How wonderful it is to see this fine actress carry a film and carry it so beautifully.

The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

The cast, level of vocal ability and performance, choreography, and dialogue were all excellent. The juxtaposition and occasional pairing of the two lead singers in competition for the lead in Bombshell really played up the suspense and excitement while highlighting what each brought to the part. It helped that we saw it through the director's eyes - the difficulty in choosing between them. I like that it showed the conflict between making decisions for the good of the show and for the good of existing relationships. The only unnecessary character / conflict, in my opinion, was the ladder climbing Ellis. His character had no real development or arc. The obstacles he put in the way of success could have been shown by different means than this villain who we were not made to care about strongly either way.I would not have taken it in a different direction the 2nd season; it didn't jive with what seemed to be the original premise of the show (i.e., a musical about putting on a musical). The struggle to mount the show and bring it to major success was interesting in itself. Especially when showing the inner struggles of the various teams, groups and individuals. Very unique - nothing like has come before it - and authentic. I miss it!

Some reviewers thought the 2nd season was worse than the first, but I thought the 2nd season had much more to offer. The creation of a competing Broadway show allowed the viewer to see how Broadway evolves and changes. "Bombshell", the traditional, colourful spectacle and "Hitlist", the darker, edgier version of basically the same story demonstrated this well.While I admit I teared up at the end of the first season as Marilyn sang "Don't Forget Me", the music for "Hitlist" was much more interesting, especially "Reach for Me" and "I'm Not Sorry". My only criticism of the 2nd season was that the plot lines of the last couple of episodes seemed rushed, probably because the storyline had to be wrapped up quickly.

Last season, I would have given this program a much higher rating, but this season just keeps going from bad to worse. My favorite shows are always character driven. I become deeply involved with the characters in the story. I actually care what happens to them.In this program the only character even worth watching is Ivy. The rest are all written as stereotypes. I say this with the deepest respect for the actors. You're only as good as you're written. I'm so tired of seeing great talent wasted on redundant story lines, predictable outcomes, and bad casting. I don't care about them any more. They have no depth, no ability to draw me in.The stories are also all over the place. Instead of focusing in and giving us one or two great subplots, we now have at least five subplots going, and none of them are intriguing, much less relevant. It's just sad. The music and dancing are fun, but that's not enough. Give us real characters to watch. Trust that your audience can deal with real people and real situations. This season the show is lacking in focus, devoid of any depth, and not humorous enough to support the cartoon characters it is giving us.

My wife and I really enjoyed Smash last season. We anxiously looked forward to its return this month. I am not certain what the writers were thinking, but this is certainly not the same show that entertained us so much last year. It not longer has any direction. Gone is its sense of purpose. I am not certain what the main premise is any longer. New characters and conflicts have been introduced, at the expense of those we enjoyed so much last year. The music and songs are sadly lacking! Unfortunately, the show is no longer a Smash. It has lost its soul. Perhaps the writers will see the error of their ways and return to the formula that seemed to work so well last season.Should be interesting to see how many more episodes it will last.