Katharine McPhee Isn't A Smashing Success On Hollywood Game Night

Most Enticing Gossip Fuel

So you get Smash alumnae Debra Messing and Katharine McPhee on the same episode of Hollywood Game Night, but you don't exploit their past connection by having them face off against each other in the games? I have to assume one of them hates the other, but which is which? Or is it mutual? Did they even mention that both of them were on Smash and I missed it? (Sure, they didn't say anything about JB Smoove and Will Arnett having co-starred together on The Millers either, but that wasn't also an NBC show.)

Most Dismissive Introduction

Ooh, Michael, did you park in Jane's spot today or something?

Michael probably wouldn't have told that cricket anecdote to your talent co-ordinator if he thought you were going to shit on it like that.

Worst First Impression

Katharine McPhee, this is...hard to watch. Harder than when you tried to be Marilyn Monroe, even.

I wish I could say the thought of her beating herself up in the car on the way home for this one brought me some cheer, but I truly think that she still doesn't understand exactly how badly she embarrassed herself. MELISSA SAID THE ANSWER, GENIUS, YOU DON'T HAVE TO KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT NASA, YOU JUST HAVE TO LISTEN.

I run hot and cold on Jane Lynch, but I love that, after this, Jane dismisses Katharine as an idiot for the rest of the episode.

And that one of the times Jane needles Katharine, Will Arnett practically laughs in his teammate Katharine's face.

Best New Game

Be Kind, Rewind seemed like an okay premise when I thought it was just going to require the celebrities to reverse movie plots in their heads. But adding the challenge of having them each take a turn reciting the movie title in reverse is diabolical. It uses a whole other part of your brain -- and Katharine McPhee doesn't have that part!

Tiniest Celebrity Downgrade

When Jane throws out the trivia that Arnett speaks fluent French, it's definitely hot to see him do it...

...except that it seems like his overture to Katharine might be 5% real, right? You can't go from Amy Poehler to Katharine McPhee, Arnett. You know it and I know it.

Giantest Celebrity Upgrade

If you know me at all, you know I am no fan of Debra Messing as a personality. For years, I have been calling her "TV's Julia Roberts," and not as a compliment: they're both affected overlaughers whose understanding of their own cuteness is vastly different from what we, sitting outside it, know to be true. And she has a couple of early stumbles, from the double-handed wave at her introduction...

...to her clenched, barely concealed fury when Will dares to describe the juggling Jane puts her on the spot to do as "terrible."

But, um. Her outfit is both attractive and sensible: it's clear that, even with a heel, that boot is easier to move around in than her female co-panelists' stilettos.

She's strong in I Love A Charade.

She's still got a lot of personality traits that I would find grating in real life, but she commits to these games and her (boring) civilian. Is it possible that all these years I've hated Debra Messing because I am Debra Messing??? Oof, I'm tarnishing my brand. Here: I still enjoyed this a lot!

Best Player

McPhee-targeted smarm aside, Will Arnett is obviously my guy. He cracks the code of Four Letter Words and makes his team's round almost bearable to watch.

He makes a very good stickler point at the end of his side's I Love A Charade.

And when chosen for the Bonus Round, he has great instincts for when to advance and when to give his partner, Melissa, the chance either to lead or to build on what he's said...

...and the results more than speak for themselves. Bien fait, mon ami.