Smash Hit

Hi friends! I'm taking a little break from the pod to enjoy the last few weeks of summer. I will be back after Labor Day. There's SO much I want to cover from the Amanda Knox FX show, Golden Bachelor, Love is Blind, RIP AND JUST LIKE THAT, and much much more!    In the meantime, please enjoy my most recent appearance on Broad Culture with Cheryl Smallman. We discuss the 2nd season of America's Swe...

This week, Margaret sits down with Lina and Jereme Hall, stars of the reality series Back on the Frontier, available for streaming on HBO Max. The Hall family shares what drew them to this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to live like 1880s homesteaders—and how the experience changed them forever. From bidding wars at the livestock auction to boiling water for baths and cooking from scratch, Lina an...

In this episode of Smash Hit, host Margaret Knudsen welcomes true crime journalist Jennifer Tisdale to unpack Netflix’s chilling new documentary, Amy Bradley is Missing, and revisit the 1998 disappearance of 23-year-old Amy Lynn Bradley, who vanished from a Royal Caribbean cruise ship under mysterious circumstances. Together, Margaret and Jennifer dissect: Cruise culture in the late ‘90s and pre-9...

Margaret is joined by Becca from Little Miss Recap to break down the Freeform docuseries Not Her First Rodeo—now streaming on Hulu. The series follows elite female bull riders as they chase titles, buck stereotypes, and risk everything for the sport they love. We discuss the show's breakout star Jordan (a real-life Teeter?), Catalina’s resilience, and the quiet badassery of Alexa, Renata, and Afid...

Margaret and Keisha from The Libra Lounge break down Back on the Frontier, the Magnolia Network’s surprisingly wholesome (and slightly unhinged) new reality experiment now streaming on HBO Max. Three modern families ditch their devices, makeup bags, and robot vacuums to live like it’s 1862 under the Homestead Act. Would you survive three months with no AC, no CPAP, and an outhouse? (Spoiler: we wo...

Margaret is joined by the hilarious Kendrick Tucker (@withkendricktucker) for a deep dive into the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Season 2 reunion — with a quick shoutout to the Slamming Sodas at Denny’s that might just be your new summer obsession.  They break down the awkward July 1st drop, share their hopes (and worries) for Season 3 — less Marciano, more behind-the-scenes drama, and maybe even a...

Ready to celebrate America’s birthday with the most insane disaster at sea since the Boston Tea Party? We’re diving bow-first into Netflix’s brand-new documentary Trainwreck: Poop Cruise—the wild retelling of Carnival Triumph’s 2013 “floating Porta-Potty” fiasco that stranded 4,000 passengers without power, plumbing, or dignity. Chris DeRosa (co-host of Fixing Famous People) joins Margaret to reli...

In this Splash Hit 🧜‍♀️💰edition of Smash Hit, Margaret is joined by Natalie Katona, host of To All the Men I’ve Tolerated Before, to unpack Netflix’s chaotic limited series Sirens. They dissect sisterhood, succession, and society’s worst men, and pitch a smarter, darker, more satisfying conclusion than the one we got. (Spoiler alert: it involves Julianne Moore and bird sanctuaries.) From cringey...

Season 3, Episodes 1 & 2 with Cheryl Smallman of Broad Culture We’re back in Carrie’s chaotic closet of unresolved plotlines, and somehow, we never want to leave. Margaret is joined by Cheryl Smallman of Broad Culture to recap the Season 3 premiere and epsiode 2 of And Just Like That, a show we fully acknowledge is deeply broken—and yet, absolutely essential. It makes no sense. We love it. We...

This week, Smash Hit takes a detour into the ER—specifically, The Pitt. Host Margaret is joined by Amanda Lipnack-Radel of Little Miss Recap, who finally gets her moment to talk about the show that’s too intense for Amye. Together, they unpack Season 1, Episode 1 of The Pitt, a gripping hospital drama that's NOT an ER reboot. It’s event television—you can’t second-screen this one. 🎧 Plus: Amanda...

In the season one finale of Smash Hit, Margaret welcomes Cheryl Smallman of Broad Culture to the mic for a spirited dissection of Smash’s chaotic, campy, and unforgettable last episode of season one. The two podcasters—both clients of "podfather" Chris DeRosa—discuss Ivy's descent, Karen's blandness, and whether Derek actually loves anyone (besides himself). From the logistics of Broadway costumin...

Margaret and Jake Anthony from Reality Gays break down Smash Season 1, Episode 14 just before Bombshell’s big premiere. They cover the peanut plot twist, preview night chaos, and the infamous line: “But Dev, I can’t marry you—I’m in tech.” Plus, Ivy vs. Karen, misused Broadway talent, Julia’s spiral, and Poodle’s pick for the most underrated comedy podcast. You can find Reality Gays everywhere els...

