Smash Episode 2.04 The Song

Cynthia's in Ronnie's dressing room, wheeling and dealing, setting Ronnie's hectic schedule for after the performance. Ronnie's clearly tired and dejected and not too pleased with Derek. Cynthia insists Ronnie-the-good-girl is what her fans want to see, and she needs to play to her strengths. Cynthia nearly smothers her daughter with love, promising to always be there to remind Ronnie how to stay a star. At a restaurant, Derek ticks through the song list for tonight's concert. Tom's not happy; Derek made a mistake not listening to Jimmy's song, and he should have fought Ronnie and Cynthia harder. Tom hands over the sheet music to Jimmy's song - it's the real thing.

It's almost midnight, and Julia and Peter are still working like crazy. Peter has just suggested they take a trip to work at his house upstate, stunning Julia, when her phone rings. It's Eileen, calling her to a late night meeting with Derek and Tom, where she announces that Bombshell's free! They're going to Broadway on the one condition that Eileen steps down as producer. Unfortunately, there's only one person who's ready to step in and take the job... and it's Jerry. All Eileen can hope is that she's not making the wrong decision. In his own office, Jerry's writing Ellis a check - in one fell swoop, they've taken down Eileen and Bombshell will be the biggest hit Broadway's had in years.

Peter and Julia sit on the couch in Tom's apartment on their second bottle of wine, getting real. Julia's feeling insecure, but beginning to realize she's writing the male characters in Bombshell better than Marylin because she identifies with them more. Then a light bulb goes off: she's been trying to make the show about Marylin, when it's really about how men saw her. With the creative juices flowing, Peter and Julia get to work. Jerry stops by Eileen's office to find out what happened at the deposition. Despite the fact that Nick turned himself in and exonerated her, Eileen told the lawyers she knew about the money. As for Bombshell, the Feds are not exactly letting her keep it...

Refusing to answer Karen's texts, an angry Kyle looks for Jimmy while belting out a version of "Everybody Loves You Now." Across town, a dejected Ronnie delivers her own version of the song, finishing on stage. Ivy is the only one to hear it, and she suggests Ronnie sing it at the concert. But Ronnie knows no one else will agree. The song's too down. Karen finds an unsteady Jimmy in the alley behind the theater. He admits he did some drugs. Did he screw everything up last night? Karen tells him that he needs to go inside the theater to prove he can handle rejection. That's when Jimmy says, "I was waiting for you," and lays a passionate kiss on Karen, who smiles, offering to try again when he's not high.

Just before the concert, Cynthia is mortified to spy Ronnie in a revealing dress. Ronnie tells her that if she's going to give up a real life, she's going to love the life she's living. Then she hits the stage and kills Derek's sexy restaging of "I Got Love." Backstage, Jimmy apologizes to Kyle, who won't hear of it. Jimmy has blown yet another shot. Just then, Ronnie takes the stage to announce she'll be ending her concert with a new song that's never been sung before... Jimmy's song "I Can't Let Go!" In the audience, tears stream down Cynthia's face as the audience leaps to their feet for a standing ovation. Ronnie calls Jimmy and Kyle to the stage for a bow.

The next morning, Karen calls Kyle looking for Jimmy, who never came home. Clearly, Kyle's peeved. He explains that Jimmy has a trigger and when it gets pulled he disappears, leaving Kyle to clean up the mess. Karen offers to help look for Jimmy, but Kyle hangs up. Outside his classroom, Julia throws her copy of Peter's play at his head - it's terrible! Although he sucks at writing, Peter insists he's a great teacher. He knew Julia wouldn't listen to the truth about Bombshell if he told her, so he had his students do it. Julia finally admits she wants her play to be great, but she doesn't know what's wrong with it.

Karen runs up to Derek with the song Jimmy just finished. Having capitulated to Tom and Cynthia's path of least resistance, Derek tells Jimmy he doesn't need a new song anymore - but Jimmy insists he listen to it. Annoyed, Derek reminds him this isn't the way to get a hit made. A persistent Jimmy claims he "deserves" five minutes. Explaining no one deserves anything in this business, Derek turns on his heel and walks off. Jimmy expects Karen to leave with him, but she's got a show to do. She's staying. Simmering, Jimmy takes off, leaving Karen dejected and still holding his sheet music as Tom watches the whole thing.

