Talkin Smash!

Title: Episode 1.06 -ChemistryUpdate: In keeping with our professional standards, this page now has audio for the correct episode.

Episode 6: Chemistry We talk about Prednisone, the stigma of medication vs the celebration of alcohol, being chronically ill & disabled, our growing affection for Ellis, smooth underarms, wearing a woman down is not consent, watching problematic media, pectoral cleavage, and Julia’s pajama top.

Scarf count: 5

ChemistryOriginally aired March 12, 2012Directed by Dan AttiasWritten by Jacquelyn Reingold

NBC.com synopsis:Ivy faces major vocal issues, while Julia struggles to avoid Michael. Meanwhile, Karen books a side gig at a bar mitzvah.

Pop Culture References:The Wire, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, LaDuca, Glee, Gilmore Girls, Alexis Bledel, the Emmys, Marilyn Monroe, Elton John, Donny Hathaway, Leon Russell, Duck Hunt, The Magicians, Carnegie Mellon University, Inherit the Wind, Gamergate, Revenge of the Nerds, Crazy Stupid Love, Dan Fogelman, This is Us, Steve Carrell, Julianne Moore, Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling, Tarana Burke, #MeToo, Alyssa Milano, Rick Grimes, Keira Knightley, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Mickey Rooney, Nashville, Mykelti Williamson, Dollhouse, Joss Whedon, Buffy, Angel, Eliza Dushku, Jed Whedon, Maurissa Tancharoen, The Grudge, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Will Chase, Ben Affleck’s tattoo, The Moth, Bette Davis, Jean Harlow, Revenge of the Nerds, Soul Man, C. Thomas Howell, Hilary Swank, Boys Don’t Cry, Confederate, #NoConfederate, D.B. Weiss & David Benioff,

Your Princess is in Another Castle by Arthur Chu https://tinyurl.com/yazd28mz

The BRCA1 story by Dr. Mary-Claire King https://themoth.org/storytellers/mary-claire-king

Smashlash:Hillary Busis (Entertainment Weekly): https://tinyurl.com/y7u3vj7xNoel Murray (AV Club):https://tinyurl.com/y947cxdkAlan Sepinwall (Uproxx):https://uproxx.com/sepinwall/smash-chemistry-roid-rage/

Least Problematic Male of the Week:Frank – Brian d’Arcy James@briandarcyjames

Under 5 of the Week:Zach – Hale Ackleman @hale_appleman

What Would Tarana Burke Say?“There’s a power in empathy”.@TaranaBurkehttp://m.startribune.com/tarana-burke-founder-of-me-too-movement-speaks-at-u-about-the-power-of-empathy/474354883/

Musical numbers:Who You Are by Jessie JShake it Off by Florence & the MachineHistory is Made at Night by Marc Shaiman & Scott Wittman

Smash was created by Theresa Rebeck

Tina is @nice_white_ladyRuth is @yellow_fairy19

We are @talkinsmashwww.talkinsmash.com

Title: Episode 1.05 – Let’s Be Bad

Episode 5: Let’s Be Bad

We talk about the mounting pressure on the female characters in the show, the sheer excellence of Megan Hilty, Mason and his vaporizer, and how the Baby-Sitters Club taught Tina the Art of War. We also use Clarkisha Kent’s The Kent Test on RJ.

Scarf Count: 3

First Aired: March 5, 2012

Directed by Jamie Babbitt

Written by Julie Rottenberg & Elisa Zuritsky

Pop Culture References:

But I’m a Cheerleader, Natasha Lyonne, Clea Duvall, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, My Week with Marilyn, Michelle Williams, James McAvoy, Eddie Redmayne, Singin’ in the Rain, Cyd Charise, Some Like it Hot, Billy Wilder, Katherine McPhee, Leslie Odom, Jr., Will Chase, Sex & the City, the Divinyls, Elton John, The Baby-Sitters Club, Ann M. Martin, Arthur Ashe, 30 Rock, Tina Fey, The West Wing, Sun Tzu

The Lazy Trope of the Unethical Female Journalist by Sophie Gilbert https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2018/08/sharp-objects-female-journalists-in-culture/567898/

RJ’s Kent Test Score: 4

The Kent Test by Clarkisha Kent https://s3.amazonaws.com/equalityforher/HR_The+Kent+Test.pdf

