Yes, I know, I've skipped three other episodes. I am behind yet again. This time way behind. But I have to get a few thoughts down about tonight's episode. I am so conflicted! I honestly can't tell if I liked it or not. My head is spinning. I'm just wondering if Ryan, Brad, and Ian are trying to sabotage this show that I love so much. Its pretty obvious that they've worked hard to ruin the character of Blaine. And I guess they took to heart all the haters that were complaining that Kurt was garnering too much sympathy because of the bullying storyline, so they gave him sufficient dialogue tonight to make middle America dislike him because they don't understand where he's coming from.
Aaarrrrgggghhhhh!!!!!
What was the point of making Blaine bi-curious for all of five minutes? Was he conflcted before he kissed Rachel? Or did Rachel's lips start him on the path to questioning and then miraculously make crystal clear to him that he was gay after all? It just doesn't make any sense! And Kurt, who is so in love with Blaine, agrees to a "friendly competition" with Rachel over Blaine's orientation? C'mon! I know this is high school, but give Kurt a little more credit than that, writers! I am so disappointed. I was so rooting for Klaine. I even still had some hope after the Valentine's Day episode, which I know was dumb on my part. But at this point, I don't want Kurt and Blaine to be together anymore. That wonderful chemisty between them just isn't there. At least not for me. I never wanted Blaine to be perfect, but now he's just wildly inconsistent, which many people have complained about with all the characters. Isn't it interesting that I still had hope and interest in Klaine after Jeremiah, but not after Rachel? Says a lot about my history I do believe.
I am very concerned that middle America is not going to understand the scenes between Kurt and Blaine in the coffee shop, and Kurt and Burt in the kitchen. I don't think kids will understand the conversations either. Maybe I'm underestimating the audience. I certainly hope I am. I hope they get the fact that once again Kurt was feeling alone and alienated when Blaine said he might be bi. For Kurt, he had finally found a kindred spirit, someone that not only understood him but was helping to blaze a trail for him. For Kurt, Blaine was the out, proud, confident person that he wanted to be. And suddenly, Blaine was questioning who he was. Which didn't make Kurt question, but did make him feel adrift again. That security of a good friend who understands what you're going through was ripped away in the blink of an eye.
And then the scene with Burt and Kurt. Maybe the writers have been reading the fan forums and the critics recaps, the ones that say Burt is too understanding, his acceptance of his gay son is unrealistic. So let's trot out the "no same sex friends in the bedroom because you're gay" argument. I just really did not like that conversation. Kurt WAS being responsible by making sure Blaine didn't drive drunk. Burt SHOULD have been proud of him for that. Okay, maybe Blaine should have slept on the couch. My point is, I don't agree that Kurt was inappropriate, I don't think he should have had to apologize, and maybe the writers actually agree with me, but by having Kurt apologize, they're making the point to the audience that he was wrong, when I don't think he was. And then his comment to Burt after that will be viewed as a bitchy comeback and an insult to his father.
Sigh.
More analysis to come.
gleekette
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011
The Grammy's
No Grammy love for the Gleeks. The cast was nominated for two Grammys this year: Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals, and Best Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture or Television. They didn't win, but Matthew, Lea, Amber, Dianna, Jenna, Mark, and Kevin all attended the event, and Matt and Lea were presenters.
Its not my intention to nitpick celebrities, but I have to mention something that Matt said on the red carpet that irritated me. Ryan Seacrest talked about the tour Matt will be doing this summer, and then he asked, "How do your castmates feel about that...the fact that you are having the opportunity to do a solo tour." (paraphrasing) And Matthew replied that the Glee cast was jealous.
Whether that's true or not, I think Matthew showed poor taste in saying that. Maybe he was trying to be funny, but his comments didn't come across as humorous.
Its really sad, because one of the greatest aspects of Glee is the amazing bond the cast seems to have, especially among the young people of the show. They are constantly together on and off the set. In various groups and twosomes, they go out to dinner, to movies and to shows, they take trips together and celebrate each other's birthdays. They twitter and text each other as well. They all speak so highly of each other in the press and through twitter, praising each other's performances, both on the show and in their other projects. Members of the cast attended Cory's first gig with his band and the premiere of "I am Number Four," starring Dianna Agron. I do wonder if some of them are secretly jealous of the attention that certain cast members receive, or if there is frustration over the lack of storylines and solos for some of the characters. If there is any discord, however, I haven't seen even a hint of it. So I'm really disappointed in Matt for insinuating that jealousy exists. In fact, both Lea and Cory have recording contracts, but Lea has stated in the press that right now her focus is on Glee and not on a solo singing effort.
gleekette
Its not my intention to nitpick celebrities, but I have to mention something that Matt said on the red carpet that irritated me. Ryan Seacrest talked about the tour Matt will be doing this summer, and then he asked, "How do your castmates feel about that...the fact that you are having the opportunity to do a solo tour." (paraphrasing) And Matthew replied that the Glee cast was jealous.
