Day 28: Never Been Kissed

Two words: Darren Criss. When I heard they were going to cast a significant other/ mentor/ whatever the heck he is for Kurt, my initial thought was, 'Good luck'. Because as far as I could imagine, no one would ever be a worthy match for the charming and perpetually adorable Chris Colfer. You know what they say about lightning never striking twice? It's bunk.

Two more words: Coach Bieste. I am madly in love with this woman. So sweet and vulnerable, yet absolutely terrifying when she gets fired up. She's got a hard shell with a nougat-y center.

A few more word pairs, for good measure:
Kurt confronts
Karofsky snaps
Buzzkill works
Bieste cries
Will kisses
Teenage Dream
Kurt smiles
Puck waffles
Artie pays
Boys apologize
All forgiven

Summary complete.


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Day 27: The Rocky Horror Glee Show

I was scared to death of this episode. And not in a cool, shivery haunted house way, either. After the Britney/Brittany debacle, I figured this would be yet another excuse to push the boundaries of decency and good taste. I confess I am not a huge "Rocky Horror" fan.  I've only seen the show once in its entirety, and that was probably 20 years ago. Since then, I've never felt the desire to revisit Dr. Frank-N-Furter and his band of merry--whatever they ares. I remember the basic premise and watched a few clips on YouTube to refresh my memory in preparation for this episode, but that's about it. It's not really my thing, but to each his own.

You will be surprised to learn that I actually like this episode. Probably no more surprised that I was, though! The music and costumes are fun and a departure from the regular Glee fare. Finn is an utterly adorkable Brad. "Dammit, Janet" is pure delight. His awkward physicality actually worked to his advantage for a change! Kurt's Riff Raff is somehow both cute and creepy. And I thought Mercedes made a fantastic Frank-N-Furter. Yes, that choice raised some eyebrows, but it works for me.

What doesn't work for me is the continuation of manipulative Will. You're a teacher, man! Pull yourself together! Now, we all know he isn't above a bit of treachery to get what he wants. I mean, back in the day, he planted drugs on a student and then proceeded to blackmail said student into joining glee. He's certainly no saint, but using his students and endangering the club ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS to aid  his romantic pursuits seems over the top. Which is really saying something.

Personally, I think it's hilarious that every time an interviewer asks Chris about coming up with the idea of doing a Rocky Horror tribute episode, he says something along the lines of, "Well, I wanted to do 'The Time Warp' ",  like he doesn't really want to take responsibility for the whole thing. I guess I don't blame him. The material here is risque, and honestly, not really suited for an early, primetime show. The source is a controversial, R-rated movie that is steeped in sex and reeks of fetish from beginning to end. It was sort of a bizarre choice, actually, because it pretty much guaranteed that hardly anyone would really be satisfied with it. The purists would be infuriated by heavy content editing, and the general non-Rocky public would be severely offended at worst and at best, terribly confused. I guess I'm somewhere in the middle: aware of the show but not a fan. The potential for disaster was pretty high from the outset.

The whole thing might have bothered me more had it not been for the brilliant "Sue's Corner" near the end of the episode. Here's a portion of that scene:

Well said, Sue.

I'm both encouraged and confused by this speech. On one hand, I think, whew--Ryan Murphy and Co. actually do understand that they have a responsibility to the viewing audience. That pushing the boundaries of decency just because the network will allow it isn't a good enough excuse, and that kids find plenty of questionable material all by themselves without adults handing it to them. I want to believe that this is an apology of sorts for previous missteps and an assurance that we will never again be subjected to students publicly pleasuring themselves or references to scissoring. This is not to say I want the writers to eliminate all potentially objectionable material. Glee is what it is because of the boundary-skirting issues and dialog. What I would like to see is "pushing with a purpose": pushing done thoughtfully, with an actual goal in mind, rather than pushing for its own sake or for shock value.

On the other hand, I get a little nervous when Sue emerges as the voice of reason. Do the writers intend for her to sound reasonable, or do they think she's being stodgy and ridiculous? Are we meant to watch her little speech and reel in horror at the suggestion of censorship in any form, or the idea that adults are actually doing a disservice to kids by not monitoring their media exposure?

I'd like to say the first case is more likely, but I'm honestly not sure. I suppose time will tell. Or not. It's awfully hard to know with these guys.



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Day 26: Duets

By and large, I like "Duets". After my last traumatic post, this, at least, doesn't feel quite as personal. It's a step in the right direction, anyway.