#TheKentTest

Follow Ms. Kent @IWriteAllDay_

Follow Tala Ashe (R.J.) @talaashe

Smashlash

https://tv.avclub.com/smash-let-s-be-bad-1798171842

https://ew.com/recap/smash-season-1-episode-5/

Least Problematic Male of the Week:

John the Lawyer aka Tom’s Unappreciated Date (Neal Bledsoe)

Under 5 of the Week:

The Cop (Maggie Bofill)

Smash was created by Theresa Rebeck

Tina is @nice_white_lady

Ruth is @yellow_fairy19

We are @talkinsmash

www.talkinsmash.com

Title: Episode 1.04 – The Cost of Art

 

Aired February 27, 2012

Directed by Michael Morris

Written by David Marshall Grant

Forget Enter Mr.DiMaggio, Enter Ensemble Member Bobby!  Wesley Taylor has arrived, and Leslie Odom Jr. too. We discuss scarves, shawls and other knitwear, how to care for your Degas, which Jonas Brother is which, forgettable songs, and Derek’s questionable belief in his power to seduce investors.  No All About Eve this week but Ruth does manage to bring up Parks and Recreation again.

Scarf vs. Shawl: https://madebyhand.blog/blog/post/the-difference-between-scarves-cowls-snoods-and-shawls/

Sue’s Kent Test score:4

Kent Test: https://equalityforher.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/HR_The-Kent-Test.pdf

Smash-Lash:

https://tv.avclub.com/smash-the-cost-of-art-1798171730

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/maggie-furlong/smash-review-episode-4_b_1295138.html

https://tvline.com/2012/02/27/smash-recap-season-1-episode-4-cost-of-art/

Scarf Watch: Ruth-7.5, Tina-9

Least Problematic Man of the Week: Tom

Under-5 of the Week: Cater Waitress at the party!  

Pop culture references: Center Stage, Center Stage 2, Donna Murphy, Parks and Recreation, The West Wing, Helen Slayton-Hughes, Submission Only (web series), The Cutting Edge, It Could Be Worse (tv series), the Got Milk? commercials

Follow us on Twitter!

@talkingsmash

Episode 1.03 Enter Mr. DiMaggio!

Aired 2/20/12

Directed by Michael Mayer

Written by Theresa Rebeck

We discuss Derek’s racism, Jerry’s sexism, Dev’s classism, gender-neutral job titles, the arrival of Will Chase as Michael Swift, the trope of infidelity in screen marriages, Karen’s Iowa friends, Ellis has friends?, bi erasure, queer coded villains, Clarkisha Kent’s The Kent Test (https://s3.amazonaws.com/equalityforher/HR_The+Kent+Test.pdf), and in the Smash Science Corner Ruth breaks down the genetic improbability of Dylan & Becky Ann Baker making aKatharine McPhee.

Scarf Watch: Ruth-9, Tina-6

Least Problematic Man of the Week: Karen’s Dad

Cyn’s Kent Test Score: 4

Smashlash: https://www.google.com/amp/s/tv.avclub.com/smash-enter-mr-dimaggio-1798171639/amp

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-news/smash-recap-meet-joe-dimaggio-87508/amp/

Pop culture references: Fortnite, American Idol, Michael Shur, Parks & Rec, All About Eve, The Celluloid Closet, Nashville, Anne of Green Gables, A Little Princess, Gone Girl, Kate Winslet, Meryl Streep, Audra McDonald, Wicked, Rent, Jeremy Whitley, Princeless, Raven the Pirate Princess, The Seven Year Itch

Follow us on Twitter!

@talkingsmash

Watch Smash on NBC.com

Episode 1.02 The Callback!

Directed by Michael Mayer

Written by Theresa Rebeck

We discuss token minorities, how Smash presents and/or misrepresents sexual harassment, who is the antagonist of the show?, Frank’s vegetable chopping, the Leo problem, Derek and Eileen’s work relationship, Theresa Rebeck’s adoption, and p-orbital’s in Ruth’s science corner.