Whether that's true or not, I think Matthew showed poor taste in saying that. Maybe he was trying to be funny, but his comments didn't come across as humorous.
Its really sad, because one of the greatest aspects of Glee is the amazing bond the cast seems to have, especially among the young people of the show. They are constantly together on and off the set. In various groups and twosomes, they go out to dinner, to movies and to shows, they take trips together and celebrate each other's birthdays. They twitter and text each other as well. They all speak so highly of each other in the press and through twitter, praising each other's performances, both on the show and in their other projects. Members of the cast attended Cory's first gig with his band and the premiere of "I am Number Four," starring Dianna Agron. I do wonder if some of them are secretly jealous of the attention that certain cast members receive, or if there is frustration over the lack of storylines and solos for some of the characters. If there is any discord, however, I haven't seen even a hint of it. So I'm really disappointed in Matt for insinuating that jealousy exists. In fact, both Lea and Cory have recording contracts, but Lea has stated in the press that right now her focus is on Glee and not on a solo singing effort.
gleekette
Saturday, February 12, 2011
My Top Ten Moments of Season 2 So Far
Before I write analyses for first two episodes of 2011, here is my top ten moments of season two so far, pretty much in order of preference:
10) "Billionaire"
The scene really does look like a bunch of high school guys auditioning a potential new singer. Sam sounds great on this song, and Artie nails the rap. Always enjoy Finn on the drums as well.
9) Sue's lines in "The Substitute"
Ian Brennan outdid himself on the dialogue in this episode. Who knows where he came up with some of those lines. ""In fact, right now I'm tempted to sell your scalp on the black market as a tiny, full length shearling coat, for only the most fashionable of premature babies" Outrageous! :)
8) Brittany and Mike's dance routine in "Special Education"
The best thing about the performances at Sectionals was the two best dancers showing what they can do and making it look so easy. I wonder how many times they had to shoot that scene.
7) Rachel singing "Papa Can You Hear Me"
Yes, it was rather strange that Rachel sang this to Burt, who is not her father. But the only person that can do justice to Barbra other than Barbra is Lea Michele. And when you hear Rachel singing, with Kurt looking in from the other side of the hospital room window, the sense of isolation is communicated so clearly in his expression and the lyrics of the song.
6) Puck and Artie's friendship and "One Love / People Get Ready"
The bad boy jock and the wheelchair kid begin what will hopefully be a long and fun friendship. They sure have come a long way from Puck locking Artie in a port-a-toilet at the beginning of season one. Their voices blended beautifully in "One Love" and with the money they made from their "street performance," they were able to take their women to dinner at Breadsticks.
5) Rachel and Kurt's friendship and "Happy Days / Get Happy"
Another friendship that never seemed possible. Rachel and Kurt have pined for the same guy, fought for the same solo, criticized each other's fashion choices, and generally sniped at each other for more than a season. Their homage to Barbra and Judy was a glorious turning point in their complicated relationship.
4) "Umbrella / Singing in the Rain" mash-up
Gwyneth Paltrow was a great guest star on Glee. She was funny, she has a great singing voice, and she had great chemistry with everyone in the cast. Take part of a classic song, mash it with a fairly current radio hit, blend with come cool dance moves, add a fake rainstorm, and stir.
3) Finn dancing with Kurt and "Just the Way You Are"
The first half of season two really has been about relationship transformations. And what a journey for these two characters, from hero worship to a painful crush, from uncomfortable living arrangements resulting in a historic argument, from a long search for common ground that eventually culminates in acceptance, brotherhood, and this beautiful moment at their parents' wedding reception.
2) "I Wanna Hold Your Hand"
What a privilege it has been to witness Burt and Kurt's relationship. A story of a father's acceptance of his gay son has never been told on television with such honesty and depth. Kurt's tearful tribute to his critically ill father was heartbreakingly beautiful.
1) "Teenage Dream"
A confident young man looks across a room at a blushing, wide-eyed young man, sings "let you put your hands on me in my skin-tight jeans, be your teenage dream tonight," and a gleek nation explodes. Gay and straight gleeks alike went ga-ga for the possible new relationship. The song became the biggest selling single for the show, the leaked performance became an Internet sensation before the episode aired, and all the hype landed the two characters on the cover of "Entertainment Weekly."
gleekette
10) "Billionaire"
The scene really does look like a bunch of high school guys auditioning a potential new singer. Sam sounds great on this song, and Artie nails the rap. Always enjoy Finn on the drums as well.
