Glee - Britney/Brittany, S02E02

Oh Glee...why do I keep watching you when you don't ever impress me? The singing is always great, even if the video footage accompanying it is sometimes a little weird, and I do, actually, like Britney Spears' music. Plus, some of the lines, particularly Brittany (Heather Morris)'s, are very hilarious. But musical talent and a couple funny lines do not make a show great, and neither do little additions which are an attempt to give the show more of a purpose.

I really don't care about Will (Matthew Morrison). When I started typing that sentence, I was going to say that I didn't care about Will's relationship, or lack there of, with Emma (Jayma Mays), particularly as I really like her with her dentist boyfriend. Who doesn't like John Stamos? And then I realized that I don't want to know anything about Will's life. And why the hell does he get to act the way he does with his Glee kids? I realize that Matthew Morrison is hardly older than some of them, and they are all peers in real life, but the teacher-student relationships he has going on show a severe lack of judgment on his part which is actually just as bad as Sue (Jane Lynch)'s.

And do I need to get into how weird that assembly got? Why was there a sex riot? Why wasn't Sue, an Emmy winning character, better used? Why have Rachel (Lea Michele) and Quinn (Dianna Agron) taken back seats? When is this show going to have a more interesting, relevant, and involving plot that the fact that if Glee does not win at any and all competitions, the club will be disbanded? Why can't this show hire some competent writers to give it a through line?

I know there are a lot of fans of the show out there, so my question is, am I wrong?????

Glee - Audition, S02E01

I have said it before and I will say it again: If not for the fact that Glee is a musical, no one would watch it. This insane high school comedy continues to have very little that is redeeming beyond its music. Of course, the music side of it makes it so compelling and watchable that, despite my continued complaints, I will probably still watch because, whatever else it might be, it is entertaining.

Okay, so it was quickly established that the Glee kids are still a bunch of losers. Fine. And Finn (Cory Monteith) and Rachel (Lea Michele) are still happily together, while Artie (Kevin McHale) lost Tine (Jenna Ushkowitz) to Mike (Harry Shum Jr.). That's really all that was significant about what has happened since last season.

Now, Quinn (Dianna Agron) is back to being head cheerleader because Santana (Naya Rivera) got a boob job, and the two friends really don't like each other anymore, and worse, Finn got kicked off the football team. And that happened because people are awful and mean to each other and as a result, other people are even more awful and mean to even more people. Why would I want to watch a show where everyone is so horrible?

Oh, and while I really enjoyed the New York song and Rachel's brilliant finale, I do want to know what was up with her singing with Sunshine (Charice) in the bathroom because other than the final interruption by Sue (Jane Lynch) the entire moment was just weird, as well as what is the point in giving all these pointless secondary characters solos and diva moments when I really don't care enough to just listen to them sing. It's a tv show, people, not a concert.

Finally, did they really have to make Rachel come across as such a bitch to have sent Sunshine to a crackhouse? I don't actually believe that behaviour is possible from her. Maybe if Sunshine had gotten herself horribly lost because of Rachel's directions and perhaps ended up in an unsavory part of town as a result, that would have made sense, but Rachel should know better than being that evil after having been egged so cruelly at the end of last season.

But that is Glee for you. Love the music, love Sue for being evil and witty, love every moment that you can actually love, and simply ignore all the noise and nonsense.

Season's Review - Glee, Season 1

Glee was a far greater success, I think, than the producers, writers, directors, and actors originally anticipated. This meant that, while the concept was thought through, no plot really was. So you have a terrific idea - essentially high school dramedy which is a musical - and it doesn't really get backed up by solid story-telling.

I really enjoy Glee. I turn it on, I enjoy the music, I laugh, I get angry at the bad things that happen, and I wish that I knew more about how Sue C's it. But I try not to think. Because when I think too hard about it, I realize that there are so many little holes, so many contradictions, so many things that happened which nobody thought through completely. And it makes me sad that such a great idea, which has met with such terrific acclaim, doesn't do the one thing I really believe television is for - it doesn't tell a long and lasting story which develops perfectly because television has more time than almost any other story telling medium.

Glee relies on its music and on its fantastic cast of characters. The characters are all interesting and diverse. They have issues which are believable and which we can relate to, and they overcome them in ways which are inspirational to young people. Certainly, sometimes, I worry that the beauty of Sue (Jane Lynch)'s sarcastic view on life might be above some viewers' heads, that her racist and discriminatory comments may offend or encourage negative behaviours. It's funny that there are such smart and witty comments on a show that in general doesn't really reach.

What I want is for the writers to sit down before they start filming the next two seasons (both of which have already been renewed), and actually plan what they want to have happen to each and every character and how that is going to work as a plot. If they succeed at that, Glee will not only be a fad of the turn of the decade, but might become a classic.

