May the Pop Be With You

Glee: Naked

mjacton — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 22:16:13 GMT

I haven't had time to review recent episodes, but I wanted to comment on this one.

I love that Quinn was back so soon after Thanksgiving, and I liked her role here. But, that wasn't my favorite part.

My favorite part was Rachel's "Torn" duet with Rachel! It's been a topic of debate for awhile that Rachel is "inconsistent" or "no longer herself," and this acknowledges the reasons people think that. I thought it was an excellent idea, and the execution was perfect.

Mini-Gleeview: Thanksgiving

mjacton — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 17:03:43 GMT

Spoiler Alert!

Warning: Language

Better late than never (and also not so mini)...

So, Thursday night was all about Quinn Fabray. In her return, Quinn was beautiful, Dianna Agron acted spectacularly, and her part was substantial. I did think the story line was a decidedly mixed bag, but I also think that if we see Quinn again this season (see spoiler), this was an acceptable and consistent continuation of Quinn's story.

There are no signs that she has filmed or recorded anything for the episodes that have been filmed up to the first episode in January.

So, let me start with the really good parts. I loved the Quinn/Kitty interaction. I thought it was an excellent pairing. Quinn really was "Cheerios royalty" even if that wasn't, in the end, who she wanted to be. It's what she was best at, at least physically. She helped form National championship-winning squads (even if she didn't participate in the actual competitions), and she was Sue Sylvester's prot<span style=" font-size:="font-size:">égé through everything. So, it's not surprising she would be idolized by succeeding Cheerios.

It was also fitting that she would jump to conclusions about a Puckerman. I loved that, even though she is clearly fond of Noah Puckerman, that she still thinks he was a mistake for her and thinks he's a man whore.

I loved that she does really keep in touch with Rachel, and i loved the songs. She sang beautifully, and I liked the Unholy Trinity trio.

Now, as for the most important scene that Quinn appeared in last night...this is the mixed part of the bag. Many Quinn fans (including me) had hoped for Quinn to be, at the very least, single and a more mature, well-adjusted version of herself. Well, she wasn't. She was still the pretending, repressed Quinn we all know, and, deep down, wish we didn't love so much. Sure, on the surface with the Yale secret society and Jodie Foster's clam bake, and the beautiful clothes, she seemed put together.

But if you get nothing else from this, understand this. Glee writers habitually put things in characters' mouths that are complete nonsense but are oddly (and hilariously) in character. For instance, Puck's vasectomy in the season 2 premier was a lie to get Puck back "in the game." He had lost a lot of his badass reputation because of baby-gate, and he needed something to keep women from fleeing. Also, half the things that come out of Brittany's mouth (Lord Tubbington, spending a summer in the sewer, building a time machine) are just Brittany being Brittany. Finally (and this is not an exhaustive list), Rachel's 'I don't want to have sex until I'm 25' thing was never going to happen. Of course, there was a purpose behind it, but it was mostly to keep Finn at arm's length at least temporarily.

So, the secret society and Jodie Foster's clambake? What kind of prospective member of a secret society blabs it to a group of people in public, even if they are her friends. Obviously, we know secret societies exist at Yale, and we even know some of the members, but the information came from unnamed sources. They didn't just come right out and say it in public. If Quinn actually were a serious candidate for a secret society, she would have to keep it under wraps.

As for Jodie Foster...well, she is a Yale alumna, and so it's not implausible. But, I have a hard time believing Quinn was anything but a plus one for her Psychology professor "boyfriend." Speaking of...

I do believe she's involved with her professor. But, again, it's probably not exactly as she describes it. The only thing she mentioned about him that would be remotely attractive to her was that he smoked a pipe, and the implication that he was smart.

But, Santana was absolutely right. Whether she's "dating" him, like she said, or it's something closer to the "quickies" in his office that Santana accused her of, it's another in a long line of unhealthy relationships for Quinn. She's clearly not going to marry and have a family with this guy, so she's still using him in her own way for the things he can get her (the feeling of being wanted, grades, and if that kind of relationship actually isn't forbidden, access to school functions, etc.) And, just to repeat, if she never appears on Glee again, I would be hugely disappointed that this is the end for her character and that she wasn't redeemed in some way. I am optimistic, though, that the writers will at some point find a way to redeem her character. I still believe that the events of "Thanksgiving" were consistent with her character and were a result of her background. But, I'd really love it if she got her act together at some point, and for me the most plausible way that could happen would be for her to admit she's not straight and ideally that she's in love with Rachel and then deal with all that in a healthy way. There are just too many signs pointing to that conclusion for anything else to be completely plausible.

Favorite Song:
"Come See About Me" by The Supremes--Dianna Agron really did sing well, and I loved the hearkening back to their glee club audition.

Mini-Gleeview: Dynamic Duets

mjacton — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 16:47:22 GMT

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This episode focused almost entirely on the new gleeks, and for that reason I was skeptical. However, I think it went a long way to selling me on them as a group, especially Marley and Kitty. Instead of highlights, I just have a few words about them.

Clearly, the producers intend for Marley and Kitty to be the new Rachel and Quinn. Even though there are key differences--most strikingly Kitty is much less repressed than Quinn--but, in the spirit of the comic/sci-fi feel of this episode, I felt almost like I was watching alternate universe Faberry scenes while watching these two interact in this episode.

I also suspect that, even though Kitty seems to have her own motivations behind her helping Marley, the writers have given Marley and Kitty the friendly (at least) relationship many fans had always wanted for Rachel and Quinn (and got toward the end of season 3). I also didn't miss that Kitty called Marley "sweetie" in an amusing, especially if intentional, parallel to Quinn's mocking of Rachel in season 1.

Also...Kitty suggested that Marley use the elliptical...like Rachel! LOL

Anyway...this is very speculative, but one thing does seem clear. And, that is, as I mentioned above, that Marley and Kitty are the new Rachel and Quinn. I'll be watching to see if fans warm to them as much as they did to Faberry, and if the writers and producers respond. I like them so far myself (though, make no mistake, not as much as Rachel and Quinn).

Now, next week marks the return (at least for one episode) of one Quinn Fabray, so I expect to have a lot to say about that!

Favorite Musical Number
"Some Nights" by fun.--Even though this was a group number, I actually liked the Marley/Kitty duet in this better than the "Holding Out for a Hero" duet. They sounded really good together.

Mini-Gleeview: The Role You Were Born to Play & Glease

mjacton — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 02:12:01 GMT

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After a week off, I'll condense two episodes to one.

Highlights

Finchel acrimony

Original gleeks mentoring others.

Brittana longing looks.

Rachel's hotness!

Rachel getting an audition.

Grease!

Favorite Song
"There Are Worse Things I Could Do" from--Naya Rivera was her usually poignant performer. Cassandra helping to drive a wedge between Rachel and Brody so she can maybe finally concentrate on er career made it even better.

Posted via m.livejournal.com.

Mini-Gleeview: The Break-Up

mjacton — Sat, 06 Oct 2012 15:16:36 GMT

Spoiler Alert!

There was lots and lots of drama in this episode, but I think that my favorite part was that it focused a lot on original cast members. It felt a lot like maybe the beginning of phasing them out (especially with the "new recruits" emphasis of the previews for November episodes), but I don't really think that's happening soon.

Highlights in this episode is relative because of all the drama, so I'll just give my thoughts on each couple's drama:

Will/Emma (Wemma): I've written in past reviews that this is a framework or backbone relationship for Glee. In other words, it's not the most important or significant relationship, but it's one of the elements (along with Sue and to a lesser extent Bieste and others) that supported the primary characters' lives and relationships. So, I really don't see it falling apart, but drama is always good TV.

Kurt/Blaine (Klaine): Many would argue that this relationship rivals the Finn/Rachel relationship as the heart of Glee. Blaine is not an original character, but he filled a role that was an original concern for Kurt. When Kurt came out, he almost immediately began to lament that there weren't any potential boyfriends for him, and then Blaine came along. Now, of course, there's Karofsky and Sebastian, both of whom have played the role of villain but have changed for the better. I'm guessing Karofsky is the more likely candidate to at least add another person to make this a triangle. He's already expressed interest in Kurt. On the other hand, because of the above history, I don't believe this is really over either.

Brittany/Santana (Brittana or Santittany): So, they didn't officially break up, but I agree with Brittany. It felt a lot like a break-up, and it also felt a lot like this was the cleanest and most rational of the "break ups." This is a very popular relationship, but it's always been dramatic. They've only had maybe half a season of a stable relationship, and that only became possible when Santana finally accepted who she was and stopped hiding. And, that only happened because Finn forced it. So, drama is par for the course. We'll see how it comes out.

Finn/Rachel (Finchel): At first glance, fans might think there's no way this over permanently, but this may be the most complicated of the four relationships. I have said and written over and over that Finn and Rachel don't go together like people think they do. It goes beyond the "opposites attract" principle. They're on significantly different life paths, and only their most obvious obstacle. Finn might be going back on a musical track, but I still think he's floundering. He doesn't know where he's going still. As for Rachel, she finally has seen the problem here and done something about it. What will happen next? They're "done," but I don't think either of them thinks there's no chance for them. Is Brody or someone else going to get into the mix for Rachel, or is she just going to pursue her career for awhile and wait for Finn to come back a whole and determined person? It's speculation time. In the last two episodes, Rachel has talked a lot about her history with "boys" with the love note story and telling Finn he was the first boy who made her feel loved. Are we being set up for some questioning about whether boys are her future? There is at least one character we haven't seen yet this season that we will see in at least one episode next month (and that person had a lot to do with helping Finn make Rachel feel special). I'll leave that there for now and will have more to say once the episodes begin again in November. I don't want to go out on a limb yet because this could go a lot of different ways, and I guess I'm a coward.

I liked all the musical numbers that featured original cast members and especially Rachel. This was the best episode for music so far this season. Maybe they weren't the best songs, but I liked the performances best.

Mini-Gleeview: Makeover

mjacton — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 17:11:32 GMT

Spoiler Alert!

This is only a bit longer, but I expect to have a lot to say about what happens in the fallout to this episode next week.

Highlights:

Brittany figures prominently again.
Sarah Jessica Parker as Isabelle...and she wants ate at "Bread.."
The return of Mr. Rumba, show choir director at Haverbrook School for the Deaf. I didn't even realize his first name is Dalton.
Kurt at Vogue.com...Again, I think Kurt is at least as suited for fashion as musical theater.
Kurt and Rachel breaks into Vogue.
Becky Jackson!
Rachel corrected all the grammar and spelling errors in her first love letter and gave it back! Priceless!
Eric Stoltz directs. I always like these episodes.
Finn catches Rachel with Brody. Oops!