9) Sue's lines in "The Substitute"
Ian Brennan outdid himself on the dialogue in this episode. Who knows where he came up with some of those lines. ""In fact, right now I'm tempted to sell your scalp on the black market as a tiny, full length shearling coat, for only the most fashionable of premature babies" Outrageous! :)
8) Brittany and Mike's dance routine in "Special Education"
The best thing about the performances at Sectionals was the two best dancers showing what they can do and making it look so easy. I wonder how many times they had to shoot that scene.
7) Rachel singing "Papa Can You Hear Me"
Yes, it was rather strange that Rachel sang this to Burt, who is not her father. But the only person that can do justice to Barbra other than Barbra is Lea Michele. And when you hear Rachel singing, with Kurt looking in from the other side of the hospital room window, the sense of isolation is communicated so clearly in his expression and the lyrics of the song.
6) Puck and Artie's friendship and "One Love / People Get Ready"
The bad boy jock and the wheelchair kid begin what will hopefully be a long and fun friendship. They sure have come a long way from Puck locking Artie in a port-a-toilet at the beginning of season one. Their voices blended beautifully in "One Love" and with the money they made from their "street performance," they were able to take their women to dinner at Breadsticks.
5) Rachel and Kurt's friendship and "Happy Days / Get Happy"
Another friendship that never seemed possible. Rachel and Kurt have pined for the same guy, fought for the same solo, criticized each other's fashion choices, and generally sniped at each other for more than a season. Their homage to Barbra and Judy was a glorious turning point in their complicated relationship.
4) "Umbrella / Singing in the Rain" mash-up
Gwyneth Paltrow was a great guest star on Glee. She was funny, she has a great singing voice, and she had great chemistry with everyone in the cast. Take part of a classic song, mash it with a fairly current radio hit, blend with come cool dance moves, add a fake rainstorm, and stir.
3) Finn dancing with Kurt and "Just the Way You Are"
The first half of season two really has been about relationship transformations. And what a journey for these two characters, from hero worship to a painful crush, from uncomfortable living arrangements resulting in a historic argument, from a long search for common ground that eventually culminates in acceptance, brotherhood, and this beautiful moment at their parents' wedding reception.
2) "I Wanna Hold Your Hand"
What a privilege it has been to witness Burt and Kurt's relationship. A story of a father's acceptance of his gay son has never been told on television with such honesty and depth. Kurt's tearful tribute to his critically ill father was heartbreakingly beautiful.
1) "Teenage Dream"
A confident young man looks across a room at a blushing, wide-eyed young man, sings "let you put your hands on me in my skin-tight jeans, be your teenage dream tonight," and a gleek nation explodes. Gay and straight gleeks alike went ga-ga for the possible new relationship. The song became the biggest selling single for the show, the leaked performance became an Internet sensation before the episode aired, and all the hype landed the two characters on the cover of "Entertainment Weekly."
gleekette
Thursday, February 10, 2011
US Summer Tour Dates Announced
I'm not going to bother posting the dates, because none of them are even close to where I live. Sixteen dates in only eleven states plus one night in Canada. The entire midwest, south, and southeast were left out. WTF, Glee? Sure, this tour is much longer than last year's tour, which I think was only four cities. But I don't see how can this can be billed as a "national tour" when a majority of the states have been left out.
I know its my own fault for getting my hopes up. I really wanted to see this show. Now the best I can hope for is mining youtube for pirated video. Not great, but better than nothing.
I am very disappointed.
gleekette
I know its my own fault for getting my hopes up. I really wanted to see this show. Now the best I can hope for is mining youtube for pirated video. Not great, but better than nothing.
I am very disappointed.
gleekette
Chris Colfer quotes
Found these on IMDB. Some of them are new to me:
My life is an awkward visit from the kids table.
On getting slushied on Glee: It felt like I was bitch-slapped by an iceberg.
Nurse Jackie is my favorite show! Brilliant characters! It makes me laugh so hard police come to my door thinking an animal is being abused.
It doesn't matter how old I get, I always act like an excited five year-old kid with severe ADD and a waddle at Disneyland.
Oh, I have this feud going with the L.A. Unified School District, because I keep getting these phone calls saying my daughter keeps missing classes, I mean, at all hours of the night, I had like, two calls this morning and I keep calling saying I haven't got a daughter! I'm 19! I mean, the 90's were a blur but I don't think I was impregnating anyone when I was two. I'm gonna find this girl and get her ass to school!
