Dear Megan Hilty

[Gothampc]

I'm glad you're back on tv. I hope this project is successful.

However, I think it would be much better if you played an actress trying to break into theater. Much more comedy gold (remember Lucy trying to break into Ricky's act or That Girl trying to make it on Broadway). And everyone knows the feeling of trying to succeed.

Good luck. I'll watch.

ETA: It sounds like Megan will be playing Patti LuPone






Link

[candydog2]

I think the focus of this series though is the parents' relationship with their son and his athletic career. Both parents are already successful in areas completely different from the one their son is pursuing and so them being thrown into such unfamiliar territory is probably where the comedy is going to come from.

Imagine Patti Lupone bursting into song at her son's football game. I could be wrong, but that seems more like the direction they're going with this one.

[Gothampc]

Yes candy, I think you are right, but I don't think it gives Megan enough room to be funny.

[GreasedLightning]

I think there's more comedy in having a theatrical son with two athletic parents. But we'll see.

[RippedMan]

Why do they keep trying to make her some sort of theatre related person? Who cares? This sounds terrible.

[GiantsInTheSky2]

"a laud, flamboyant diva, a former Broadway star who is adjusting to her latest "role" as a suburban mom and who can come off a little self-involved but has a big heart of gold."

I don't understand where there's doubt in leaving room for Megan being funny. She's hilarious, and the role already sounds funny in concept.

Everyone knows the feeling of trying to succeed, but kids know the struggle of being embarrassed by parents and a lot of adults know trying to have good intentions while also coming off as fun or cool for their kids. I have good thoughts about this project!

[rjm516]

God I hope she sings at a kids soccer game.

[Gothampc]

"but kids know the struggle of being embarrassed by parents"

That's been a part of every sitcom that had children. Why does she have to be a Broadway diva? There's been a funny stereotype of Jewish mothers embarrassing their children for years on tv. Nancy Walker and Rhoda being just one example. Why is being a Broadway diva any different?

[GiantsInTheSky2]

"Why is being a Broadway diva any different?"

Because it's not a "normal" parent's career and it comes with different challenges, expectations, and personalities from "normal" people? Picture a stereotypical Broadway diva trying to have a conversation with a regular housewife at a PTA meeting. There's a B story for a whole episode.

They made her a Broadway diva because that's one of her strengths and it's what she is known for. Typecasting. Branding. Playing to type. Whatever you want to call it.

[thebeautyis3]

So I'm guessing Hilty's character is based on Marissa Jaret Winokur?

The pilot was written by Winokur's husband, and Winokur is always discussing her son's love of sports (and lack of love for theater) on her Facebook.

[TFMH18]

I mean. We'll see how this goes, but I'm just upset that she isn't coming back to Broadway yet

[finebydesign]

"Why do they keep trying to make her some sort of theatre related person? Who cares? This sounds terrible."

Because that's who she is.

Quite frankly I think she is incredible on Broadway but I don't get her on television.

[Boq101]

I love how this is an open letter pretending you care for this person, but if you did you'd just shut up and cheer on a woman with a kid who just got a nice job. Granted, this is a job that could lead nowhere after one episode and we can all agree that until she dazzles us again with some hit anything anywhere, it's nice to know she'll be able to work on anything. Don't pretend to care just to voice your opinion as if she's just been fielding all the options in the world and has any power to change the premise of the show she's in. You're not that stupid.

[Showface]

I am thrilled! She will do an amazing job with this role even if the show is a bust (I'm sure I'll love it, though). I hope the pilot gets picked up! This could be amazing, and could be the thing to expose even more people to who Megan Hilty is, and the good news is since it is ABC and not NBC, people may actually tune in!

[Showface]

In a recent interview (which was posted in another thread), she revealed she has finished filming. Apparently, in one scene she sings a lullaby to her son, but as Ethel Merman, so she's really just belting her face off! 

If that's any indication of the humor we shall see on the show, it should be an absolute hoot! 

 

http://www.eonline.com/news/648786/smash-is-ready-for-its-close-up-again-and-so-is-megan-hilty

[yankeefan7]

Wish her luck and hope show is it a hit. I still wish SMASH was running and she was on it, show just did not have good enough writing - oh well. BTW - I remember seeing her sing many years ago in Bryant Park concert (9 to 5) and she was great.

[henrikegerman]

"However, I think it would be much better if you played an actress trying to break into theater. Much more comedy gold (remember Lucy trying to break into Ricky's act or That Girl trying to make it on Broadway)."

She's been there and done that.  Remember Smash?

[GavestonPS]

No, Goth, Miss Hilty does not remember Lucy or THAT GIRL. At her age, as far as she knows, TV began with FRIENDS.

Maybe she can play a chef...

[ggersten]

A chef pretending to be gay to live in a beachfront apartment?

[Gothampc]

"I still wish SMASH was running and she was on it, show just did not have good enough writing"

The problem with Smash wasn't the writing, it was the general concept of the show.  Season 1 started out as a soap opera about Broadway.  It had stupid characters like Ellis, twirling his mustache while he schemed his way into controlling a Broadway show.  If they had done a straight up show about life in the musical theater community without all the melodrama, it may have been more successful.  They already had Fame and Glee as patterns of how successful a show like that could be.

 

[JohnPopa]

You do realize that everything you criticized above is, in fact, the writing. 

[Gothampc]

"You do realize that everything you criticized above is, in fact, the writing"

You do realize that the writers were hired to write for a certain genre?  And even though the writers write it one way, a director can shape it to be something else.  And that some NBC executive had to greenlight the idea that this show would be more "One Life To Live" and less "30 Rock" or "Glee." 

They didn't even try for a "Mad Men" evening drama tone.  They intentionally went for soap opera and it didn't work.  That's why Season 2 lost Ellis and the Indian boyfriend and Ivy trying to commit suicide because the drama went too far into melodrama.

 

[yankeefan7]

"The problem with Smash wasn't the writing, it was the general concept of the show"

Lets just say it was a bit of both. remember the cringe worthy line McPhee uttered to her boyfriend when he proposed  - "I am in Tech" - lol

[GavestonPS]

Meanwhile, NASHVILLE proves week after week that a TV show can be high melodrama verging on camp while simultaneously delivering consistently good musical performances.