When a major Broadway musical gets ready to launch, its producers will often take it on the road and show it in previews before it officially launches. NBC has taken a similar approach with it’s musical-about-a-musical (that may become a Broadway musical) Smash. To build buzz for the show, which premieres Feb. 6, the network has been screening the pilot in theaters around the country, and yesterday, it began making the pilot available online, from iTunes, Amazon and other platforms. Next week, you’ll be able to see it on Hulu and at NBC.com.
Since the move is all about building word of mouth for a show NBC has high, high hopes for, I’m curious what words your mouth has to offer if you’ve seen the preview. It’s been a while since I watched the original pilot, and I should be seeing at least one more episode before I review it, so I’ll mostly keep mum for now. (Nutshell: I thought the emotional moments were really effective, especially the songs and their staging; I’m less crazy about the familiar showbiz-story elements like the lecherous director with the casting couch and the blonde-vs.-brunette-ingenue dichotomy.) I’ll also refrain from mentioning the numerous spoilers that NBC has given away in its own promos for the show.
But you tell me: does it play in Peoria (or wherever you are)?