NBC premieres its musical drama, Smash on Feb. 6 at 10 p.m. ET. The following are reviews from TV critics around the web, compiled by B&C.
“The big cast is appealing, especially Christian Borle and Debra Messing as the big-time songwriting team and Angelica Huston as a producer in a bad divorce. And the show looks great, except for a ludicrously airbrushed Times Square that could have been shot in a mall or a Toronto soundstage.” — Linda Winer, Newsday
“But even though Smash is a solidly-crafted show with a terrific cast (the ensemble also includes Anjelica Huston and Jack Davenport), great New York atmosphere and, yes, those songs, I never heard quite what the show wanted me to hear, or what a number of other critics I respect have heard. I never heard the music.” — Alan Sepinwall, HitFix
“Without benefit of voice-over, green-screen or any other narrative crutch, Smash moves effortlessly between the broad strokes of the musical - ‘Hey, I’ve got an idea for a show, and (pause, jot-jot, plink, plink) here’s the first number!’) - and the more personal demands of TV, giving the characters just as much attention as the choreography.” — Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times
“TV critics recognize when they’re suckers for a pilot, and for me, that was Smash. Show within a show: check. Anjelica Huston: check. Martinis splashed in faces, dancers giving side-eye, heels clicking in midtown: check, check, check.” — Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker
“Smash’s original songs are forgettable, although one cannot rave too much about McPhee’s Iowa naif turned aspiring Broadway star. Her voice starts silky smooth and then rises to meet the demands of a power ballad.” — Mark Perigard, Boston Herald