Favorite Musical Number:
"The Way You Look Tonight"/"You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile" by Fred Astaire and from Annie, respectively--Lea Michele sang another duet, but this was my favorite of the two. Making it a trio was I thought very creative.

Mini-Gleeview: Britney 2.0

mjacton — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 16:11:11 GMT

Spoiler Alert!

Short and Sweet today.

Interesting developments:

Rachel moves into an "apartment" with Kurt. I'm assuming they're not just squatting, but it's not clear.
Kurt seems to maybe have some fashion aspirations? We'll see if he sticks to his plans for NYADA.
Sexy Rachel...and, incidentally, I don't dislike Brody as much as Finn when paired with Rachel.
Brittany is always great, and the voice over was hilarious! Her re-dedication to life clearly has "Brittany" written all over it, and I'm glad.
Sue seems to be back to her old self.
I'm still not invested in the new characters yet, but they seem to be suitable. Maybe I'll get there.

Favorite song:

"Oops!...I Did It Again" by Britney Spears--Yeah, Britney Spears music is bubble gum pop, but it's good bubble gum pop (mostly). And, Lea Michele always puts her distinctive mark on everything she sings. Her versions never sound like the original, even if effects like Auto-tune are added to her voice. Plus, it was fun to watch.

Runner up:
"Crazy"/"You Drive Me Crazy" by Aerosmith/Britney Spears--I do think Melissa Benoist (Marley) is a great singer. She may not be as distinctive as Lea Michele, but again she's a worthy successor.

Mini-Gleeview: The New Rachel

mjacton — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 16:44:09 GMT

Spoiler Alert!

I've gone into season 4 with no expectations for what it will hold. It's going to be a new show regardless because roughly half the original cast "graduated" from high school. So, to the extent that they appear, they will be in a wholly different environment, and there will be new characters and old characters in more prominent roles. I agree with all of the major decisions that the producers have made (to graduate most of the seniors instead of holding them back, retaining the original cast in their new environments, etc.).

Obviously, there are notable exceptions to these decisions, and I'll address at least one of those.

In my new format, I'll hit my highlights for each episode. This will necessarily be less objective than in previous seasons, but I hope it'll still be interesting.

Interesting developments:

Tina breaks up with Mike. I speculated about this at the very beginning of last season when we found out Tina was a junior, and now it remains to be seen if the other part of my prediction, that she gets back with Artie, comes true.
Rachel (still) seems much more focused on succeeding and Kurt than Finn. The fleeting references to Finn seemed to be Rachel forcing herself (again, still) to convince herself that Finn is really the "love of her life."
Cassandra July and Rachel's relationship is very interesting. I always expected Rachel to be overwhelmed in New York at least for awhile, and Kate Hudson who plays Cassandra does a good job of giving her a wake up call. Of course, the fact that it's dancing that is giving Rachel her biggest academic trouble is the most believable part of this story line.
Dianna Agron was not in the credits. Rumors have flown forever that she would be leaving, and it seems like the reports are more widespread in the mainstream media. Of course, no one has confirmed this on the record (and Glee producers have unequivocally denied it), and plenty of rumors about Glee have turned out to be false. In any case, she will undoubtedly appear in at least one episode this season, and as long as Quinn Fabray (the best-written character on the show, in my opinion) gets a good send-off, I'll be okay with it.

Favorite song:

"New York State of Mind" by Billy Joel--Of course Lea Michele was flawless. This wasn't a duet, so much. It reminded me a lot of "Defying Gravity" and even "Maybe This Time" from season 1 when there were two singers that didn't sing together. Both singers--the other one was Mellisa Benoist as Marley the New Rachel--were great, but of course Lea shone. Actually, I hope to see more of her like this, putting her musical theater singing training to good use.

"On My Way" Deleted Scene

mjacton — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 23:04:41 GMT

Above is the famous deleted scene (released recently by show boss Ryan Murphy) that so many were up-in-arms about because it promised a further deepening of the Quinn/Rachel (Faberry) friendship/relationship. For me, it does the opposite. It simply makes Rachel more determined to follow through with her wedding and none of the later events would have been nearly as powerful (most notably Rachel putting off Finn to wait for Quinn) if this scene had been in the episode.

Also, compare this scene to the "piano scene" in "Original Song" from season 2 in which Quinn becomes emotional about Rachel's future and many other "Faberry" scenes, this lacked the same drama and chemistry. It seems rather forced to me.

So, the bottom line is, I'm personally glad this scene was deleted.

Gleeview: Goodbye

mjacton — Wed, 23 May 2012 18:16:07 GMT

Spoiler Alert!

What a great way to end the high school careers of most of our favorite characters!

I know we're all supposed to be sad right now, but I am so not sad at all.

I'll explain as I go, and I'll take each character roughly in order of "goodbye" segments. Incidentally, I loved how each New Directions graduate got a segment (except Mercedes and Mike, but we do know where they're headed at least).

Kurt
Okay, so Kurt didn't get into NYADA, and we don't know if he's planning on going to New York or not. I suspect he is, and I suspect he'll find a different profession. I have no real evidence of that, but he's always been a fashion bug so to speak. Plus, he and Blaine seem to be okay, and that's a positive thing for him too. So, we'll see.

On top of those things, I think his life has produced the most positive change of the whole group. But, that's still not the best part of his transition. The best part is his relationship with his dad. They're at a place that is as good as a single father from the Midwest and a gay son can get, I think. I love Burt. Really, he's my favorite thing about Kurt if that makes sense.

Santana
Santana's future is the most unpredictable from here. Is she going to stay in Lima with Brittany? Is she going to take the scholarship to the University of Louisville? Those things don't seem likely at the moment. On the other hand, she's got the means, apparently, to do any one of those things. It's no real surprise that Brittany isn't graduating, and maybe Santana can get her degree at a nearby university (Ohio State?) and stay with her, and then they can take New York by storm. Brittany clearly is destined to dance. So, New York is just as much a possibility for her.

Mike and Mercedes
Mike is headed to Chicago, and Mercedes is headed to L.A. Both of them are seemingly set to do big things. I'm happy for them.

Finn
I know it's seemingly blasphemy to separate Finn and Rachel, but I don't care. I've never thought Finn was as good as Will thinks he is or as flawed as some of actions indicated he might be.  And he is flawed. There's no doubt about that, and many of his flaws are the most damaging, hidden in good intentions. He often finds himself doing either the right thing for the wrong reasons or the wrong things intending them for good. In the process, he hurts the people he cares most about, Rachel chief among them.

However, he totally redeemed himself in my eyes in this episode. For the first time, he did something right, and he did it for the right reasons. I've always thought Rachel and Finn had a great relationship when they weren't trying to be in love. I have no doubt Finn does love Rachel, and Rachel loves Finn. But, are they really destined for each other? Time after time, episode after episode, they've had a chance to prove that they were, and they didn't do it. Finn's act of surrender was one of the first times, as Rachel's boyfriend, that he seemed to do the right thing unselfishly.

Quinn
"Who'd have thought that I'd start my McKinley days where I started, back on top?" This is how Quinn's monologue began, and it says it all I think for her. She has made a lot of progress. She's more mature, and she is going to Yale. She's also a less selfish person.

The thing is though, she still hasn't fully "found herself." She's still riding the wave of her background. That isn't all bad, though. She really does seem to want to move on. She also seems to want to be the best person she can be. She just doesn't necessarily know how to do that.

Why do I say that? Because I think she's still pretending to be the person who wants to be the top dog cheerleader on the outside. Her helping Puck was fitting, and mostly genuine, but she's still using sex (yes, it was just a kiss but still) to get what she wants. Yes, of course, this time she wanted something for someone else. But, she still used sex to get Puck to believe in himself. She never seems to be interested in the guys that she kisses or smiles at as much as they're interested in her. She knows this and uses it.  These days she uses it for better things, but I'm interested in seeing her be 100% genuine more often than not and maybe even happy.

How might she do that? Yale will probably make a difference. She won't have the people around her that know her as the good, Christian girl who fell from grace but still wants to pretend.  She won't have any of those people except Rachel, that is. And with Rachel, she's always been different. She's always been more vulnerable and honest. And, Rachel seems to be able to see things in her that others don't. I hope that continues.

Puck
Puck gets to graduate, and I'm glad. He's probably going to stay in Lima, or maybe go to L.A. as he had planned, but in any case, he's going to rise above his disadvantages. I'm interested to see how he does that. No matter how much we see these actors playing these characters in the future, I'm sure we'll find out at some point.

Rachel
Rachel losing Finn was supposed to be bittersweet. I didn't find it to be that at all. I was so happy to see Rachel go for her dream. Finn said, "Then, tell me the truth and not just something you think I wanna hear." She's been doing that a lot lately, and she's also been holding on to Finn because she always "wanted things too much" (he mentioned that too). She gave Finn her virginity, and she told him she'd be willing to go anywhere with him to pursue his dream. Even in this episode, she was going to compromise on chairs. That's not a big thing, but it's all the things put together that made Rachel lose focus. I think she did these things because Finn gave her something she thought she'd never have, a future spouse.

"Besides, when did you become the one that I was settling for?" Rachel is always, underneath her bravado and confidence in her talents, an insecure person. Her reaction to winning prom queen and her reference to being the annoying Jewish girl with two gay dads last episode shows she still has the same insecurities as ever. Hopefully, finding her dreams will change that, and I also think Quinn (and possibly Kurt) being nearby can help too.

Aside from the above transitions, I loved the looks back in this episode. They were mostly musical, but there were a few others that were great.

See below, after the Musical Rundown, to see my thoughts on season 4.

Favorite Line
Sue (talking to Quinn): Sure, I'm as smart as you are and every bit as pretty.

Musical Rundown
"Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat" from Guys and Dolls--This made me smile, of course. This is the first number the nascent New Directions tried. It didn't work out so well back then, but they got it right this time. It was just as spare and raw, and that made it even better.

"Forever Young" by Rod Stewart--Matt Morrison (Will) is a polished, professional singer. He doesn't have the most exciting voice, but he can pull off most of the things that he tries. Early on, it was hip hop, mostly, and he did the same with this late eighties pop anthem.

"Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)" by Beyoncé--This was just a dance number, but it was hilarious. This is why I love Burt Hummel. And, the real dancers, Jenna Ushkowitz (Tina) and especially Heather Morris (Brittany), added the seriousness that made it poignant.

"I'll Remember" by Madonna--Chris Colfer (Kurt) does well on these numbers that were originally performed my female artists. This was one of his best, and it was a fitting tribute to his days at McKinley.

"You Get What You Give" by New Radicals--This is an excellent song and fits this group. As usual, they did an amazing job. This wasn't all of the original New Directions, but the best singers were there. We may or may not ever get to hear them together again, and this was a great way for them to finish.