Trigger Warning: Sexual harassment

Pop Culture references

Blondie, Playboy Club (tv show), Tony Awards ceremony, Laura Benanti, Pan Am (tv show), Mad Men, Glee, Christina Ricci, Margot Robbie, & Guildenstern, Every Little Step, A Chorus Line, West Side Story, All About Eve, Bette Davis, Thelma Ritter, Soapdish, Kevin Kline, Sardi’s, Jordan Roth, Empire, Anna Wintour, Harvey Weinstein, Meryl Streep, The Devil Wears Prada, Damages, Blackberry, Parks & Rec, Galentine’s Day, Rashida Jones, Jurassic World, Marvel, My Fair Lady, Pocahontas, Disney, Sister Act 2,Dead Poets Society, Carrie Underwood, Martina McBride, Loretta Lynn, American Idol, Taylor Hicks, Waitress (Broadway musical & movie), Marie Antoinette, Dreamgirls, Beyoncé, Jennifer Hudson, Sex & the City, Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets, Sarah Paulson, Patricia Fields, Scandal, Kerry Washington, Tina Fey, 30 Rock, Real Housewives

Musical Numbers:

Call Me

20th Century Fox Mambo

Crazy Dreams

Smashlash:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/tv.avclub.com/smash-the-callback-1798171536/amp

Watch Smash at nbc.com or the app.

Episode 1.01 – PILOT!http://media.blubrry.com/talkin_smash/talkinsmash.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/smash1.01.mp3Ruth & Tina discuss the look of Smash, the contrast between the show’s dueling divas, the importance of scarves, Ellis is Eve Harrington, baseball movies, Karen Cartwright is a whiny baby, the fun of shows within shows, the long path to Broadway, being an asshole doesn’t make you an artistic genius, casting couches, accentuating your breasts, the difference between U.S. and U.K. acting, what Smash gets right & wrong about the audition process, being creepy-charming vs creepy-creepy, vs charming-creepy, Derek Wills is a sexual predator, and whether Karen Cartwright works as a character.The Smash pilot was directed by Michael Mayer and written by Theresa Rebeck.
Original music by Marc Shaiman & Scott WittmanTrigger Warning/Content Note: Sexual HarassmentPop culture references:
Katharine McPhee, American Idol, Christian Borle, Eve Harrington, All About Eve, Marilyn Monroe, Field of Dreams, Debra Messing, Brian D’Arcy James, Liza Weil, Gilmore Girls, The West Wing, Law & Order:SVU, Emory Cohen, Brooklyn, The OA, Woody Allen, Erin Brockovich, YouTube, Heaven Can Wait, Spiderman:Turn Off the Dark, Dylan Baker, Becky Baker, Anjelica Houston, Michael Cristofer, Singin’ in the Rain (no, no, no, yes, yes, yes), Patti LuPone, My Fair Lady, Margo Channing, Glee, Chicago (movie), Renee Zellweger, Ever After (movie), Drew Barrymore, Cinderella, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Julia Roberts, Albert Finney, Black Swan, Annaleigh Ashford, Megan Hilty, Christina Aguilera, Linda Perry, Game of Thrones, Daenerys Targaryen, Emilia Clarke, The Seven Year ItchMusical Numbers:
Over the Rainbow
Let Me Be Your Star
National Pastime
Beautiful2013. Watch Smash at https://www.nbc.com/smash or on the NBC app.   

Episode 0.01 – INTRO!

Talkin’s Smash Show Notes Ep. 0.01

We welcome listeners to the first episode of our podcast Talkin’ Smash, the podcast where we wear scarves and talk about Smash, the NBC musical drama created by Theresa Rebeck that aired from 2012-2013. Watch Smash at https://www.nbc.com/smash or on the NBC app.

Ruth and Tina are longtime friends who met on a children’s theater tour in 2001.

We touch on some of the behind the screen conflict between Rebeck and the creative team, other shows that we’ve spent hours discussing, and who gets an “and introducing” credit.

Trigger warning/content note: Sexual harassment

Pop culture references:

Katharine McPhee, Megan Hilty, Debra Messing, Jack Davenport, Christian Borle, Angelica Houston, Firefly, Farscape, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Gilmore Girls, Steven Spielberg, SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, a major performers union), Harvey Weinstein, Hamilton, Ira Glass, Playwrights Horizons Theater, On the Water’s Edge (play), Tony Goldwyn, Kate Burton, Mamie Gummer, Nashville (tv show), Magical Black Man (trope), Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Rachel Bloom, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, Mary Sue (trope), Sarah Paulson, Renée Zellweger, Down with Love (movie), Ewan McGregor, Rock Hudson, Doris Day, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Party of Five, Neve Campbell, Jordan Catalano, My So-Called Life, Secret Life of the American Teenager, Jennifer Coolidge, Milo Ventimiglia, This is Us, American Idol, The Princess Bride, Robin Wright, Santa Barbara (soap opera), Jennifer Hudson, Dreamgirls