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[0:00] Welcome back, listeners, to our tongue-in-cheek recap of what is still the Broadway community's favorite TV show, Smash. Yes, we're talking about the NBC series that aired from 2012 to 2013. Smash was also an incredible glimpse into the theater community in the early 2010s, as many of the show's writers, actors, and dancers were played by real Broadway performers with real Broadway cred. But we wanted to go back in time to see how the show has weathered, what it got right, and what it got very, very wrong. So let's dive in and talk about Season 1, Episode 3, Enter Mr. DiMaggio.

[1:16] Enter Mr. DiMaggio premiered on February 20, 2012. It was written by Theresa Rebeck and directed by Michael Mayer. Here's where viewership gets a little fun. This is the first week where ratings take into account households with DVR. Apparently, this week's episode had a live viewership of 6.5 million, which is about 1.5 million down from last week. But including DVR viewership, the episode had a total of 8.7 million viewers, which was 0.65 more than the week before. Oof, so much math.

[2:27] The episode only had one original song by Mark Shaiman and Scott Wittman, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, but two covers were also featured, Bruno Mars's Grenade, sung by Will Chase, and Redneck Woman by Gretchen Wilson, sung by Katharine McPhee. What happens in this episode, Mo?

[2:53] Well, it's only three weeks until rehearsals begin for the workshop of the new Broadway-bound musical Bombshell. However, other than a great idea that may or may not have been stolen from composer Tom Hewitt's assistant, Ellis, up-and-coming ensembleist Ivy Lynn wonders if the only reason Derek gave her the part for the workshop is because she slept with him. He doesn't seem to give her any reason to think otherwise, spending his energy on courting Karen for a role in the ensemble. Meanwhile, the creative team hunts for the rest of the workshop's cast. They think they've found their leading man, Joe DiMaggio, in Michael Swift, played by Will Chase. Since he's offer-only, Eileen and Derek scout him out at an off-off-Broadway show. That Bruno Mars jukebox musical.

[3:34] But it turns out Michael Swift has a past with our lyricist Julia Houston. They had an affair five years ago. Karen's parents are still worried about her, but she stands up to them, saying that being in the chorus of a workshop is so much bigger than many people get to do. Dennis tells Tom that Derek and Ivy are dating. Julia confides in Tom about her affair, which Ellis overhears. But Ellis makes his own mistakes, stealing Julia's notebook of ideas for Bombshell, as well as sleeping with his friend, maybe girlfriend, maybe roommate, played by Condola Rashad.

[4:05] All right, favorite performance by an ensembleist. Who did we see in this episode? Well, there weren't very many ensemble numbers. There was a number in the Bruno Mars jukebox musical.

[4:13] Right. We saw two. We saw one in the Bruno Mars musical, which had three men, and then one woman played by Tony nominee, Karine Plunkett.

[4:24] Yes. Right. And they're performing a strange performance of Bruno Mars' Grenade, which then has her dancing with three ensemble men.

[4:33] And with Will Chase.

[4:34] Right. What did you think about that number?

[4:36] I mean, I live for the number. It felt so, like, downtown and so off-off-Broadway, as it was meant to. Was an off-off-Broadway show going to have a Bruno Mars song in it? I don't know. I mean, but it wasn't the whole, isn't the idea the whole show is Bruno Mars? Wasn't it a jukebox musical?

[4:54] I thought they were talking that it was a...

[4:58] When would there be a Bruno Mars jukebox musical off-off-Broadway? If Bruno Mars is going to license his music, it's not going to be for off-off-Broadway.

[5:01] Fair. That is real.

[5:03] That is super real. Okay. Logic aside, I thought the number was good.

[5:08] Sure. I mean, she's a fantastic dancer. She moves singularly. Stunning.

[5:13] Yeah. She's stunning. She was stunning in Come Fly Away. She's stunning in this. This definitely felt like a, wow, we really like Karine. Can we get her on TV? Like, she doesn't have any lines. She doesn't do anything except for just like dance amazingly at you, and you sort of get a sense of this off-Broadway show.

[5:30] Well, I mean, she does have in the best way, this wild quality to her movement. And that was in that way, because they were singing to Grenade. It was sort of foreshadowing his place in the world of our characters.

