“The Phenomenon”
#SmashBash 2×14
I am a RentHead through and through. So this episode MAY have caused me to slip into a rage induced coma. I took this shit PERSONALLY. Let’s get right to it, shall we?
I count three bottles of beer and 2 bottles of wine between Karen and Derek. Yikes!
“Do you really want to do this?” SOMEONE JUST DO SOMETHING PLEASE. Karen hestitates cause she’s Karen, but then appears to go for it FINALLY.
Guys…I’m seeing two Brooklyn Jimmys. And it’s terrifying.
Brooklyn Jimmy singing to his strung out self. In Brooklyn Jimmy’s defense, whenever I am upset about something, I imagine myself singing to me too.
I love that Brooklyn Jimmy went to Karen’s apartment and climbed up the fire escape Joey Potter style. Seriously…just use the DOOR like a normal person.
“I was a total ass, I ruined everything.”
“If I pull this play I lose my job.” Scott is a TERRIBLE artistic director, you guys.
Imitation of Life, Harold and Maude, Roadhouse. What ARE these Original Musicals?
So we’re in a universe with all these ridiculous original shows, yet the current revivals of Pippin and The Mystery of Edwin Drood exist. Okay.
Oh, Tom, I love you think you could compete with Diane Paulus’ work in Pippin.
Bright Light in a Bad Show. Are they really playing at Ivy getting two nominations? (Also that philosophy DOES apply. See also Carolee Carmello getting a Best Actress nomination for Scandalous.)
“We stopped ourselves.” In other words, Karen is the world’s biggest tease.
“He’s gone” And here comes all my rage about how Smash is raping the story of Jonathan Larson…
“She can’t just die, you want to know she mattered.” I love how they are retconning that Kyle was some sort of genius. Wasn’t it like 5 episodes ago where they painted him as a completely incompetent book writer?
I CANT ABIDE BY JESSE L. MARTIN AND DAPHNE RUBIN-VEGA BEING A PART OF THIS STORY. Seriously. Two original cast members of Rent who LIVED this story. You have gone too far, Smash.
“Kyle can go screw himself.” Once again, Brooklyn Jimmy brings nothing but class to these proceedings as he fails to notice that everyone in the room is clearly devastated by something.
All the Angel lighting around Kyle in these flashbacks. Because he was a genius and affected everyone’s lives, okay?
Tom singing “Vienna”
Tom ending the partnership FOR Julia. I mean, you could have just said that to her before serving her with papers, Tom.
“Should I duck?” Are we FINALLY going to get the Eileen Rand Martini Throw ™?
Yes! FINALLY. Though it makes me sad that perfectly good booze is wasted.
THE SHOW IS GOING ON. JUST LIKE RENT.
“Maybe we should go on tonight. Maybe it’s what everybody needs.”
“I think I am feeling a tickle in my throat.” Ivy, come on. You are better than this. Also…if you want that Tony so bad, maybe you shouldn’t just randomly call out.
Much like the first performance of Rent after Larson died, they are planning on doing just a concert version of Hit List that night.
“Why would I EVER let you help me?” Seriously, I wish Brooklyn Jimmy would just jump into the river.
“Is this about Derek?”
“I’m in love with you. I shouldn’t be but I am. I love you.”
When Rent did their first performance after Larson passed, it famously started as a concert and then when they got to “La Vie Boheme” the cast got up and started dancing. So it is no surprise that the same thing happens with Hit List turning into a full performance because they are SO overwhelmed with the need to sing these crappy pop songs.
“We’re a phenomenon.” No, really, what did Jesse think when he got this script??
“Sometimes I feel like you think I am in the way…” Oh, Kyle-ponine. The rain can’t hurt you now.
“I slept on the couch because of you.” Actually, Derek, you slept on the couch cause Karen is a big old tease.
“It’s not Karen, it’s you. You’ll always have a Karen.” Ivy FTW. Even though I do love Derek and Ivy together, she deserves way better.
Well…that was cathartic. Luckily I have 2 weeks to let my rage settle as Sage will be gif-capping next week’s episode “The Transfer” where Hit List comes to Broadway’s Nederlander theatre and people camp outside for hours to get the $20 rush tickets for the front row…
Well, that’s how it was with Rent anyway.
I’m glad I wasn’t the only one who got the rage over this one.
I would imagine anyone with intimate knowledge of the theatre community was filled with rage. -K