"In My Life" by The Beatles--This group, the returning New Directions students, did a great job with this Beatles song. The harmonies were great, and I really liked it.

"Glory Days" by Bruce Springsteen--Cory Monteith and Mark Salling (Finn and Puck, respectively) actually sound good together. Maybe it's a case of Salling making Monteith sound better, but they've sung well together before. I think it's their performing chemistry.

"Roots Before Branches" by Room for Two--This was the real Rachel Berry, Broadway gold star. The lyrics also fit the situation perfectly. She knew she had to do this, try to make her dream come true without Finn. She just needed some perspective. Lea Michele's last song of the season was perfect.

Spoilers Ahead! (don't scroll down if you don't want any hints.)

Thoughts on Season 4
To be perfectly honest, I was completely prepared up until the spring finale to let go of Glee after this season. I had loved it all the way through, but up until then I was unsure of how much I would care about the characters that were going to be playing the largest parts in season 4. I just didn't know if it was going to be the same. Well, it's not, but I don't think I care anymore.

I haven't checked up to the minute who is returning for season 4, but I do know that Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, and Chris Colfer are all returning. Dianna Agron's Quinn seems poised to make at least some appearances here and there (and I hope more). Those are the characters I care most about. How is Glee going to juggle Fort Benning, Lima, NYC and possibly New Haven? I don't know, but the story lines have kept me interested enough to see. So, I'll be seeing you in season 4! You don't know how relieved I am, really. I would have been extremely sad to end my connection with my favorite show of all time.

Gleeview: Nationals

mjacton — Wed, 16 May 2012 18:27:06 GMT

Spoiler Alert!

I loved this episode! It was dramatic, and some moments even bordered on melodramatic. But, it reminded why I loved Glee from day one. The outcasts became winners. This review won't be very long. The music told the story, and that was as it should be.

I'll bullet point the highlights (roughly from least to most important):

The Judging Trio of Perez Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, and that other guy were even funnier, I thought, than Josh Groban, Olivia Newton-John and Sue Sylvester.
Carmen Tibideaux came to Nationals to see Rachel, and she was very impressed. I'm guessing that means NYADA is in Rachel Berry's future after all. We'll see. That's why it's not at the top of the list yet.
Will was Teacher of the Year. Will isn't perfect, but he does care. I sometimes don't like his anger, but that's just part of who he is, flawed.
Emma finally had sex. Will was there too. But, I think this was well-timed, and even though it might have seemed a little bit like Emma was did it (yes, I wrote that) to reward Will for winning, she said it was for her too. I think she was right.
New Directions won Nationals! Of course, they did, but I think the right show choir won. Even though the competition was tough, I think they for once undoubtedly out-performed Vocal Adrenaline.

Favorite Line:
Sue (to Emma the morning after sex): Why do you look different?

Musical Rundown:
"The Edge of Glory" by Lady Gaga--This was an excellent opening number for New Directions. The Unholy Trinity did a great job. This set up the rest of the numbers very nicely.

"It's All Coming Back to Me Now" by Celine Dion--Yes, Lea Michele (Rachel) sang this like she can. It definitely showed off Rachel Berry's flawless technique, and when she hit the softer chorus, the goosebumps came.

"Paradise by the Dashboard Light" by Meat Loaf--This was a great group number, with a classic Finchel duet. Of course, the glee co-captains should sing together at their final Nationals. But, Lea Michele made this number. She was amazing singing Celine, but her solo in this number got my heart pounding.

"Starships" by Nicki Manaj--Vocal Adrenaline has always been the complete package of proficiency in singing and dancing. They're precise and controlled. This performance was all of that with a twist. They upped their game, but so did New Directions.

"Pinball Wizard" by The Who--This was the best Vocal Adrenaline number in my opinion. I really loved it. It's a great song, and they did a great job.

"Starlight Express" from Starlight Express--Starlight Express is a largely forgotten musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, and so it was appropriate that this was short. It sounded like the whole thing would have put viewers to sleep even if it did sound pleasant.

"Tongue Tied" by Grouplove--This was the melodramatic portion of the evening. Okay, it wasn't completely over-the-top, but it was close. Ultimately, though, I was watching more than listening, and, obviously, that's good.

"We Are the Champions" by Queen--Queen is as much a part of Glee as Journey is. Yes, the big Queen number up to now has been from Vocal Adrenaline, but "Somebody to Love" from season 1 was arguably as good even though it wasn't part of a huge competition. But, New Directions took Queen back from Vocal Adrenaline with this performance. It was an amazing rendition of what some people think of as the cheesy song they play at the end of major sporting events. This performance reminded us it's more than that.

Gleeview: Props

mjacton — Wed, 16 May 2012 16:47:15 GMT

Spoiler Alert! (Including hints for season 4)

I liked this episode a lot. A lot of shows have these episodes near the end of the season that set up the resolution of the season's story lines, and this was one of those. But, it didn't entirely feel like that, and part of the reason for that was the impending graduation of much of the glee club. It's going to mean a significant change next season, no matter what is in store. Will all the graduating seniors be back next season? We know at least some will, and they almost certainly won't be at William McKinley High School and probably won't be in Lima. So, the episode felt like the beginning of the end for this phase of Glee, and I liked how Glee has handled that so far.

Tina
Tina was the central figure of the episode, and that was obviously different. We know a lot about Tina, but she hasn't actually been a big player. I'm guessing she will be the star of the glee club next year as Rachel predicted. Jenna Ushkowitz, who plays Tina, I thought, did a great job with the episode, and so I am interested in seeing her next season. Tina's still not my favorite character, of course, but Ms. Ushkowitz proved to me at least that she could handle a bigger role. She's no Rachel Berry, but maybe that's okay.

Rachel
I loved how Rachel picked herself up and is still trying for NYADA. I was thinking maybe that someone would see her at Nationals and revive her dream for her, but this is even better. I still think NYADA and then Broadway are her first priority. Finn hasn't figured it out yet fully, at least, but I wonder if that will be a source of trouble next season. We'll see.

Puck/Bieste
I'm combining these even though each of these characters made individual progress. But, they helped each other. I was glad the Bieste story line was advanced here because, while I understood that the message sent in the "Choke" episode was not that women should stay in an abusive relationship, some people might have taken it that way. The irony might have been lost on some people, so I'm glad she unambiguously realized her mistake this episode.

Puck has clearly struggled his whole high school career. His father has been a lingering but absent figure, and his mom obviously hasn't helped. But, he has always tried to get past that. When it mattered the most, he stepped up, most notably with Beth as limited as his opportunity for that was. Obviously, he makes mistakes, but it seems like that's because doesn't always know what to do. He's had little guidance, but glee and his pool cleaning business have kept him close enough to the so-called straight and narrow that he is now able to salvage at least a high school education.

Body Switching
This segment wasn't as long as I had expected, and I think that was good. If it proved anything, it's that these actors are perfectly cast. It was funny, and it made its point well, but I was glad we got the real characters back. Lea Michele as Tina, unsurprisingly, did the best job of acting her alter ego, and Dianna Agron as Sugar was hilarious.

But now on to Nationals!

Favorite Line:
Sue: Isn't she the one who used to stutter?

Musical Rundown:
"I Won't Give Up" by Jason Mraz--This performance hearkened back to Sophomore Rachel Berry who wanted nothing else but to be a star. It was spine tingling for me. And, I know that I have said a lot about lyrics, but the fact that Rachel was singing about not giving up on "us," referring to her career and not Finn, is very significant I think.

"Because You Loved Me"--Jenna Ushkowitz can sing. She has had solos in the past, and I've liked them a lot. This one was excellent too.

"Always True to You in My Fashion" from Kiss Me, Kate--Clearly the actor who played Carmen Tibideaux's student can sing, but it did lack emotion. This was for the plot, but that's always a good thing.

"Mean" by Taylor Swift--I liked hearing Mark Salling (Puck) sing a slower, softer song. He's usually a rock kind of guy, but I like it when he slows down, à la "Need You Now" and "Beth." Dot-Marie Jones is kind of monotone, but my ears didn't bleed.

"Flashdance...What a Feeling" by Irene Cara--This was really good, obviously. I wish Rachel and Tina had sung it for the glee club somehow because they did a really great job with it.

Gleeview: Prom-asauras

mjacton — Wed, 09 May 2012 17:09:13 GMT

Spoiler Alert

"Now they're gone, and I'm just Rachel Barbra Berry of Lima, Ohio, flightless bird...a penguin."

I don't know if being prom queen makes up for losing a dream as big as Broadway stardom, but Quinn Fabray seems to have tried to make it seem that way. I don't know why she did it exactly, though I have my opinions. But it seems to me that rigging the results so that "loser" Rachel Berry won Prom Queen over--let's just tell it like it is--HBIC Quinn Fabray is at the very least what Glee has been about from the beginning. Rachel Berry was at the lowest rung of the high school social ladder at the beginning of her sophomore year (and possibly not even on the ladder at all freshman year), and she ended up Senior Prom Queen. And, she got applause regardless.

I think many will argue, including the Glee writers and producers, that Prom royalty is not the height of achievement, but it is special for a high school Senior. And, I think Rachel needed that at this point. Now, she has the self-confidence boost that will make her come out of the doldrums she's in because of her audition catastrophe, and she might now find the will power to keep pursuing her dream. I certainly hope so. And, I really am pretty happy that it was Quinn Fabray who gave that to her.

I'm also glad Quinn is not as depressed as she could be about her injuries. Okay, yes, Joe Hart has something to do with that, and I've made my peace with it. But, I don't see him as a long-term support for her. The old Quinn Fabray is still there fighting to get out, and the only person that seems to be able to help her hold it back is Rachel Berry. And, that makes me happy.

This episode didn't have the multiple plot developments that many recent episodes have had, and I didn't mind that. Sometimes those are hit-and-miss because they can be choppy. This was a smoothly executed episode, probably largely because of Eric Stoltz's direction, and Ryan Murphy didn't try to do too much with the script.

Basically, it was just about as classic as "Prom Queen." There was a really nice mix of humor and drama. It was also, I think, a fitting setup, especially on the Rachel front, for the 2-hour event next week.

Favorite Line:
Brittany had a lot of funny screen time, but Sue Sylvester still beat her out for my favorite line.

Sue: Ah, Becky! Commercials aren't real life. Advertisers are manipulative alcoholics who use images to play on our emotions. Haven't you seen Mad Men?
Becky: No.
Sue: Neither have I.

Musical Rundown:
"Big Girls Don't Cry" by Fergie--There have been some interesting and, maybe surprisingly, brilliant groupings recently (e.g., Rachel, Kurt, Santana and Mercedes in "Whitney"), and this was another one. Chris Colfer (Kurt), Darren Criss (Blaine), and Lea Michele (Rachel) sound really good together. Of course, my completely biased opinion is that Ms. Michele makes everyone she sings with better, but Mr. Criss and Mr. Colfer and good singers in their own right.

