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EXCLUSIVE: Smash, which was just renewed for a second season, will return next fall without its creator/executive producer/showrunner Theresa Rebeck. I’ve learned that Rebeck is stepping down as showrunner of the musical drama after its maiden season. Details about her future involvement with Smash are still being worked out. Rebeck will keep her executive producer title and may write scripts but will not be involved in the day-to-day running of series, returning to her theater career. Word is NBC will bring in a new showrunner for Season 2. It is unclear how that would affect writing executive producer David Marshall Grant, who joined the series after the pilot.
Related: NBC’s ‘Smash’ Renewed For Second Season
While the pilot of Smash was universally praised, there have been some qualms about the creative direction of the series — chronicling the creation of a Marilyn Monroe Broadway musical — which became increasingly soapy. Additionally, Smash, which started off big and broad, sometimes meandered into niche territory by focusing too much on the insider Broadway stuff over the human drama of the two singers, played by Megan Hilty and Katharine McPhee, battling it out for the role of their career. Rebeck, a playwright in addition to being a screenwriter, will have a continuing presence on Smash — the female lead on the show, Julia (Debra Messing), half of a successful Broadway writing team, was based on her.
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God help anyone who tries to figure out from blog comments what fans want, because some want more show biz backstage drama, others like the glimpses into the players’ private lives. Then some think Rebeck is a wonder as a playwright but awful for tv, others the exact opposite. I give up, I agree the pilot was superb and the eps have been panting to catch up with it, but I still enjoy the show. By the way, the only similarity to Garson Kanin’s SMASH is the title and the story of a play going to Broadway. There are maybe 2-3 small similarities but otherwise nothing. I think they just bought the book rights so they could use the title.
God help anyone who tries to figure out from blog comments what fans want…
So true! The show is fine as is…give the writers room to create. And Messing and Dimaggio have hot chemistry…more please!
1. MacPhee is too bland, and too old.
2. Hilty is the one with the charisma.
3. MacPhee is a failed pop star.
4. The show’s color palette is really drab.
5. Most people aren’t interested in Broadway.
6. Show was massively over-hyped.
7. Most people don’t know who Debra Messing is (= it’s too ingrown).
That Girl as a Broadway soap opera. But to make it work they needed an Amy Adams type in the lead.
Broadway makes billions every year. Seriously. Wicked alone has made close to a billion dollars. It’s the best kept money making secret on the planet. People love Broadway. The show doesn’t need re-casting or re-invention just better writing from the staff. Great TV writing is not the same as writing for the theatre. It’s just not. Hire stronger writers.
“That Bruno Mars thing at La Mama” remains the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. I think this could be an excellent move for the series. I’ve never found Rebeck’s characters (in this, in plays, any time she has had to create original characters from the ground up) to be particularly likeable people once you get to know them, and I believe her exit will open the door for someone else to steer the show into the hit that it could be.
Hee, I’d rather see another of L&O: CI’s hooty takes on B’way than any more minutes of SMASH.
TV shows need time to develop, In reality all these comments are bullshit and you guys are morons! You are complaining about episode 6 and want to see your notes implemented in episode 7. These scripts were written in the summer of 2011 and filmed in the winter of 2012. I have it on good authority that Rebeck listened to the viewers’ feedback and addressed their criticism in episode 10-15. But you viewers do not have patiences!!! Furthermore to the person who made the cat woman joke- Theresa Rebeck also wrote Seminar which will will the Tony this year, she has written for LA Law and NYPD Blue, she is an amazing writer. I believe that NBC has been the biggest problem with the show, this is the network that destroyed shows like Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, greenlit shows like Whitney and insulted the audience intelligence with shows like the biggest loser and amercia’s got talent. I am sad to see Thersea Rebeck depart the medium of network television, she was a refreshing voice in water down network television. I guess I will go back to watching shows on cable, where the networks trust the show runner and allow shows to find their voice! And the viewers are not Whitney children
I love SMASH and I’m happy to hear about the renewal.
Agreed, there is some meandering and questionable writing. The adoption storyline was totally stupid and somehow the character of Leo doesn’t work. I also had a hard time believing that Julia wouldn’t be more discreet. Kissing loverboy on the street in front of her house? Give me a break. How did she ever manage to have an affair and not get caught? Julia’s nondescript hubby knew all along and is fine with it, it’s part of her creative process and he’s her biggest fan. She needs the tension, the perceived torture. It’s their thing. As long as they don’t make their understanding official and ruin the game, they’re fine.