There are lots of great performances, in particular Mike and Tina performing "Sing!", which is probably one of the cutest things I've ever seen, and Kurt's "Le Jazz Hot". I'm dying to know if Chris did that glissando all by himself or if he had digital assistance. It sounds amazing! Also, I pray he never decides to grow a mustache.

I love Sam as this moment. I think it's darling that he does impressions and speaks Na'vi. It makes me sad that he subsequently loses these quirks, or at least they fade back behind the "jock" persona. Which is a shame, because the show could benefit from a good sci-fi/ pop culture nerd. One would think the writers would be all over that. Imagine the wealth of comic gold available from such rich sources as Star Trek, Star Wars, DC and Marvel Comics...the mind boggles at the possibilities. Sam has the potential to be a fun, unique character, and I hope someday he gets that chance.

I do not love Artie at this moment. Within a matter of moments, he goes from mooning over Tina to hitting the sheets with Brittany? Seriously? Not even a second thought, huh? And then he suddenly turns all self-righteous on her and sends her on a guilt trip because she took advantage. I don't recall hearing any protest on his end! And he obviously knew Brittany's reputation and her intelligence level. This whole thing was completely out of left field, and I HATE THAT! I can't really blame Artie for this lapse in judgment, though. The blame lies with the writers, who, once again, commit character homicide. This is not the Artie I know. And this turn of events is not cool.

I do appreciate the growing understanding between Kurt and Rachel. Despite Kurt's wishes to the contrary, they actually have a lot in common. I think it's sweet that Rachel manages to step out of herself for a moment, notice that he's hurting, and offer a hand to hold. Maybe she isn't a very nice person in practice, but she's capable when she puts her heart in to it. Hopefully, she'll start to figure out that building her friends up doesn't necessarily come at an expense to herself. That building another person up actually makes her stronger. And sometimes, it can even lead to a killer duet.


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Day 24: Britney/Brittany/ Day 25: Grilled Cheesus


Yes, I'm behind on my posts. A computer glitch left me stymied Thursday night. Then last night, a friend called, wanting to hang out and watch a movie or something. "Something" turned out to be a double feature of "Britney/Brittany" and "Grilled Cheesus". My friend has seen Season 1(at my behest), but not Season 2, probably due at least in part to my obvious dismay about the direction the show was taking.  My vision was that I would watch with my friend, follow up the viewing with a lively, enlightening discussion and I would then blog about it. Sort of a fun deviation from the norm, right? Well, what ended up happening is we watched, had a discussion, and then I came home and sat up all night wondering what the heck is wrong with me for being so committed to something that invoked both shock and horror in someone I care about and admire. I considered ditching this project, but I'm going to try and finish for myself. I say for myself, because I have no idea what is going to come out, and whatever it is, it probably won't be popular.

I'm not going to do proper write-ups of these episodes at this moment in time. I just don't have it in me. What I will say is that these two episodes caused feelings in me I'd never experienced before while watching Glee. More firsts, but this time, not the good kind.  These episodes marked the first  time I was actually embarrassed to call myself a Gleek. The first time I felt the need to apologize to my friends for inviting them over to watch. The first time I felt insulted by the writers; that they deliberately opted for shock value vulgarity over clever writing. This was the first time I felt violated; that watching left me feeling cheap and tawdry. And the first time I realized, through the haze of adoration, that the show was not actually plot or character-driven at all, but rather, whim-driven. Why else would they change history and characters more often than Kurt changes clothes? Did they think I was stupid and wouldn't remember? Emma didn't dump Will because he was boring! She dumped him because he CHEATED ON HER. And the sweet, dynamic kids we met last season? Where did they go? I hardly recognized them anymore, and it hurt my heart.

This was also the first time the creators took something sacred to me and made it an hour-long joke. And to what end? No apparent character evolution took place. No one was really any better off. Along with Finn, my faith was shaken. Not my faith in the divine, but my faith in the OTHER creators. The creators who gave us the world of Glee. And in the absence of faith, there is fear. Suddenly, for the first time, I was afraid. Had I been wrong to believe? What would happen next? Was this world I'd grown fond of and comfortable in slipping away?