"Dinosaur" by Ke$ha--This was more dance number than singing number, but of course Heather Morris (Brittany) knocked it out of the park. Two weeks ago, she dazzled in stilettos; last night she did it in bare feet. She can do it all in the dancing department.

"Love You Like a Love Song" by Selena Gomez and the Scene--This impressed me. Even with the effects, this sounded like Naya Rivera (Santana) singing this song, and I liked it a lot.

"What Makes You Beautiful" by One Republic--This was fine. I guess I'm not terribly excited when these guys get together and sing. They remind me--though they have a slightly different style--of The Warblers. They sound good, but they're kind of boring.

"Take My Breath Away" by Berlin--Now, this was the surprise of the episode. Again, there were heavy effects, here but mostly reverb not Auto-tune. Dianna Agron (Quinn), especially, but also Naya Rivera did a beautiful job. I might have liked this as much as Lea Michele's number in the episode, and that's hard to accomplish.

Gleeview: Choke

mjacton — Wed, 02 May 2012 17:05:48 GMT

Spoiler Alert!

Technical difficulties prevented me from reviewing last week's episode, "Whitney," but I have to say that this was the sad episode that last week's was supposed to be. Obviously, a tribute to Whitney Houston is going to carry with it some inherent sadness, but the gleeks and their teachers themselves came out of that episode closer and looking to their future. In this episode, nothing went right except for Kurt impressing the NYADA judge. It was mostly good TV, though, because there were surprises even behind the more predictable storylines. I'll start with Kurt.

Kurt
Clearly Kurt made the right choice to go with a flashier, less tried and true number. And I don't know if it was that hard to reach the bar set by Hugh Jackman, Tony award notwithstanding, but his audition number was certainly him. I actually wondered all along if he was the one who would have to find an alternate career path, but maybe he'll take NYADA by storm. On the other hand, the official word hasn't come. There could be another twist coming.

Bieste
I welcomed the return of Shannon Bieste, but this was so sad. I remember hoping Bieste would win Cooter Menkins and be happy. She and Burt Hummel are the two practically perfect people in Glee. Dot-Marie Jones does a really good job playing Bieste, and she did well with this story line too. She really did seem lost and devastated at the same time. I think she did a great job of convincing us, the viewers, that people like Bieste can find themselves in this situation as easily as anyone else can.

Puck
We haven't seen a lot of Puck this season, since his part in stopping Quinn from stealing Beth away from Shelby and, also, sleeping with Shelby. He tried to lure Finn to California in the last few episodes, but that wasn't about him. It did, however, nicely set up his story in this episode. He finds himself now seemingly unable to graduate, and without money to move to California. Will he be okay? Will he find another way to graduate? Actually, none of the story lines in this episode, even the sad ones, seemed entirely hopeless. Puck might be able to get another chance to take his test, or he might be able to pass through summer school. Or, he might just be able to move out to California as planned. He's still not out of options.

Rachel
First of all, I loved seeing the old Rachel Berry with a gold star. Her monologue in the beginning was really kind of thrilling. I knew, though, that it might easily be a setup for her failure, which it was. I am glad that it was forgetting lyrics that tripped her up and not losing her voice, as I had expected. That, I think, would have been more devastating. Can she get another chance and go to NYADA after all? It doesn't look likely, but who knows? As with Puck, she has options, even if she doesn't get into NYADA. On the other hand, her assumption that Finn and Kurt would be in New York without her next year was surprising and intriguing. I don't know what the real plans for season 4 are, but that would certainly be an unpredictable plot line. Personally, I'd be very interested in watching Rachel try to fight her way to New York after all. I'd very much hate to see her settle, but if she has to claw her way there, it could be interesting. I love Rachel and think she deserves her dream, but maybe this would make her better in the end.

Also, as for Finn, did he seem a little too upbeat after Rachel's choke? He was shocked at first, but he seemed to me a little too happy in the choir room helping Puck study. We saw him hugging Rachel later, and I don't doubt he was sad to see Rachel so broken. But, I just don't think Finn gets it still. Part of Rachel's monologue, "My fiancé couldn't be more excited...or supportive," seemed more like a line to convince herself rather than a statement of fact. I'll admit Finn has been doing and saying the right things a lot lately, but he seems to have been doing them more because "this is what Rachel expects" instead of doing them because he really does support her.

Favorite Lines
Brittany: I just went to my first student council meeting, and I found out that we have another prom this year.

And, mostly because of Rachel's "Uh oh! I've been caught!" expression
Rachel: You're gonna be amazing, all right? I believe in you, and no one can sing this song better than you can.
Kurt: Even Michael Crawford?

Musical Rundown
"The Music of the Night" from The Phantom of the Opera--This was kind of a boring performance, but that was what they were going for.

"School's Out" by Alice Cooper--Clearly Mark Salling (Puck) is most comfortable singing these rock songs. He did a pretty good job, but it also worked well to prove the point. As with "Hot for Teacher" earlier this season, Puck made his point daringly and well.

"Cell Block Tango" from Chicago--Actually, I was thinking the same thing Sue and Roz "Black Sue" Washington thought. The girls had missed the point, but it was an empowering song. And, I liked it a lot.

"Not the Boy Next Door" from The Boy from Oz--I wasn't really blown away by this, but it might have had more to do with the song than the performance. It was okay, but I wasn't nearly as impressed as Carmen Tibideaux.

"Don't Rain on My Parade" from Funny Girl--Obviously, we didn't hear all of this, but I'm including it because it was a good choice for Rachel to choke on. I thought it was brilliantly ironic that she would forget a song she's been singing since she could talk.

"Shake It Out" by Florence + the Machine--These girls do sound good together. Again, irony was the theme because we found out during the song that Bieste hadn't left Cooter after all. So, the song advanced the plot, and it's always a good thing in Glee when musical numbers serve that purpose.

"Cry" by Kelly Clarkson--I was so sad during this song, and that just made it better. It was an excellent choice to end this sad episode with, and Rachel, via Lea Michele, showed why she should have nailed her audition.

Gleeview: Saturday Night Glee-ver

mjacton — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 18:16:05 GMT

Spoiler Alert!

Three members of New Directions took big steps toward their dreams in last night's episode. I liked the typical Glee way of dealing with substantive issues in the characters' lives. It's not always realistic in the strictest sense because it seems to happen so fast, but there are two factors that many people might ignore when criticizing Glee for this "flaw." The first is that from the very first episode of Glee, the viewer knew the story wasn't in real time. This was never 24 or anything resembling a strictly linear drama. Flashbacks and significant time jumps alternated to form a puzzle the viewer had to think about to put together.

Secondly, even more than the typical drama, even though Glee would obviously more appropriately fit in the dramedy category, the "resolution" at the end of an episode is not the resolution to the story. There are almost always loose ends to be tied later (again, not necessarily in the next episode). In this case, even though Santana, Mercedes and Finn took significant steps, there's a long way for them to go to make them happen.

So, I'll go through my thoughts on each of these characters' developments one-by-one.

Mercedes
We already knew Mercedes' dream was to "be Whitney." She's wanted to be a star from the beginning. Her problem has always been the disadvantages of living in Ohio. It's not exactly the place to be discovered. Rachel had the advantage of being a more versatile performer and, more importantly, the goal of going to New York. She was always going to go to school first, in New York, then move on to Broadway. Mercedes' road would always be tougher to map because she relied on someone else to help her. Really, there was little doubt that if she found that person to help that she had a real shot at "making it," but she, nonetheless, needed help. She got it in the form of Sam posting a YouTube video. Today, that's as legitimate as sending in a demo tape to a record company, and it's possibly more likely to put you on your way. There are many real life examples who exhibit varying degrees of talent. Mercedes would be on the high end of that talent.

Santana
I thought the brief mention of Santana becoming a lawyer was interesting. I think many Santana fans picture her in a high-power career, like an entertainment lawyer in Los Angeles, where Brittany can dance and they can be together. Santana has always been a little shortsighted. Part of that was the distraction of trying to project an image that was different from her real self. So, she hasn't until now given much thought to her future, but her full cheerleading scholarship to the University of Louisville gives her the chance to figure out what she wants. She's capable--she always has been--she just needs to look ahead more.

Finn
I'm happy Finn has found a goal to shoot for, mostly because Rachel still seems bent on being the giver in this relationship. At least he tried really hard to say to Rachel that he didn't want to hold her back, even if it seemed a bit like he said it because he didn't want to lose Rachel over this. Again, the "resolution" to this story line in this episode was significant, but there are still unanswered questions. Can Finn hack it at the Actors Studio? If so, is it really a ticket to success? If Finn does make it and is as successful and/or famous as Rachel, will there be jealousy issues?

This doesn't even really touch the abstract nature of Rachel's love for Finn. She rarely says she loves him, outside of song, and we all know the imprecision of song lyrics. They can be impersonal or even downright ironic. Rachel's head might be with Finn, but her heart is on the Broadway stage. I think her speech to Finn represented her current belief that Finn gave her acceptance and love when she felt none outside of her home, and I really believe she cares deeply for him because of that. But I'm not sure that he'll be "the one" once she finds out how many more options she has and that her love for him is closer to deep appreciation. Will they get married before going of to New York? That would definitely put a lot of pressure on both of them, and who knows what effects it'll have?

Oh...and a couple of details I liked:

The return of Jesse St. James in a role I think he's uniquely suited for, coach of Vocal Adrenaline.
The mini-montage of clips from past episodes. It was great to see vintage Rachel Berry say "some mattresses!"

Favorite Lines

Will: Honestly, I don't know what to do. I feel like I'm out of ideas.
Sue: Well, let's be honest, William, you've been out of ideas since Madonna week. Why don't you embrace that lazy, horribly treacly style of teaching and assign them a famous album.
Will: I did that last year.
Sue: Yes, I remember, William, and your Rumours week was a resounding success in that it seemed to solve everyone's problems for about five minutes.

Musical Rundown
Some of the musicality of the numbers was altered so the actors could sound like the Bee Gees, specifically, so it was hard to judge performance on vocals alone.

"You Should Be Dancing" by the Bee Gees--My woman takes me higher/My woman keeps me warm definitely fall into the ironic category of song lyrics when sung by Blaine Anderson. This was a rousing and fun way to introduce a disco theme. Brittany and Mike's inclusion was appropriate, but I was kind of surprised by the simplicity of the choreography.

"That's the Way (I Like It)" by K.C. and the Sunshine Band--This was only a short clip, but it's always funny to see the past "glory days" of the McKinley High glee club through Will Schuester's rose-colored glasses.

