The Hunger Games: Stark and Powerful

Hype for The Hunger Games has been building non-stop for a year. This led to several articles about how everyone would inevitably be disappointed when they saw the movie, because nothing could match that level of expectation. I went to see the movie on opening day, trying to keep my expectations to a minimum. When I left the theater, I was delighted and fully aware of why I had been so excited to watch this movie in the first place.

If you haven't read the book and/or seen the movie, here's a brief description of the world that author Suzanne Collins created in the first novel of the trilogy. The story is set in the post-apocalyptic country of Panem, which is all that remains of North America. The Capitol is at the heart of Panem, a city that is brimming with excesses and wealth, while the surrounding lands have been divided into twelve poor Districts that are filled with working-class people who have to provide goods for the enjoyment of the Capitol. In the distant past, a rebellion against the Capitol led to the obliteration of District 13 and the establishment of The Hunger Games. The Games are an annual tradition where two children (one girl, one boy, aged 12-18) are randomly selected from each District and sent into an arena where they will fight to the death. The arena can be anything, a forest, a desert, an Antarctic wasteland, but it is covered with cameras and the Games are televised throughout Panem as required viewing for all citizens. People place bets on the contestants and it is an example of the most horrifying type of reality television you could imagine. The lone victor is showered with wealth and the guarantee of a secure life for them and their family, while their District enjoys one year of prosperity where food is not meagerly rationed and everyone can enjoy the Capitol's "generosity and forgiveness." Essentially, the Games are the Capitol's way of keeping the masses in check, and reminding them that this is the price they are paying for their foolish attempts to rebel in the past.

The books are told from the perspective of Katniss Everdeen, a 16-year old girl in the poorest District 12. On the day of the Reaping (the day that the children are selected for the Games), her 12-year old sister Primrose is selected. Katniss is not going to let her helpless sister go to this horrific fate, so she volunteers to take Prim's place and becomes the female "tribute" from District 12, along with Peeta Mellark, the son of a baker. They are whisked off to the Capitol with their drunken mentor Haymitch (the only person from District 12 to have won the Hunger Games) and their ebullient Capitol chaperone, Effie Trinket. There, they undergo some training, meet with stylists who come up with their "image" for the Games, take part in pre-Games interviews, and then head into the arena, unsure of whether they will be coming out alive.

The movie does a fantastic job of portraying the bleak and despairing look of District 12 and then contrasting it with the garish colors and excesses of the Capitol. Jennifer Lawrence plays Katniss with a stoic and resigned air, never betraying much emotion, just resolutely fighting to stay alive for the sake of her family. The only time you see Katniss' walls come down are when she has to interact with her little sister, and later in the Games when she forms an alliance with 12-year old Rue from District 11. Josh Hutcherson, on the other hand, gives Peeta the sincerity and charm that is needed to portray this boy who is terrified that he is going to die, but is a good enough actor that he will do everything he can to form alliances, win the hearts of the Capitol audiences, and keep Katniss and himself alive till the bitter end.

The trouble with adapting The Hunger Games to film is that the books rely heavily on Katniss' inner monologue. She doesn't overtly betray her feelings, but as a reader you are always aware of her thoughts and feelings about every situation. In the movie however, her inner life is mostly a secret that can lead you to misunderstand her actions. This makes me wonder whether people who only watch the films will be surprised as they watch the sequels (and given the incredible success of this first movie, of course the sequels will be made), and realize that Katniss and Peeta's relationship is a lot more complicated than they thought.

This is as faithful a film adaptation as you could expect, but the demand to make it PG-13 means that the killings of the various tributes in the Games are heavily censored and lack the brutality and horror that are vividly captured in the books. There are also various plot points that either didn't make it to the movie or were significantly altered. None of that mattered to me, because the essentials were all there and strikingly told. The shaky camera work prevents the movie from looking like some rote studio blockbuster and more like an earnest attempt to tell an urgent and compelling story. I was hooked from the start and by the time the movie reached its conclusion, I was impatiently wondering how long I would have to wait before the two sequels hit the theaters.

