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Now that the Super Bowl is over, it's time to start talking about what's next on the television radar. Theater geeks and music fans are buzzing over NBC's latest musical drama, "Smash," which makes its official debut on network television tonight. But what makes this Broadway-based music series different from its predecessors "Glee" and "High School Musical?"
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Unlike Fox's music-themed hit, "Smash" delves into the struggles and competitive energy of the theater world. The plot centers on a Marilyn Monroe tribute musical, with rivaling singers Karen (Katharine McPhee) and Ivy (Megan Hilty) pitted against each other for the lead role.
"This is a drama about musicals," wrote The Globe and Mail. "About grown-ups addicted to the thrill of the stage, the joy and abandon of a well-executed musical number."
Fox's "Glee" focuses on a younger teenage audience, taking songs that are already made famous and making new "Glee" renditions of them. The soundtrack for "Smash" is written originally by "Hairspray" writers Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, with some occasional references to pop culture hits.
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But how successful will the new drama be? With the NBC's tidal wave of advertising, the show is sure to score some significant ratings. The network has spent as much as $25 million in billboards, print ads, taxicab spots and other forms of advertisement, according to The New York Times. But as for the quality of the content, it might have some ways to go.
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"The writers are going to need to work harder as the show rolls along to make the musical numbers seems as if they belong," wrote The New York Times.
For any fan of all-star casts (with big shots such as Angelica Houston and Steven Spielberg on board as an executive producer) and catchy show tunes, "Smash" is worth a watch. The series will air on Monday nights at 10 pm. Eastern and Pacific times, 9 p.m. Central.
Check out the commercial for "Smash" that aired during the Super Bowl last night:
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