Smash

This new show is a breath of fresh air. It has a simple plot with many complicated sub plots. It entertains you with great music and gives you a realistic look at what goes on during the casting, rehearsals and collaboration that is required to produce a Broadway musical. This is a high energy and fast paced piece of entertainment with a few twists to keep you wanting more. The interactions among cast members is so real you don't feel like you are watching television. I hope this show makes it because it is like nothing a regular network has done before. It has brought Broadway to television with a great cast, original music and a break from the many cookie cutter shows on television lately.

I like it ,but McPhee ,though pleasant enough to look at ,an an adequate singer,doesn't have the pipes for live theatre and has the stage presence of a potted plant. Hilty,who they positioned for the audience not to like,stole the show. But the real problem is they underestimated the stupidity of American audiences. They might have just as well done a show about classical pianists. The American audience has been dumbed down with reality TV ,and a dwindling PBS type presence ,as well as the republican party putting forth a distrust of anyone or anything that is smart ,or intellectual. This show could have succeeded on HBO or Showtime,a few sex scenes and a Sex in the City meets The Great White Way angle. They would have found their audience. But don't compare this to Glee. It resonated because everyone has been in high school,even stupid people, and they use pop music. Few people have ever performed live to a paying audience. This show couldn't draw on the sheer commonality that Glee can. In all,I'm sad to see it go. It could have been wonderful.

NBC takes it head-on in its ongoing battle with the cable channels with Smash, an edgy take on the inner workings of Broadway. With production values you would expect more from AMC or Starz, Smash is sure to light up broadcast television like nothing has in years.

The plot is simple in premise: thanks to the observations of an eager intern, a couple of Broadway producers decide to work on a musical featuring the life of Marilyn Monroe -- despite the fact that the last attempt on that subject matter failed abysmally. But, as spectacular as the potential subject matter might be, it is the inter-relationships between the characters involved in that production that inevitably make the show 'work' -- just as it is in a great musical.

There is the blonde 'born to play' Marilyn, and the brunette who just does it oh-so-much-better. There is the conflict between a producer and a director who just cannot stand each other. There are the money problems faced by an executive producer cutting it just a wee bit fine. There's the difficulty producers face running a production 16 hours a day and maintaining any semblance of a home life.

Not only is there entertainment value in the acts that make up the musical themselves, but the eye-opening realism of the personal dynamics involved in mounting a musical on Broadway ensure that this program will not run out of steam any time soon.

Frankly, I'm just surprised this show didn't happen any sooner. Congratulations, NBC -- you've got a great one in 'Smash'.

It is so good to have the option to see an upbeat musical instead of being limited to all of the police, vampire, garish and reality shows that have been taking over the networks these days. Katherine McPhee's performance is excellent. She is quite a refreshing actress and singer. The show is nicely geared towards the crowd that is over 16. Glee is much too young for me. I am 61. The show is very well done. The storyline is interesting and kind of reminiscent of the movie Fame. I am eager to tune into the next episode. I will be a loyal fan and hope that Smash becomes a long running show. It makes me smile and sing. We need more shows that can do that.

This was a wonderful series until 2nd Season and the bright bulbs in charge decided to change the cast, change the story line, change the producers and writers and directors and then the show tanked. Second season was ridiculous and made no sense. the songs sucked and the cast had no chemistry and they didn't even finish the storylines. First season was amazing, songs, cast, direction. Why can't the studios leave well enough alone. They get people that thing they can do better and they ruin everything. This show tanked because the bright bulbs at the studio thought they could do better with what was already a fantastic show.