# Smash -- "Glee for grownups" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 6, 2012, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smash-glee-for-grownups/611974 "2012-02-06T13:48:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![67java89](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/aeb1de/32.png) [@67java89](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/67java89)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2012, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smash-glee-for-grownups/611974/81 "2012-02-23T03:03:49Z")
Why would they have a baby shower in a smoke filled karaoke bar? ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2012, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smash-glee-for-grownups/611974/82 "2012-02-23T03:32:09Z")
> [@67java89](#): > > Why would they have a baby shower in a smoke filled karaoke bar? That’s a good question. I’m not knocking Iowa (I don’t recall ever having gone there in fact) or Iowans (I’m sure I’ve known some but can’t recall them at the moment), but I love how Iowa is almost a mystical place on TV. Everybody there lives in a big old sturdy house, the parents are well groomed and in shape but dress sensibly and plainly, and while they might be (and probably are) wholesome to the point of squaresville goll dange if they aren’t every one salt-o-the-Earth in their family values and their common sense. (There was a time that some could be so by God stubborn they could stand touchin’ noses for a week at a time and they’d never see eye to eye, but that was a long time ago.) Nebraska is similar, almost a TV Shangri-La you wonder why people would ever leave OTHER than to be show biz stars. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2012, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smash-glee-for-grownups/611974/83 "2012-02-23T03:55:51Z")
> [@Interrobang](#): > > …godDAMN is Katherine McPhee a purty lady. Yes, McPheever is hot. > [@DMark](#): > > Did anyone under the age of 50 watch this show through to the end? Under 40, and not really a Broadway fan, I decided to give McPheever and Debra Messing’s little show a shot. The characterization of it as “Glee for grownups” worried me, but I eventually watched the pilot after the second episode aired. I’m not sick of it yet, and I can’t reasonably take out bets on when I will be, but past experience tells me 5 episodes is a good over-under. I think the nits have been well and truly picked in this thread. > [@Eve](#): > > Anjelica Huston attends closing night of \*The Addams Family \*and beats the crap out of the entire cast! This should happen. > [@](#): > > Songwriting Partner and Evil Director roles are taken over by Eric McCormack and Sean Hayes, because, really, why not at this point? Respectively, just to make them play against type? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2012, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smash-glee-for-grownups/611974/84 "2012-02-23T13:43:04Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > I thought the “Mr. and Mrs.” number was a bit lame. Half way through that number I turned to my wife and said “and at this point, everyone in the audience has fallen asleep”. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Controvert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@The\_Controvert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Controvert)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smash-glee-for-grownups/611974/85 "2012-02-26T22:52:03Z")
It’s Glee for grownups, because grownups throw martinis, not slushies. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2012, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smash-glee-for-grownups/611974/86 "2012-02-27T00:01:51Z")
> [@The\_Controvert](#): > > It’s Glee for grownups, because grownups throw martinis, not slushies. Hee! Hadn’t even thought of that. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smash-glee-for-grownups/611974/87 "2012-02-28T14:14:11Z")
[Ken Tucker of _Entertainment Weekly_](http://bit.ly/zImVLl) on why “Smash” isn’t a smash. Gotta say, the kids of the chorus – _ensemble_ – taking Karen to their hearts after one two-minute conversation seemed a bit convenient. Like his take on why the weasely assistant isn’t gay. ---
**Author:** ![randwill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smash-glee-for-grownups/611974/88 "2012-02-28T14:44:40Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > [URL=“[http://bit.ly/zImVLl](http://bit.ly/zImVLl)”] > Gotta say, the kids of the chorus – _ensemble_ – taking Karen to their hearts after one two-minute conversation seemed a bit convenient. This week they really strayed into “Glee” fantasy world style with the ensemble being so suddenly eager to help Karen and the number performed at the party. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smash-glee-for-grownups/611974/89 "2012-02-28T14:50:54Z")
I am enjoying it–it’s silly and soapy and the music isn’t terrific, but there is enough good to keep me happy. Loved Karen’s new chorine pals, Tom’s new boyfriend (is Tom the composer?)–“yay, Mom!”–and the bitchy Ivy/Karen hate. I hope it at least makes it through a whole season. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smash-glee-for-grownups/611974/90 "2012-02-28T18:46:51Z")