[about Kristin Chenoweth being on Glee] As soon as she came on, I was like, you know, constantly like, "Oh hi Kristin! Hi... I'm your biggest fan... We sound exactly alike."
I'm pretty sure I'm going to fall in my GaGa shoes one night on tour and I'm hoping it becomes a Youtube sensation.
The first one is the beginning of the tag line from his twitter page. The full sentence reads: My life is an awkward visit from the kid's table while awaiting a History Channel special.
gleekette
My life is an awkward visit from the kids table.
On getting slushied on Glee: It felt like I was bitch-slapped by an iceberg.
Nurse Jackie is my favorite show! Brilliant characters! It makes me laugh so hard police come to my door thinking an animal is being abused.
It doesn't matter how old I get, I always act like an excited five year-old kid with severe ADD and a waddle at Disneyland.
Oh, I have this feud going with the L.A. Unified School District, because I keep getting these phone calls saying my daughter keeps missing classes, I mean, at all hours of the night, I had like, two calls this morning and I keep calling saying I haven't got a daughter! I'm 19! I mean, the 90's were a blur but I don't think I was impregnating anyone when I was two. I'm gonna find this girl and get her ass to school!
[about Kristin Chenoweth being on Glee] As soon as she came on, I was like, you know, constantly like, "Oh hi Kristin! Hi... I'm your biggest fan... We sound exactly alike."
I'm pretty sure I'm going to fall in my GaGa shoes one night on tour and I'm hoping it becomes a Youtube sensation.
The first one is the beginning of the tag line from his twitter page. The full sentence reads: My life is an awkward visit from the kid's table while awaiting a History Channel special.
gleekette
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
"Special Education" Analysis
“Special Education” Analysis
After a six week drought, gleeks were treated to two big episodes in as many days. Great news, but it also means I need to get my ass in my gear on these analyses. I really want to write about “Silly Love Songs” first, but since my opinion has changed on certain characters and storylines, I need to catch up first. Hence, here is the analysis for “Special Education.”
I have watched the episode several times, so my thoughts have changed since the first viewing. I understand now that it was supposed to be a rather uncomfortable episode. Life in Glee land was supposed to feel off kilter. So many changes have occurred in quick succession. Finn and Rachel have broken up. Kurt has transferred to Dalton Academy. Lauren Zizes has joined New Directions as a “warm body” to cover Kurt’s absence. And Rachel is mad at Santana for sleeping with Finn. Well, Rachel being angry at Santana is nothing new. But anyhoo…
It was an interesting dichotomy from last season’s Sectionals, when the club was united in its determination to overcome the damage wrought by Sue leaking their set list to the other groups. In this episode they did finally work together to pull off two good performances, one much better than the other (more on that in a minute). Neither song had the fire and heart that “Don’t Rain on My Parade” and the Journey medley had, but again, I think that was intentional. In order for Kurt to continue being a source of competition, the Warblers and New Directions had to tie, and that is exactly what happened. They can’t have the appearance of being clear winners at Regionals; they have to look beatable by the Warblers and the returning Vocal Adrenaline to make the competition interesting.
My prediction is that New Directions will win or tie at Regionals, but lose at Nationals this season. What I don’t know is who their competition will be at Nationals, and how long Kurt will be with the Warblers. It’s a very complicated issue for me. I really like the Warblers. I am rooting for Kurt and Blaine to get together. But New Directions is not the same without Kurt, and never will be.
Good news or bad news first? Let’s go with the bad first. My least favorite elements of the episode:
Lauren Zizes
Don’t like her. And when I say that, I mean I don’t like the character. The writers haven’t given me a reason to like her yet. She’s not nice to anyone. She’s a part of New Directions now, but she thinks glee club is stupid. I am so frustrated that she is there and Kurt is not. Yes, the “seven minutes in heaven” with Puck was cute. But otherwise Lauren has caused nothing but turmoil. Of course, if she wasn’t there, New Directions would be ineligible. Would I rather see Jacob in the club? No way. Karofsky? Hell no! So for now we have Lauren. More on Ms. Zizes in a future analysis.
Brittany, Artie, and “the comb”
Another storyline that was supposed to make me feel all warm and fuzzy, but really didn’t. Now, I wasn’t nearly as upset by this as I was with the Artie “rewalk” Christmas storyline. I WAS glad that Brittany wasn’t cheating on Artie. I DO like them together. I just think there is a danger here of making Brittany too ditzy. I think her one-liners are hilarious. I like the character a lot. But first still believing in Santa Claus, and now putting real faith into a magic comb? When does the character cross the line from silly into a concern about a possible mental impairment? And when does the routine start to get old? I don’t want Brittany to become the Chrissy Snow (Three’s Company character played by Suzanne Somers) of Glee.