Most importantly, The Hunger Games is yet another movie that is anchored by a strong, fearless, intelligent female character. She is a "heroine" in every sense of the word, and just like Kahaani is leading to more Bollywood movies with strong female leads, many are predicting that the success of The Hunger Games signifies a shift towards more female-centered Hollywood blockbusters. Even if it doesn't cause much of a shift, at least we're guaranteed two more movies starring Katniss and the eventual revolt against the Capitol, and that is going to cause some hype that I cannot even begin to anticipate. 

Kahaani: A Relentless Thrill Ride

When I was in India, I saw a lot of previews for Kahaani, a thriller starring Vidya Balan, one of my all-time favorite Bollywood actresses. So when I saw it was playing in New York, I decided I was ready for another Bollywood foray. And let me just say, if you've never seen a Hindi movie before, you need to drop whatever you're doing and seek this movie out before it leaves theatres. Because this is no song & dance bit of fluff. This is a crazy, suspenseful, edge of your seat thriller that keeps you guessing until the final minute.

Kahaani tells the story of Vidya Bagchi (Balan), a 7-months pregnant woman who arrives in Kolkata from London to find her husband. She claims her husband came to Kolkata for a short assignment at the National Data Center, and he spoke to her every day until he dropped all contact 2 weeks ago. Frantic, with no idea of where to turn, she decides to come to Kolkata herself and investigate her husband's disappearance. Rana, a local police officer, sympathizes with her plight and helps her follow up various leads, even though his captain dismisses the case as a straightforward story of a man running away and leaving his pregnant wife in the lurch. The case gets complicated as everyone Vidya meets claims to have never heard of her husband. He never stayed at the guesthouse where he claimed to be living and no one at the National Data Center has heard of him. But later, an HR rep takes another look at the photo that Vidya left with her, and realizes that her husband looks a lot like a former employee. From that coincidence follows an utterly gripping investigation that leads Vidya and Rana to a complex intelligence cover-up that would stymie even Jason Bourne. And all this takes place with the city of Kolkata as a vibrant, throbbing backdrop that mimics the urgency of the film. 

The plot is relentless, with multiple twists and turns and moments that often left the audience gasping. Whenever Vidya finds the answer to one question, she finds several more problems that need to be solved, until the very end when the whole story becomes crystal clear. Writer-director Sujoy Ghosh has paced the film perfectly, so you aren't overwhelmed with too much detail, but you're never bored either. The film's tight plotting is readily apparent at the end when everything is explained and you discover that there was not a single moment or conversation in this film that was gratuitous. Even a simple chat with a schoolboy turns out to be a clue, and if you were paying close enough attention, you might have been able to solve the case before the characters did. 

Vidya Balan has become the go-to actress for movies that center on a strong female character. When I first described the movie to my mother, I told her it starred Vidya Balan and her next question was, "Who's the hero?" Amusingly enough, she had the identical conversation when she called up her mother in India and had to describe the movie to her. It's rare (in both Bollywood or Hollywood) to have a movie that relies on one woman to run the show, but with the recent success of movies like The Dirty Picture (also starring Vidya Balan) and now Kahaani, Bollywood seems more inclined to make movies with female-centered narratives. And that can only be a good thing.

Oftentimes, the best thing I can say about a Bollywood movie is that it was just as good as a Hollywood one. However, in the case of Kahaani, I'd have to say it was better. Let's hope that it leads to more Hindi movies that place emphasis on crisp storytelling, impeccable direction, and strong female performances that don't require a "hero" at all. 