"Night Fever" by the Bee Gees--This reminded me a lot of "Give Up the Funk" only with a little less energy. I didn't mind that because the "kids" weren't exactly sure what they were doing or whether they liked it. So, that was appropriate.

"Disco Inferno" by The Trammps--Mercedes, via Amber Riley, proved her talent with this number. It was one of the few numbers in this episode that showed off the musical talent of the performer.

"If I Can't Have You" by Yvonne Elliman--Irony reigned again in this number...doubly because the message Santana was trying to convey didn't come through, but subconsciously they conveyed the message she really believed in. Plus, she did a great job singing it.

"How Deep Is Your Love" by the Bee Gees--This is one of the few Bee Gees songs that Rachel Berry could sing and show of her talent. Lea Michele knocked it out of the park and almost made me forget that Rachel Berry was once again making a valiant effort at giving away her dreams for Finn Hudson.

"Boogie Shoes" by K.C. and the Sunshine Band--This was an interesting performance because it included an actual instance of a male in female clothes, in contrast to when The Rocky Horror Show called for a "sweet transvestite" and Mercedes took the part. This made a statement about gender identity, obviously, and the music was good. Whether anyone was influenced or not, I think the statement was made well.

"More Than a Woman" by the Bee Gees--We haven't really seen Cory Monteith (Finn) showcased, musically, in awhile. Yes, he's done duets with the occasional solo, but I think he's most memorable in songs like this, when it's not only his voice but his acting ability that's on display. Musically, he's adequate, but he's a better actor than singer. If he combines the two, he's pretty good.

"Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees--This nicely rounded out a creative themed episode. As implied above, Santana and Mercedes were the stars, but they shined brightly.

Gleeview: Big Brother

mjacton — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 17:55:15 GMT

Spoiler Alert!

Apologies for not using an LJ cut!

Finn and Rachel didn't get married...yet, and Quinn is confined to a wheelchair....for now. That's the "what happened next" finish to the cliffhangers, but there are still a lot of questions that need to be answered.

"Big Brother" was, I think, an average Glee episode, which for me is still pretty good. There was humor (a smart satire of commercial stars) and drama (Quinn and Finn/Rachel). I felt something for the characters as they began to navigate the end of their high school careers, the ones who are finishing this year at any rate. Some story lines were set up, and they gave me mixed emotions. All in all, this is what I look for. I want to care (or at least laugh in the case of Sue), and I did. Here are the main story lines.

Blaine
I'll start with Blaine, since it was his "big brother" who the episode was named for. It was nice to see some background for Blaine's character. Obviously, he's not my favorite character, but I like him better this season than last. He's good for Kurt, but he's also been a little bit of a puzzle. Why did he feel the need to "hide out" at Dalton before he met Kurt? Why did he question his sexuality, and why was he blind to Kurt's attraction to him after he helped him with Karofsky? How is he going to handle Kurt leaving since he's a junior? It seems much of the reason for his insecurities comes from having to "measure up" to the older brother. Older brothers often unintentionally make their younger brothers feel inadequate, especially when there's as much difference in age as there is between Cooper and Blaine. So, I thought it was a realistic way to show how Blaine came to be who he is right now, and I liked Matt Bomer's (Cooper) appearance. It was the comic relief the episode needed.

Rachel/Finn
So, they didn't get married, and apparently it had something to do with Quinn not arriving. For me, that's pretty significant, and the fact that their relationship came into question so easily afterward reflects that. If they are to end up together, as I've written in past reviews, Finn has to have something to do. Following Rachel purely for love was never going to be a viable option. He's always been too conscious of following in the footsteps of father figures in life, first his own father, then Will, then Burt. He's someone who needs to have something to do, and he's been following Rachel (his "beacon of light") for too long. Besides, he's never been very good at it...again, probably because he doesn't really want to do it.

As for Rachel, she's gotten herself distracted by Finn. It was good to see her lay it out for him again. She accepted his marriage proposal when she thought she had lost her chance at NYADA ("I may not get to have it all, but I'll have what matters if we're together."). She says these things in a way that sounds like she's trying to convince herself that Finn makes her happy, but it only takes an objective observer to see that New York and Broadway are first priority for her. It was good to see she hasn't lost that entirely now that she's been reminded via her NYADA audition (and after she got the Cooper Anderson stars out of her eyes), that she's good enough. Again, if Finn and Rachel are going to work, Rachel must be able to pursue her dream. Can they do it together? That still remains to be seen.

Quinn
Will Quinn regain her ability to dance and, more importantly, walk? I hope so. It would really be sad to see her lose that. She had just regained some of her optimism (something she hasn't had since before she was pregnant), and this time the optimism was a mature one, one based on an actual future and not popularity and high school power. Yes, if she ends up in the wheelchair, her life won't be over, but it's clear that she doesn't share the same attitude as Artie. That's understandable, since she's older than he was, and she's had more time to live without having to be in a wheelchair.

There is a small, but strong, contingent of Artie/Quinn (Quartie) shippers out there who are getting their chance to see these two interact in a much more significant way than in the past when there wasn't much more than the occasional pat on shoulder or show of support as part of the group at large. Will this develop into something more? As unfair as it may seem, I don't see it happening unless Quinn in fact is permanently confined to the chair. Obviously, there's another huge obstacle in that Artie is a junior, but that isn't stopping Tina and Mike (Tike) or Kurt and Blaine (Klaine). Quinn has never had a genuinely significant relationship with anyone because she's always dated for shallow reasons, and for me she's better off because of it because she has learned. However, her accident may have given her a different perspective, and so will she be open to Artie...or Joe since they have similar backgrounds? We'll have to see. Meanwhile, her relationship with Rachel seems to be as strong as ever.

Favorite Line

Kurt (via e-mail): Mr. Schue, save us! Coach Sue is meaner than Tabitha!
Sue: First of all, I have absolutely no idea who Porcelain is referring to. I'm assuming it's gay and niche.

Cooper: The key to a dramatic scene is pointing.

Musical Rundown

"I'm Still Standing" by Elton John--Quartie shippers probably loved this, and I liked it a lot too. I guess I have to retract my pessimistic declaration that Dianna Agron (Quinn) gets one or two chances to shine per season. She got two good duets this episode, and this was the better of the two. It might have even been my favorite of the episode, since the music took a back seat this episode.

"Hungry Like the Wolf"/"Rio" by Duran Duran--There was a lot of electronic manipulation (the much-hated Auto-Tune and other effects), so it wasn't easy to judge musical ability. But, this was fun anyway, and it definitely set up the episode's story nicely.

"Fighter" by Christina Aguilera--This was an interesting take on this song. Darren Criss (Blaine) did a good job with it, and it fit. In fact, I think all of the musical numbers were integrated excellently in this episode.

"Up Up Up" by Givers--This was another fun duet with Dianna Agron and Kevin McHale (Artie). I don't think they sound as good together as, say Dianna Agron and Lea Michele (Rachel) or Dianna Agron and Chord Overstreet (Sam), but I'm never going to complain about another Quinn number.

"Somebody That I Used to Know" by Gotye (feat. Kimbra)--This song was integrated to the story line the best of all of the songs in an episode whose musical numbers all fit very nicely. In fact, I can't remember lyrics that were more on point for a scene than this one. How was it musically? Pretty good.

Gleeview: On My Way

mjacton — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:36:55 GMT

Spoiler Alert!

I don't know where to start with this review, so I'm just going to plunge right in.

Is anybody reading this review, after watching "On My Way," actually thinking about the fact that New Directions won Regionals and are going to Nationals? I doubt it.

Frankly, I don't think I'm going to be able to review this episode appropriately right now, but I'm going to try.

I do think this is hands down the best of the "competition" episodes, basically because it did not feel like one at all. The competition did contribute to it, but only because it helped the flow of the episode's story arc. By that, I mean that during the Warblers' performance, I was definitely thinking about Karofsky, but during the New Directions performance, I was thinking about Rachel, Quinn, Finn, and the rest. The music contributed to that, so I'll expand on that later.

David Karofsky has been a major character on Glee without being a regular character, and so his attempted suicide was surprising but not shocking like his panic kiss of Kurt. However, that made the storyline a success I think. If he had not survived, that would have been shocking, and the whole mood of the episode would have shattered. Instead of the eventually optimistic tone that part of the story took, the Finn/Rachel/Quinn storyline would have been completely overshadowed until maybe the last moment. I haven't really cared all that much about this part of the Glee story, but I can definitely appreciate its value and I think they've done it well, most of the time. This episode was no exception.

The real shocker was the end. It was shocking because even though I knew she was distracted and endangering herself, I just couldn't fathom that this would happen right up until it did. I don't know what it means. I can't even begin to have a sense of what's going to happen to Quinn, but the build up to it was amazing! It wasn't necessarily clear-cut was happening, but I have some ideas.

Quinn has supposedly straightened out her life, but it feels like just the beginning for her. She's put her mistakes behind her, but it seems like she's still trying to begin living. Solidifying her friendship with Rachel and going to Yale began that process. Re-joining the Cheerios is probably a positive step for her. Even though it's a "high school" activity and she's looking toward the future, cheering is something she was undeniably good at. I can't argue with that.

Her supposed support of Finn and Rachel's wedding also proved something. She cares a lot about Rachel, and she wants her to be happy. But, it's obvious to me by her facial expressions and still unenthusiastic support that she still doesn't think marrying Finn, at least right now, will make her happy. And, it's clear from Rachel's delay of the wedding, that she cares a lot about Quinn too. I found it quite interesting that Finn would say "now or never" and Rachel would respond by further delaying. Now, Finn wasn't completely serious. He clearly didn't mean the expression as an ultimatum (at least not yet), and it didn't feel like one. [Note: Okay, strike that. On second watch, it totally felt like Rachel took it as an ultimatum even if Finn didn't mean it that way.] But, it's quite apparent to me that Rachel is placing a lot of importance on her friendships, with Quinn especially. Earlier in the episode, she looked right at Quinn when she said she was looking forward to being friends with the original members of New Directions forever, and then she delayed the wedding for her. If Quinn lives, which I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that she does, this is just the beginning for Faberry (Quinn/Rachel). There's something special there...who knows what it can be?

Finally, before I started watching I was expecting this to end on a cliffhanger with Rachel wondering how to answer the "Do you take Finn...?" question. They didn't even get that far. I'm most interested in knowing what happens immediately following this moment. Does Rachel go ahead with the wedding, ignorant of Quinn's accident? If she does, a lot can still happen (we still haven't seen the parents' plan in action, and there's always regret and annullment). Does she stop the wedding because she wants Quinn there to see her get married? Does she stop it because she thinks Quinn isn't there because she still doesn't support it? Rachel seemed to believe Quinn was on her way, but Santana's doubt may have gotten to Rachel. Rachel has to make a decision immediately, oblivious to Quinn's fate. This is quite the cliffhanger with many implications. Amazing stuff! Yes, some people are going to be upset that Quinn's speech about Rachel wasting her life on Finn Hudson was in the previews but was not in the episode, but for me that doesn't really change anything.