“Time of My Life” performance
I just hate to complain about the musical numbers, because Lord knows I can’t sing a note, so I should be the last person to criticize. But this is a show about music and singing, and I am writing an analysis. So here goes, even though I feel guilty. I didn’t like it. Diana Agron is a beautiful, talented actress, and she has a very sweet voice. But her and Chord dueting at Sectionals? This did not work for me. Her voice is not strong enough. They sounded very good together on “Lucky” in the “Duets” episode, but that is a different kind of song. I was disappointed in Chord’s voice as well in “Time of Your Life.” This is an iconic song from an iconic movie, and the odd country twang I heard from Chord was too different from Bill Medley’s raspiness for my taste. The I-tunes version of the song is better because it includes more of the cast singing and less of the duet.
And now for the good:
Including ALL the Glee “kids” in the episode
Hooray! Whether Ryan Murphy listened to the criticism or was planning to do it the whole time, I was so happy to see that everyone either had a storyline or a significant singing part in this episode. Of course some people were still more visible than others, but basically everyone was featured. Hopefully that made all the fans happy, at least for a week.
The Warblers singing “Soul Sister.”
I really like that song anyway, and the Warblers did justice to it. Darren Criss is a heck of a performer. Its difficult to be so torn between wanting Kurt back with New Directions and enjoying the Warbler scenes and performances. I just wonder if the fact that Blaine gets every Warbler solo will start to feel old soon.
I don’t know how or when Kurt will make his way back to New Directions, but I think his struggle to conform at Dalton will be a factor. For now he is choosing safety over individuality, but I don’t think he’ll have to do that for long. Kurt Hummel doesn’t belong in gray pants and a navy blazer with red piping. And he’s not going to be happy being a background Warbler for the rest of his high school life.
If Blaine and Kurt do get together, I think jealousy/competitiveness could be their downfall. Blaine is obviously accustomed to being the star of the Warblers. If Kurt starts to steal his thunder, or if Kurt isn’t able to do so, trouble could ensue. I would think it would be difficult for two members of a glee club to date. Obviously there are several couples in New Directions, but in each case there isn’t a competitive factor in their relationships. Mike knows that Tina sings better than he does. Finn still gets most of the male solos, but he knows that Rachel is the powerhouse singer, etc. But we all know how much Kurt had to fight for solos when he was in New Directions. Blaine seemed to be trying to help, but could his “pep talk” about fitting in and not trying to stand out also have been a calculated attempt to dissuade Kurt from future solo tryouts? In addition, while many of the comments I’ve read about Blaine reacting negatively to Kurt’s theatrics during his audition either saw the bit as humorous or Blaine trying to help Kurt, I took it quite differently. For me it was another example of Blaine and Dalton Academy attempting to change Kurt, to squash his personality, his individuality. I mean, of course Kurt was channeling Ava Peron (and Madonna!) during “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina.” How would Blaine have felt if Kurt advised him not to make those faces during “Soul Sister?”
“Valerie”
Definitely better than “Time of My Life.” I’m glad Santana got a solo, and I thought she sounded great on the Amy Winehouse song, but for me the stars of the performance were Brittany and Mike and their fabulous dance routine. Wow! Overall I am so amazed by this cast. How do they maintain their energy for the hours (and hours!) it takes to shoot a scene like that? So impressive.
Kurt and Rachel
What a joy it is to watch their friendship develop. Rachel could not have been more right when she said to Kurt in the “Duets” episode: “You and I are a lot alike.” Of course Kurt was offended at the statement! They both exude such a compelling mix of confidence and vulnerability. In this episode Rachel toggled back and forth seamlessly between totally obnoxious and completely endearing. I thought “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” was a strange choice, but when I listened to the lyrics, they really fit nicely in both Rachel and Kurt’s storylines. I was annoyed when Rachel overpowered him on the end note, and then I laughed to myself and said, “Of course she did! She’s Rachel!”
I thought the scene in the lobby before the Warblers performance was spot on. Rachel and Kurt hugged each other, then looked away and giggled nervously. When Rachel said, “You were my only real competition,” and Kurt said, “That’s true,” I think they were both overlooking Mercedes. But again, that would be pretty in character for both of them.
