The Callbacks is the second episode of Season 1. It is directed by Michael Mayer and written by Theresa Rebeck.
Synopsis[]
The scene opens with Karen singing "Call Me" on stage. Everyone is watching as she does a great job. However, it is just a daydream and Karen snaps out of it realizing that she is at work. She is stressed out waiting for the Callback. Meanwhile, Tom says that Ivy is their girl, but Derek doesn’t think that. Eileen says that they are both beautiful girls. Tom says that Ivy has 10 years experience and says that Ivy is great. Derek, realizing that it is an endless battle, says that Tom is right, but they need to get more information on Karen. Ellis is waiting outside the door when Eileen tells them to get her somebody. Meanwhile, Ivy is walking with her friends and says that she is tired to going out on stage doing bad plays and that Marilyn is her role. Dev talks with the press and doesn’t tell them anything about what is going on. He sees that Karen is there and she tells him that she has to go to another Callback. He says that she never told him what happened the night that Derek had a private lesson with her. She says that nothing happened.
Frank and Julia go to the adoption agency and the social worker, Rene, says that they are going to have to wait another 2 years before anything is going to happen with the International Adoption. Karen gets into the dance rehearsals with Derek and says that there was an issue with the Subway. Derek doesn’t show that he cares and tells her to run through the routines. He is impressed with her moves after her messing them up a little. Dennis, Ivy’s friend, sees this. Later, Dennis tells Ivy that he has information about Karen. He says that she is from a small town in Iowa and that she is not experienced at all. Meanwhile, Tom is going over the routine, but Julia’s mind is on the adoption. He tells her that they need to concentrate on the musical and Julia gets the idea that they are going to start with “Let me Be A Star” as the opening song rather than the act breaker. This prompts a scene in Julia’s head where Karen and Ivy are singing the song. Ellis asks who is going to be playing Marilyn. He says that it is good to see his idea into something real. Julia tells him to leave them alone. Ivy is in the hallway at the dance studio and she has a Marilyn Monroe book in her hands. Derek tells her that he really appreciates her doing this. He has her come in and Derek calls it a day. Derek introduces Ivy to Karen. It is an awkward meeting of course. Karen leaves and Derek slams the door in her face.
Afterward, Karen talks to Dev and says that Derek is a creep and Dev says that Karen needs to get used to it. Dev says that they have been invited to dinner with one of the Deputy Mayor’s. She is excited for Dev at the possible promotion. Meanwhile, Ivy is practicing her Marilyn voice and her friend says that she is perfect for the role. Julia gets off the phone with Rene and tells Frank that they have to write a letter to their child’s birth mother. Frank says that they need to drop this because he will be too old. Leo overhears them and says that is not good. Julia goes up to him and tells him that Frank is just anxious. He says that the little girl is waiting for them in China. Tom goes up to Ivy and asks if Derek is being alright to her. Ivy says that Tom is her own little Johnny Hyde, Marilyn’s first agent. He says that he would have just given Ivy the role if it was up to him. Eileen meets with Derek and he says that Ivy is a perfectionist and says that she is trying too hard. Marilyn Monroe didn’t try too hard, Jordan calls Derek over and Eileen’s ex-husband, Jerry, comes up and sits with Eileen. She tells him that she doesn’t care about him and tells him to leave. Jerry says that no one is going to buy Marilyn the Musical. She throws her drink in his face and Derek and Eileen leave the restaurant.
Once outside, Derek asks Eileen what they are going to do with the musical and she says that they need to move fast. Meanwhile, Karen is running through the dance moves when Dev comes in and asks if she will be ready for their dinner appointment she says that she will be. Frank goes up to Julia and tells her that he wants to go back teaching. He says that he is going crazy not doing something that he loves and says that Julia has her writing and he is going crazy being alone. She says that he can go back, but is clearly upset about it. Rehearsals get over with and Karen texts Dev, telling him that she is on his way. Andrew asks if Karen is coming and Dev says that she is on her way. Andrew’s wife says that the Deputy Mayor likes the pretty girls and says that Karen is Dev’s selling point. Karen tries to leave, but Derek calls her back in. Dev is having dinner with everyone and Karen is still not there. It is getting more and more uncomfortable.
Back at the rehearsals, Karen is running through lines and asks Derek if she should do more Marilyn in her voice. Derek sits down with Karen and says that she doesn’t simply “do” Marilyn, but that she simply has to “be” Marilyn. Later, Karen goes to the restaurant and finds Dev by himself. He asks why she couldn’t call and says that he was worried that something had happened to her because of the last text that he got was that she was on her way. He says that he couldn’t concentrate the entire evening. She apologizes and he regains his composure and walks out with her. Ivy is running lines with Derek and she tells him that Marilyn really thought that people thought she was crazy and that she was turning into her mother. Derek sees the emotion in her voice and lets down her hair. The next scene they are getting “busy”.
Dennis goes in to see Ivy and Tom welcomes her too, ignoring Karen. Julia sees this and includes Karen. She says that she is sorry about all of this and wishes her luck. Both girls are nervous. Derek has Karen do the dance routine first and she sings and dances. She imagines herself in full costume as Marilyn. Later, Karen, Tom, Derek and Eileen talk it over with one another and Tom says that Ivy was amazing. Julia says that Karen was amazing. Derek changes his tune and says that Ivy was great. In the dressing room, Ivy still has no news on the Callback when suddenly Tom comes in and says that he wanted to give her the news directly. He says that she got the part. Derek talks to Eileen and asks if she feels good about their choice. She says that it is good. Derek says that he has to tell Eileen something. He says that Jerry offered him to work on “My Fair Lady” and he says that he turned him down. She is happy that he will continue with working on the Marilyn Musical. Eileen tells him to keep his eyes on Karen though. He agrees.
At a bar, Ivy celebrates with Tom and Dennis and the bar asks her to sing a song for them. Meanwhile, Julia is at a group of adoption hopefuls and Rene and she is asked to share her letter to the birth mother. It is an emotional letter and Frank is standing in the doorway. He says that he wasn’t going to make it, but then realized that he couldn’t miss the meeting. He sits down with Julia showing her that he is supportive. As Ivy sings, Dev and Karen are sad that it didn’t go the way they had hoped and Eileen is happy that the musical is going to start getting going. The episode ends.
Cast[]
Main Cast[]
- Debra Messing as Julia Houston
- Jack Davenport as Derek Wills
- Katharine McPhee as Karen Cartwright
- Christian Borle as Tom Levitt
- Megan Hilty as Ivy Lynn
- Anjelica Huston as Eileen Rand
- Jaime Cepero asEllis Boyd
- Raza Jaffrey as Dev Sundaram
- Brian d'Arcy James as Frank Houston
Recurring Cast[]
- Michael Cristofer as Jerry Rand
- Emory Cohen as Leo Houston
- Savannah Wise as Jessica
- Phillip Speath as Dennis
Co-Stars[]
- Joshua Bergasse as Josh
- Scott Burkhardt as Scott
- David Fonteno as Deputy Mayor Klein
- Zach Shaffer as Andrew
- Jordan Roth as himself
- Jennifer Ikeda as Ilina
- Finnerty Steeves as Moira
- Lucy Walters as Suzanne
- Maddie Corman as Rene Walters
- Ben Cherry as Carl
- Bruce Maekan as Brian
- Doreen Montalvo as Debbie
Cameo[]
- Tom Kitt as himself
Songs[]
| Song | Originally by | Performers | Released |
|---|---|---|---|
| Call Me | Blondie | Karen Cartwright | Yes |
| Let Me Be Your Star | Smash | Karen Cartwright and Ivy Lynn | No |
| The 20th Century Fox Mambo | Smash | Tom Levitt | No |
| Karen Cartwright | Yes | ||
| Crazy Dreams | Smash | Ivy Lynn | Yes |
Trivia[]
- This episode scored a 2.8 rating 18-49 with 8.1 million total viewers.
Gallery[]
| v - e - d |
|---|
| Pilot • The Callbacks • Enter Mr. DiMaggio • The Cost of Art • Let's Be Bad • Chemistry • The Workshop • The Coup • Hell on Earth • Understudy • The Movie Star • Publicity • Tech • Previews • Bombshell |