[5:45] Right. And so with him portraying this wild, unpredictable presence coming into our writing duo, it was the perfect woman for him to dance with. What was your favorite ensemble moment in the show?

[5:58] Well, we didn't get a lot of performances, right? We get the Bruno Mars show and then we get the karaoke at the end.

[6:05] Yes.

[6:05] Right. But my favorite moment goes to Jessica Lee Golden, who has the line and she's walking out of the dressing room.

[6:12] This was iconic. We'll be at Vintage.

[6:15] R.I.P. Vintage.

[6:16] R.I.P. Vintage. So Vintage is a wine bar.

[6:19] It was just a wine bar.

[6:20] 51st and 9th.

[6:22] Right. A few years back.

[6:24] Lots of years back.

[6:25] Yeah. Where I think Atlantis, Atlas Social Club.

[6:28] Oh, where it is now.

[6:29] Okay. Yeah. It was right next to the Snug.

[6:31] It was right. You're naming all of these places that are closed now.

[6:35] Yeah. 9th Avenue is changing over to New York. Anyway, I just loved that moment because it felt, I mean, that felt very authentic. It was amazing. It was so beautifully insider-y.

[6:45] Yes. I remember while we were watching it back when it was airing, everyone latched onto that line and just started saying it for the next year and a half. It was great. Moments that scream 2012.

[6:56] R.I.P. Vintage.

[6:56] R.I.P. Vintage. Bonnie and Clyde is up on the marquee.

[7:00] Oh, you like.

[7:01] I love these shots where we get to look down 44th or 45th Street and we get to see what's up on the marquee. Because that's what makes it the most time capsule.

[7:10] Yeah, exactly. Because you know exactly when in this was shot and when it essentially takes place.

[7:16] Right. Are you ready for El Bono fact check?

[7:18] Sure.

[7:19] All right. Here we go. Ivy has a Heaven on Earth poster hanging above her bed. So this is an adult woman in an adult woman's apartment in New York City.

[7:27] Okay. And above her bed where she does adult woman things is a poster for her currently running Broadway show. Is that something that you would really do?

[7:34] It was framed.

[7:38] Okay. Then that makes it better.

[7:40] I feel like. First off, there's putting your show posters in your house, right? Like that's a choice. And I think it's before we start like shaming people with stuff in their house. Myself included. It is good to be proud of what you've done and be good.

[7:55] Sure. I'm sure you have your Tony Award sitting on a shelf somewhere.

[7:58] Absolutely. Right in the center of my dining room. There's something about a show poster that just screams. Maybe it's because.

[8:03] The Ensemblist & Broadway Podcast Network:

[14:58] Mo Brady: Well, special thanks to Aaron Albano for joining us for this miniseries.

[15:01] Mo Brady: You can learn more about him and how to connect with him online by visiting our website, theensemblist.com.

[15:07] Mo Brady: Are you enjoying the Smash miniseries?

[15:09] Mo Brady: If you are, let us know on any of our social media platforms.

[15:12] Mo Brady: Recapping and analyzing episodes of Smash was a crazy idea that we had,

[15:15] Mo Brady: and so we're considering these first few episodes a trial run.

[15:18] Mo Brady: If you're having as much fun as we are, let us know and we'll keep going.

[15:22] Mo Brady: Meanwhile, to stay part of our ongoing smash analysis,

[15:25] Mo Brady: smash, smash analysis?

[15:27] Mo Brady: That works.

[15:28] Mo Brady: Be sure to watch the next episode, The Cost of Art, before next week's recap.

[15:32] Mo Brady: You can find all episodes of Smash either on the NBC app or at NBC.com.

[15:36] Mo Brady: The Ensemblist was produced today by me, Mo Brady.

[15:39] Mo Brady: Please help others find out about The Ensemblist by leaving us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.

[15:44] Mo Brady: You can also download episodes wherever you get your podcasts or at theensemblist.com.

[15:49] Mo Brady: Follow The Ensemblist on Instagram to see the latest posts from our website,

[15:52] Mo Brady: where we share the stories of talented artists working in Broadway ensembles.

[15:56] Mo Brady: Thanks for listening, guys.

[15:57] Mo Brady: Until next time.