Rachel reminding Kurt to smile during “Soul Sister,” then she and Mercedes urging the audience to give the Warblers a standing ovation was the heart of the episode. The look on Kurt’s face said it all. He was away from New Directions, but he wasn’t forgotten. His friends were still rooting for him, even though technically he was now the competition. What a huge step for Rachel that was!
gleekette
After a six week drought, gleeks were treated to two big episodes in as many days. Great news, but it also means I need to get my ass in my gear on these analyses. I really want to write about “Silly Love Songs” first, but since my opinion has changed on certain characters and storylines, I need to catch up first. Hence, here is the analysis for “Special Education.”
I have watched the episode several times, so my thoughts have changed since the first viewing. I understand now that it was supposed to be a rather uncomfortable episode. Life in Glee land was supposed to feel off kilter. So many changes have occurred in quick succession. Finn and Rachel have broken up. Kurt has transferred to Dalton Academy. Lauren Zizes has joined New Directions as a “warm body” to cover Kurt’s absence. And Rachel is mad at Santana for sleeping with Finn. Well, Rachel being angry at Santana is nothing new. But anyhoo…
It was an interesting dichotomy from last season’s Sectionals, when the club was united in its determination to overcome the damage wrought by Sue leaking their set list to the other groups. In this episode they did finally work together to pull off two good performances, one much better than the other (more on that in a minute). Neither song had the fire and heart that “Don’t Rain on My Parade” and the Journey medley had, but again, I think that was intentional. In order for Kurt to continue being a source of competition, the Warblers and New Directions had to tie, and that is exactly what happened. They can’t have the appearance of being clear winners at Regionals; they have to look beatable by the Warblers and the returning Vocal Adrenaline to make the competition interesting.
My prediction is that New Directions will win or tie at Regionals, but lose at Nationals this season. What I don’t know is who their competition will be at Nationals, and how long Kurt will be with the Warblers. It’s a very complicated issue for me. I really like the Warblers. I am rooting for Kurt and Blaine to get together. But New Directions is not the same without Kurt, and never will be.
Good news or bad news first? Let’s go with the bad first. My least favorite elements of the episode:
Lauren Zizes
Don’t like her. And when I say that, I mean I don’t like the character. The writers haven’t given me a reason to like her yet. She’s not nice to anyone. She’s a part of New Directions now, but she thinks glee club is stupid. I am so frustrated that she is there and Kurt is not. Yes, the “seven minutes in heaven” with Puck was cute. But otherwise Lauren has caused nothing but turmoil. Of course, if she wasn’t there, New Directions would be ineligible. Would I rather see Jacob in the club? No way. Karofsky? Hell no! So for now we have Lauren. More on Ms. Zizes in a future analysis.
Brittany, Artie, and “the comb”
Another storyline that was supposed to make me feel all warm and fuzzy, but really didn’t. Now, I wasn’t nearly as upset by this as I was with the Artie “rewalk” Christmas storyline. I WAS glad that Brittany wasn’t cheating on Artie. I DO like them together. I just think there is a danger here of making Brittany too ditzy. I think her one-liners are hilarious. I like the character a lot. But first still believing in Santa Claus, and now putting real faith into a magic comb? When does the character cross the line from silly into a concern about a possible mental impairment? And when does the routine start to get old? I don’t want Brittany to become the Chrissy Snow (Three’s Company character played by Suzanne Somers) of Glee.
“Time of My Life” performance
I just hate to complain about the musical numbers, because Lord knows I can’t sing a note, so I should be the last person to criticize. But this is a show about music and singing, and I am writing an analysis. So here goes, even though I feel guilty. I didn’t like it. Diana Agron is a beautiful, talented actress, and she has a very sweet voice. But her and Chord dueting at Sectionals? This did not work for me. Her voice is not strong enough. They sounded very good together on “Lucky” in the “Duets” episode, but that is a different kind of song. I was disappointed in Chord’s voice as well in “Time of Your Life.” This is an iconic song from an iconic movie, and the odd country twang I heard from Chord was too different from Bill Medley’s raspiness for my taste. The I-tunes version of the song is better because it includes more of the cast singing and less of the duet.
And now for the good:
Including ALL the Glee “kids” in the episode
Hooray! Whether Ryan Murphy listened to the criticism or was planning to do it the whole time, I was so happy to see that everyone either had a storyline or a significant singing part in this episode. Of course some people were still more visible than others, but basically everyone was featured. Hopefully that made all the fans happy, at least for a week.
The Warblers singing “Soul Sister.”
I really like that song anyway, and the Warblers did justice to it. Darren Criss is a heck of a performer. Its difficult to be so torn between wanting Kurt back with New Directions and enjoying the Warbler scenes and performances. I just wonder if the fact that Blaine gets every Warbler solo will start to feel old soon.
