Watercooler: Smash Gets Its Groove Back

Ok, big hugs to you if you're still hanging in there with Smash. After a stellar pilot, a strong second episode and a weirdly uneven trip to a Midwest karaoke bar last week, NBC's splashy ratings-deterrent got back to being fabulous with the kick-off of rehearsals for Marilyn: The Musical last night. Tons of music, a not-hateful guest spot from one of them there Jonas Brothers, a hint about the falling-out between former buds Tom and Derek...really, the only thing missing was a good Eileen martini-toss and the violent, sudden and fatal run-in between a runaway taxi and awful Ellis that we are still praying for.

But the real high note was a much-needed emotional makeover for Katharine McPhee's Karen. As much as we love her for being a Broadway newbie with a heart of gold (and a voice of awesome), if she's gonna be able to go toe to toe with the extreme-featured Ivy Lynn, Miss Golden Sprout's gonna need a thicker skin and some New York-style sass. Which is exactly what she started to develop last night, thanks to her three new chorus-klatch besties and what is fast becoming the most overused Adele song. Plus, McPhee is just flat-out fantastic.

Our only wish is that more people knew this. With audiences fleeing the show faster than the crowd in a burning theatre, they're missing out on a star turn that deserves to be seen and heard.

Do you agree? Is Smash still must-see for you?

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