So, to sum up, I love the characters, I love the actors, and I love the concept. I just want those to be united in a plot so that I can love that too!

Glee - Journey, S01E22 - Season Finale

Oh Glee, you've spent a season serenading me. Frankly, it's a good thing that you are so talented at serenading because you have never had much substance. I don't think I could have a proper conversation with you. You're like Finn (Cory Monteith), you sing well and you're pretty, but if I stop and think about what you really have to offer, it doesn't add up to much. Good thing I'm happy with our relationship. You keep singing, and I'll keep listening, and if one day you decide you want to actually have some depth, I'll be delighted to see it...oh wait, is that what just happened there?

It started with your typical complication - Sue (Jane Lynch) arranged to be one of the judges of Regionals, setting herself up to destroy New Directions. Frankly, they need a new name, so I can't blame her for wanting their end. This knowledge put our glee club into a worse funk than they experienced last episode. Didn't they just get over that?

Still they went forth with power and emotion. I loved when Finn told Rachel (Lea Michele) that he loved her seconds before their performance started. Despite the audience being way too into their singing - they are supposed to be New Directions, not the stars of Glee, people. You shouldn't react as if you are seeing your favourite TV stars - I really enjoyed the mash up and the inclusion of their first great song.

Quinn's mom coming back into her life just in time for her to go into labour to the tune of Bohemian Rhapsody was also touching. Quinn's life is going to be able to go back to normal, only things have changed so much for her over the past year that normal isn't really what she remembers. And that is a good thing.

Unfortunately, although I love Queen, my hatred for Jesse (Jonathan Groff) just made the number weak. I really didn't feel that he had any soul, or that he was a remotely likable person, and I didn't want to like him, so I didn't. I am rather disappointed at the end of Jesse St. James. He went from being the hot, mysterious bad boy whom you really hoped would redeem himself to a slug with no value whatsoever.

What was also perfect was that they lost. After a year of work, could they really have been better than two teams who have been successfully working together for years? No. That's not really likely, and I'm glad it didn't happen. It made for a much better episode, particularly as it allowed Sue to show that she has some heart too, making her all the more likable.

Other than Will (Matthew Morrison) and Emma (Jayma Mays) high school relationship - that's right, it's far less mature than that of the actual high school students, Emma shined when she had the nerve to yell at Figgins (Iqbal Theba), and Will finishing the season off with that beautiful yet different rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow was the perfect conclusion.

They got another year. Well, actually, they got two since Fox has already renewed Glee through to the end of Season 3. Glad that they will be back; I do love to be serenaded.

Glee - Funk, S01E21

Okay, so I'm not a huge fan of Funk, and the only reason to watch Glee is the music, cause the storylines are hardly original. So I wasn't a huge fan of this episode, and not just because I was very wrong about Jesse (Jonathan Groff).

Okay, so Jesse is a horrible slime. I didn't actually see that coming. I mean, I knew that he was going to break Rachel (Lea Michele)'s heart, I knew that he was going to rejoin Vocal Adrenaline, I was prepared for Glee to beat them anyways and for Jesse to feel like an idiot. I was not ready for him to break eggs on Rachel's head, nor for her to so naively set herself up to have that happen. I'm almost impressed that Glee went there. Almost.

Otherwise, the Sue (Jane Lynch)/Will (Matthew Morrison) romance was somewhat entertaining, although disturbing, and the Terri (Jessalyn Gilsig)/Finn (Cory Monteith) was even more so. Although the stuff that properly touched on the divorce was touching.

I'm hopeful that the season finale will give me some songs that I like, and possibly even a plot line I enjoy! Go Glee, you are so trashy but I love you anyways.

Glee - Theatricality, S01E20

Oh Glee, of course they would do a tribute to Lady Gaga. How absolutely expected, yet super fun. Especially as the boys were allowed to take their theatricality lesson from KISS. I also want to congratulate this episode for being so perfectly balanced between the characters and the story lines. My favourite part was when Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz) threatened the Principal that her father would eat him if he did not allow Tina to dress how she wished.

But as much as I loved a lot of elements of this episode, and as well done as I thought it was, I had some major issues about discrimination and unfairness.

One of the pivotal points of the episode was the confrontation between Kurt (Chris Colfer) and Finn (Cory Monteith). Finn made a derogatory comment about homosexuality, and got told off for it by Kurt's dad, Burt (Mike O'Malley). He made it clear how disappointed he was in Finn for being so close minded. Finn, of course, rallied after this and made a stand for Kurt, which proved what a terrific guy Finn is. And it really made me mad that Burt was so hard on him for his stupid comment when half the reason he was poised to make it was Burt's fault.

What do you think it going to happen if you make a boy move into another house without talking to him about it first? And in that house, he has to share his room with another boy, a gay boy at that? Would you ever have your daughter share her room with someone else's son? NO! So why is it so different when you're dealing with 2 boys when one is gay?

