SMASH Recap: “The Coup” (Episode 8, Season 1)

I know I cannot be the only one frustrated by this new show, right? I love musicals, I love shows about music and I really like some of the actors in this show; but combine them all together with what seems to be an every burgeoning clueless group of writers and you get this episode; or more to the point, you get this entire series (so far) EXCEPT for the pilot.

The stories contained within “The Coup” were at best disjointed and superficial; the behaviors of nearly every character – except for the newly introduced Katie (guest star Grace Gummer), the daughter of producer Eileen and her duplicitous soon-to-be-ex-husband Jerry – were questionable at best and what did nearly any of the stories have to do with the THEME of the show?

It’s the aftermath of the Workshop with the cast waiting patiently, or in Ivy’s case impatiently, for word on what will happen next; even the composers (Julia and Tom) are left in limbo by director Derek and producer Eileen because no one is calling each other. Instead, our daring duo of Derek and Eileen decide to have a new song composed by someone other than the team of Tom and Julia, arrange for Karen to go behind the team’s back to learn the song and then ambush the team (and a spying Ellis and Ivy) with a more modern, contemporary take on a possible alternative version of Marilyn the Musical that is nothing short of disturbing.

Meanwhile, there are side stories focusing on the annoying Leo issue with his court date (what was the purpose of this story anyway?) and then there is Ivy being distracted by her friends from the ensemble – well meaning or not – by going bowling then singing and dancing in the aisles of the bowling alley, which would have easily gotten them thrown out of any other establishment, but I guess in NYC you can do all that dancing around without the owner(s) flipping out. And then there was Frank trying to cheer Julia up by singing to her and then Julia meeting with Michael at a nearby park; they both, FINALLY, are acting like grown-ups, realizing that their affair was wrong and that they need to stop – oh, and that Michael knows he was fired and if he hadn’t been fired, he would’ve quit – because his family means everything to him and vice versa for Julia. Oh, and don’t even get me started on the whole Dev-Denby rivalry at the mayor’s office, which just seems to be a complete and utter waste of time because it has NOTHING to do with the themes of the show except to give the actor’s scenes in the episode!

And, then there is Ellis sticking his nose in virtually everywhere, thinking that he has any say in anything; making disparaging remarks about Tom and Ivy; trying to worm his way into Eileen’s world (and her seemingly to accept him, no questions asked) and just making a pure nuisance of himself to everyone – yet Julia is the ONLY one who speaks up against him or shows any kind of real irritation with him. What gives?

Needless to say, this episode was a waste of an hour of programming, a waste of an hour that the few of us who are still watching this show on a weekly basis will never be able to get back. And, it was a needless filler of space in an otherwise lackluster and disappointing debut season. What happened to this show in just a little over a dozen episodes? It started out with such promise, shining a light on what goes on behind the scenes of creating a potential Broadway show; but now it’s nothing more than a flimsy soap opera wanna-be with characters for which I think the viewers are getting tired of and simply have stopped caring about. Get back on track Smash; focus on the musical, the dancing, the singing and what it takes to make a musical happen. Even with the recent pick-up for a second season, Smash needs to be revitalized in the worst way. PLEASE bring in a new team of writers and get back on track to what the pilot promised.

“The Coup” is the 8th episode of the new series Smash on NBC. The next new episode of Smash will air Monday, April 2 at 10/9c.

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