SMASH TO RETURN FOR SECOND SEASON, BUT ITS CREATOR WILL NOT

Although it did not turn out to be the smash that NBC had hoped it would be, the network announced on Thursday that it will renew Smash for s second season. However, today’s (Friday) Los Angeles Times, citing sources close to the production, reported that creator and showrunner Theresa Rebeck will not be returning. (She’ll remain an executive producer, the Times said.) The newspaper observed that “the soapy direction” of the series had become a “point of contention.” The show has drawn decent ratings in recent weeks, but some analysts attribute them solely to the fact that it follows NBC’s top-ten hit The Voice. Nevertheless, in a statement to the Times, Rebeck said on Thursday, “The show is a hit and I’m proud of my work.”