North & South: Victorian Lit Is Always Relevant

The summer before I started college, I fell in love with Jane Austen and read her six novels in quick succession. This led to a passion for all things Victorian and four separate courses in the English department that dealt with Victorian literature. Throughout, I was certain that Austen was the master of the Victorian novel and no Bronte, Dickens, or Trollope could rival her. But my discovery of North & South in my senior year was a revelation. As much as I loved Victorian lit, I had never stayed up late into the night as though I was reading some whodunit that I needed to finish before bed. But North & South inspired that kind of fervor in me, and  I found myself awake at 4 in the morning, feverishly flipping through the pages, desperate to know how the story ended. A few nights ago, the exact same thing happened as I re-read the book. This time I finished the novel at 3 a.m. and even though I knew what was going to happen, it was still just as satisfying and captivating as it had been four year earlier.

The two main characters are Margaret Hale, the daughter of a Vicar at a country parsonage in the South of England, and John Thornton, a manufacturer who runs a cotton mill in Milton, an industrial town in the North. When Margaret's father develops doubts about the church and chooses to give up his living, the family is uprooted to Milton, a town that is completely foreign to them in terms of its people, landscape, and way of life. Mr. Hale works as a private tutor and his favorite pupil is John Thornton, who wishes to remedy his lack of education and "improve his mind" by discussing the classics. He has a high position in Milton society, but Margaret Hale regards all "shoppy" people and tradesmen as being of a lower class and therefore is rather high-handed with him during their initial meetings. You can guess what happens next, it is a Victorian novel after all. But the central part of the novel is surprising in that it actually focuses more on social issues rather than the brewing romantic tension between John and Margaret.

The narrative follows a strike by the Milton mill workers and explores the relationship between the masters and workers and the price that is paid by everyone before the strike is over. Margaret befriends a worker named Nicholas Higgins and his daughter Betsy, who is dying from a lung disease that she developed due to working in a cotton mill from a young age. Throughout the story, Margaret is firm and opinionated, trying to make sense of these Northerners who are so different from the friendly, simple people she knew in the South. This isn't some simpering heroine who is sitting around dreaming of "a man in possession of a large fortune." She is out and about in Milton, fearlessly helping her friends and standing up for what she believes in. And credit to her, she is able to admit when she's wrong and adopt a new set of values. The beauty of the story is how you watch the proud Miss Hale gradually come to understand this new world that she's in, where a manufacturer has higher social status than she does, and where antiquated notions of being a gentleman are replaced by the higher ideal of just being a good man. Margaret Hale and John Thornton are a deliciously matched pair and although the plot contrivances that keep them apart are very Victorian, there is nothing old-fashioned about the characters themselves.

North & South was initially printed in serial form over 1854-1855. Gaskell complained that the strict weekly deadlines made her rush the story, and when she published the full novel in 1855, she added a few chapters and extra paragraphs to flesh out the story. However, the fact that events take place somewhat abruptly, especially towards the end of the story, only help to promote a sense of shock and urgency, which is what compelled me to stay up so late as I drew closer to the final chapters. As with any Victorian novel, the language is rich and luxurious, and other than some difficulty comprehending the Milton dialect, it is a surprisingly quick read.

People often dismiss Victorian novels as overlong prosy pieces of historical artifact. But some of the best Victorian authors were intelligent, strong-minded women, who created fiercely admirable female characters and wove intricate narratives that still serve as an inspiration for modern novelists and screenwriters. In Margaret Hale, I found a woman who is as resilient and independent as any modern heroine, and her creator, Elizabeth Gaskell is a worthy role model. Upon re-reading North & South, I found that the moment had arrived for Pride & Prejudice to relinquish the honor of being my favorite Victorian novel. Move over, Elizabeth Bennet. There's a new lady in town. 

Jeff, Who Lives At Home: An (Extra)Ordinary Man

Jeff, Who Lives At Home is a classic independent movie. From the title to the trailer (included below for your enjoyment), it screams, "I am an indie film! Marvel at my whimsy!" Written and directed by the Duplass brothers (indie filmmakers of renown, though I must confess I haven't seen any of their other films) it has the right pedigree. And with a cast comprised of Jason Segel, Ed Helms, Susan Sarandon, and Judy Greer, it is saved from falling into the trap of becoming self-absorbed and too pleased with itself.

