No one saves face in director Steven Soderbergh's ghoulishly entertaining, opulently produced Behind the Candelabra (Sunday, 9/8c), HBO's grandest, gaudiest and most fascinating movie in quite a long while — probably since last year's Game Change, in which Julianne Moore's uncanny impersonation of Sarah Palin swept the awards the way Michael Douglas is likely to repeat with his equally astonishing transformation into the flamboyant but closeted "Mr. Showmanship" Liberace.
read more"Smash" is a musical drama that celebrates the beauty and heartbreak of the Broadway theater as it follows a cross-section of dreamers and schemers who all have one common desire - to be a "smash." The series centers on the process of creating a Broadway musical based on the life of Marilyn Monroe - written by the successful songwriting duo of Tom (Christian Borle) and Julia (Debra Messing). Julia recently began the process of adopting a child with her husband Frank (Brian d'Arcy James) of many years, but her focus is torn when she has the opportunity to write another Broadway hit. A rivalry soon forms for the lead role between a youthful, inexperienced Midwestern beauty Karen (Katharine McPhee) - who is trying to find fame in the big city against all odds - and stage veteran Ivy Bell (Megan Hilty), who's determined to leave the chorus line and finally get her big break. A tenacious producer, Eileen (Anjelica Huston), discovers the "Marilyn" project and jumps on board with a brilliant director, Derek (Jack Davenport) - whose talent is matched by his cunning and egocentric amorality. Jaime Cepero stars as Ellis, and Raza Jaffrey stars as Dev. watch
"Smash" is a musical drama that celebrates the beauty and heartbreak of the Broadway theater as it follows a cross-section of dreamers and schemers who all have one common desire - to be a "smash." The series centers on the process of creating a Broadway musical based on the life of Marilyn Monroe - written by the successful songwriting duo of Tom (Christian Borle) and Julia (Debra Messing). Julia recently began the process of adopting a child with her husband Frank (Brian d'Arcy James) of many years, but her focus is torn when she has the opportunity to write another Broadway hit. A rivalry soon forms for the lead role between a youthful, inexperienced Midwestern beauty Karen (Katharine McPhee) - who is trying to find fame in the big city against all odds - and stage veteran Ivy Bell (Megan Hilty), who's determined to leave the chorus line and finally get her big break. A tenacious producer, Eileen (Anjelica Huston), discovers the "Marilyn" project and jumps on board with a brilliant director, Derek (Jack Davenport) - whose talent is matched by his cunning and egocentric amorality. Jaime Cepero stars as Ellis, and Raza Jaffrey stars as Dev. watch