The Kurt Locker

Day 22: Journey

I can't believe we made it to sectionals! I feel a genuine kinship with our intrepid glee clubbers today. Season 1 has been an epic uphill battle, fraught with frustration, heartache, tears, and the occasional errant slushie. And that's just me blogging about it! It's been WAY worse for the kids. Thankfully, we've all had enough good times to balance out the bad: plenty of laughs, loads of music, and a surprising amount of self-discovery to boot.

One of the (many) things I find intriguing about Glee is that even in the best episodes, the writing is a bit daft. This tendency possibly stems from the fact that the three writers are men, all of which are unmarried and childless. Case in point, I can tell you with surety that a gal can't just walk in to a hospital on a whim, sign a paper, and walk out with a baby. And yet, in the wacky context of Glee, it works! It's a tremendous testament to the power of the show that intelligent, rational people are by and large willing to overlook these bouts of crazy and just go along with whatever happens.

And there is a LOT happening here! Finn declares his love for Rachel, Matt speaks AGAIN (and delivers his line admirably, which is good considering it's more or less his swan song), and Quinn's mother resurfaces.  Will lays all his cards out with Emma. Josh Groban and Olivia Newton John boldly commit character assassination against themselves. Kurt, bless his heart, manages to act deadly serious while dressed as the Cracker Jack mascot. And all the tears! Is there anyone who doesn't cry in this episode? Even SUE tears up, for heaven's sake!  I must confess, I get a little weepy myself, especially during the Bohemian Rhapsody/childbirth montage. It's remarkable to me the way the two scenes feed off of each other, yet neither is diminished in intensity by sharing the same space. Beautiful. On a side note, I just have to say, Zach Woodlee is a gift to mankind. Since most of the performances on the show call for "dumbed down" choreography, numbers like this are a rare, savory treat. I love you, Zach!

"Journey", to me, is classic Glee. It has just the right mix of sweetness, suspense, comedy, melancholy, and music. If the writers could bottle that magic elixir and take a big swig every time they start a new script, they would never flounder again. Going a step further, why not market it globally, alongside all those tee shirts and soundtracks? Who wouldn't like to buy their own supply of vintage Glee? Light and bubbly with subtle, dramatic undertones. Sweet top notes. A bit of a bite, but smooth going down. And oh--it would make you feel so good! Giddy and satisfied, and a little nostalgic. I bet they could sell it by the box.


xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo