Bombshell (Smash)

"Bombshell"

Smash episode

Episode no.

Season 1
Episode 15

Directed by

Michael Morris

Written by

Theresa Rebeck

Featured music

"Mr and Mrs Smith"
"I Never Met a Wolf Who Didn't Love to Howl"
"Don't Forget Me"

Production code

115

Original air date

May 14, 2012

Guest appearance(s)

Bernadette Peters as Leigh Conroy
Nick Jonas as Lyle West
Will Chase as Michael Swift
Emory Cohen as Leo Houston
Leslie Odom, Jr. as Sam Strickland
Michael Cristofer as Jerry Rand

Episode chronology

← Previous
"Previews"

Next →
"On Broadway"

List of Smash episodes

"Bombshell" is the fifteenth episode and first season finale of the American television series, Smash. The episode was written by series creator Theresa Rebeck and directed by Michael Morris. It premiered on the NBC network on May 14, 2012. In "Bombshell", Derek (Jack Davenport) has to choose Rebecca Duvall's (Uma Thurman) replacement in time for the show's opening night. The decision changes both Ivy (Megan Hilty) and Karen's (Katharine McPhee) lives forever. Tom (Christian Borle) and Julia (Debra Messing) hurry to save the show, while Ellis show his true colors to Eileen (Anjelica Huston). Lyle West (Nick Jonas) returns with bad news and "Bombshell" continues its previews in Boston.

Derek (Jack Davenport) makes Karen (Katharine McPhee) the new Marilyn. This means that not only does Karen have to perfect things she's never done before, but costumes have to be refitted to Karen's size. Karen is still green, and everyone but Derek has doubts, which is only worsened when each number has multiple problems. Eileen (Anjelica Huston) tells Derek that Karen cannot do Marilyn, and tries to get Derek to fire her, but Derek refuses and insists Eileen respect his artistic vision. Ivy (Megan Hilty) asks Derek why he chose Karen and not her, and Derek replies it was because he could imagine Karen as Marilyn, and that Karen has something Ivy doesn't.

Ellis (Jamie Cepero), in his continuing quest to be producer, tells Eileen that he put the peanuts in Rebecca's smoothie as a favor to the company, and demands Eileen treat him as a producer; Eileen fires him on the spot and kicks him out of the theater. Ellis vows to return. Although promotion materials indicated that Lyle West (Nick Jonas) would return with bad news, he simply returns to give Eileen her painting and see the show. Tom (Christian Borle) and Julia (Debra Messing) struggle to come up with a proper ending; Julia finally draws on inspiration from her relationship struggles with Frank (Brian d'Arcy James) to end the show on a high note while still realistically depicting Monroe's death.

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Wikipedia