High voltage arcs I've had made more of a "snap" sound instead of a pop. A snap and no smoke could be high voltage. Could also be a short in the neck of the CRT. I have a 21FBP22 in an RCA that arcs in the neck occasionally.
A cap blowing would leave behind a small mess... depending on the size of the cap. The degree of smoke and smell would also vary with the cap size. Might need to look under the chassis for evidence of a blown cap.
When firing up a set, whether for the first time or after replacing parts, I always felt it was best to be watching from the back so that if something craps out, it is likely you will see or hear what it was, or at least what area it was in. You can always watch the CRT from the back with a mirror in front of it while watching the chassis.
I've had caps blow a few times... usually small pops. Had a small electrolytic give way once. That one was a real attention getter! It left a very big mess. Other failures I've experienced include snaps, sizzles, fizzles, and a little smoke.
Also had a cool light show from a wire that grounded out on the chassis due to worn insulation.