Finn has been dealing with issues over his loss of popularity and stature at the school for months. He is doing Glee because he loves it, and that is hard enough, but that he has to constantly champion the rest of the Glee club makes it even harder. So after all that, he comes home to find the room he's sharing looking so absolutely ridiculous, why is anyone surprised that he lashed out and said something hurtful to the person who was closest? If Burt and his own mother hadn't set up a situation where something like this was so likely to happen, perhaps it would not have.

Plus, it really irks me that the Glee club takes such offense to people not accepting their outrageous and theatrical ways. Are you serious? They have to accept you for who you are, dressing strangely and generally making them uncomfortable? It's a two way street. You want it your way, and they want it theirs. Where do you get off feeling self-righteous about your own behaviour while not considering other people's? If you are allowed to express yourself, then so are they.

Not that I am condoning violence in any way. It's called tolerance, people! You don't like something, that's nice, you are allowed. Just don't get violent about it. Frankly, if you are going to be making loud statements with theatricality, you are trying to make a splash, so get over yourself and realize that some people are going to resent what you are fighting for, and fight for the opposite.

So that's what I have to say about all that. Glee does a good job of fighting for the little guy, but sometimes it's comments end up coming out as attacks on others rather than an attempt for equality.

Glee - Dream On, S01E19

I've seen some good reviews of this episode, and I've seen some bad reviews. But to those bad reviewers, I ask a simple question: When did you get it into your head that Glee used something called a "plot"?

As always, Glee gave us great songs connected through a slightly improbably and definitely ridiculous course of action, which allowed us to gain a little more familiarity with the characters as well as try to build tension towards something. Whenever I watch Glee, I ask myself "Was that entertaining?" If the answer is yes, that is enough. And this episode was entertaining.

How could Neil Patrick Harris pretending to hate glee clubs and projecting the message Show Choir Kills not be entertaining? Plus his two duets with Matthew Morrison, who portrays Will, were quite lovely, and his argument leading to angry sex in a secret room with Sue (Jane Lynch) was everything we wanted it to be.

I have mentioned before that I wish guest stars didn't get so much singing time since it took opportunities away from the show regulars, but I realized recently that Will doesn't actually have anyone to sing opposite of. The glee kids have all sorts of opportunities to sing with each other, but it takes a special situation to give Morrison the duets he deserves. Possibly they should get another adult in the cast who can sing, but it is a great way to use the guest stars.

Otherwise, the Rachel (Lea Michele)/Jesse (Jonathan Groff) relationship has gotten a little weird. Yes, we knew that the couch of Vocal Adrenaline, Shelby (Idina Menzel), wanted Jesse to go after Rachel, but the result is confusing. Rachel is Shelby's daughter (We kinda guessed this because they look so much alike, though it makes Will's making out with Shelby all the more disturbing as well as the possibility that Jesse might be Will's son all the more entertaining to think of - thank you Brittany).

So, Jesse seduced Rachel rather than simply befriending her, as he was asked. Now he doesn't want her to get hurt (Told you guys he wasn't a complete slimeball). But why Shelby allowed him to get into a position where he might end up hurting her...well, that's not very motherly.

I will say, however, that I had shivered throughout the entire duet of I Dreamed a Dream.

Finally, we got some Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz) action! Although Artie (Kevin McHale)'s desire to become a dancer was a little extreme, I did love his Safety Dance, and Tina's dance at the end was just great. Give us more Tina, but maybe not quite so cheesy!

And that's what I though of Glee.

Glee - Laryngitis, S01E18

What makes you who you are, and what would you be without it?

Is Rachel (Lea Michelle) worth anything without her voice? Can Puck (Mark Salling) still be cool without his hair? Is Mercedes (Amber Riley) just as fashionable when she only wears Cheerio uniforms? Does Kurt (Chris Colfer) still moisturize when he's not gay?

Glee continues to be hilarious, give us great music, and demonstrate how multi-talented its cast is.

As the characters suffered identity crises, we were gifted with entertainment.

Chris Colfer's Kurt completely transformed when he decided to give Mellencamp a chance. His body, his manners, even his face changed. The femininity and grace which are so much a part of Kurt were absent, and his voice, normally so light and airy, took an a deep, manly quality. I was amazed. I died laughing. I suppose this is what all 16 year old boys who think that they are gay because they like show tunes should do.

Also, I am happy for Brittany (Heather Morris) that she finally got to make out with every boy in the school.

Mercedes and Puck's short lived romance gave different opportunities to shine. They shared a lovely duet, and while I've seen both perform more memorable numbers, I was touched that That's Why the Lady's a Tramp was sung the same week in which Lena Horne passed away.

I did prefer Mercedes and Santana (Naya Rivera)'s showdown over Puck.

