Smash Season 2 Episode 7 Recap: "Musical Chairs" The Worst Show On Television Tops Itself
Smashocists were in for a real treat last night, as "Musical Chairs" episode 7 of Season 2 was chock full of terrible moments and a creamy side of self-awareness with regards to their imminent cancellation.
While no one has confirmed that Smash will be gone next year, things are looking bleak. NBC plans to move the ratings disaster to Saturday night, an orphanage where networks like to stash their secret shames, and even the show's writers appear to know the end is nigh.
A sampling of dialogue from last night's show that could easily be about Smash:
"It's not bad, it's just not you."
"We're going to pull the plug on the show."
"Did you know our show is 'meh'? The only thing they like is you."
"We did make it better. Better from terrible."
"I don't know what this show is anymore. I guess we didn't have enough time to fix it."
"I wish I could get out of the show. I really hate it."
"There's something better out there for me."
"Is the show going to close?" "One would think. Or hope, for all involved."
"Did you really just give up a Broadway show for us?" "I guess I did."
There is also a conversation between between Ivy and Terry about the equally terrible show within a show "Liasons" that points to the writers giving the viewers what they want: Namely, a Til Death style off the rails show that provides longtime viewers with the satisfaction of finally getting the worst show imaginable.
Ivy and Terry are finally being honest about their hatred of Liasons when they come up with the idea to intentionally make the show as godawful as humanly possible.
"If we're going down, we should go down in a blaze of glory," Ivy says.
The seeming promise of a Smash that has completely given up helped to counterbalance the fact that "Musical Chairs" dragged.
The show takes an hour to let us know that Karen is abandoning Bombshell for Hit List (which...duh) but Ivy does finally reclaim her rightful place as Marilyn.
A glimpse of just how bad the show might become was offered up in Liasons. Lyrics about "pitching tents", live farm animals, botched numbers, on-stage motorboating. I want to condense Liasons down and mainline it, it's so awfully good.
If the rest of the show continues on this arc, expect a whole lot of bats**t crazy, and many satisfied Smashocists.