Posted by Dustin on 02.05.2012 at 2:47 pm

So last night I finally got around to watching “Smash.” Yes the show doesn’t actually premier until tomorrow, but Hulu has been offering a sneak peak at the pilot. If you haven’t seen the 8 million commercials for it, or have and don’t know what the show is about, what follows is a brief synopsis before my thoughts.

Julia (Debra Messing) and her business partner Tom write broadway shows. They have a current success on Broadway as the show starts, but are looking ahead. They ponder the idea of an old failed idea, a musical about Marilyn Monroe. This is not what Julia’s husband wants to hear. They are trying to adopt a child, and she was supposed to be taking a year off work in order to do so. Meanwhile Eileen Rand (Anjelica Houston) is trying to make a comeback on the scene by producing a revival of “My Fair Lady” with an acclaimed director Derek Willis (Jack Davenport – “Swingtown/Flash Forward”). However a messy divorce puts all current projects into escrow. She learns of the Marilyn Musical and wants to produce it. She also brings in Derek, who has a very bad past with Tom, the two don’t get along. They all agree to try and make things work, but still need their star. Tom favors Ivy (Megan Hilty) who they’ve worked with for years. However Karen (Katherine McPhee) is a waitress and a virtual unknown, and when she auditions she also catches the eyes of many – including Derek. The question remains, who will get the part?

So is this show going to be a “Smash?” Time will tell. NBC really does need a “Smash” at this point, so many of their new shows have bombed this season, and so they are really promoting it. That for me is never a good sign, when you have to shove it down peoples throats it could potentially be a stinker. I truthfully wasn’t wowed by the pilot, but I enjoyed it. The cast is great, and they make it work. The fact that it’s a show about Broadway of course appeals to me. However this is no “Glee.” It’s not meant to be light and funny, it’s a serious drama with serious issues being tackled (in the pilot alone is homophobia, eating disorders, casting couch techniques.) They also only have two real singers at the moment. However I don’t think it’s meant to be a copy of “Glee,” it’s not meant to be full of numbers and songs. I’ll probably give it a go, especially because the sneak peak at the season looked so delicious. I can’t pass up Anjelica Houston to be honest!