Now, from its inception, this world was never perfect. Far from it, in fact. The environment was not safe for everyone, and discretion was necessary, but it made a great number of people very happy. I spent time with several thousand of these contended residents when I attended Glee Live in May. There were people old and young, male and female, from all walks of life. I remember in particular a grandmother there with her granddaughter, who looked to be about 10. And I thought how great it was to be part of something that brought generations together, opening hearts and minds through shared music and laughter. Seeing these episodes for the first time, I thought of those two people again, of them watching together. And I couldn't picture it.

Here's the thing about faith, and even if Finn doesn't get it, I do. Faith isn't about instant gratification. It's about sticking with something you believe in even when it gets hard. Even when things don't go the way you want them to. Faith is about believing that eventually, things will work out for the best, whatever the 'best' might be. My faith has been shaken, and a degree of trust has been lost. But I'm not ready to give up yet.


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Day 23: Audition

Season 2! After a hideously long hiatus, I was all geared up for more Glee. As I'm sure all of you were! My expectations were hazardously high. The writers hinted at more "intimate", fleshed-out storylines. There would be fewer production numbers to allow time for richer plot. Most intriguingly, new members would be coming in to the fold. I was a tad leery of the promised new characters. Would they be any good? How could they possibly measure up to the established characters I already loved? Was there room in my heart for an expanded glee club? 

When "Audition" aired at long last, I was thrilled. I was surprised and delighted to find myself instantly taken in by Sam, Coach Bieste, and Sunshine. Even better, several promising storylines were introduced. What follows is a rough approximation of my thoughts both during and immediately following the episode:

Sweet Sam-- the comic book-loving new kid worried about fitting in. He's also dyslexic. Those are issues lots of kids deal with. Definitely some usable material there...

Sunshine emerges as yet another tiny diva with a big voice. The perfect foil for the crazy-competitive Rachel! Imagine the hurt feelings and cat fights that will ensue...

Mike and Tina are dating? Hmmm. Okay...well, there must be more to it than Mike's abs and being Asian. I'm sure we'll find out more later...

Poor Artie! He obviously still cares about Tina. I can't wait to see what he'll do to win her back. Watch out, Mike--Artie knows what he wants and he won't give up until he gets it...

Quinn supplants Santana as captain of the Cheerios? That will cause some tension! I wonder how Babygate has affected Quinn's competitive nature. Will she let Santana push her around? How far will Santana go to regain her position? This will be an epic showdown...

Wow... Santana clearly has some serious self-esteem issues. Those issues probably fuel her promiscuous behavior. Many girls feel badly about themselves, so it will be interesting to see how Santana progresses. The boob job must be a set-up for the exploration of those issues...

I am completely in love with Bieste. She's perfectly heartbreaking and adorable and intimidating.

Well, one out of seven ain't bad. I guess.

Like I said, my expectations were hazardously high. Even more so after "Audition". Which is why, thus far, season two makes me want to tear my hair out! I'm not saying I've absolutely hated it. In typical Glee fashion, there have been many, many great moments. What eats at me, though, are all of the wasted opportunities for character and plot development. ALL of the characters could have sustainable, substantial story arcs. Some of them (particularly Quinn, Sam, and Santana) have the potential to make a significant impact. Maybe even save lives. For a show that prides itself on inclusion, the writers are surprisingly choosy about what issues warrant attention.  I just can't wrap my head around it. Glee has the power to reach out and inspire kids of all ages and backgrounds to embrace themselves and their differences. So the big question of this season is, why won't the writers actually do it?

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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.


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Day 21: Funk

Well, if I had to pick my least favorite episode of Season 1, "Funk" would be the one.  It bears the unfortunate distinction of being the only episode with musical numbers that I actually skip. Other than that, there's really no specific reason for my distaste. It just doesn't ignite anything in me, you know? I've come to accept that not every episode is going to be amazing, and none of them will be perfect. That simply isn't how the writers roll. And that's okay. It doesn't make me any less of a fan if I feel ambivalent toward certain episodes. Apparently, the theme for this post is "Episodes"...

It's like this. I love my kids and I love my cat, and nothing they ever do will change how I feel. Even if they break my heart (kids), tear up the couch (cat), or barf on my carpet (could go either way), I will forgive their mistakes and go right on loving them. Glee is a bit like that for me. I don't always enjoy what's going on. The writers have made (and continue to make) some choices that infuriate and frustrate me. Still, I dearly love those glee clubbers. It's a good thing they're so cute--it makes forgiving the writers' folly that much easier.  :)

So, I'm curious. Are there any episodes that leave you cold?


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