Finally, Rachel and Finn (Cory Monteith). I love that Lea Michele is capable of singing as badly as I do when I am trying (well, maybe it was a littler better). It's not easy to fake being bad at something, and she was not good. I also adored Finn getting to sing Jesse's Girl. I love that song; Rick Springfield is awesome. Although I love Jesse St. Clair, I am sure that all of you out there who think he's a skeeze-ball will allow that this song justified his presence.

I'm not going to comment on how weird it was to have Will (Matthew Morrison) congratulating Finn on singing it when it was clearly about how much Finn wanted Rachel. Then again, he only stopped Mercedes and Santana's singing duel when they started shoving each other.

Please continue to serenade me into giggles!

Glee - Bad Reputation, S01E17

Reputation, reputation, reputation. What do we value more than our reputations? They don't have to have anything to do with who we really are as long as everyone has a certain perspective of us and we can maintain it. And even when we are older, and don't want to maintain it anymore, it is so easy to sink back into that pattern without thinking.

My thoughts on this episode were:

Holy crap! Olivia Newton John?!? I could not believe that she was guest starring, and in such a hilarious way. Good for her for being able to make fun of herself as well as for redoing Let's Get Physical with Sue (Jane Lynch). That was just amazing.

Will (Matthew Morrison) is a slut. Or a man whore, depending on whose expression you want to use. I am very proud of Emma (Jayma Mays) for standing up for herself, although I am a little creeped out that Sue has baby monitors all over Will's apartment. And that scene at the end, when Will just wanted to regain that awe-inspired look Emma used to give him, but she had learned from what had happened, and her eyes were open. That was beautiful.

Glee does such an excellent job of interspersing the adult story lines with the teen ones.

Finally, heart break of heart breaks - Rachel (Lea Michele) creates the most fantastic video using 3 men opposite her in Run, Joey, Run, and ends up losing her boyfriend, Jesse (Jonathan Groff) because he is so hurt. I have to remember they are both teenagers, so slapping them upside the head and saying "Get over her one tiny mistake," probably wouldn't cut it. Frankly, I would have much rather had them break up because Rachel kissed Puck (Mark Salling) cause then, at least, we would have got a Puckelberry kiss!

Also, the "rehabilitation" worked, I guess, but I'm going to admit that I have always liked those songs, even if they weren't considered cool. Then again, I have to deny all claims to having any musical knowledge...so, I'm allowed to like songs with Bad Reputations.

What was the high light of the episode for you?

Glee - Home, S01E16

Glee is mostly fluff, but, again, this week, it delivered a powerful message to young people across the continent: Feel good about yourself, who you are, and what you look like. Despite Sue (Jane Lynch)'s attempts to make her Cheerios conform into what all teenage girls are - desperate to be popular, overly self-conscious about their weight and appearance - Mercedes (Amber Riley) and Quinn (Dianna Agron) came together to prove that being healthy and happy is more important than all of that.

I simply loved watching Mercedes go on a crazy starve-yourself-to-get-skinny diet, and end up picturing all her friends as food. When she told Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz) "Stop trying to make me eat you," I was nearly in hysterics. I have to say, she looked really good dressed as an ice cream cone, and Rachel (Lea Michele) was an absolutely adorable cupcake.

Then, to have Quinn tell her to stop hurting herself was so moving. And she, unlike any of the other girls in high school, understood that better than anyone else. Not only had she been equally crazy when she was a Cheerio, but the fact that she was now pregnant gave her the exact right amount of motivation to ignore any other concerns about her eating other than was she eating healthy for her child.

I also liked seeing Rachel in the background for once. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Rachel, and I certainly wouldn't stand for too many episodes where she barely got any screen time, but it was nice to have focus on some other characters for once. A shame that that free time was mostly wasted on April (Kristin Chenoweth). Sure, the actress can sing, but April is such a useless character. I suppose she did contribute to advancing Will (Matthew Morrison)'s plot line, but mostly it was an occasion to spotlight their guest star's voice. Guess what, Glee, you already have SO MUCH talent in your cast that you don't make enough use of, so stop stealing even more time from them or they will join your rival's Cheering Squad.

Glee - The Power of Madonna, S01E15

One might have been concerned that all the hype about the Madonna episode would raise the bar to a level Glee was not likely to obtain, but this week's episode was fantastic. Not only was the singing and the music exactly what we've come to expect, but the storyline dealt with important teen issues in an approachable and accurate manner.

When Sue (Jane Lynch) decided to empower her Cheerios with Madonna music, Will (Matthew Morrison) was quick to realize it was a good idea and follow suit. He had overheard his Glee girls talk about their relationships with the men in their lives, and realized that the Glee guys weren't properly respecting their female counterparts. Madonna was the answer to all that.

