Smash Ep14: Nuts

Here we are at the penultimate episode of the first season, and it's rounding up quite nicely. But before anything else, I totally loved Anjelica Houston singing "September Song," it's such a tender and sweet performance that I think it's the most honest musical performance in the series ever, there's more effective acting there than a whole season of McPhee and Hilty. That alone (I hope) should snag her an Emmy nomination. But back to the soapy drama - Ivy and Dev wake up together. Uh-oh, gurl you in danger. They both seem full of remorse, especially after Karen formally "introduces" both of them to each other. On stage, the first previews go on, and I must say miscasting aside, Uma Thurman as Rebecca did not make a bad Marilyn, performing "Let Me Be Your Star" as a solo in Bombshell's opening number. But, horrors of all horrors, they realize that the show's ending is a downer. (Marilyn...dies!) Well, what did they expect? I mean, what other ending can they have? So retrench, retrench for the creative team, and Derek, meanwhile, is still sleeping with Rebecca. "I have to take care of her," he tells Ivy. Well, there you go, a full-service director! Meanwhile, before they can even make changes in the show, Rebecca falls ill: someone has put peanuts in her shake, and her queeny assistant thinks it was an inside job. Well, here is my theory: She has obviously been struggling in the role, and all her insecurities have been coming out. So I think she set herself up. Maybe it was the same queeny assistant who put nuts in the shake, as per her orders, thus giving her an out. In the end, she quits the show. Reality check: can these stars get away with that? I am sure since she is the name star of the show (and I am guessing billed above the title) that the producers have protected themselves from situations such. But, yeah, stupid of me to insert common sense here. We then get to see Karen sing a gospel number with most of the cast in church. Kinda weird, a little out of place, but hey, I am game, and Leslie Odom Jr. was fantastic. And, now,  we are back to where we started. Officially, Karen is the understudy but she doesn't have enough time to learn the whole show. But...Ivy does. So --- who will be your star?