SMASH: The Verdict

SMASH is a musical series about the drama behind the curtains of a fictional musical called "Bombshell". "Smash" is a show-within-a-show vehicle about a group of people who come together to put on a Broadway musical. The Steven Spielberg musical drama, revolves around a cross section of characters who come together to mount a Broadway musical inspired by silver screen icon Marilyn Monroe.  It centers around Karen Cartwright, played by American Idol 5's runner up Katharine McPhee, as she fights for the lead role of Marilyn Monroe against a Broadway professional Ivy Lynn - played by real life Broadway star Megan Hilty.

I have to admit that the pilot episode of Smash is not perfect. It did not attract me as much as it enticed other people that's why I didn't bother to continue on with the series. Although the premise is really good, it wasn't able to capture me.

However, as weeks go by, I heard/read a lot of good feedback on the show. So I decided to catch up on it, and after the second episode, I immediately fell in love with the show. SMASH gives us a nice and detailed peek on how a musical on Broadway is made.

One of the biggest things I like about SMASH are the characters. They are all flawless, realistic and relatable. We might hate that f*cktard Ellis, but still, we notice him. Furthermore, the show wins in the guest stars department. They had Nick Jonas, Will Chase, Uma Thurman and a lot more!

Aside from the brilliant songs, Smash consists of star studded casts. From real life Broadway stars to professional and famous Hollywood actors, Smash has it all. It's also nice for them to cast a real "newbie" in the Broadway world - Katharine McPhee - so the audience can sympathize with the hardships of the character. Katharine McPhee is the perfect Karen. She might be missing some points in the acting department, but she surely embodies a "girl who's been doing her best to reach for her dreams".


Smash has one thing that Glee has been missing for 2 seasons (gotta' admit that the first season was awesome): character and plot depth. The show is not just about the songs and the performances, but it's about the storylines of the characters and how their plot progressed for each episode. Although some storylines are useless, predictable, and annoying, the over all plot of creating a Broadway show overshadows these kinds of negativity.

The season finale was excellent. 5 STARS. Awesomesauce. Perfect. *add more words of compliments here*. It was the best way to end the season, and to end the series for that matter. But luckily, a new season is in store for us. Anyway, the finale finally revealed who will play Marilyn.... and it is Karen! YAY! Derek decided to choose her even though the producer, lyricist, and the musician disagrees with him. AND that final song was unbelievably exhilarating. I just want mooooore Smash and more Karen! And more Karen-Derek scenes!

 I guess there's one moral lesson in that episode: Karma is a bitch.

However, in the real world, I think Ivy is the perfect choice for Marilyn. She has the body and the voice. But this is not the real world. This is a TV series, and Karen is the star of the show.

THE VERDICT:

SMASH's first season is something you might want to watch over and over again. It has an amazing story, outstanding performances, and three-dimensional characters. Every episode, you just want Karen to succeed in everything she does, but still, you can't help but root for Ivy. Each character has their own story and own problems that helps in their character development.

My score is....


4.5/5


Almost perfect!