The Transfer

"The Transfer" is the thirtieth episode of the American television series Smash. It was written by Justin Brenneman & Julia Brownell and directed by Holly Dale. The episode premiered on NBC on May 11, 2013, the fifteenth episode of Season 2.

The episode opens with Hit List moving to Broadway and being in previews. Karen Cartwright (Katharine McPhee) sings "Pretender" in a Hit List number as Amanda's alter ego "Nina" performs for Sam Strickland's (Leslie Odom, Jr) manager character, who "Nina" is trying to get to be her manager. He introduces her to the Diva, played by Ana Vargas (Krysta Rodriguez), who fumbles her entrance and comes in late. Derek Wills (Jack Davenport) is concerned about Ana's mistakes.

Derek talks about the show with Julia Houston (Debra Messing) (who's consulting) and Jimmy Collins (Jeremy Jordan). They all feel the show is missing something and aren't sure what. Jimmy, trying to keep the now deceased Kyle's spirit alive, doesn't want to change the writing. Derek publicly says that Ana, who's made several mistakes, needs a rest and decides to put in Daisy Parker (Mara Davi) (who is an old flame of Derek's and now in the ensemble) as the Diva for a night. Julia and Jimmy ponder that maybe the transfer to Broadway has lost a connection with the audience that existed in the off-Broadway show because of its smaller theaters.

Ana is unhappy she's being replaced for the night and is suspicious of Derek's motives. Karen tells her she'll talk to Derek about it. When Ana tells her that Daisy was one of the women who accused Derek of sexual harassment the previous year, Karen confronts him about it. He divulges to her that after Daisy dropped the charges he went out with her a few times and during an intimate encounter, he promised her an understudy role in Hit List. The problem is that she filmed it and is blackmailing him with it and he says he doesn't have a choice. Karen is disgusted with him.

Julia and Jimmy go to Jimmy and Kyle's apartment to check some of Kyle's notes for ideas. From an index card note, Julia remembers Kyle talking about wanting the audience to have a multimedia experience. They decide to put something in the show for that night's performance after the "I'm Not Sorry" number, basically tweeting the audience members and putting up a multimedia screen to engage them before the next number.