A couple of significant developments here, starting with the Finn/Rachel storyline. Finn is so cute here, and I love that even though he's BMOC, he still comes across as insecure and awkward. I've always found that kind of leading man much more relatable than the suave, confident variety. We also get the introduction of Finn's "problem" as well as his unconventional solution. Now that I think about it, his method doesn't actually seem to work all that well. Can anyone remember a time it actually DID work?
This episode also introduces the "Fake Baby" arc. I'm probably one of the only people who actually liked this storyline. I saw it as a commentary on Will and Terri's relationship and how distant they had become as a couple. They were starting to realize how tenuous their marriage was, so they began tip-toeing around each other, just trying not to rock the boat. As horrified as I was about Terri lying to Will, I sympathized on some level. Fear and desperation lead people to do some pretty crazy things. It's not unusual for couples in crisis to stop touching or communicating. Living in denial might seem preferable to facing the truth. Was the storyline a little far-fetched? Sure. Unrealistic? In some ways. Totally implausible? Maybe not.
The major theme here is teen sexuality. While it is fairly blatant, there is an honesty about it I appreciate. Kids have so many issues to deal with, and presenting them in lighter ways that perhaps open up opportunities for discussion is good. It's a delicate subject, though, and things can easily cross over from humorously ribald into just plain vulgar. Here, nothing felt over the top. A little awkward, but that's to be expected. I adore the "Push It" performance primarily because of the tremendous awkward factor. Here are these geeky, unpopular kids doing this sexually charged number and it works because they don't really know how to pull it off. The result is that it is wildly inappropriate but more painful to watch than actually erotic. The audience reactions are priceless; Sue's look of abject horror, Figgins swaying peacefully, oblivious as always, Emma bopping along to the beat, the students trying to decide if they should be bored or intrigued. Subtle yet hilarious. Glee at its best.
I re-watched the first two episodes of Glee last night. There's definitely something special, as Rachel would say, about this episode. I love Rachel's and Finn's chemistry in particular. This was also the first episode of Glee I saw, and I think it's stronger than the pilot in some ways, perhaps because I saw it first.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. Showmance is sort of the "other pilot" to me. I appreciated that the writers took two episodes to really introduce everybody. It eliminated a lot of the learning curve later on and made it so easy to fall for the characters.
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