Music highlights included Sue singing Vogue, as we expected it would, and Rachel (Lea Michelle), Finn (Cory Monteith) and Emma (Jayma Mays) singing Like a Virgin as each contemplated losing his/her virginity. I also loved that Kurt (Chris Colfer) and Mercedes (Amber Riley) joined the Cheerios to add singing to Sue's repertoire because they felt that Glee wasn't giving them the occasions they deserved to shine.

Sue's continued comments about Will's hair were fantastic. "I thought I smelled baking cookies wafting from the ovens of the elfs that live in your hair," was the best so far. And you had to feel sympathy for her when she revealed her comments were based on jealousy because her hair was neither as healthy nor as luxurious as his. But, frankly, he does wear a lot of gel.

And the virginity question was perfectly dealt with. Jesse (Jonathan Groff) wanted to have sex with Rachel, but she wasn't ready and they had a fight. To win her back (or perhaps as a plot to destroy Glee club), Jesse transferred to her school and promised her romance when she was ready, and not to pressure. She was pleased and decided she was ready.

Finn, meanwhile, was not happy that she was dating someone else, even less so that she had lied about it. Santana (Naya Rivera) seduced him so that he would be more attractive to Rachel, making her jealous.

The day after, Rachel said she'd done it, and that it hadn't been a big deal, and Finn said he couldn't go through with it, but both lied. Rachel wasn't ready and she didn't go through with it and Jesse was supportive of this, while Finn did have sex but didn't think it was anything special and was rather disappointed in the whole thing.

I really do like Jesse and Rachel together. I know that Rachel and Finn will probably end up together, but that is only because it's a TV show. In reality, while Rachel and Finn have chemistry and they have music and singing in common, someone as intelligent as Rachel needs a smart guy to keep up with her. Finn is not smart. He's sweet and kind and talented, but he's dumb as a pile of bricks and a girl like Rachel needs more than that. And I think Jesse fits that bill.

I guess we will have to see how things progress! Keep the music coming.

Glee - Hell-O, S01E14

Oh, Glee, the most popular guilty pleasure available these days. Despite the months you were away, we all came flocking back the moment you returned, to enjoy so many things...but most of all Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch)'s comments about Will (Matthew Morrison)'s hair.

While the glory of the music and the hilarity were back in full force, I continue to wonder at the plot development. I mean, really? Is this what you were expecting to have happen when we came back? And do you understand the point? I will just continue to pretend that the music is really the only point, and so enjoy as I ignore the rest.

So what, if Rachel (Lea Michelle) and Finn (Cory Monteith) were suddenly dating. Finn was about as shocked about it as I was. Poor idiot. He's confused because he's not sure he's over Quinn (Dianna Agron), he goes out with the cheerleading bimbos to explore his options, and finally he realizes that he wants to be with Rachel, but it is too late because she's in love with someone else. I suppose Glee has never been a show that required proper time for story development.

I'm also going to ignore how I felt about Will and Emma (Jayma Mays) settling really quickly into a relationship, but then having Will make out with the vocal coach of Vocal Adrenaline (Idina Menzel). I mean, it just came across as cheating, even though it also helped indicate how confused Will was with his divorce and all. And was anyone else disturbed by the idea of him making out with someone who bears such a strong physical resemblance to Rachel?

And so now he and Emma aren't together so that he has a chance to find himself.

I did like the irony of Rachel being presented with the idea that if she did not find the love of her life by 16 she never would, while Will was getting over the mess that his life had become starting at age 15.

I also loved Jesse St. James (Jonathan Groff)! Loved the idea of Rachel dating the lead singer of Vocal Adrenaline. Love it even more now that they are doing it on the sly. Am not so much a fan of the fact that he's playing her, but I have hope that he'll fall for her anyways. She was actually quite normal when she was with him, and they had great chemistry. I was not so much a fan of his v-collar shirt that he wore in his number. Way too effeminate.

And next, we have the Madonna episode. This show is so much fun, regardless of how ridiculous or nonsensical it might get.

Glee - Sectionals, S01E13

As our favourite glee club kicked ass at sectionals, the story lines that have been carrying through from episode to episode concluded...sort of.

I really don't like Mercedes. I do like Amber Riley, even though I was not particularly stirred by her ballad performance at the beginning of the episode, but Mercedes? She's a bitch who told Puck (Mark Salling) not to both Quinn (Dianna Agron) about his own son, and then told everyone in glee club about him being the father. I know, I know, I completely relate to Rachel (Lea Michele) because she is so very much like I was in high school. Perhaps not so different from how I am now.

Mercedes just makes me want to punch her. But then, apparently Rachel makes people want to set themselves on fire, so how bad can Mercedes be.

And I'm really glad that Rachel told Finn (Cory Monteith) about the baby. He deserved to know. Quinn had no right to lie to him about that, and much as I like her and understand, she was just as wrong as Terri (Jesslyn Gilsig). Yes, Rachel told him for the wrong reason (because she's in love with Finn), but she did do the right thing. I'm proud of her. And the best part was when Finn was the bigger man and saved the glee club at sectionals, but told Puck that, no, they weren't cool.

You might have expected sectionals to be the moment that blew you away; for me, it wasn't. Sure, they performed well, but it wasn't really a show stopper. Even the last song of the season wasn't a show stopper. The thing that made my heart stop was the moment between Will (Matthew Morrison) and Emma (Jayma Mays). Not the last few seconds of the episode, but at Emma and Ken's wedding. Where there was no Ken.

Will had just left his wife, and Emma knew she was in love and that she had to go. The way Will took her arm, and his eyes drifted hesitantly to her face, and he said "I just left my wife." and she said, "you just left your wife." The pain and love, the intensity of that scene was just fantastic.

And so we wait until April, where there will be more of the same shenanigans. Sue will return and continue to be a pain; Quinn will have a baby on her own; Will and Emma will be together, but Terri can't be completely out of that picture and neither can Ken...or can they?

All I ask is that the writers realize that show tunes are really powerful performance pieces and they should be used more frequently, as was originally intended. Also, we want a little bit more of a through line, and one that isn't quite so ridiculous. Glee is great, there is no denying that, but for the moment, it remains in the moment. It needs something to give it true lasting power that will make it a classic. And that requires solid, memorable, and well-conceived plots.

But tell me your thoughts. Am I too hard on Mercedes? Was sectionals just not up to par? Were Will and Emma too perfect for words? What will happen when Glee returns?

Glee - Mattress, S01E12

I really enjoy Glee when it is spot on. It's delightful and funny, Sue (Jane Lynch) kills me with her attitude, and I relate to the characters. Lately, though, I haven't felt particularly passionate.

Perhaps it is the lack of songs, which once took up about a third of each episode. We spent the first 15 minutes of this episode songless, again, and when we did finally get some music, it was contrived and really felt like the writers noticed there was no music in the first have, and so picked an appropriate but random song to fix that.

And then you have Will (Matthew Morrison) finally finding out about Terri (Jesslyn Gilsig), which we've been waiting all season to have happen, and that didn't even feel right. He found the pillow, and though we know there have been signs that perhaps she's hiding something all season, he immediately comes to the conclusion she's faking. Even when Terri so reasonably explains the presence of the pillow.

That could have used a song, or at least a flashback to all the things that Will should have noticed. Instead, Will is furious and violent (which we did not know he could be) and he is too angry with Terri. She did think she was pregnant, and yes she lied when she found out she wasn't, but it wasn't until she said she was doing it to keep Will rather than out of a very powerful desire to be a mom that she actually was a truly bad person. Again, we've known for months, and that may have given us time to decide she was a witch, but the way Will just turned on her...I don't know...

Glee really has to pull it socks up when it comes back (next week is the last episode until April). It needs to decide that either A - it will have a cohesive storyline, or B - it will have really good independent episodes every week. And with either choice, bring back the music and the dancing my friends!

Are you still getting the same illogical pleasure you once got from Glee? or do you too feel that it's been heading down hill?

Glee - Hairography, S01E11

A show stopping number is often enough to redeem a floundering musical, encouraging audiences to go back despite a great many issues to see a moment so bright that the rest does not matter.

This did not quite happen on Wednesday's episode of Glee.

Don't get me wrong, the pregnancy plot line actually tore at my heart springs this week, with Quinn (Dianna Agron) deciding to give up her baby because Will (Matthew Morrison) was the best dad her baby could hope for, and Will giving up an awesome car to get a minivan for the whole family. But this moment, like the show stopper, did not make me forget the rest of the episode.

I just couldn't get into it. The first 6 minutes, I was almost tempted to turn it off - and would have if it had been a premiere and not a show I was already invested in. And the opening number, not performed by our guys, but by another school - I'm not sure if it was the intention, but the singing and dancing really did nothing for me, and all that hair flipping did not distract me from how boring it was. The same goes for our heroes' hairographied number later in the episode. Hair tossing is not actually an interesting enough concept to build an entire episode around, guys, sorry.

Then let's address the Rachel (Lea Michele) makeover thing. Okay, I know Kurt (Chris Colfer) is in love with Finn (Cory Monteith), but it's getting a little tiresome that he is getting so possessive and trying to sabotage the competition. Rachel looked positively terrifying in her Grease outfit, her hair fit for a brothel. Plus, I'm getting tired of everyone continuing to find Rachel grating, and for the Glee kids to continue to be so disconnected. This group would get nowhere in the real world because they wouldn't actually be able to perform as a team, so keen on destroying each other.

But, though the show stopper did not make me forget my complaints and my earlier boredom, it did make my heart swell. A group of deaf kids signing Imagine, with one saying the words rhythmically, and then our kids joining them, singing and signing as well. That was a number to remember. One of peace and happiness and togetherness. A message that Glee might project, but often does not have follow-through for. It was amazing.

So I'll watch that number again, that's for sure, but the rest of the episode? It might also be fun to bash my head against the wall a few times. What did you think?

Glee - Ballad, S01E10

Last week's episode of Glee had two major arches - Rachel (Lea Michele) developed a crush on Will (Matthew Morrison) and Finn (Cory Monteith) told Quinn (Dianna Agron)'s parents she was pregnant. The first was delightful in so many ways. The second was not. And the episode had a few issues I will address as well.

It started with Rachel and Will singing a love ballad - why you ask? Why not I say. Rachel suggested it, and for once Will tried to decline, thinking it was inappropriate. A big difference from a few weeks ago when his hip hop number practically had him grinding with the high school students.

At any rate, Rachel fell madly in love, resulting in a back-and-forth of ballads between the two, trying to get across what they felt - Rachel love and Will fear. In the end, Rachel realized that she did what many somewhat attractive girls with annoying tendencies do - she was reaching towards someone she knew she could not have because it is easier than reaching for an actual possibility that might still fail. I love that despite Lea Michele's beauty and talent, the writers and the actor have managed to create a girl that those of us who are possibly pretty but outwardly flawed can completely relate to.

The pregnancy plot was not nearly so pleasant. Yes, poor Quinn got herself kicked out by her horrid father, and Finn has to man up more, which were poignant and important moments, but the thing I can't get out of my head was Puck (Mark Salling)'s confession to Mercedes (Amber Riley). He was pissed because he's the father of Quinn's baby.

And what did Mercedes say? She told him to back off and leave Quinn alone. She'd chosen her baby's father, and Puck should suck it up that it's not him. WHAT!!! Are you kidding me! Puck is the father, and he has just as much right to claim his baby as Quinn does. You can't just sleep with some random guy and get pregnant and then decide the father is someone completely different. That's not how biology works. And Puck wants to be a part of his child's life.

Plus, it is totally unfair to Finn not only to be lied to about it, but to have the pressure of being a young father thrown on his shoulders cause Quinn decided it would be so.

I will be pissed if this thing never comes to light. Frankly I now strongly dislike Mercedes character; I think she's a bitch.

Am I being to harsh, or do you agree? And where the heck was Sue??

Glee - Wheels, S01E09

Though this episode was designed to bring attention to the difficulties students who are different have to suffer through, and it was successful in that manner, it was the worst episode of Glee.

I appreciate that Artie (Kevin McHale) finally got to be front and centre, and that we now know that he still has the full use of his penis. That's right. I also loved seeing the other side of Sue (Jane Lynch), and watching her treat one of the disabled girls just like anyone else, being just as hard on her for failing as any other cheerio, as well as meeting her sister. And I also think it might be a good idea for everyone to wheel around in a wheelchair for a week just to see how hard it is.

Those things may have been interesting life lessons, or important character development, but the rest was severely lacking. I don't recall a single song from the episode, but I am certain that there simply was not enough music. And I am also greatly confused by the fact that Quinn (Dianna Agron) called Puck (Mark Salling) an egghead. Yes, it was just before she crushed a yokey egg on his head, but otherwise he is the farthest thing from an egghead I can imagine...unless it has come to mean something completely different in the many years since I was in high school.

Also, Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz)'s fake stutter was the worst discovery ever. I mean, we all suspected from the first that Terri (Jessalyn Gilsig) was not in fact pregnant, but a fake pregnancy is far more interesting that a fake stutter.

That's how Danielle Cs it, how did you?

Glee - Mash Up, S01E08

On Glee this week, we had a surprising couple hook up: Rachel (Lea Michele) and Puck (Mark Salling). Though it was not so long ago that Puck claimed that Rachel made him want to set himself on fire, this week's episode featured a very different kind of fire. Puck even chose Glee and Rachel over football when Coach Ken (Patrick Gallagher) forced his team to choose.

It was a hot hook up, and the pair were very compatible, but it could not last. No. Rachel is perfectly aware of her lingering feelings for Finn (Cory Monteith) and she suspected Puck of having feelings for Quinn (Dianna Agron) as well. She knows that as long as those feelings remain, she and Puck cannot have a real relationship. Then again, this is only the first season of Glee. Who knows where it will go from here, but there is always the possibility of Ruck returning in the future.

Oh the adult side of the spectrum, Emma (Jayma Mays) and Ken are planning their wedding. Despite the secrecy and Emma's bizarre stipulations, Ken did insist that they both be in the same room for the ceremony. And they will dance to their first song. Emma wants to dance to I Could Have Danced All Night, while Ken wants The Thong Song. They ask Will (Matthew Morrison) to give them dancing lessons and to figure out how to mash up the two songs.