See you April 10!

Favorite Line
This was not a funny episode, but there was at least one funny line, although the Berry Men always get honorable mention for their antics at least.

Puck: Those Golden Goblet madrigal singers were way better than I thought they'd be.
Brittany: Are you high? I couldn't hear their instruments at all.

Musical Rundown
"Cough Syrup" by Young the Giant--This was, in my opinion, Darren Criss's (Blaine) best performance on Glee so far. He showed controlled power with his voice. The context obviously didn't hurt, but the performance was very good on its own.

"Stand" by Lenny Kravitz--As I alluded to above, I thought the competition performances were perfectly done to fit the mood of the story overall. The Warblers are never all that exciting to listen to, for me, and so the fact that I was pondering what happened up to this point in the episode while listening actually worked as a creative device.

"Glad You Came" by The Wanted--After Sebastian's plea for donations, this worked as an inspirational "give 'til it hurts" anthem of sorts.

"She Walks in Beauty" by Eric Barnum--Who's Eric Barnum? He's a composer and doctoral student at the University of Washington, Seattle according to Wikipedia. In any case, we didn't hear much of this. It was a pleasant transition.

"Fly"/"I Believe I Can Fly" by Nicki Manaj (feat. Rihanna)/R. Kelly--"I Believe I Can Fly" is, for me, a really, really cheesy song. But, pairing it with "Fly" in this arrangement I thought was amazing. New Directions did a wonderful job with it. And, it represented a definite and noticeable shift in mood for the episode.

"What Doesn't Kill You (Stronger)" by Kelly Clarkson--This completed the shift in mood that set up the rest of the episode. It was a powerful performance that was typical of New Directions.

"Here's to Us" by Halestorm--This was, believe it or not, my favorite "moment" of the episode and not only because it was Lea Michele (Rachel) at or near her best. It was the reactions of her fathers, especially Hiram, played by Jeff Goldblum. They clearly hadn't seen her perform on stage, not really a surprise, since she started with New Directions. No matter what kept them away before, it was clear she was a revelation to them. It's one thing to see a video or hear someone sing in the living room. This seemed like they were hearing for the first time at her full strength, and I loved it.

Gleeview: Heart

mjacton — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:47:41 GMT

Spoiler Alert!

I really liked the Valentine's Day episode of Glee that aired last night. The only real storyline advancement was with Samcedes (Sam and Mercedes) and Finchel (Finn and Rachel), but that's understandable for Valentine's Day. Brittana (Brittany and Santana, officially Santittany) got their first on-screen kiss, and it was a good one even if it was short. There was good music (a return to form after last week's so-so effort), and David Karofsky returned to profess his love for Kurt. This was a surprise, of course, but I think I saw it coming at some point. I do wonder if he'll be back or if he's just going to move on. Clearly, he has some issues to work through still.

Sugar Motta was a central character in this episode also, but it was more for comic relief than anything. And, I liked it. I knew Rory was probably lying, or at least exaggerating the finality of his return home at the end of the year. I wonder if the Rory/Sugar/Artie triangle will continue or not. It should at least be funny if it does.

So, there were a lot of small things that happened, but the big stuff, besides the Brittana kiss, happened with Samcedes and Finchel. I'll take them in that order.

Sam/Mercedes
I really don't think that Sam's going to give up on Mercedes. Clearly, she favors him over Shane, but she just needs time I think. So, the bottom line is, even though she turned him down for now, I don't think we've seen the last of this pairing. The cheating did put them on a shaky footing to start with, but they really started over the summer and ended when Sam moved away, supposedly never to return. So, I think Mercedes will eventually come around and realize Sam was her first choice. I'll stay tuned.

Finn/Rachel
Okay, so the wedding is scheduled for May, but will it happen then? Will it happen sooner? Will it happen later? Or, will it be postponed indefinitely at some point this season? As I wrote last week, everyone they reveal their engagement to has at least some reservation if not outright distaste for the idea (good for Kurt, btw). Plus, I think they're both realizing that it's not as simple as they once thought to be together, but Rachel is very impulsive, and can be stubborn when she sets her mind to something. Plus, Finn only has Rachel right now. He doesn't want to only have Rachel, but he recognizes that at least for now that's all he has. He's going to try to hold on to her as tight as he can because he wants to keep the one thing he thinks is solid in his future.

I loved the dads, and I spotted their ruse right away because we were supposed to, since we're not headstrong teenagers I think Jeff Golblum (Hiram Berry) and Brian Stokes Mitchell (Leroy Berry) are perfectly cast. The only time we had seen the dads at all was in a photo in Rachel's locker in the pilot. I think casting these two actors preserved the spirit of the original actors in that photo while, almost undeniably, taking a huge step in the acting department. The dads, as characters, were pretty close to what I would have envisioned of them, given the few clues we've had (cruises, arguments over house painting, unwavering support of their "little Rachelah" etc.). And, we got to hear them sing with Rachel a little bit. Lea Michele (Rachel) and Brian Stokes Mitchell have worked together before, even on the Broadway stage, and I'm very much hoping we get to hear them sing more together in the future.

So, Regionals is next week. I'm guessing there will be some big things happening. Oh, and Samuel Larsen, co-winner of The Glee Project, finally made his debut as God Squad member, Joe Hart. That means all three Project prize-winners have appeared. I'm thinking at least the co-winners will have their parts enlarged next season after many of the original characters graduate, but we'll see more of them at McKinley this season still.

Favorite Lines
Figgins: Believe me, I'd much rather see you and Santana kiss than that so-called Finch-el.

Rachel: Finn and I are proud to announce that we're finally getting married.
Puck: Oh, when's the baby's due date?

Hiram: Now, dessert! Ooh, you know what we've got? Velvety Vienetta! And, then we're gonna commence with the teenage lovemaking. No, just kidding, no we don't have Vienetta. They discontinued Vienetta years ago. We're gonna go straight to the teenage lovemaking!

Hiram: Honesty, respect, dance! Those are the foundations of the Berry family.

Musical Rundown:
"Chapel of Love" by The Dixie Cups--This was a perfect way to introduce the Berry dads. It was definitely a grand entrance.

"L-O-V-E" by Nat King Cole--Jenna Ushkowitz (Tina) has her weaknesses as an actress, especially in the comedy department, but when she plays it straight like here she can do it. Plus, she's a very good singer. Harry Shum, Jr. (Mike) came along for the dancing, as usual, but didn't ruin the song.

"Let Me Love You" by Mario--Kevin McHale seems to me to work hard at what he does. He's an excellent singer, at least in his boy band-style wheelhouse, and it's harder for an able-bodied actor to dance in a wheelchair than you might think. I always appreciate the effort, and it's always fun.

"Stereo Hearts" by Gym Class Heroes (feat. Adam Levine)--I enjoyed this. To be honest, I think that musically, at least, The Glee Project runner-up Lindsay Pearce is better than the winners, the aforementioned Larsen and Damian McGinty who plays Rory, but the little I've heard from Larsen (I did not watch The Glee Project) so far has been good.

"Home" by Michael Bublé--I love this song, and Damian McGinty did a good job with it. The very small hint, at this point, that he might have been less than truthful about his Visa renewal made it better. If it weren't so out of nowhere or the small glint in his eye when he realized he was getting to Sugar, I would have believed it.

"I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston--This obviously took on some added poignancy because of Ms. Houston's death days before this episode aired, but it worked as a beautiful tribute. The context was sad anyway, but I wasn't really thinking about Sam's feelings while watching. Amber Riley (Mercedes) knocked it out the park, and it was just hard to watch and listen and remember that I was watching Glee for those few minutes.

"You're the Top" from Anything Goes--This was literally frivolous parlor entertainment, but the talent was obvious. Again, I'm very much hoping there's more from these three, especially Lea Michele and Brian Stokes Mitchell.

"Cherish"/"Cherish" by The Association/Madonna--I didn't think we'd get to hear Dianna Agron (Quinn) sing so prominently again, to be honest, and I was thrilled. The solo wasn't long, but I'll go for the horrible pun and say I'll cherish it. No, it wasn't that memorable, but she's always nice to listen to, to say the least. Yeah, the others did okay too.,

"Love Shack" by The B-52s--Yeah, they had to do it. And, I loved it. Fun! Fun! Fun!

Gleeview: The Spanish Teacher

mjacton — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:31:09 GMT

Spoiler Alert!

Sue Sylvester made this episode. Ricky Martin's role was okay, better than I expected actually, but I didn't really care whether he got to be a "regular" Spanish teacher or not. Sam and Mercedes' story advanced but wasn't resolved. Will and Emma weathered another bump in their road to happily ever after. The second best part of the episode was the lingering doubts over Finn and Rachel's future, but Sue made the episode funny.

But, Glee, at least in my mind, has set a high standard for itself. So, a less-than-stellar episode isn't really surprising, and when they happen they're usually the themed ones like this one. Regardless, there were some storyline advancements, a couple of them very positive, that I'll lay out below.

Will/Emma
Mr. Schuester, Spanish teacher, is no more. Let's face it, there are high school teachers out there who don't really have a firm grasp on the subject they teach. So, the idea that Will didn't know much Spanish wasn't that far-fetched. He's a good enough teacher to have been able to get the information from a curriculum and pass it along. The irony in this episode, of course, was that he learned his flaws in the midst of berating his fiancée for hers. I also liked that Santana was the one to point them out...without unnecessarily insulting him.

I liked the pamphlets theme. Those pamphlet titles really are ridiculously over-the-top and funny, but obviously they do have ironically good advice. Not everyone appreciates irony. I do, so I liked that Emma got the tenured position. She obviously cares about her students, even if she isn't always able to get past her own issues to get to the heart of their issues.

Sam/Mercedes
Again, this wasn't resolved. There was more irony. The two of them experimented with not communicating for a week. The misconception, at least in my mind, is that the art of communication has been lost in the digital age. This storyline highlighted the opposing view. The problem is we still don't know the real results of the experiment. We know Sam and Mercedes missed each other, but we don't know what Mercedes wants out of their relationship. Oh, but I liked that the background music to their last scene was a slow, instrumental version (or at least an excerpt) of "Summer Lovin'"

Finn/Rachel
I was happy to see someone try to talk sense into Finn. He needs that. He definitely will not be happy carrying Rachel's purse while she walks the red carpet for the rest of his life. The only way they can possibly have a future together is if he finds one on his own that doesn't interfere with hers. But, the fact that everyone who hears about their engagement so far are pretty much horrified by the idea should be telling them both something. And, by the way, who hugs when they get engaged? Probably a couple who has the communication issues that Finn and Rachel have. They rarely speak to each other about important things, and they almost never listen to each other unless they're singing lyrics that don't precisely convey what they're trying to say.