Jeff (Segel) is a 30-year old unemployed pothead who lives in his mother's basement. The movie opens with Jeff recording his thoughts about the movie Signs on a tape recorder. As his monologue progresses, I knew he was describing what this movie was eventually going to be about. Which was lovely, because I liked knowing that this movie was going somewhere, unlike some indies that just go nowhere. Jeff's whole life philosophy is built around following signs that the universe throws at him because they will lead him to his destiny. The events of this movie take place in one day (this is also one of my very favorite storytelling devices!), a day that begins with Jeff picking up the phone and hearing the name Kevin, which leads to a series of adventures around town. He runs into his brother, Pat (Helms) who is as different from Jeff as a brother could be, but the two become allies once they discover that Pat's wife, Linda (Greer) might be having an affair and they have to follow her. While this is going on, their mother, Sharon (Sarandon) is dealing with the possibility of a secret admirer at work, and her storyline is probably the most indie-nonsensical bit of the film. But all these disparate elements burgeon into something surprisingly moving and at times suspenseful, as you start to eagerly follow Jeff's quest and see if today might be the day he figures out what his life is all about.

I can't say anything more because the beauty of the movie lies in the way it unfolds and ultimately leaves you with the warm fuzzy feeling of the true indie comedy. Every member of the cast does an impeccable job, blossoming before your very eyes into three-dimensional characters you care for, and anyone who finds it impossible to love Jason Segel is clearly just a psychopath.  It took me a while to really get into this movie, but by the time it hit the climax, I was shocked at how sneakily these characters had wormed their way into my heart and refused to budge.

Of course not everyone is going to be receptive to this type of filmmaking, but if anything I've said so far sounds like the kind of thing you're interested in, then find one of the "limited" theatres playing this film. Afterwards I'll join you on the street so we can chase mystical signs from the universe and embrace our destinies.

Young Adult: Harshly Entertaining

Young Adult was one of those movies that had Oscar buzz. It got some Critics Choice love early in the awards season, but it faded away by February with an isolated Golden Globe nomination for Charlize Theron. But having now seen it, I can say I'd much rather have been watching this movie than suffering through War Horse or The Tree of Life.

This movie is the epitome of a dark comedy. Charlize Theron is charged with bringing to life the character of Mavis Gary, a 37-year old who is divorced, has a drinking problem, and ghostwrites a formerly popular young adult series reminiscent of Sweet Valley High. As she struggles to write the final book of the now unpopular series, she gets an e-mail from her high school boyfriend, Buddy Slade, with pictures of the baby he has just had with his wife Beth. Given the twisted nature of our heroine, Mavis decides this is a sign that she is meant to be with Buddy. So she sets off for her small hometown of Mercury, Minnesota on a quest to win back Buddy Slade.

Mavis has no redeeming qualities. She is aptly described by a former high school classmate as a "psychotic prom queen bitch," and nothing she does in this film will convince you otherwise. In Mercury, she runs into Matt, the guy who had the locker next to hers in high school and was disabled after some jocks beat him up because they thought he was gay (turns out he wasn't so the national media dropped the story as it was no longer a "hate crime" - if that isn't dark comedy I don't know what is). Matt (played by comedy genius Patton Oswalt)  is the schlubby voice of reason in this film, horrified at Mavis's plans and trying to figure out if this woman has any moral compass whatsoever (no, she doesn't). For her part, Mavis is busy being the perfect prom queen, carefully making herself up and dressing in perfect ensembles in her bid to outshine Buddy's wife Beth (the adorable Elizabeth Reaser who does a great job in this small role). For his part, Buddy (Patrick Wilson) is just a sensible smalltown guy, happy with his family, and eager to engage in discussions about how Mercury is no longer a hick town because they're getting a new Chipotle. Wilson gives the character enough ambiguity that you won't be exactly sure what he thinks of Mavis until the very end.

