Arts: Smashtastrophe!

Now playing: Slate V, a video-only site from the world's leading online magazine. Visit Slate V at www.slatev.com.
Culturebox Smashtastrophe! A tribute to NBC's Broadway drama, the worst TV show I've ever loved. By Tara Ariano Posted Monday, May 14, 2012, at 11:42 AM ET When NBC rolled out its midseason shows earlier this year, the network had a lot to prove. Of the new fall series on which it had pinned its hopes, one was critically reviled (the sitcom Whitney), and the other was dead (the procedural Prime Suspect). But executives had Smash, a new show they thought could help rescue the network from shameful fourth place by taking viewers behind the scenes of the production of a fictional Broadway show; building on the success of Glee (since Smash would also feature lavish musical numbers); and attracting audiences on the track record of executive producer Steven Spielberg. NBC spent a reported $25 million on promotion for Smash—not just the usual billboards and magazine ads, but also a lavish 40-page program, which was printed on heavy cardstock and sent even to the likes of me, a laid-off TV writer. TV spots made Smash look expensive, with performers bathed in the same golden glow that enveloped the actors on another prestigious NBC drama, The West Wing. The early buzz was rapturous, with (for instance) Maureen Ryan of the Huffington Post calling it "an astute exploration of big-city aspirations and showbiz dreams from people who very clearly know their chosen topics intimately." But by last week, Ryan was tweeting about Smash with a markedly different tone: "So I figured out 1 goal of #Smash--introduce & fail to adequately service 2ndary/tertiary characters, then make people hate them. Done&done!" Ryan isn't wrong about Smash: It started ... To continue reading, click here. Join the Fray: our reader discussion forum What did you think of this article? POST A MESSAGE | READ MESSAGES Also In Slate Spitzer: How To Punish Jamie Dimon for JPMorgan Chase's $2 Billion Catastrophe Marriage Equality Is a Constitutional Right—Not a State Issue. It's Time To Start Acting Like It. Map: Which State Has the Highest Marriage Rate (After Nevada)?	Advertisement
Manage your newsletters subscription: Unsubscribe | Forward to a Friend | Advertising Information
Ideas on how to make something better? Send an e-mail to slatenewsletter@nl.slate.com. Copyright 2011 The Slate Group | Privacy Policy The Slate Group | c/o E-mail Customer Care | 1350 Connecticut Ave NW Suite 410 | Washington, D.C. 20036