So, anyway, the Valentine's episode airs next week, so we'll see what happens.

Favorite Sue Sylvester Lines:
I list these with no context. They're still funny.

(To Kurt) You too, porcelain. Let the strangeness end with you.

(To Will) And now, seeing as how I find bald infants terrifying, I'm going to need a few ounces of your baby gravy to ensure Sue Sylvester, Jr. is born with a full head of hair.

Cheerleading magazines are right here. Have fun.

(To Emma) Have a seat, Ladybird Hollow Pelvis.

I doubt your avian frame could withstand the rigors of childbirth.

(To Santana) Oh, stop with the lies, sweater meat, or you'll be hocking nude glosses of yourself behind the dumpster of Hooter's by the weekend.

(To Becky) When I saw one written in crayon, I knew it was either you or Brittany, and you're the better speller.

Musical Rundown

"La Cucaracha"--This was a joke number, and it was funny. It set the tone for Will's impending doom as a Spanish Teacher.

"Sexy and I Know It" by LMFAO--This was Ricky Martin being performer Ricky Martin, playing up his sex appeal. As mentioned above, I expected his part to be eye-roll worthy, but it wasn't. This was fun at least.

"Don't Wanna Lose You" by Gloria Estefan--This was the best number, musically, of the episode, in my opinion. But, that was an easy contest to win amongst novelty numbers playing up stereotypes and Ricky Martin.

"Bamboleo"/"Hero" by Gipsy Kings/Enrique Iglesias--The guys did well with this. It was a suitable response from Sam to Mercedes' message to him.

"La Isla Bonita" by Madonna--Ricky Martin was okay here, but Naya Rivera (Santana) made this number something to watch. She always surprises me. I don't know why anymore.

"A Little Less Conversation" by Elvis Presley--Would you believe this is the first Elvis song performed on Glee? I don't know if they've had a hard time securing rights or what, but I would have thought they would have done one sooner. Anyway, this was supposed to be Will's last desperate attempt at being a competent Spanish teacher, but it backfired for good reason. I actually kind of liked it musically, but obviously the costume and the actual content of the song was a disaster waiting to happen, which it did.

Gleeview: Michael

mjacton — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:42:18 GMT

Spoiler Alert!

By my count, this was the sixth tribute episode of Glee in its short history. From my perspective, it was the second best, behind "Theatricality" from season 1. The music for "Michael" was great. The production was great. The acting was exceptional (*cough*Lea Michele deserves an Emmy*cough*). I think the only reason it wasn't quite up to the standard of "Theatricality" was its somewhat more disjointed story. I really liked the episode's story line development, actually, and some might say the character development made that disjointedness worth it. It just wasn't quite as smooth as the "Theatricality" episode. That's just a minor factor, though, and it's debatable. "Michael" was a great mix of music and drama with a little humor thrown in.

I'll just address all the individual characters' developments together, with the exception of Rachel, Finn, and Quinn. Firstly, Sam and Mercedes kissing obviously doesn't put them together officially, but it's progress for them. It seems they're destined to get together very soon. That's good news for me because I like them and Sam is much more interesting with Mercedes than without her. Next, Kurt is a finalist for NYADA. I loved the scene with his father. Burt Hummel is practically perfect, but he did have to grow into knowing how to deal with a gay son especially in a small town. The scene was just as much about him seeing his hard work growing into raising Kurt reap rewards as it was Kurt getting his dreams. Being a finalist isn't getting in, but I'm assuming that what they're going for is that being a finalist can go on a resume and it's an advantage one can use in his or her career regardless.

Finally, Quinn seems to have gotten her happy ending, so to speak. Obviously, the ending here is just the beginning, but that's just the nature of high school. How a person ends high school determines how he or she begins adulthood. Quinn seems to be finally on the right track. Her speech to the glee club was nice to see. The fact that she was, at least in part, trying to reinforce her message to Rachel was the more significant part for me, though. Her "speech" to Rachel was interesting to say the least. Take what you want from it, but it was honest, candid and unselfish advice for Rachel that showed she cared.

That brings me to Rachel and Finn. Obviously, I've been less than enthusiastic about this pairing, but I have always appreciated its complexity. Finn's proposal in the last episode was obviously one of the less subtle developments, but it was in keeping with Finn's character. And, Rachel's acceptance of his proposal in this episode was very Rachel. "You are the love of my life" is a very impulsive Rachel thing to say for a 17-year-old high school senior, but also the rest of what she said revealed Rachel Berry's psyche. Deep down she's an insecure girl who grabs onto anything or anyone who can give her the security and love that she craves, and "I may not get to have it all, but at least I'll have what matters if we're together" reflects her need to be wanted. I must say I'm glad this happened now because it gives them time to bask (Valentine's Day) and then time to sort out their issues or figure out it was a mistake. Her NYADA letter did come eventually, and now she's confused again. Finn did say he would come to New York with her. That's a step in the right direction for him, but he's still not seeing that her future and their relationship are at least equal. His own future seems vital to their relationship, and if he can't at least find something in New York besides hanging off her arm, then their relationship is shaky. Her reaction to her NYADA letter reveals that she knows that, and if they do end up together I hope it's because Finn has considered all of these factors and done everything he can to make a future for himself without impeding Rachel's.

The bottom line is that Quinn was right, and I'm just really happy she was the one to deliver that advice to Rachel. At least it made it really clear for Rachel what she might be giving up for Finn if she tries to hold on too tightly.

Favorite Lines:
Rachel: No, I think he's an amazing performer, but I've never really just got what he was about.
Kurt: Rachel, he was best friends with Liza Minnelli and Liz Taylor.
Rachel: No, all I'm saying is that I just...I haven't connected with him the way that I have with the likes of Barbra or either of the Stephens.
[Questioning look from Artie]
Rachel: Sondheim, Schwartz.

Santana: Brittany, lock the door.
Brittany: Oh, I don't know how to do that.

Musical Rundown:
Obviously, all music was by Michael Jackson originally, with some help as noted.

"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'"--It was interesting to see Blaine and the Blaine-less Warblers perform in the same episode. We saw it at Sectionals, but this was more stark because it was less confined. Darren Criss is a good performer, and he's much better without the Warblers. This was good.

"Bad"--This was nicely done. The production was high end, but I was glad to see it as part of the story. And, the slushies in this episode were a nice creative touch. This is an obviously iconic number, and I think New Directions and The Warblers did it justice.

"Scream" (feat. Janet Jackson)--It was at first quite jarring to see Artie get up out of his chair (though he did it before), but once that passed, I liked this. I think this is Kevin McHale's (Artie) kind of song, really. It's musical with a hard beat, and I think that complements his voice. Harry Shum, Jr. (Mike) was there for his moves, but he did an adequate job with his supporting vocals.

"Never Can Say Goodbye" (Jackson 5)--Dianna Agron (Quinn) seems to get one, maybe two, chances to showcase her voice every season. She always delivers. The soft, sultry breathy quality to her voice may, for some, be a weakness, but it's really not. There were three really great performances in this episode, I think, and this was one of them. I hadn't heard this but had heard about it and had high expectations, and I was not disappointed.

"Human Nature"--This was probably the weakest of the nine numbers in the episode. But, it wasn't bad at all, just a little dull for me. Chord Overstreet (Sam) and Amber Riley (Mercedes) are good singers, and they did fine. I just wasn't blown away.

"Ben"--This was sweet and soft and nice. I really don't try to make things always about Lea Michele, but she always shines. From what I can see, she's willing to let others have their place in a performance. But, she always seems to be star, regardless, in duets and small group numbers like this. This was not one of those aforementioned Top 3, but it was excellent.

"Smooth Criminal"--This was one of the Top 3 for me, mainly because of Naya Rivera (Santana). She is, I repeat, perfect for this role. It was really good to see Santana use her fierceness for good, at least mostly. The singing performance, plus 2CELLOS, gave me goosebumps.

"I Just Can't Stop Loving You"--This was the other Top 3 performance for me. Despite it being a "positive" step for Finn and Rachel, Lea Michele made this worth it. If there's one thing that she does too much, only because she's trying to appeal to a more pop-oriented audience, it's that she let's her voice go sometimes leading to a "yodeling" quality to her performances. She did not do that here when she could have, and it was better for it.

"Black or White"--This was a nice way to end the episode. A good New Directions number always wraps up episodes nicely, especially when there's a short but significant scene right after. It cements the episode into the viewer's memory, and I thought this was an excellent example of that.

Gleeview: Yes/No

mjacton — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:32:29 GMT

Spoiler Alert!

This returning episode could have been called "Full Circle". Two of the major storylines involved relationships/storylines hinted at in the Pilot episode almost 3 seasons ago. Obviously, the Rachel/Finn storyline is not resolved and is probably far from finished, but Finn's proposal seems to me something an inevitability. Rachel's answer is much more unpredictable. More on this later.

Here's a rundown of the major storylines, saving the most important for last.

Becky/Artie
Even though this doesn't seem to be an ongoing storyline beyond this episode, it was interesting to me. I relate to Artie closely, and I think he was stuck with a realistic dilemma here. Does he date Becky just because she's disabled like he is? Does he have an obligation? The answer turned out to be an emphatic no, but I think the Glee club's involvement, and Artie's individual contemplations on the issue, covered the issue well. I was glad to see it myself, at least for one episode.

Will/Emma
Will finally proposed to Emma, and she said yes. If there was a true inevitability from episode 1, this was it. Will has flaws (probably largely due to "learning how to be a man" from Finn), but like Finn he's good at heart. And, Emma is probably the least flawed in character but has this borderline debilitating psychological illness. I think they're a good match. At least Emma's crazy is out in the open, unlike Terri's.

Some fans have been down on Will's handling of the Glee Club, favoring some members over others, etc., but I think in the end he deserved their eagerness to help him. I see him as a mixture of teacher and actual member of the group, and that's not always pretty. But, families are rarely perfect.

Mercedes/Sam
As I wrote in a gleeview a couple of episodes ago, Sam is more interesting already in the few episodes he's appeared in this season than all of last season. I like him with Mercedes. Mercedes seems to be attracted to people who are quite different from her: Kurt, Puck, and Sam. Shane seems like her safe choice. I'm betting on Sam in the end.

Finn/Rachel
This was probably a love it or hate it development for fans, but typically I came down in the middle because as often happens with Glee, if you look deeper you'll see more. There are lot of ways that this storyline could go, ways in which we are being "set up" so to speak. Finn hasn't figured out what he wants from his future, but he does not seem to have immediate ambitions outside of Ohio. Rachel obviously didn't answer his proposal immediately, and she has huge aspirations outside of Ohio. Obviously, the other set up may be the delay in receiving any response from NYADA. She only sang her romantic "proposal" song to Finn after she began to think she might not get into NYADA, and she seemed to be falling back on something she knew was close to a sure thing.