Young Adult is a wonderful departure from banal feel-good comedy. Screenwriter Diablo Cody (she of Juno fame) has done a masterful job of creating a world and characters that feel more real and engaging than almost anything else you'll see in the movie theatre. You can't sympathize with Mavis or root for her (well you could if you're as apathetic/amoral as she is), but you can still enjoy watching her journey and trying to figure out whether she's going to get out of this mess with any shred of dignity. The movie's ending is consistent with the tone of the entire enterprise - let's just say Mavis learns how to deal with her life, but not in any way that you can really advocate.

You may not feel like you learned anything, but you'll certainly feel a lot better about yourself after watching this film. It's no surprise that it got snubbed during awards season - in a year dominated by feel-good, "oh aren't movies grand?" fare, Young Adult is the reminder that movies aren't always hearty romps that fill your heart with gladness. Sometimes they contain unlikable characters, thorny scenarios, and no real life lessons. But they can still make you laugh and entertain you for 90 minutes. They just won't get an Oscar.

Getting ready to steal back her man: yay?

Game Change: Who is Sarah Palin?

Last Saturday featured the premiere of the highly-anticipated HBO movie, Game Change. The story of the 2008 presidential campaign, it gives the audience a behind-the-scenes look at John McCain's campaign against Barack Obama. More importantly, it's about the game changer he needed to get people excited about his campaign: Sarah Palin.

Everyone knows Sarah Palin. The virtually unknown Governor of Alaska became a national sensation overnight after John McCain announced that she was his running mate. Now she is a reality TV star, Fox News correspondent, and an ubiquitous staple of late-night parody and mockery. But Game Change  introduces us to the unknown Sarah, the woman she was and how she became the woman she is.

Back in 2008, John McCain wanted to run a "clean" campaign. His campaign strategist, Steve Schmidt (the puppet master played by Woody Harrelson who is probably the star of the movie) comes up with the idea of portraying Obama as a "celebrity" which leads to the memorable attack ads portraying Obama as someone who is all style and no substance. Unfortunately, McCain and his advisors discover that celebrity is what sells these days and they are still lagging behind in the polls. Desperate to inject some life into this flailing campaign, Schmidt decides that what McCain needs is a woman, someone who will get him polling higher with female voters and therefore overtake Obama's lead. With only a few days left until the Republican Convention, McCain's team has to race to find the ideal candidate, and of course, they find Palin.

At first, everything's coming up roses. Palin excites the Republican base, says all the right things, agrees to everything, and seems to be the perfect counterpart to McCain. But after the honeymoon period is over, things start going downhill fast. Her work as Governor, her policies, her family life, everything comes into question as the 24-hour news channels scramble to find a good story on this hitherto unknown woman. McCain's advisors are in for a nasty surprise when they discover that maybe they didn't do a very good job of vetting Palin before setting her up for the chance to become the second most powerful person in government. We all know about the insane interviews, the rambly run-on sentences, the "I can see Russia from my house," etc. What's more interesting is watching these advisors scramble to teach Palin about foreign policy, beginning with what exactly happened in World War I and where Germany is on the map, or trying to figure out a way to make her seem intelligent enough for the debates.

The SNL parodies are brought up throughout this film and offer a nice contrast to the Palin portrayed in the movie. Julianne Moore is doing her best to make sure her portrayal does not come off as a Tina Fey-style caricature and she does a wonderful job of humanizing Palin. You can understand how this woman feels as she faces the onslaught of information and the realization that she isn't prepared to handle things, all the while desperately missing her family. However, your sympathy won't last long. Sarah Barracuda can't be kept down for long, and once she is force fed her lines and starts winning admirers among the Republican proletariat, the power quickly goes to her head.

