"Previews" is the fourteenth episode of the American television series, ''
Smash''. The episode aired on May 7, 2012.
Plot
It is opening day of the previews, and there are many kinks to work out.
Ivy (
Megan Hilty
Megan Hilty (born March 29, 1981) is an American actress and singer. She rose to prominence for her roles in Broadway musicals, including her performance as Glinda in '' Wicked'', Doralee Rhodes in '' 9 to 5: The Musical'', and her Tony Award– ...
) wakes up next to Dev (
Raza Jaffrey
Raza Jaffrey (born May 28 1975) is a British actor who is known for his roles as Zafar Younis in the BBC One spy drama series '' Spooks'' (2004–2007) and Neal Hudson in the CBS medical drama '' Code Black'' (2015). He also had a recurring role ...
). After the first performance, Karen (
Katharine McPhee
Katharine Hope McPhee (born March 25, 1984) is an American actress and singer. In May 2006, she was the runner-up on the fifth season of ''American Idol.''
Her eponymous debut album was released on RCA Records in January 2007, and debuted at n ...
) introduces Dev to Ivy, and both pretend not to know each other. Dev and Karen make up, and Karen accepts Dev's re-proposal.
Michael Swift (
Will Chase
Frank William Chase (born September 12, 1970) is an American actor, director, and singer, best known for his work on Broadway and for his role as country superstar Luke Wheeler on ABC's ''Nashville''.
Early life and education
Chase was born i ...
) is back, and Julia (
Debra Messing
Debra Lynn Messing (born August 15, 1968) is an American actress. After graduating from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, Messing starred in the television series ''Ned and Stacey'' on Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox (1995–1997) an ...
) refuses to talk to Tom (
Christian Borle
Christian Dominique Borle (born October 1, 1973) is an American actor and singer. He is a two-time Tony Award winner for his roles as Black Stache in '' Peter and the Starcatcher'' and as William Shakespeare in '' Something Rotten!''. Borle als ...
)
for selling her out. When Michael tries to kiss Julia and gets rejected, Julia confronts Tom and comes to the realization that the two aren't really a team. Sam (
Leslie Odom, Jr.
Leslie Lloyd Odom Jr. (; born August 6, 1981) is an American actor, singer and songwriter. He made his acting debut on Broadway theatre, Broadway in 1998 and first gained recognition for his portrayal of Aaron Burr in the musical ''Hamilton (m ...
) takes Tom and the rest of the company to church. Julia and Tom finally make up after going to church.
At the end of the show, Marilyn dies, and no one claps. Tom, Julia, Derek (
Jack Davenport
Jack Arthur Davenport (born 1 March 1973) is an English actor. He is best known for his roles in the television series '' This Life'' and ''Coupling'', and as James Norrington in the ''Pirates of the Caribbean'' series. He has also appeared i ...
), and Eileen (
Anjelica Huston
Anjelica Huston ( ; born July 8, 1951) is an American actress, director and model. She is best known for playing Morticia Addams in the ''The Addams Family'' and '' The Addams Family Values'', as well as often portraying eccentric and distincti ...
) struggle to figure out a new ending that will end in applause. Rebecca (
Uma Thurman
Uma Karuna Thurman (born April 29, 1970) is an American actress. She has performed in a variety of films, from romantic comedies and dramas to science fiction and action films. Following her appearances on the December 1985 and May 1986 cover ...
) shares her worries about the lack of applause to Karen, and then has her throat close up due to an allergic reaction to peanuts in her smoothie. While Rebecca is in the hospital recovering, there's a chance for both Karen and Ivy to fill in as Marilyn, and for everyone else to speculate who poisoned Rebecca. After she recovers, Rebecca decides she's too scared to continue with the show.
Production
The show's songwriters
Marc Shaiman
Marc Shaiman ( ; born October 22, 1959) is an American composer and lyricist for films, television, and theatre, best known for his collaborations with lyricist and director Scott Wittman, actor Billy Crystal, and director Rob Reiner. Shaiman ha ...
and
Scott Wittman
Scott Wittman is an American director, lyricist, composer and writer for Broadway, concerts, and television.
Life and career
Wittman was raised in Nanuet, New York, graduated from Nanuet Senior High School in 1972 and attended Emerson College ...
made cameo appearances as the restaurant pianist who accompanies Eileen on "
September Song
"September Song" is an American standard popular song composed by Kurt Weill with lyrics by Maxwell Anderson. It was introduced by Walter Huston in the 1938 Broadway musical production '' Knickerbocker Holiday.'' The song has been recorded by n ...
" and a bar patron respectively.
Reception
Critical reception
''
The A.V. Club
''The A.V. Club'' is an online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was created in ...
'' gave the episode a B− rating, praising the episode's authentic depiction of an out-of-town preview, but ultimately commenting: "There’s no perspective here on anything, no sense that anyone involved in the show is trying to give us more than a cursory view of a world most of us are unfamiliar with, which makes you wonder, just what the hell the point of all this is."
Ratings
"Previews" was watched by 5.72 million viewers and received a 1.8 rating and a 5 share among adults 18-49.
References
{{Smash
Smash (TV series) episodes
2012 American television episodes