It’s definitely not as good as it could be, and frankly not as good as I thought it would be after watching the pilot, but I continue to enjoy it. I wish there was a bit more nuts-and-bolts of the kind of stuff that really goes on in the production of a broadway musical, but I can see how that might not really be commercial. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smash-glee-for-grownups/611974/91 "2012-02-28T20:20:13Z")
I saw that part of the pilot twice where the assistant said “You should make a musical about Marilyn” and I seem to recall the composers saying they actually had talked about it before, maybe even worked on a song at one point, but they didn’t think it would work. And then they started talking about her current popularity and brainstorming. In my mind that’s not really a “it was his idea” moment. ---
**Author:** ![Karen\_Lingel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karen_lingel/32/18649_2.png) [@Karen\_Lingel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Karen_Lingel)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smash-glee-for-grownups/611974/92 "2012-02-28T22:02:24Z")
Yep, I’m done watching. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2012, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smash-glee-for-grownups/611974/93 "2012-02-29T07:43:19Z")
I’ve totally lost interest in this show, and have un-Tivo’d it. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2012, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smash-glee-for-grownups/611974/94 "2012-02-29T17:10:27Z")
Thirded. Ratings are down 40% from the opener, although they stabilized this week. NBC spent too much on promotion and has nothing to replace it with, so it’ll last the season. I’ll be very surprised if it gets renewed. Remember, this was supposed to be the series that NBC built its comeback around. They can’t have it dragging down Monday night in third place week after week and claim victory. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2012, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smash-glee-for-grownups/611974/95 "2012-03-06T16:41:29Z")
Anyone else still watching? If so, could you explain the significance of Karen getting the DC rival’s name? Didn’t the BF already know – or be able to find out from the NYT reporter who’s hitting on him – what his name was? And what does he need the name for anyway? ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2012, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smash-glee-for-grownups/611974/96 "2012-03-06T16:48:49Z")
Still watching, and I didn’t get that either. Unless it’s so she can ask RJ to dig up some dirt on him to help Dev bypass him, although that has ‘backfire’ written all over it. And the contrivance of having her sit at the periphery table while Dev sat next to RJ was stupid. I find I’m hating more of the characters as the weeks go on- Ellis is slimy, Ivy is acting like an entitled c\*nt, and now Mickey Mantle is a horndog that won’t take ‘no’ for an answer. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2012, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smash-glee-for-grownups/611974/97 "2012-03-06T16:53:50Z")
Joe DiMaggio? ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2012, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smash-glee-for-grownups/611974/98 "2012-03-06T16:59:19Z")
I think the point was that Dev (through RJ) knew that there was someone else who might get the job, but neither of them knew who it was… now he will be able to play office politics better. There are still parts of this show I really really enjoy, and parts that are utterly groanworthy. I certainly haven’t given up yet… but I’m getting sick of thinking to myself “ok, now if this were a predictable and trite show, the camera would pan up and we’d see that her son can see them kissing out of his bedroom window… but surely they wouldn’t go there. Oh for the love of…!!!” ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2012, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smash-glee-for-grownups/611974/99 "2012-03-06T17:08:35Z")
I am enjoying it, still, despite the anvilicious cheesiness. But I wanted to rip Piano Man’s head off–whatever his name is–when he kept doing that annoying “I am going to sing whatever the teenager says” routine. That was obnoxious when Oscar Levant and Donald O’Connor and Danny Kaye did it 60 years ago, and it is not any less annoying now. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2012, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smash-glee-for-grownups/611974/100 "2012-03-06T17:49:17Z")
I’m on the verge of giving up on _Smash_. They’re just a bunch of awful, petty people that I would hate to be around in real life. Karen is the only really sympathetic one, but I wish she wasn’t such a doormat. Director = womanizing egomaniac Ivy = conniving b\*tch the Ensemble = mean girls the boyfriend = self-centered Male writer = pretentious primadonna Male writer’s assistant = sneaky little weasel Female writer = wishy washy, paranoid, cheater Producer = flighty, bitter, is she this show’s poor attempt at levity? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smash-glee-for-grownups/611974.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smash-glee-for-grownups/611974.md?page=6)