Do I think NBC's *Smash* is a smash??

I love musicals, love New York City and love TV, so this show should be the ideal one for me.  After the pilot I do have many thoughts on it, mainly I'm scared that I am going to love it and its going to be quickly taken away!

Ok firstly I did love it, of course I did, its a musical TV show set in one of my all time favorite cities New York, with Broadway show tunes, what's not to love!  There was not one original song that I did not love and I was cautious about that going in to this show.  When you know its going to be original Broadway show tunes mixed with a couple you already know it does scare you because this is the type of TV that well people like me want to work.  I did not appreciate Karen (Katherine McPhee) singing Beautiful with a pop voice and it being an amazing thing to do at audition.  Up until that point I did find the show to be more realistic about the industry but  singing a pop song with a pop voice no it just wouldn't no I refuse to believe that would EVER work on Broadway.

So lets start with McPee's Karen.  Not a fan, she is so blumin boring.  Please please please do not make her the lead actress and we are all supposed to route for her to be Marilyn.  McPhee is a brilliant singer and can hold her own (as seen with the finale duet with Ivy) but she is Broadway enough to lead a Broadway show, and she's too clean and boring to be Marilyn.  No Marilyn NEEDS to be played by Ivy (Megan Hilty).  Ivy is already my favorite character she is talented, very talented, and she's not appreciated enough.  That alone was enough for me to love her character but after seeing the previews for the upcoming episodes and how competitive she is going to get, ooo I am already very excited, she could be someone to watch for at awards season. 

The writers Tom (Christian Borle) and Julia (Debra Messing) are a great team.  Straight from the first scene of the pilot you believed that these two had worked together for years and are great friends, it made me want to route for Marilyn to be a success straight away.  Julia's life isn't a complete mess as well, it seems pretty normal. A nice change from most TV show where no married couple can be happy, ever.  Poor Tom though his new wonder assistant Ellis (Jaime Cepero) lets him down in the pilot but I sense it is going to happen again within the season.

The producer Eileen (Anjelica Houston), well firstly Houston is a legend, that's enough to love  her character, its a good thing though that the character is someone you want to see kick her soon to be ex husbands ass.  Eileen is in the middle of a messy divorce where I am guessing she came in with no money but made a lot through her musical producing.  Her current work has gone into stand still until the divorce is finalised and so she needs Marilyn to work.  Its great when nearly everyone is passionate about the project.  Bringing me to my other least favorite character, as well as Karen that is, Derek Wills (Jack Davenport).  He is everything you kinda stereotype for a Broadway director, dick head who is charming but sleazy at the same time.  Of course this makes me dislike him.  I think though what makes me dislike him the most is that he somehow thinks Karen is perfect for the part of Marilyn when he already had Ivy there ready and perfect.  Of course he and one of the writers Tom already have bad blood between them so the ladies in charge of the production (Eileen and Julia) kinda have to sway them both for Derek to be involved.  I know I am only 1 episode in but I am totally already on Tom's side!

With all this being said I am very excited for the next episode, and well the whole season.  I just hope that It continues to be a success!

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I am LOVING the new FOX thriller *Alcatraz*

Alcatraz starts off straight from conspiracy central, and come on we all love a little bit of 'what if that actually happened' ness.  What if when the prisoned closed down in 1963 no one left the island they all just vanished.  If you are one of those believers in the Alcatraz ghost stories or love a good old conspiracy thriller this show is defiantly for you.

I think first up I should mention that I am very intrigued by Alcatraz as it is, a prison that has help some of the most notable criminals from back in the Mafia prohibition days etc, but also its an island.  One day I defiantly want to visit San Francisco and do the tour of Alcatraz.  Mind you from the amount fo footage shown of the prison on the show I don't know if an actual visit is still needed, only joking!

So I am now 4 episodes in and I am a little bit hooked on this show, so much so I have been in my dreams investigating the Alcatraz prisoners along with Dr Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) and Det Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones).  Immediately you are drawn in as they are, we the audience are in just the same loop as these two characters so it can make us feel we are with them in this. 

 The story goes as follow - In 1963 Alcatraz was closed down and all the prisoners were transferred, or so we thought to believe.   When the guards came to transfer the prisoners they found Alcatraz empty, no prisoners and no guards.  Now in the modern day these disappeared of Alcatraz are starting to reappear, and now being free are going back to their criminal ways whilst helping the unknown source that kept them hidden for the past 50 odd years.  The big shocker though is that they all look the exact same as they did in 1963.  Madsen and Soto became involved, by being well a little big too inquisitive but also having the knowledge they do, Madsen who looks a little deeper than everyone else and Soto who is a criminology expect on the Alcatraz prisoners, and published author.  The man in charge of the 'capture the Alcatraz guards and prisoners' is Emerson Hauser (Sam Neil), who seems to be keeping a lot more hidden than what he is sharing.

With being four episodes in quite a bit has happened and some AMAZING shockers along the way, which had me shouting at the screen, I don't want to ruin it too much more by going into detail.  For those of your who think this is kind of Lostesque, that might have something to do with eh fact that its another JJ Abrams show, so you do feel the Fringe and Lost vibe in it but its is a very different show, and set in the city (and surrounding areas) of San Fransico.  

I highly recommend this show to well mostly everyone, there is a little bit of everyone, sci-fi, drama, action thriller, mystery etc.  I hope you enjoy it as much as me :D.

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