Dear Santa Murphy,

Oh, Santa Murphy, I want to believe in you so badly. Some of my friends say that you aren't real; that the magic is gone. I've been thinking a lot about that, and even though I have my doubts, I'm not ready to give up on you just yet. I know you can make my wishes come true, because you've done it before. You gave me a show that brought fun, friends, music, and laughter into my life in ways I never would have imagined. It has been the sweetest gift ever! If it's not too much trouble, I would like to request the same thing this year.

Obviously, I'm a huge fan of Glee, the characters, and the cast. I have to be honest, though. The show is different now than the one I fell in love with over a year ago. Yes, there have been some amazing moments this season, and I'm completely enamored of both Coach Bieste and Blaine. Still, something feels...off? Awkward? Heavy? Forced? I can't put my finger on exactly what it is. At the risk of sounding like an old fuddy duddy, I would like to express a few thoughts. I understand that my opinions are just that, but I write out of respect and affection, so I hope you will hear me out.

I realize fans love to get involved (believe me, I KNOW), but in this case, the customer is not always (or even usually) right. The worst time to take suggestions from fans? Probably at big events like Comic-Con where everyone is emotional and fired up because they've been waiting in line all night. At that point, they will cheer for anything. No matter how bizarre the concept, the crowd will go wild. That doesn't necessarily mean it's a good idea.

As much as I love Kurt (and Chris), I also love the other characters. I would be thrilled to see their storylines expanded and the actors challenged a bit. I mean, what's going on with Santana? She obviously has self-esteem and intimacy issues, but are those issues going to be explored? Please tell me the boob job was not just to pave the way for a few boob jokes! Does Mercedes grapple with anything that isn't in some way food related? Is the relationship between Mike and Tina built exclusively around Mike's abs and being Asian? Do any of these kids have interests aside from glee club and trying to hook up? There are so many possibilities! Yes, Chris is a standout, and he's certainly deserving of the attention he's garnered, but frankly, no one else has really been given the opportunity to develop much depth.

Please don't assume that all fans are young and/or left wing. I'm probably not a "typical" fan--over 35, religious, middle of the road politically. I do live in a painfully conservative area, however, and I'm sad to say that among my friends, viewership has dropped dramatically in the second season. The messages that Glee presents are valid, but sometimes the people who need to hear those messages are turned off by too-frequent "in your face" moments. Pushing issues may move people toward a degree of tolerance, but never true acceptance.

I'm not a parenting council, but I AM a parent of teenagers. It is dangerous to imply that all teenage girls "put out" and that celibacy is silly and backward. I, for one, hope Quinn sticks to her guns from here on out. Rachel, too, for that matter. I'd wager more people regret having physical relations too early than regret graduating from high school a virgin. I realize that sex happens, but I don't think respect for different points of view is too much to ask. Isn't that sort of supposed to be the goal of the show?

Resist the temptation to give in to the lowest common denominator. I think there is a tendency today for people to want everything handed to them, preferably NOW. And sometimes those people are extraordinarily loud and pushy about it. But it's okay to make the viewer sweat a little! Give us references to think about, jokes to figure out (or not), implications without definitive conclusions--leave room for our minds and imaginations to roam. Some things are just better left unsaid. Or unseen, for that matter. Feeling a little bit naughty is one thing; feeling violated is quite another. There's a fine line between the two. The first thirteen episodes managed to jauntily walk that line . Since public opinion has entered the mix, the line has blurred, making it harder to know where the limits should be.

So that's my two cents, Santa Murphy. Thanks for listening. I hope you have a very happy holiday. Please give all the beautiful, magical elves in your workshop a big hug from me. And a long vacation. And a raise.

Love,

me