'Smash' Season 1, Episode 8 Recap - 'The Coup'

Sometimes this show confuses me. In the case of this episode, it's so hard to tell when they're satirizing and when they're taking everything seriously.

For example, I'm pretty sure that having Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic playing himself in a role that has him writing a new song for the Marilyn musical is supposed to be funny. But then we get tot he actual performance, and it's hard to tell what the tone is.

The number is one that Derek and Eileen decide to pursue after lackluster reactions to last week's workshop performance. The idea is for a modern Marilyn, an interpretation for "a new generation." The actual result, though, is an unlistenable pop song, overdramatic choreography, and a piece that generally doesn't fit a single bit of the rest of the musical. It would be completely out of place, which means it isn't an idea to amend or improve the show, it's an idea to completely scrap the show and rebuild it.

It's a moot point anyway, as Tom and Julia see the thing and are shocked and insulted that Eileen and Derek would go behind their backs on this. The fact that it's Karen singing and not Ivy only upsets them (and Ivy, of course) more.

The rest of the episode seems to focus a lot of time on stuff we don't particularly care about. Ivy and her friends go bowling. Leo has to go to his court date with Julia and Frank. Frank sings Bob Marley with Guitar Hero to Julia, and everyone everywhere cringes.

But the worst subplot is that of Dev, who is trying to use some illicit photos of his opponent to undermine him. Or something. I dunno, I haven't been paying any attention to this guy because he's tremendously unimportant. His sole purpose right now seems to be to get too flirty with his associate RJ, leading us to believe that he'll probably cheat on Karen pretty soon.

Eileen's daughter Katie also shows up, and tries valiantly to get her parents to reconcile enough to allow for the transfer of some funds to Eileen. That doesn't happen, of course, but it's the thought that counts. What's weird about this storyline is the big rant that Katie gives Eileen after she witnesses the performance.

The SHUT THE F*CK UP ELLIS meter was through the roof today, not necessarily in quantity but in quality. The first had Katie answering the down to an eavesdropping Ellis and giving him a bit of an earful. The second had Julia (and now Tom, too) scowling at Ellis as it turns out he works for Eileen officially. Oh, and he wants to be a producer. Good luck with that.

All in all, this was seemingly an episode setting up future conflict rather than including it here. Derek and Tom's face-off this episode was fun to watch though.

Here's a quick tip to "Smash," though: if you're going to get a test star, make it an actual star, and not Ryan Tedder.