy workshop version which flopped in Boston or the new artsy-craftsy, high-toned, Ragtime-Follies-Scottsboro-Boys-Caroline-or-Change money-losing version. We open back in the rehearsal room and it's obviously the former has been chosen with Derek and Karen driving the "Waaah-mbulance" about not getting their way and Tom, Jerry and Eileen lording it over them. Derek pouts as he stages the big Second Act opener Public Relations and Jerry demands another number be cut to make room for it. He decrees the lovely Lead with the Heart get the axe and Julia storms out. Unfortunately, Jerry happens to be right, the show has too many ballads with Marilyn standing solo and nothing happening.

Smash Episode 205: The Read-Through

Smash finally uses TV to its advantage
in the "Public Relations" number

Thanks a lot, Smash, just as your stupid plot was starting to make sense and actually get me interested, you screw it up this week and I'm back to hate-watching. The title of this week's episode is The Read-Through and there are two of them--get it? Bombshell and Hit List, but how can Karen, who is in both shows, be in two places at the same time? And how can Derek do both shows--even if it's only for the Winter Fringe Festival, whatever the heck that is?

It all started so well with a great production number called "Public Relations" featuring Christian Borle playing multiple roles as Karen as Marilyn enters in an airplane for a press conference. (I actually saw the real flop Marilyn musical back in the 80s and I seem to recall a similar number.) This snazzy production number actually took advantage of being on TV in a way none of the other Smash songs have with Borle appearing as a slew of foreign journalists in funny wigs. I could suspend my disbelief about the Belasco being the house for Bombshell. It's too small for big lavish musical and Jerry, the avaricious new producer, would never consent to it if he wants to maximize his profit. He'd want a much bigger theater like the Minskoff or the Gershwin. But are we in the real world where Lion King and Wicked are still playing at those theaters? Is the St. James no longer available since Jordan Roth pulled it during the financial scandal in episode 1?