Season 1, Episode 13 is all about “Tech,” and Margaret is joined by Connor and Dylan MacDowell of Drama the Podcast to revisit one of the most infamous—and meme-worthy—episodes of Smash. Yes, we’re talking about that proposal during tech rehearsal and all the offstage drama that somehow made it to the stage. Together, they unpack the tension between Karen and Dev, the return of Ivy’s scheming, and...

In this episode of Smash Hit, host Margaret is joined by Shabnam and Sameem from the podcast Chai After Dark to discuss Season 1, Episode 12 of Smash, titled “Publicity.” Together, they explore the episode’s themes, cultural moments, and character dynamics through a South Asian lens. Topics include: A conversation about the Bollywood dream sequence—what worked, what didn’t, and how it compares to...

This week on Smash Hit, Margaret is joined by Katy from the Queens podcast for a deep dive into all things Smash. Together, they break down Uma Thurman’s unforgettable (and questionable?) arc as Rebecca Duvall, the iconic Karen vs. Ivy rivalry, and Eileen’s champagne-fueled power moves. They also revisit Smash’s portrayal of gay characters, the chemistry between the cast, and what the show says ab...

Margaret is joined by Morgan Lutich from The AMPire Diaries to break down one of Smash’s most chaotic episodes yet. From Karen’s ongoing incompetence (she doesn’t know what “downstage” is?!) to Ivy being robbed of another Marilyn number, they unpack what still works, what’s aged poorly, and why we keep coming back to this beautiful mess. They get into Derek and Ivy’s mysteriously serious relations...

Margaret is joined by Cathy & Dave from The Cinemile to break down one of Smash’s most chaotic episodes. From Ivy’s pill-fueled spiral to Karen’s Times Square Rihanna duet (why?!), we dive into what worked, what flopped, and why we’re still somehow obsessed. Plus: Frank finds out, Ellis stirs the pot, and the musical finally gets its name—Bombshell. 🎧 Undiscovered Picks: Dave recommends Scave...

Smash Hit: Season 1, Episode 8 — “The Coup” Margaret is joined by podcast icons Jolenta Greenberg and Kristen Meinzer (By the Book, How to Be Fine) to unpack the chaos of Smash Season 1, Episode 8. From Derek’s sleazy power plays to Ivy vs. Karen, trust funds to creative coups, this episode has it all—including a prison-bed musical number and some unfiltered thoughts on nepotism casting. ✨ Undisc...

In this episode of Smash Hit, we delve into the pivotal seventh episode of NBC's Smash, titled "The Workshop." Joining us is Kelly Anderson from the Significant Lovers podcast, bringing her insights into the intricate relationships portrayed in the series. Significant Lovers explores famous couples throughout history and pop culture. Follow the podcast on Instagram @significantlovers . 

In this episode, Margaret and Chris DeRosa (Fixing Famous People) dive headfirst into Smash Season 1, Episode 6—serving up hot takes on the chaotic glamor of 2012. From questionable fashion choices to messy love triangles, they break down the drama between Julia, Ivy, and the ever-problematic Derek. They don’t hold back on the show’s clunky handling of big themes like infidelity and power plays, b...

This week, we dive into Smash Season 1, Episode 5, "Let's Be Bad"—an episode that brings us some of the show's most iconic musical numbers and plenty of behind-the-scenes Broadway drama. Joining us is Roberta Blevins, host of the Life After MLM podcast and featured in the LulaRich miniseries, to break down all the high-stakes energy of this episode. From Ivy’s big Marilyn moment to Julia’s persona...

This week, we’re diving into Smash Season 1, Episode 4, "The Cost of Art," where tensions rise, egos clash, and we get our first taste of Karen's initiation into the Broadway scene. From Ivy’s growing insecurities to Derek’s ongoing sketchy behavior, and the arrival of Lyle West (played by Nick Jonas!), there’s plenty of drama to dissect with Little Miss Recap host Amye Archer.   The English major...

This week, Margaret is joined by Keisha from The Libra Lounge to break down Smash Season 1, Episode 3, "Enter Mr. DiMaggio." The search for the perfect Joe DiMaggio is on, and tensions are running high both on and off the stage. Michael Swift enters the chat (and Julia’s personal life), Ivy and Karen continue their subtle—and not-so-subtle—rivalry, and we ask the important question: is anyone in t...

This week, Margaret is joined by Kelli Williams from the Beyond the Blinds podcast to dive into Smash Season 1, Episode 2, "The Callback." The tension is high as Karen and Ivy go head-to-head for the coveted role of Marilyn, and we break down every juicy moment—from audition room drama to Tom and Derek’s creative clashes. Join us as we unpack the show's Broadway authenticity, behind-the-scenes pow...

On this episode of Smash Hit, host Margaret is joined by media literacy expert and former theater kid Meredith Constant to dissect what might just be the greatest pilot of all time—at least for one of TV’s most gloriously chaotic shows, Smash. From that iconic “Let Me Be Your Star” moment to the sheer audacity of introducing both Marilyn and baseball in the same breath, Margaret and Meredith break...