52nd Street: The SMASH Finale


Founder
05/15/12 03:36pm
13 Comments

That IS showbiz. The frenetic pace, the diva meltdowns, the coddling of the star, the last-minute changes being passed hand-to-hand-to-stage-manager, the lies, the drama, the people whose dreams get crushed as other people’s dreams fly: this is the elating, heartbreaking, devastating, high-roller game people play when they enter that world. They get warned about it and they pretend they are ready for it, but when the tapshoes hit the footlights, and all seems to be going to hell in a hairnet, you remember the most cliched but true theater idiom of all time: the show must go on. How does it? It’s a mystery. But anyone, anyone, who has done anything in theater, will tell you that miraculously, it just DOES.

So, while the theater gods are working their mysterious magic, and the hard decisions get made, and it’s time to take the big blows to the chest, who is man enough for it? It turns out, Derek is. Karen is. Ivy isn’t. Julia and Tom wring their hands and get through.

So, Derek has his own little fever dream, and casts Karen. The hammer hits and the whole company scatters like gnats, while the following happen simultaneously:

  •  Karen tries to be calm. She appears to be the only calm one.
  • Julia goes all mother hen (“SHE NEEDS TO MAKE A PHONE CALL!” she screams in that fabulous Debra Messing-wreck way, reminding us all that we can still like this woman even if her life choices in this show have been alternately boring and terrifying). She also tells her the biggest lie in showbusiness: “Everyone here loves you and wants to see you succeed.” Ha! Not even Tom can sell that as he stands behind her weeping bitter tears for Ivy.
IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE IVY!
DEAL WITH IT!
  • Derek becomes possessed, answering everyone’s questions and doing everyone’s jobs. “Where’s that wig?” “No phone calls for you!” “Finish your song!” “This is happening whether you like it or not!” Funnily enough, this is literally the best thing he has done for the production since the beginning.

  •  Ellis seethes and whispers in Ivy’s ear like the smoke monster from Lost. 
"Hassshiiyahhasshhhaaaa..."
  • In just, precisely, what Ivy needs to hear that moment, she is called to the stage as a “shadow self.” Aw. Literal, much?

  • Julia and Tom have retreated to a rain forest to finish their song.
Writing, or looking for the lost city of gold?
  • “We have so much time! We have so much time!” They’re like kids studying for finals.

Back in the house, the Ellis-monster ticker-tacks his way out to the lobby, where the Baroness is telling the Only Theater Reporter Ever (Reidel from the New York Post) about the plot of 42nd Street. “It’s gonna knock everyone’s socks off!” She is then accosted by the tricksy hobbit, wearing his ushery best, where he admits that he was the mastermind behind the Peanut Murder Plot. Then says it’s because he is a producer. OF MURDER.

Ellis, the producer.

Hey everyone, did you know I was a billionaire? Oh look! Look at all the money falling around my shoulders! Look at – oh, right. You can’t say a thing and make it happen. Dangit.

“You haven’t heard the last of this,” he says, upon being fired. PRAY GOD we have. Find an actual assistant, would you please, Baroness? Don’t you have a court of loyal subjects waiting?

NEXT: Can she do it?

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  • Ellisdies

    WHEAT. THRESHER.

  • jpegfilms

    As usual, loved your analysis. I too, was increasingly disappointed in the show when they make Ivy the big bitch villain. I find it MUCH more satisfying to be rooting for both of them. The more conflicted I am, the better.

    I will say just a few things

    1. I do not buy for a SECOND that Karen could learn/memorize a song she’d never seen of heard before that was finished 5 minutes before the curtain went up. That stretched the believability too far for me.

    2. When the Baroness von Huston was on her iPhone, she was holding it upside down! I couldn’t get past it. The earphone plug was by her mouth meaning she was speaking into the speakers and listening to the microphone. How could no one have told her to flip it?!??! It drove me crazy during the whole scene.

    3. Unfortunately, the show isn’t coming back until January. They want to give the new showrunner time to really develop a season and get into his groove as opposed to getting thrown in and having to learn on the job. Plus NBC wants to keep it paired with The Voice.

