'Smash': Kyle's Shocking Death Could Push 'Hit List' To New Heights (VIDEO)

Tragedy struck both productions on "Smash," as the fallout from last week's car crash finale hit hard. After teasing it out briefly, it was revealed that Kyle had died when he got hit by that car, leaving a hole at the heart of "Hit List." Vulture was a little surprised at how abruptly his death was handled.

"I thought we’d at least get a scene of Kyle in a coma," they said. "Or at the very least, Jimmy would have dashed out after him into the night to cradle his friend’s broken body and grant him a single chaste kiss on the forehead once his eyes had closed forever."

Against everyone's wishes -- and alienating Julie completely because of it -- Scott went ahead with the production that night. He lied and said that it was Julia who inspired the cast to go forward.

They did a stripped down version of it for the most part, with Jimmy showing up at the last minute to sing a heartfelt tribute to his lost friend.

Entertainment Weekly pointed out that Kyle's death felt a little familiar. They said that "Hit List" was the "Smash" equivalent of "Rent," and Jonathan Larson -- who wrote "Rent" -- died of an aortic aneurysm before his show became a huge hit. "Hit List" may well be on the same path, as Jerry revealed at the end of the episode that he was going to take the show to Broadway to compete with "Bombshell" for the Tony.