The movie portrays the ascendancy of Palin - everyone is convinced that she will disappear after McCain loses the election, but it becomes only too clear to the audience why that never happened. Regardless of her stupidity, Palin is a celebrity, and that's all it takes to get ahead in America. She's a star who can memorize the right lines and isn't going away without a fight. And that's why we're probably never going to forget the name Sarah Palin, as much as we would like to.

Tina, Sarah, Julianne: Will the real Sarah Palin please stand up?

Friends With Kids: A Romantic Comedy for Grown Ups

The romantic comedy genre has taken a real beating in recent years, leaving many to despair that they will ever find anything remotely romantic or comedic when they head to the theater to catch the latest romcom. Luckily,  the uber-talented Jennifer Westfeldt has written and directed Friends with Kids, a movie that will completely restore your faith in the genre.

This is one of those movies that you must go into spoiler-free, because the enjoyment lies in watching how everything unfolds. So here is the basic setup: Julie (Westfeldt) and Jason (Adam Scott, in his first leading-man role that leaves you begging to know WHY he isn't the lead all the time) are best friends who are not romantically interested in each other. They are living the single life in Manhattan with a group of friends, played by Maya Rudolph, Chris O'Dowd, Kristen Wiig, and Jon Hamm, the greatest cast you could ask for. However, as they head into their thirties, their friends start having kids, move to Brooklyn, and seem increasingly distracted and overwhelmed by parenthood. Julia and Jason want kids, but they don't want to end up like their harried married friends. So they decide their best option is to have a kid together and share custody as they search elsewhere for their romantic partners.

All romcoms must begin with a screwy premise, but this one is executed with panache. And with that all-star cast, you can bet it is also executed with a ton of profane and hysterical jokes. The movie follows Julie and Jason after they have their kid and start up new relationships (enter Edward Burns and Megan Fox), and also explores the fate of their couple friends who are dealing with the ceaseless demands of parenthood. This isn't just light-hearted fare: there are some harsh moments and heartbreaks in the midst of the hilarity, which is why this is a movie that is meant for adults, instead of the insufferable tweens that most romcoms seem to be geared towards nowadays.

One final note. This movie might just have the best last line I've heard in a long time. A line that fully earns the movie's R-rating and keeps it out of the dangerously schmaltzy ground of a standard romantic comedy. So now that you have that to look forward to, go forth and buy your tickets. You will NOT be disappointed.

Voila: one of the greatest casts assembled in recent movie history

8: A Profound and Entertaining Look At the Fight For Marriage Equality

Last Saturday, an all-star cast composed of people like Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Martin Sheen, Kevin Bacon, and more, gathered in Los Angeles for a reading of 8, a play by Oscar-winning writer Dustin Lance Black that was directed by Rob Reiner. But you didn't need to pay a fortune to get a ticket to this event - it was streamed live on YouTube for all the world to see and is still available for your viewing pleasure at this link.

So what cause could bring such a host of celebrities together in one room? Why, gay marriage of course. The play is a look at the case filed by the American Federation for Equal Rights (AFER) in 2010 to overturn Prop 8, the constitutional amendment that banned same-sex couples from marrying in the State of California. Ultimately, AFER won the battle and Prop 8 was deemed unconstitutional. But the trial was not allowed to be broadcast to the public. However, the transcripts of the trial are in the public domain and that's where Dustin Lance Black comes in. He decided to craft a play out of the transcripts of the closing arguments in this historic trial and thereby reveal to the public what exactly took place. And the result is 8, a play that is more riveting than you would expect from a courtroom drama and also abundantly hilarious.

