The 10 Best New Shows Of 2012 Include Girls, Midwives And A Scandal

Smash While Smash may have had less to prove than its predecessor in the musical television genre, Glee, it still had to prove it wasn’t just a copycat. It quickly became clear that singing and dancing aside, Smash wasn’t another Glee. Giving us a window into the behind the scenes drama of a Broadway musical, it quickly became one of the most talked about series of 2012. Yes, Smash was over the top at times, but this is Broadway, and the egos, the romances, the betrayals and the scheming and jostling for the chance of stardom are a must for any show that wants to take on the personalities who populate the live theater. Smash did just that, and in spite of some criticism for it, stayed dedicated to the style it started out with.

Right down to the last moment, Smash stuck to the go-big-or-go-home attitude, leaving two aspiring stars, one a veteran, one a newcomer, locked in the battle for the role of a lifetime – that of Marilyn Monroe – in the production of Bombshell. Smash’s success was made by a stellar cast, including Debra Messing and Jack Davenport, but perhaps especially Katharine McPhee, who quickly proved American Idol voters were wrong. In 2012, Smash gave us fabulous melodrama, characters to love and hate, underdogs to cheer for and of course, some fabulous musical numbers. What Season 2 will bring now that creator Theresa Rebeck has moved on is anyone’s guess, but Smash was among 2012’s best.