Ovation picks up off-network rights to 'Smash'

An arts cable channel has picked up the off-network rights to a recently-cancelled NBC series.

The first season of “Smash” will debut on Ovation July 19 and air Fridays at 8 p.m. Season two of the Broadway drama will premiere in November.

"Smash is exactly the kind of art-centric programming that Ovation’s viewers crave," Robert Weiss, Ovation's chief creative officer, said in a released statement. "This high-quality series fits in brilliantly with our efforts to showcase the powerful role that the Arts play in our lives. Ovation is thrilled to satisfy the wishes of diehard Smash fans and followers to keep the series alive, as well as to provide viewers, who are new to the series, an opportunity to experience the incredible talent, music, dancing, drama and excitement."

Debra Messing, Megan Hilty, Christian Borle, Anjelica Huston, Katherine McPhee and Jeremy Jordan starred in the series, and Jennifer Hudson, Rosie O’Donnell and Liza Minelli also made appearances. The show showcased the behind-the-scenes drama of two musicals trying to hit it big on Broadway.

“Smash” appeared in four different timeslots and did poorly in all of them. It was rebooted with new showrunner Josh Safran in season two. Though it developed a bit of a cult fan base in the Broadway community, NBC canceled it in May.

The show had some big backers- NBC entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt brought the drama with him from Showtime, and Steven Spielberg was also an executive producer.

Though it was dropped by Time Warner Cable earlier this year, Ovation is available in close to 50 million homes.