Ronnie and Ivy talk over takeout. Ronnie complains she never stops working - she doesn't even have time to date! And why did Ivy date Derek in the first place? Ivy allows that Derek is tough and crazy-making, but he's a genius, who will push Ronnie to the performance of her life. Minutes later, Ronnie's on stage, trying Derek's new risque take on "I Got Love," but she's clearly unhappy with his sexy, physical staging. Derek lays into her - doesn't Ronnie know what it's like to be turned on? Tom and Cynthia join the argument, so Ronnie stops singing and Linda calls for a break - again. Cynthia accuses Derek of only having his own interests in mind. She wouldn't mind replacing him - with Tom for instance. When Derek dares her to fire him, she suggests she could finish his career by reporting he pushed Ronnie in a sexual direction she didn't like...

Nick reveals his intention to turn himself in, which is not news Eileen wants to hear, but he refuses to see her reputation destroyed because she fell for the wrong guy. Eileen insists Nick's not the wrong guy. She begs him to come to bed; they'll figure it all out in the morning. Finding Ivy in the alley, Derek complains that he doesn't believe in Ronnie's show. Ivy isn't willing to be talked at, which Derek always does when he's wrong. For him this is just a concert. But this is Ronnie's life! She wants to grow, but she's scared. Derek should let her sing whatever the hell she wants.

Karen sings, helping Jimmy present his songs to Tom, who's feeling more than a little cranky about the time crunch. When Jimmy starts complaining, Tom says he's lucky to even be in the same room with a music director at this point in his career. More importantly, Ronnie is Broadway, and they've got to find a song in her voice. Called back to rehearsal, Tom warns he'll need the right song by the end of the day's rehearsal or it's a no go. Back at acting class, Peter's taking notes on his student's critique of Bombshell. The consensus is the play is supposed to be about a strong woman, but instead it's about a woman defined by the more interesting men around her. Julia fights for her vision, but the kids know best.

Having decided to write a new song, Jimmy's having trouble connecting to the music, so he asks Kyle to give him space. He gets only a few seconds to himself until Karen wanders into the room. Luckily, she offers advice, which gets Jimmy back on track. When Karen turns to leave, Jimmy asks her to stay, so she sits next to him at the piano. Spying this intimate scene, Kyle feels like he's on the outside. Julia calls Tom to rail about Peter's acting class. Peter's a sociopath. Tom invites her to come to the theater, but she's bought a copy of Peter's only published play, and she's got to read it right now. Eileen unlocks her apartment door - and is stunned to find Nick waiting for her.

Jerry stops by Eileen's office to reassure her; he made sure the lawyer questioning her at tomorrow's deposition is a friend, who understands Eileen fell victim to an unscrupulous man with criminal connections she knew nothing about. When Eileen refuses to play victim, Jerry reminds her it's her only chance to get Bombshell back on Broadway. Besides, the lawyers only care about Nick, and as long as he's still missing, anything Eileen says can't be corroborated.

Tom calls Ivy to replace the missing dancer, and Karen isn't exactly pleased to learn she and Ronnie go way back. But Karen's got bigger fish to fry: Jimmy and Kyle have arrived with songs in tow. Full of disdain for Tom's recommendations for Ronnie, Derek turns to the boys. They have six hours to come up with something vital, and as musical director, Tom has to approve it. Cynthia arrives with a big smile, having just sealed a deal to have Bravo film tomorrow night's concert, upping the ante for everyone. Kyle figures this development blows their shot, but Karen insists this is a chance to get noticed. And if they pick the right song - they'll become famous!

Ronnie's on stage, rehearsing her signature song "I Got Love" for her upcoming one-night-only performance. Tom's playing piano with a 16-piece band, Karen's one of the dancers and a skeptical Derek is in the audience. The reason Ronnie wanted this performance in the first place was to change her image - which means "I Got Love" has got to go. Ronnie's "momager" Cynthia won't hear of it. Sensing the tension, Tom tells everyone to take a break, further annoying Derek, whose day is only getting worse: one of the dancers dropped out because of Derek's worsening reputation. Derek lays into Tom - why didn't he bring in a new song for Ronnie - something to change her image? Tom explains he's only doing the show for Ronnie, and if she wants to sing "I Got Love" for two hours, so be it.

Ronnie's on stage, rehearsing her signature song "I Got Love" for her upcoming one-night-only performance. Tom's playing piano with a 16-piece band, Karen's one of the dancers and a skeptical Derek is in the audience. The reason Ronnie wanted this performance in the first place was to change her image - which means "I Got Love" has got to go. Ronnie's "momager" Cynthia won't hear of it. Sensing the tension, Tom tells everyone to take a break, further annoying Derek, whose day is only getting worse: one of the dancers dropped out because of Derek's worsening reputation. Derek lays into Tom - why didn't he bring in a new song for Ronnie - something to change her image? Tom explains he's only doing the show for Ronnie, and if she wants to sing "I Got Love" for two hours, so be it.