The idea was intriguing enough for me to shake off my natural avoidance of reality TV: A national, open casting call for the lead roles in the forthcoming Broadway revival of Grease. So, I tuned in You're the One That I Want to see what it was like.
The most visceral reaction was that I wanted to sit the three judges -- David Ian (a Simon), Kathleen Marshall (a Paula) and Jim Jacobs (What the
. . . ?) (seated left-to-right, respectively, in the photo to the left by Dean Hendler for NBC) -- and give their little show an upbraiding similar to the skewering they gave some of the Grease hopefuls. The only thing different from American Idol here is the endgame, that the winners will play Danny and Sandy on Broadway, and probably several million viewers. Billy Bush -- who, amazingly, I could actually stand on this show -- was basically doing a Ryan Seacrest impersonation as he gabbed with contestants and even became an advocate for one. As for co-host Denise Van Outen . . . uh . . . it says she was on there. I don't quite remember.
A while back, NBC announced it was eliminating original scripted programming in favor of lower-cost reality and game shows in the 8 p.m. time slot. In a big way, YTOTIW is a depressing example of TV as pure commodity: take a tried-and-true concept, a tried-and-true title, slap 'em together and hope the Nielsens are huge. There is absolutely nothing original here.
The premier episode (Jan. 7) covered auditions in Los Angeles and Chicago. It elicited very similar feelings to watching an Idol casting episode, as you just sat in amazement at how not self-aware many people are. We saw numerous people who didn't fit the parts of Danny and Sandy in any way shape or form, and at a real casting session probably would have been sent home without singing a note. But this is reality TV, where some lambs must be sent to the slaughter. Some of them did show talent. Patrice, who becomes known as The Dancing Cupcake, comes across a genuine triple threat who could probably be in the chorus or do a great Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray. She expresses hope that maybe the producers will take a nontraditional view of Sandy, but this is all way too formulaic for that. At least she got a few minutes to show America she's got talent. For a while, you wondered if anyone in L.A. had talent, as the show solely focused on the awful and inappropriate.
But they did find some genuine potential stars who will be sent to Grease Academy, the pool of 50 from whom the 12 finalists will be selected. This selection is done with Ian uttering the awful attempt at a catch phrase, "You are the one that we want to go to Grease Academy." Auditioning in Chicago was more of the same. Next week's show is supposed to cover the New York auditions, which you would expect and the promos seem to promise will yield a stronger pool of hopefuls. After all, New York is where most legitimate Broadway aspirants live and audition.
Something more like a real Broadway audition process would be more interesting. Writing about Lyndy Franklin, the Lexington talent in A Chorus Line, I learned HBO cameras had been following the revival for an upcoming program. That's something I want to see.
This is essentially glorified free publicity for the Grease revival and cheap product for NBC that will likely produce a perky blonde Sandy and oily handsome Danny from central casting. But, Copious Notes will go through the New York show to see if You're the One That I Want is something we want to follow.
Comments