"Smash," with its recent renewal from NBC, will be back for another season.
Also read: "Smash" Renewed for Season 2
Theresa Rebeck, the woman who created the series? Not so much.
Rebeck, who serves as the show's creator and executive producer, is leaving the series, TheWrap has learned. It is not clear whether the departure is voluntary or involuntary.
Rebeck, also a playwright, has television credits that include "Canterbury's Law," "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" and "NYPD Blue."
Also read: NBC's $20M Push — Will a Massive Monday Marketing Gamble Pay Off?
"Smash," which stars Katharine McPhee and Megan Hilty as they attempt to hit the big time in an Broadway musical about Marilyn Monroe, was renewed by NBC on Thursday. However, a cloud of uncertainty has surrounded the series virtually since its premiere.
The series, which airs on the back of NBC's massively popular "The Voice," premiered in early February with a strong 3.8 rating/10 share in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic and 11.5 million total viewers. Subsequent episodes showed a significant dropoff, but in recent weeks it has stabilized and even climbed.
It is also the network's top-rated drama in the demo — NBC has reliably won Monday night since pairing the two series. "Smash" has a champion in NBC entertainment chairman Robert Greenblatt, who developed the show when he was at Showtime. The network has invested a significant amount in the series, spending $20 million to market it and "The Voice" and "Smash."
Whether it will flourish or crash without the woman who gave birth to it remains to be seen.
Deadline first reported Rebeck's exit.