I don’t know how or when Kurt will make his way back to New Directions, but I think his struggle to conform at Dalton will be a factor. For now he is choosing safety over individuality, but I don’t think he’ll have to do that for long. Kurt Hummel doesn’t belong in gray pants and a navy blazer with red piping. And he’s not going to be happy being a background Warbler for the rest of his high school life.
If Blaine and Kurt do get together, I think jealousy/competitiveness could be their downfall. Blaine is obviously accustomed to being the star of the Warblers. If Kurt starts to steal his thunder, or if Kurt isn’t able to do so, trouble could ensue. I would think it would be difficult for two members of a glee club to date. Obviously there are several couples in New Directions, but in each case there isn’t a competitive factor in their relationships. Mike knows that Tina sings better than he does. Finn still gets most of the male solos, but he knows that Rachel is the powerhouse singer, etc. But we all know how much Kurt had to fight for solos when he was in New Directions. Blaine seemed to be trying to help, but could his “pep talk” about fitting in and not trying to stand out also have been a calculated attempt to dissuade Kurt from future solo tryouts? In addition, while many of the comments I’ve read about Blaine reacting negatively to Kurt’s theatrics during his audition either saw the bit as humorous or Blaine trying to help Kurt, I took it quite differently. For me it was another example of Blaine and Dalton Academy attempting to change Kurt, to squash his personality, his individuality. I mean, of course Kurt was channeling Ava Peron (and Madonna!) during “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina.” How would Blaine have felt if Kurt advised him not to make those faces during “Soul Sister?”
“Valerie”
Definitely better than “Time of My Life.” I’m glad Santana got a solo, and I thought she sounded great on the Amy Winehouse song, but for me the stars of the performance were Brittany and Mike and their fabulous dance routine. Wow! Overall I am so amazed by this cast. How do they maintain their energy for the hours (and hours!) it takes to shoot a scene like that? So impressive.
Kurt and Rachel
What a joy it is to watch their friendship develop. Rachel could not have been more right when she said to Kurt in the “Duets” episode: “You and I are a lot alike.” Of course Kurt was offended at the statement! They both exude such a compelling mix of confidence and vulnerability. In this episode Rachel toggled back and forth seamlessly between totally obnoxious and completely endearing. I thought “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” was a strange choice, but when I listened to the lyrics, they really fit nicely in both Rachel and Kurt’s storylines. I was annoyed when Rachel overpowered him on the end note, and then I laughed to myself and said, “Of course she did! She’s Rachel!”
I thought the scene in the lobby before the Warblers performance was spot on. Rachel and Kurt hugged each other, then looked away and giggled nervously. When Rachel said, “You were my only real competition,” and Kurt said, “That’s true,” I think they were both overlooking Mercedes. But again, that would be pretty in character for both of them.
Rachel reminding Kurt to smile during “Soul Sister,” then she and Mercedes urging the audience to give the Warblers a standing ovation was the heart of the episode. The look on Kurt’s face said it all. He was away from New Directions, but he wasn’t forgotten. His friends were still rooting for him, even though technically he was now the competition. What a huge step for Rachel that was!
gleekette
Thursday, February 3, 2011
"Never Been Kissed" Storylines B and C Analysis
“Glee” resumes in four days (YEA!) so I better finish up the analysis of “Never Been Kissed” and write the one for “Special Education.”
Storyline B: Beiste and Mr. Schue
Sigh. I know why I’ve been dragging my feet on writing this part. I just hate to say I didn’t like it, but there it is. I didn’t like it. I really wanted to like it. I wanted it to be sweet and tug at my heart. But it just made me uncomfortable. It felt smarmy. Inappropriate. The hot teacher giving the unattractive female football coach a pity kiss. And the boys talking to Beiste before their mash-up performance was even more cringe-worthy, if that’s possible. “You’re so pretty when you smile,” Puck says. C’mon, Puck would seriously say that to her? Only if he wanted something, or if he was trying to get out of doing something. The hug at the end was cute, but that was about it.
Trust me, I’ve been an unattractive girl all my life. We know who and what we are. And we’re not going to believe it when the hunk tells us we’re pretty, or special, or whatever. We’re going to know that someone put him up to it, either with threats, or promises, or on a dare. Or just because he feels sorry for us. But we know he doesn’t feel it.
The only way the scene with Schue and Beiste was digestible to me was when I reasoned it out as maybe Will gave her the kiss so she could get past the “this has never happened to me before” phase. Meaning, Beiste was stopping herself from even looking for a relationship because she felt like a man would be freaked out / turned off by the knowledge that she had never even kissed a guy. So Will kissing her was like saying to her, “Okay, you’ve had your first kiss now. You’re past that hurdle. Now you can feel more confident about putting yourself out there.”
