“Hell on Earth” couldn’t have been a more appropriate title for the April 2 episode of Smash because, despite Karen (Katharine McPhee) scoring a national orange juice commercial, everyone else’s lives were turned completely upside down. Julia’s (Debra Messing) marriage crumbled, Ivy’s (Megan Hilty) addiction escalated, and Tom (Christian Borle) was faced with the most terrifying evil of all — a gay republican!

I would like to begin by applauding Frank (Brian D’arcy James) for the way he handled the revelation of Julia and Michael’s (Will Chase) affair. Smash has been coaxing the audience to root for the adulterers all season, but once the truth came out, it was Frank who got all of our sympathy. And real talk: I loved watching him scream at Julia and punch Michael in the face. They both deserved exactly what was coming to them.

And then there was Ivy, who seems determined to follow in Marilyn Monroe‘s tragic footsteps until she’s discovered dead (and possibly naked) from an overdose. After returning to Heaven on Earth, the disgruntled showgirl went on stage completely high and fell flat on her face in front of the entire audience. And surprise, surprise – Karen was watching from the wings with a Taylor Swift-esque look of shock on her face!

Of course, the characters weren’t the only ones who suffered this week. The viewers at home were put through their own personal hell watching Ellis (Jaime Cepero) weasel his way to the top. Proving to be even more sexually ambiguous than I suspected, Ellis seduced a hot-shot Hollywood agent and convinced him to get his biggest client — a major movie star played by none other than Uma Thurman – to negotiate for the lead in Marilyn.

I’d also file Karen and Ivy’s Times Square performance of Rihanna‘s “Cheers (I’ll Drink To That)” under the category of hellish torture, but only because it was so awkward and unnecessary. If Karen and Ivy were going to bond — I prefer them as mortal enemies, myself — couldn’t they have just done it over a drink? Or a pillow fight? The whole thing felt very Glee, and I didn’t appreciate it one bit.

How do YOU feel about this week’s turn of events? Were you glad Julia and Michael finally got what was coming to them? Do you think Ivy and Karen will stay friends much longer? And, seriously, when will Ellis just stop being so awful? Drop me a comment with your thoughts on the episode!

— Andy Swift

Follow Andy on Twitter for more Smash updates

I hope Julia (Debra Messing) enjoyed that big kiss with Michael (Will Chase) on last week’s episode of Smash, because her affair is about to be revealed — and mild-mannered hubby Frank (Brian D’arcy James) might just release his inner Hulk. ”That information comes out; it’s coming,” Brian told HollywoodLife.com on March 5 at the NYC premiere of Friends With Kids, hosted by the Cinema Society and People‘s Style Watch. “Viewers may even see some retribution that [Frank] takes upon [Julia.]“

But Brian said viewers shouldn’t be too quick to assume the affair will lead to a divorce.

“[There are] complexities to a situation like this,” Brian explained. “The writers have been very responsible in terms of not making it easy to wrap it up in a bow. Let’s just say it’s as messy and as complicated as the event itself, which I love!”

And for the sake of putting wacky theories out into the universe, we asked Brian if it’s possible Frank has been engaging in some extramarital fun of his own while he’s been away. (God only knows what goes down at those “teacher re-certification retreats.”)

“I don’t know,” he said. “I didn’t say that!”

Hmm… We’ll take that as a maybe.

— Written by Andy Swift, Reporting by Chloe Melas

Brian may seem like a serious actor but this Michigan native definitely has a sense of humor!

Brian d’Arcy James is currently starring alongside the beautiful Alicia Silverstone in the Broadway play Time Stands Still in NYC. This is just one of his many stage roles — he’s been in Broadway’s Titanic, Carousel, and Blood Brothers, and he also starred opposite the lovely Idina Menzel in Andrew Lippa‘s The Wild Party. This two time Tony nominated actor has a very interesting family history … his uncle was in the tv series Flipper (remember with the dolphin) and his grandfather was the former Governor of Michigan. Brian opened up and told us some things you probably didn’t know!

Six things you never knew about Brian d’Arcy James!

• I try to hang my favorite painting of a monkey wearing a dunce cap in the dressing room of any Broadway show I’m in.

• Got interested in playing the piano by hearing the beginning of Jefferson Starship’s Jane and Foreigner’s Cold as Ice.

• I’m semi-obsessed with monkeys.

• Had my face bitten by my Uncle’s dog “Bear” during a no-blinking contest. I lost.

• Choked on a small potato when I was 11 at a function honoring Earvin “Magic” Johnson.

• Creating a TV comedy about my time in industrials (corporate theater)…a highlight includes singing KC and Sunshine Band’s “Keep it Comin’ Love” while tossing a large red ball in front of sales reps for the Smokeless Tobacco Industry.