As Will and Emma dance together, the romantic tension is ever on the increase. Ken is still willing to marry Emma, knowing she wants another, but he gets jealous. This is what incites him to force the football players to choose. In the end, Finn convinces him to let the boys continue to do both. Clearly, the kids behaved more like adults throughout the whole episode.

Other than that, the only points of note are that Quinn has been kicked off the Cheerios and that the slushie theme from the first episode came back and was in full force.
I hope you thought that was as hilarious as I did.

Glee - Throwdown, S01E07

Glee may be nonsensical and ridiculous, but that is the point. This week brought me exactly what I expected, or possibly even a step up from that. And that makes a program worth while.

Sue (Jane Lynch) and Will (Matthew Morrison)'s time together as co-coaches of the Glee club was the battle we expected. Sue was delightfully manipulative, as always, choosing the minority kids to do a separate number. We even got another Sue Says (YAY). And while Mercedes (Amber Riley) rocked the house, Rachel (Lea Michele) and Finn (Cory Monteith) shared another romantic solo as Quinn (Dianna Agron) looked on. I have to remind myself that her child is actually Puck's and that Finn and Rachel are trying not to give in to their mutual desire, otherwise I'd feel really bad for her.

Will, to revenge himself on Sue, began failing her Cheerios, who weren't actually passing Spanish. It was nice to see him grow a spine and to see someone stand up to Sue. It was also a lovely contrast to his tears at the sight of the ultrasound of his baby girl - that's right, Terri (Jessalyn Gilsig) found a way to convince the OB to make her seem pregnant, even though she's not.

Finally, Will and Sue have a major blowout and the entire Glee club walks out on them. They want to have fun and they want to hang out together. Then, the episode ended with tragedy as the news of Quinn's pregnancy hit student blogs on Sue's order. Up until this point, I have loved her every evil choice, but this one was just a bit too much. Poor Quinn - her parents will kill her...and poor Terri, how will she secretly take that child now?

The music was definitely the best part of this episode, not because the plot wasn't entertaining, but because the songs were so good. Quinn's solo of You Keep Me Hanging On, which will always remind me of a music video with Goofy at the beach from the Disney Channel, suddenly had real meaning for me. She is giving love, but she's losing her grip. Tell Me How I'm Supposed to Breath with No Air and Keep Holding On were also show stoppers, but the highlight was Nelly's Ride With Me, which was the first song sung by our glee club without the full musical backup. You could actually hear them sing, and know it was them, in a casual context. It was amazing. Let's have more of that!

What do you want to see more of?

Glee - Vitamin D, S01E06

To watch Glee is to stroll a path which is at once recognizable and completely bizarre. Possibly similar to being on LSD...or at least the lyrics of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds might equally describe the view. And the laughter brought out from the show is rooted in hysteria and confusion.

I laughed and I loved the performances, but I keep having to remember not to pay attention to details. Reality and its logic is anathema to Glee. It has absolutely no place in this delightful show. Whenever I forget that, criticism and complaints pile up, but they are unfounded. They have nothing to do with what Glee has promised and continues to deliver every week.

The premise of Vitamin D? Terri (Jessalyn Gilsig), as unqualified as she is, becomes school nurse due to the machinations of Sue (Jane Lynch). Gotta love Sue. She writes in a diary! And claims in her record keeping that she is 30...I hope they bring back her journal writing in future episodes. That is one of the few disappointing things about Glee - just because they hit on a great idea (like Sue's Corner two weeks ago) does not mean it will ever come back. Sigh.

So Terri begins to help the students by giving them pick-me-up drugs. We had some overcharged, energetic performances in a Glee boys vs girls competition. It was pretty fabulous, and quite impressive when Lea Michele, as Rachel, managed to speak even faster than usual while introducing the girls' number. It was certainly delightful that Kurt (Chris Colfer) ratted the boys' drug use out to the girls so they could even out the playing field. We all know where he's loyalties lie.

Meanwhile, Terri convinces Ken (Patrick Gallagher) to propose to Emma (Jayma Mays) so that she will stop mooning over Will (Matthew Morrison). While she finally agreed, making conditions for the most unbelievable marital arrangement ever, Will realized how bad his relationship with Terri is getting. Too bad she's pregnant....theoretically.

Finally, Finn (Cory Monteith) continues to think about Rachel. He thinks he might like both Quinn (Dianna Agron) and Rachel, but Terri assures him it is impossible to have feelings for more than one person.

In the end, Terri is fired for drugging the school, and Sue is assigned as co-coach of Glee club. Now she can destroy it from within.

What are you looking forward to seeing in Glee?