NBC's SMASH Hits Series Low With First Saturday Episode

The first Saturday episode of SMASH on NBC on April 6th at 9 p.m. scored a series low 0.5 adults 18-49 rating, down 44 percent from Tuesday's 0.9 rating. Broadway legend Liza Minnelli guest starred as herself in this week's episode, titled "The Surprise Party."

On the episode, with guest star Minnelli in tow, Tom (Christian Borle) plans a surprise for Ivy (Megan Hilty) in an attempt to find a balance between their work life and their friendship. Relations between Karen (Katharine McPhee), Jimmy (Jeremy Jordan), and Derek (Jack Davenport) explode just as "Hit List's" rehearsal process nears its close.

While Richard (guest star Jamey Sheridan) asks Eileen (Anjelica Huston) to spend less time at work and more time with him, Julia (Debra Messing) finds herself also pulled away from "Bombshell" by an unlikely source. Leslie Odom, Jr., Krysta Rodriguez and Andy Mientus also star. Liza Minnelli, Jamey Sheridan and Jesse L. Martin guest star.

SMASH is a musical drama that celebrates the beauty and heartbreak of the Broadway theater as it follows a cross section of dreamers and schemers who all have one common desire - to be a "Smash." Evolving from an idea of executive producer and multiple Emmy and Oscar winner Steven Spielberg ("ER," "Schindler's List"), the series unites the hit-making Broadway writing team of Julia Houston (Debra Messing, Emmy winner, "Will & Grace") and Tom Levitt (Christian Borle, "Legally Blonde: The Musical") with producer Eileen Rand (Anjelica Huston, Oscar winner, "Prizzi's Honor") to create a new musical based on the life of Marilyn Monroe, and seasoned chorus girl Ivy Lynn (Hilty, "9 to 5: The Musical") vies with newcomer Karen Cartwright (McPhee, "American Idol") for the role of a lifetime.

SMASH is from Universal Television in association with DreamWorks Television.

Photo credit: Will Hart/NBC