    • Melissa

      Hey! Thanks! Here’s my couple things back at you:

      1. She definitely DIDN’T learn the whole song in five minutes. As noted a few times during, the orchestrations were done as was most of the song – and a version of the lyrics (even if a bad one) straight at the top of the show. Most likely she learned it in the hour previous to the show (hard, but possible, plus it’s a simple song), and they were tweaking a couple lines.

      2. I didn’t see that at all! Dangit. I have to go back.

      3. Where did you read this? No matter, I’m psyched either way :)

  • http://twitter.com/19yearslater Sarah Moe

    I disliked the Derek looks through costumes thing not because it was nostalgic, but because it seemed pretty boob-oriented (on that note, how can Ivy and Karen wear the same costumes but Karen and Rebecca can’t?). The finale song was cheeseball but appropriate and, as you mentioned, something similar to what Broadway has done. Of course Karen got the role, she’s been at the top of the pyramid since the first ads. However, I started watching the show for Megan Hilty. Knowing that Karen would get the role, I hoped that Ivy would be Norma Jean, sing sad songs because Ivy’s life is crap and Karen can get over it to be the star. Instead Ivy has become the worst of Marilyn and that could be interesting but might not be. We shall see, but I don’t think Ivy’s dead (ohai, Quinn). Also Tom and Sam are adorable.

  • Heather23renae

    Every episode that I see, I seem to love Derek more and more! Jack Davenport is a master! I would like to go back to when I watched the first episode and see my expression when I tell myself that I am going to absolutely adore Derek. I wouldn’t have believed myself for half a second!

    I have been routing for Karen from the start! I thought she represented a more youthful Marilyn and transitioned well in to the more mature Marilyn. Ivy always seemed like she skipped right to mature.

    I think it says TONS about Megan Hilty’s talent that she turned off her ‘it’. Who the heck can do that?!

    • http://twitter.com/19yearslater Sarah Moe

      Jack Davenport is certainly a master. He and Megan Hilty are both playing somewhat dislikable characters well, but I want them on the show because the actors are fantastic. Unlike, say, the dislikable Ellis- that’s just an oddball situation.

  • Saxy

    Thanks for a great summary of this fun show. I love BOTH of these women and both do have IT, which is really great for this show. For me, the thing about Karen is intrigue. Ivy is fantastic and puts it all out there every time. At the same time, I kind of feel that I’ve seen ALL of Ivy, which is OK. With Karen, it seems like it’s held back somewhat (maybe inexperience?). But when Karen suddenly “put the pedal to the floor” on that closing number, I stopped what I was doing and thought “Wow – what’s this?”. And that makes me wonder what else she has hiding in there, i.e. intrigue. Actually, I’m not completely crazy about either one being Marilyn. I’d love for season 2 to invent a new musical that uses both together because I actually like the chemistry between the 2 girls them selves – more songs like Smash.

  • Heathergois

    “Bombshell” will be on the real Broadway in two years, tops, and I know I’ll be looking for tickets. ;)
    Great article, Melissa. I love your snark and your theatre/Broadway related tidbits. (I have no theatre background, but…gahh, that world has always intrigued me.)
    Brava ;)

  • http://twitter.com/bshrib Beverly

    I have so much hate for Ellis. Seriously needs to die.

  • http://lovelyladykatieann.blogspot.com/ Katie

    Best finale recap ever. Your nicknames for everyone are hysterical especially Joe DiAlltheWayggio. Too funny. I was so relieved to FINALLY get an episode that I liked. Now I just want to be able to see the whole musical from start to finish.

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  • Ali

    I found this show so frustrating. Katherine McPhee is plenty talented, but she does not play the part of Marilyn as well as Ivy. I found the writing on this show so frustrating. It was clear the writers assumed we would love Karen and be rooting for her, but they never made me want to root for Karen. If I don’t see her struggle, I can’t root for her. We saw so much of Ivy’s struggle, no matter how many times she was written poorly. It made it appear to me she wanted it more and deserved it. I hope they can improve the characters that seemed so well-written in the first episode.