The cast of this production is spectacular, and frankly I think most of the hilarity ensues not just from their pitch-perfect line readings, but also because we know who these people are in real life. When Jane Lynch, a well-known married lesbian, is playing Maggie Gallagher, the president of the National Organization of Marriage who is vehemently opposed to same-sex marriage, the audience can't help but laugh at the absurdity of that bit of casting. About an hour into the play, John C. Reilly arrives as David Blankenhorn, one of the two witnesses for the defense, and hysterically crumbles under cross-examination when it is made clear that he is a hypocrite who even went so far as to mention that same-sex marriage was alright in the book that he authored. And when George Takei plays a witness for the defense who insists that same-sex marriage will lead to polygamy, incest, and pedophilia because he read that on the Internet, you cannot blame the audience for devolving into laughter. And yet, this is all the more hilarious because these are the actual words spoken in a courtroom. The people who were happy to speak up on television and advertise their views that same-sex marriage should be outlawed were unable to maintain these views when they were under oath, forced to speak only the truth, and give actual facts and evidence. No wonder they didn't want the public to see the actual trial.

At the curtain call, Rob Reiner calls several people on stage, including the original lawyers who represented the plaintiffs in this case. One of them made the very astute point that if this trial has originally been broadcast, it would probably have aired on C-SPAN where no one would have bothered to watch it. But now, this play has been broadcast worldwide with such a stellar cast lending voice to the words of this real-life drama that hopefully more people will take notice of it and will understand how and why Prop 8 was overturned. It was a fair and just ruling, where the defense was thoroughly unable to mount a coherent case as to why same-sex couples shouldn't be allowed to marry.

8 elegantly demonstrates that there is no case against same-sex marriage, and no one understands that better than the very people who claim to be so against it. So watch this play. It will move you and amuse you and if you weren't so sure before, maybe you will be now. Same-sex couples deserve marriage equality. The End.

Smash: A Beginner's Guide to Broadway

Last week I raved over Awake, NBC's latest drama offering that is probably the best show to premiere this season. However, a few weeks earlier, NBC also debuted Smash, their attempt to cash in on the musical TV trend set by Glee. I was reluctant to watch, but the fact that it was created by Theresa Rebeck (the playwright who wrote Seminar), and stars Jack Davenport (who I've loved since Coupling) convinced me to give it a try. Now four episodes in, I've officially added the show to my DVR list.

Smash is a grown-up version of Glee. Yes, there's plenty of singing and dancing, but it's rarely arbitrary. The show is about the production of a Brodway musical about Marilyn Monroe, starting from the show's inception in the brains of co-writers Julia and Tom (Debra Messing and Christian Borle) to the quest to find a cast, financing, a director (enter Jack Davenport) and the myriad other details that must be attended to when attempting to put something up on Broadway. The show's biggest conflict arises when the production team are posed with the dilemma of who to cast as Marilyn. Their choices are Karen Cartwright, a complete newcomer who has been struggling to get her big break, or Ivy Lynn, an actress who has been resigned to smaller parts but is ready for a lead role. Karen is played by American Idol contestant Katherine McPhee, who has a tough time establishing that she could ever be considered competition for Ivy, who is played by genuine Broadway star Megan Hilty. Hilty has the looks, voice, and personality of Marilyn, and if by the end of the pilot, you find yourself actually confused as to who deserves to get the part, you are just as insane as the characters producing the musical, who bother to struggle with the idea of just giving the part to Ivy already.

The interesting thing about Smash is that a lot of the musical numbers are original songs written for this Marilyn show. Unlike Glee where each episode throws six popular music numbers at you for no sensible reason, Smash gives you snatches of the score for the musical as it's being composed and then occasionally breaks out a full-fledged production number that can be quite dazzling. There are some popular numbers as well, just keep the audience's interest, but it is quite engaging to watch this musical being created before your very eyes. In fact, I heard that the ultimate plan for the show involves maybe three seasons as we follow the various stages before the musical is completed, and then, if the songs and story are sufficiently good, the musical won't just be for TV - it will be a legitimate Broadway show. That sounds like a fine idea to me, especially since the songs we've heard so far are pretty decent.

