Smash review: Shocker Broadway musical based on old flop TV show is terrible

Two hours and 30 minutes, with one intermission.At the Imperial Theatre, 249 West 45th Street.“Let’s Be Bad” is a song from the Broadway musical “Smash.” It is also the production’s motto.The total absence of taste begins before you even enter the theater, with the title emblazoned on the marquee. Last I checked, the NBC TV series that inspired the rancid show that opened Thursday night at the Imperial was canceled after two seasons because critics and audiences rightly abandoned it. To call the program culty would be generous.

“Smash” is credited by some with popularizing the term “hate-watch.”Now, twelve years later, much of the backstage drama’s creative team has doubled-down on their failure and produced something far, far worse. It’s hard to judge whose decisions are more misguided: those of the back-stabbing, wacky creators of “Bombshell,” the fictional musical comedy about Marilyn Monroe we see implode, or the very real minds (Robert Greenblatt, Steven Spielberg, Susan Stroman) behind the disaster that is “Smash.”For the few who saw it on NBC — and for the even fewer who remember any details — only two characters return, and with altogether different and dumber storylines: Ivy Lynn (Robyn Hurder) and Karen (Caroline Bowman).Ivy, played memorably on TV by Megan Hilty, is an established major Broadway star who is taking on the role of Marilyn in a bubbly comedy about the “Some Like It Hot” star called “Bombshell.” You know, the celeb who endured abusive relationships and tragically died of an overdose at age 36? See above: Total absence of taste.Karen, Katharine McPhee on the tube, is her hard-working, well-liked understudy.She’s also married to the actor playing Joe DiMaggio (Casey Garvin), but that’s barely mentioned.From there, every new idea in the book by Bob Martin should’ve been crumpled up and thrown over his shoulder.Ivy hires a kooky acting coach named Susan (Kristine Nielsen), who dresses like I...