OTOH, I hate the suggested focus on a catfight between the hard-working, talented and tortured Ivy and hyprocrite Karen. Hate it. I don’t care one bit about what happens to Karen and hoped she would meet Mr. Producer and leave the show. She lives with her meal-ticket, so no worries. Plus, this catfight would be soapy. Ivy has enough to deal with as is, no Karen needed.
There are a lot of other fun and interesting things to explore while they fight to get the show produced. I love Huston’s character and her struggle with powerful Jerry, time to toss another drink in his face. I’d love to see a lot more about her. Sure Jerry will get nasty once he learns about Mr. 7-Dollar-Martini Guy, but she knows that and has some tricks up her sleeve. Jonas’ guest stint worked very well. Would love to see him get involved, his char was so cool.
Hopefully the new show runner will make them a bunch of alcoholics like the actual broadway. They also should introduce a failed film star looking for a career reboot character. Broadway is lousy with those people.
America doesn’t care about Broadway. Period. This show has no shot. Next.
I don’t agree with this. The audience doesn’t need to care about Broadway. We need to care about the a characters, who care about it. This is where Hollywood literalists often get it wring. Some execs decide that it is the subject matter at fault and so declare that that subject never works, until someone comes along to prove that the problem was that the show as bad. Any subject can work if handled well. They used to say, “No shows about show biz, America doesn’t care about show biz,” and then 30 Rock got it right, ad Entourage. Do audiences care about glee clubs, about paper companies? Create great characters, have great actors and production styling, and keep the writing great, and the audience will care.
As much as I hate the Julia/Michael affair subplot, I don’t want it to end quite yet. I want to see of those characters suffer much more for what they’ve done. Both of their slides need to find out and divorce their sorry butts. For Julia, this the second time she’s cheated on her husband. He needs to deck his “friend” Michael and tell his sorry wife to hit the road. Then it can be over.
Julia’s husband has known all along that she has been cheatin on him and is okay with it because it helps her to more creative. Sorry, but that completely ridiculous. He may suspect something, especially after the way Michael and Julia were acting at the workshop. But I think he will find out and hopefully, they will have him make Julia’s and Michael’s lives a living hell. A distraught son will be the least of Julia’s problems. And then have Michael’s wife dump that scumbag and maybe the court will let him see his son every other weekend.
Love SMASH! Love Debra Messing and Anjelica. Love Megan Hilty (Go Ivy!) Love the insider Broadway stuff, and the NYC locations. Love the chorus kids. Can’t stand McPhee. She’s an awful actor, and her scenes are all flat. I just don’t buy the idea that she could be a real threat to Hilty.
I didn’t mind the affair, but the rest of the Julia family subplots leave me cold. Don’t like the husband or the teenage son.
Sorry to see Rebeck leave.
This and Madmen are the only shows I watch as soon as they air.
Attention all nay-sayers and script re-writers!
Create your own damn TV show!
Let me put it into perspective for you;
Teresa wrote and created a show. In fact, MANY shows. And you? What have you done?
I think….
You gave your (stupid) opinions.
I love everything about the show! Whitney and Smash…both the BEST new shows right now! I do hope that Julia and Michael end up together though..they have Chemistry like crazy! Her son needs to grow up and realize he wants his mom to be happy. And then they could make the husband find someone else too. I am so glad Angelica is with a younger man (who use to be on AMC soap)…I love when older sexy women are with younger men..it is about time! I think both Julia and Houston are Sexy older women! I love the Talent on the show..amazing. Karen and her boyfriend have no chemistry..she has chemistry with Ivy’s boyfriend I think..though he is a jerk at times! Uma, I love ya..but you need to not be on this show for long. Love the Gay love story…no narrow mindedness there. I like the Marylin story..wonder what their next Play will be about. Keep this show on the air for a LONG time because I’m sick of all the Detective/police and Blood on T.V. these days. Long live Smash!
Sad about Rebeck though…hopefully she will be behind the scenes anyway..she is good.
Sorry, Raza Jeffrey is AMAZING (Karen’s boyfriend). The show isn’t worthy of him. Check him out on “Mistresses”. The problem here is that their relationship was just plopped down without any background and no development for too long. It’s the obvious problem with this show-they have all this high calibre talent on screen and haven’t figured out what to do with them from week to week.They are fumbling. I think that every time i see Debra messing – so much wasted potential – Messing has so much more range than they write for her. She can be sexy, funny, sarcastic, dramatic but we just get weepy and bitter scene after scene.