Storyline C: Artie and Puck
Three cheers for this new friendship! Fantastic! Unfortunately I can’t come up with a good mash-up name for Artie and Puck. Auck? Partie or Tuck won’t work. Anyway, I think they are super together. One of my favorite moments in the episode was when Puck was in Figgins’ office, yelling that no one cares about him, and as he runs out and up the stairs, Artie rolls by. Puck is a bully whose threatening façade stems from an inner vulnerability. He wants someone to understand him and care about what happens to him. Artie is going to be one of those people. He is looking beyond the “bad boy” antics and seeing Puck’s potential, to be a good student and a nice guy. And this might cause Puck to see past the wheelchair and Artie’s nerdy clothes, and discover a guy he could actually be buds with.
One thing is for sure, Artie and Puck need more duets! “One Love/People Get Ready” was terrific! I didn’t totally love the reggae, but their voices sounded amazing together. As far as the scene goes, Puck’s bravado meshed with Artie’s uncertainty as the other students filled the empty guitar case with dollar bills was on point for both characters. And the “cap” bit was brilliant!! When Puck took the hat off the guy’s head and threw it to Artie,that was a reference to where the term “handicapped” was thought to have originated. The myth has been perpetuated for years that the term “handicapped” stemmed from the “cap in hand” maneuver used by street beggars for centuries. In actuality, the word “handicapped” evolved from a betting game called “hand in cap.” Sounds similar, but the origin of the word comes from quite a different source. Check out snopes.com for more information if you’re interested.
gleekette
Storyline B: Beiste and Mr. Schue
Sigh. I know why I’ve been dragging my feet on writing this part. I just hate to say I didn’t like it, but there it is. I didn’t like it. I really wanted to like it. I wanted it to be sweet and tug at my heart. But it just made me uncomfortable. It felt smarmy. Inappropriate. The hot teacher giving the unattractive female football coach a pity kiss. And the boys talking to Beiste before their mash-up performance was even more cringe-worthy, if that’s possible. “You’re so pretty when you smile,” Puck says. C’mon, Puck would seriously say that to her? Only if he wanted something, or if he was trying to get out of doing something. The hug at the end was cute, but that was about it.
Trust me, I’ve been an unattractive girl all my life. We know who and what we are. And we’re not going to believe it when the hunk tells us we’re pretty, or special, or whatever. We’re going to know that someone put him up to it, either with threats, or promises, or on a dare. Or just because he feels sorry for us. But we know he doesn’t feel it.
The only way the scene with Schue and Beiste was digestible to me was when I reasoned it out as maybe Will gave her the kiss so she could get past the “this has never happened to me before” phase. Meaning, Beiste was stopping herself from even looking for a relationship because she felt like a man would be freaked out / turned off by the knowledge that she had never even kissed a guy. So Will kissing her was like saying to her, “Okay, you’ve had your first kiss now. You’re past that hurdle. Now you can feel more confident about putting yourself out there.”
Storyline C: Artie and Puck
Three cheers for this new friendship! Fantastic! Unfortunately I can’t come up with a good mash-up name for Artie and Puck. Auck? Partie or Tuck won’t work. Anyway, I think they are super together. One of my favorite moments in the episode was when Puck was in Figgins’ office, yelling that no one cares about him, and as he runs out and up the stairs, Artie rolls by. Puck is a bully whose threatening façade stems from an inner vulnerability. He wants someone to understand him and care about what happens to him. Artie is going to be one of those people. He is looking beyond the “bad boy” antics and seeing Puck’s potential, to be a good student and a nice guy. And this might cause Puck to see past the wheelchair and Artie’s nerdy clothes, and discover a guy he could actually be buds with.
One thing is for sure, Artie and Puck need more duets! “One Love/People Get Ready” was terrific! I didn’t totally love the reggae, but their voices sounded amazing together. As far as the scene goes, Puck’s bravado meshed with Artie’s uncertainty as the other students filled the empty guitar case with dollar bills was on point for both characters. And the “cap” bit was brilliant!! When Puck took the hat off the guy’s head and threw it to Artie,that was a reference to where the term “handicapped” was thought to have originated. The myth has been perpetuated for years that the term “handicapped” stemmed from the “cap in hand” maneuver used by street beggars for centuries. In actuality, the word “handicapped” evolved from a betting game called “hand in cap.” Sounds similar, but the origin of the word comes from quite a different source. Check out snopes.com for more information if you’re interested.
gleekette
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