Unfortunately, Smash is afflicted with the NBC curse and its ratings have been dropping rather precipitously from week to week. They might be able to pull off one season, and maybe they'll just wrap up everything within that time and still have a musical to put on. So far, it's a fluffy delight, a far better alternative to Glee and its ilk, with some fine acting talent and some truly great Broadway chops courtesy of Megan Hilty. The dialogue can be pretty stilted at times (playwrights never seem to understand how people actually talk in real life) but you can forgive that when the story moves along at a good pace. If you've ever been interested in musical theater, Smash is a great introduction to that world, and although it amps up the melodrama, it still can be pretty informative about the number of people and the amount of work that goes into putting on a musical.

This show is a reasonable way to spend your Monday night. I can't say I get as excited about watching it as I do about a lot of other shows, but at least I haven't cast it by the wayside either (as I am seriously going to do with Glee once this season is done, or maybe sooner). If nothing else, it's got some hot British men, a hot blond lady, and some fun songs. That should keep anyone entertained for an hour every week.

The two actresses vying for the role of Marilyn: isn't it obvious who it should be?

Awake: A Fascinating Freudian Puzzle

Thursday night is one of my favorite TV nights. There's the 2-hour NBC comedy block, CBS' Big Bang Theory, and then some soapy drama over on ABC with Grey's Anatomy. I don't know why, but networks always seem to stuff Thursday with televisual delights and don't bother with spreading the love throughout the week. And so, NBC has offered up their new drama, Awake, at 10 pm right after the comedies. And let me tell you, it is thoroughly deserving of this prestigious timeslot.

The show's premise is elaborate and phenomenal. It follows LAPD detective Michael Britten (Jason Isaacs, aka Lucius Malfoy, pulling off an uncanny American accent that will give Hugh Laurie a run for his money) who is returning to work after a horrible car accident in which his son died but his wife survived. Except that when he goes to sleep, he wakes up in an alternate reality where he's going back to work after a horrible car accident in which his wife died but his son survived. In each reality he has a different partner and is investigating a different crime, but they share subtle similarities that help him solve both cases in a way that perplexes his colleagues.

To further complicate matters, he has two very different therapists in each reality. B.D. Wong plays his psychiatrist, Dr. Lee, in the reality where his wife is alive, and Lee uses a very confrontational approach, trying to convince Michael that he needs to accept that his son is dead and move on. In the other reality, Cherry Jones plays the more empathetic psychologist, Dr. Evans, someone whose style meshes more with Michael, which leads him to wonder if she's a figment of his imagination. But of course, both doctors agree on one thing: theirs is the true reality, and Michael needs to stop dreaming himself into a parallel life.

It's bewildering, head-spinning, fantastic stuff, which leads me to gravely doubt its ability to last. High-concept shows like this tend to do better on cable and are notorious for drawing poor ratings on network TV. But once in while, a show manages to break through. I dearly hope that Awake will be the next Lost and manages to find an audience that will see it through a few seasons. When I reviewed Once Upon A Time, I wondered how long that show could last, since it seemed to have a clear endpoint and just needed filler episodes until it got there. However, the show has been developing spectacularly, rounding out characters, adding compelling storylines, and giving you just enough plot to last you through 44 minutes and leave you asking for more. I have no doubts that the people behind Awake are similarly talented and capable of crafting episodes that are just as clever as the pilot.

The show could become a rote procedural with the added twist of parallel realities, but it is clear from this first look that there is enough drama and tension going on in both versions of Michael's world to sustain several seasons of plot, heartbreak, mystery, and confusion. Each time Michael thinks he has figured out which reality is real, he is thrown for a loop, and as a viewer, I had a fun time trying to hedge my bets on which reality was the right one. Hopefully it will be years until I find out, because I don't want this show to get cancelled after just a few weeks. Awake may have an obvious series finale in sight, but never have I been more excited to find out just how we get there.

As evidenced by this poster, the two realities are even shot differently: in the wife reality, things are shot in warm red tones, while the son reality is cooler with green tones. This corresponds to the color of the wrist band Michael wears to remind him of which reality he's in. Now that's ingenious!