4.28.2013

Television: Smash, "The Producers"

The PR machine is at work with Ivy being featured in some kind of television/video segment highlighting Broadway taking young students for "master classes." And Anna and Karen are part of a photo shoot . . . But Jimmy is a no-show.

Meanwhile, Tom tells Julia to ditch Scott so they can do Gatsby as a musical. Yeah, right. Can Julia risk thwarting Scott a second time after only just reviving their friendship (and possibly a relationship)? Actually . . . yes. I have to say, though, these attempts to lay on the dramatic tension haven't really been all that rewarding. It would be one thing if there were any question about who was right or wrong, but in this case Tom is just being an asshole.

And speaking of assholes: Jimmy.

To prevent further disasters, Derek casts Sam as Jimmy's understudy and threatens Jimmy with replacement if things don't start running more smoothly, starting with the big night: a houseful of producers are coming to consider Hit List for a possible move to Broadway.

Bombshell is in PR overdrive because the tickets haven't been selling all that well. One stunt will be Ivy moderating a Q&A between Julia and Tom. Gee, that's going to go well. (And it does. Not. As Tom uses the Q&A as venue for announcing he and Julia are no longer working together.)

Oh, and though Kyle has a boyfriend, he's cheated with Tom. Thrice. Um . . . Since Jimmy brings this up repeatedly, we know he's going to be an ultra jerk later and spill this to Kyle's boyfriend at some point in the episode. (And yes, he does.)

Jimmy screws up some choreography during the show for the producers. It's supposedly nothing the audience would notice, but Derek does, and at one point Karen ends up bruised when Jimmy is supposed to catch her but doesn't. Oops. That seals the deal; Jimmy is out.

And Eileen's little tramp PR woman begins putting nasty bugs in the ears of producers considering Hit List for Broadway. After all, if Hit List moves uptown, Bombshell will have competition.

By the end: Julia and Tom are parted, Ivy is not answering Derek's calls, Jimmy is out of the show and now back to living with his drug-dealing brother, Kyle's boyfriend has walked away upon news of the cheat, and Hit List has no takers for Broadway. Karen lets Derek walk her home. And Kyle gets hit by a car. Whee?

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