New York and Finn seem to be mutually exclusive for Rachel right now. Rachel has her own flaws, bouts of pretty extreme selfishness fueled by blind ambition, but she has matured. Her willingness to put her future at risk to help Kurt is an example of that, and, significantly, I haven't seen her show the same willingness to risk her future for Finn. I understand the concept that dreams are no good unless you have someone to share them with, but Finn does not seem to be that person for Rachel at this point. I'm guessing they will come to some compromise in the short term, but Finn still has some maturing to do before he's worthy of Rachel in the long run. I don't think that's impossible--again, Glee writers are good at keeping their options open--but I haven't thought of a way short of Finn explicitly telling Rachel that he will not try to hold her back.

Favorite Line
Watch "Showmance" (Season 1 Episode 2) for their "first date." Even Finn has enough sense to not tell the girl he's about to propose to the real reason he ran off on their first kiss.

Rachel:...and I told you you could kiss me if you wanted to. I never understood why you ran off so quickly.
Finn: Yeah, I was just nervous.

Musical Rundown
"Summer Nights" from Grease--This song made sense, of course, but I don't think Amber Riley (Mercedes) and Chord Overstreet (Sam) were right for it. The best part of this number for me were Kurt, Santana and Rachel's antics in the background, mimicking the movie scene. Chord Overstreet is not the actor that John Travolta is, and this song is just not right for Amber Riley's voice. It was a good idea, and not terrible, but just mediocre by Glee standards for me.

"Wedding Bell Blues" by Fifth Dimension--Jayma Mays (Emma) always sounds good when she sings. It always seems like every time she sings, it's in character, deceptively sweet. She's not a great singer, but she's good enough to bring a little smile to my face.

"Moves Like Jagger"/Jumpin' Jack Flash" by Maroon 5/Rolling Stones--This gave Will a chance to dance, and it was pretty good. I liked the mash-up arrangement, and Kevin McHale is a good singer. It wasn't my favorite, but it was good.

"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" by Roberta Flack--This reminded me of the use of "Total Eclipse of the Heart" near the end of season 1. These are songs that you might hear in the background to an eye-roll worthy commercial, but somehow Glee found a way to make them sound fresh and not clichéd. It was actually very nice. The Glee girls definitely sounded good.

"Without You" by David Guetta--Lea Michele (Rachel) can do it all. This isn't her signature type of song, but who can argue with her competence to sing whatever Rachel Berry puts her mind to? I'm can't.

"We Found Love" by Rihanna--This was a typically fun group number. Lea Michele's short solo, incidentally, was more suited to her voice than her real solo, but this was about the group. And, they almost always sound really good. There's a reason these people were cast for this show: they're talented.

Lea Michele wins finally!

mjacton — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 12:08:34 GMT

Lea Michele won the People's Choice Award for Favorite TV Comedy Actress last night, January 11, 2012. It's not an "industry" award, and I'm still waiting for her to get the recognition she deserves from her peers or so-called experts. But this is a good start.

I still maintain she is underrated, even with an Emmy and two Golden Globe (and of course one Tony) nominations, because she hasn't won any of these awards. Maybe the industry following the example of the fans.

Congratulations Lea!

Hold on to Sixteen & Extraordinary Merry Christmas

mjacton — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 15:57:54 GMT

Spoiler Alert!

ince I was unable to write my regular gleeviews for these two episodes on time, I'm writing my general thoughts for both here.

Quinn
I'm very glad to see Quinn getting some tough love from people and actually listening, at least temporarily. We'll see how long it lasts. Some people might think her turnaround is sudden, but I don't think it's that drastic. She's gone through periods of less crazy before. I think she's still going to make mistakes, but hopefully they won't be as disastrous as they have been up to now.

I was very happy when she mentioned applying to the Yale drama program. I was afraid she might take Puck's suggestion and go to Florida, California, or Canada or just stay in Lima. I think she's much better off being close to New York, where Rachel, Kurt, and probably a few of her other friends will be. She will need a support system. She was never destined to be a Lima Loser, but she had and still has a lot holding her back. I have more to say about the official establishment of her friendship with Rachel later.

Sam
To be honest, I was not unhappy when Chord Overstreet (Sam) decided not to accept a smaller role and leave the show instead. So, I was a little skeptical (though not really surprised) when I heard he would be returning after all. I'm actually pleasantly surprised by his character's development just in these last two episodes. I like the idea of his pursuit of Mercedes. It is an interesting pairing to say the least, and much more so than Sam and Quinn. But, I also like the Sam/Quinn friendship more than their so-called romance. That made me a little nauseated, but their friendship is nice and hopefully helpful to both. Plus, I do think they sound pretty close to spectacular when they sing together.

Rachel/Finn
As sickeningly sweet as Rachel and Finn were in the Christmas episode, there were still hints of how temporary this relationship actually seems right now. As much as Rachel speaks of love between them, I know that she's much more emotionally and mentally invested in going to New York and NYADA. She pointedly talked in "The First Time" about being happy with Finn for the next four months, and Finn seems to be resigned to at least a long-distance relationship after that as well. The only time she ever talked about a future with Finn was in "Grilled Cheesus," and that was early when everything was new. It was more of a test than anything (somebody pointed that out to me, and it seems obvious now).

The message behind hIs gift of a star named "Finn Hudson" that will watch over Rachel when they're apart is pretty clear. I think he's more invested in the relationship than she is, but he also seems decidedly not headed to New York (he is a Lima Loser, though that's not necessarily a bad thing) after high school graduation. For me, this is all good news, and I hope they don't try to "make it work" more than they should.

Rachel/Quinn
I know these two characters are seen by many fans as rivals for the affections of certain boys and on complete opposite ends of the social scale, but if you look a little deeper you'll see that really this friendship was all but inevitable. The aforementioned rivalry has put them at odds with each other in the past but has also kept them in each other's sights. There's some apt metaphor, like magnets, or planets orbiting, or something, but I'm not sure what the most fitting would be. I just think there are many reasons for them to be friends.

They're both strong personalities. They're both flawed. They both obviously care and inwardly admire each other. Just watch their shared scenes; when they're not yelling at each other they do things for each other and say things to each other that neither would say to anyone else. They openly admire each other's talent. And, let's not forget their chemistry. Obviously, the close relationship between the actors contributes to this, but it also makes the characters' interactions sizzle and sparkle. It's an amazing thing to watch, and hopefully there will be much more of it before the end of the season.

The Glee Holiday Spectacular
This was, in my opinion, a weirdly wonderful concept. It might have gone on a little too long, but I don't think so. The mix of '50s/early '60s decor, black-and-white, set in the present allowed for some very good satire. Clearly the message was that as much as conservative America would like to continue to ignore, deny and pretend it isn't true, the "Leave it to Beaver' image of life isn't normal. The acting, especially from Lea Michele, was amazing. It was so over-the-top, I thought it would get to be too much, but it never did. It wasn't exactly "roll-on-the-floor" hilarious, but it was definitely funny in the way it was supposed to be I think.

To top it all off, as part of the story of the episode, it turned out to be something that the New Directions participants should not have been doing in the first place. This only added to the message that these things, while important, shouldn't be an issue anymore.

Music
I won't run down all the music, but I kind of was less-than-impressed with it in these episodes. But, as I've noted many times before, that's not necessarily a bad thing because it meant the story took precedence. The Sectionals episode music was obviously more important, and I loved the New Directions Jackson medley. I always like hearing Dianna Agron (Quinn) sing, and it more than anything, for me, made up for Rachel's absence.

The Christmas music was mostly unspectacular to me. I obviously loved hearing Lea Michele singing, but in general the songs were pretty dull. I especially thought that "Do They Know It's Christmas" was way preachy for Glee. Usually, the messages this show sends are much more subtle than this. Eh, whatever. I guess it fit.

Watch for more episodes and gleeviews in January!

Gleeview: I Kissed a Girl

mjacton — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 18:56:49 GMT

Spoiler Alert!

This episode was very intense. If last week's episode was the funniest so far this season, this week's was probably the heaviest. It wasn't even because of conflict, though there was plenty of that. There was even some repairing of relationships, and for Santana at least some good came of everything.

To quote the title song, I liked it. The characters did some crazy things, but in true Glee fashion, there were reasons behind everything they did. I thought the story was well-told with the characteristic non-linear style with great music. We all knew what the main thrust of the episode would be, and yet I was engrossed the whole way through waiting to see what would happen next.

The episode was pretty much all about Santana, and Brittany by extension. But, there were a couple important side plot lines. So, I'll deal with them first.

Quinn/Puck/Shelby
Even though this is one of the most "out there" story lines, I personally think it's been well done. Shelby's behavior may be stretching her character a bit, but on the other hand she has always been impulsive and somewhat oblivious to consequences just like her daughter. She made out with Schuester within minutes of meeting him. She pursued Rachel but then bailed as soon as she realized Rachel wasn't the little girl she had fantasized about raising. She came back to Lima without really thinking the consequences through. So, sleeping with Puck really isn't that far-fetched. He's not a minor, so if this wasn't a teacher-student situation, it wouldn't be illegal. She obviously doesn't have a problem with doing things without thinking about consequences first. Oh, and this was that thing that was teased in last week's promo that Puck needed to tell Quinn. It definitely delivered on the promise of something big.

As for Quinn, I was really satisfied with how this ended, and for those who were so critical of her last season her actions were motivations explicitly laid out this time . I don't expect Quinn's problems to go away, but I do think there was a step taken in the right direction by the end of this episode, though obviously her knowledge of Shelby's indiscretions will probably distract her again. It took another bad decision, but at least Puck's pointed advice made her re-evaluate for at least a little while. It won't be easy for her, I don't expect. Her parents still did a crappy job of raising her, and the two references to them in this episode didn't make me think any better of them. I really think they screwed her up a lot to the point where she doesn't know how to find her place in the world independently yet. Despite what Puck would like to believe, her identity issues didn't start with him. Hopefully, though, she's on the right track. On the superficial side, she looked great in this episode.

And, just a side note: I thought the brief references to religion in this episode were actually more effective than the whole episode devoted to it in season 2, and I did like that episode ("Grilled Cheesus").

Kurt & Rachel
We don't have much indication of how this is going to play out, but Kurt obviously is down about not being elected Student Council President. He thinks he needed it to pad his CV for NYADA. I don't know if he did or not. It depends on how hard it really is to get in. How many spots really are available? I think he's good enough, but he may not be good enough to get in ahead of people competing with him this year. We'll see.

And, of course, to go along with that, now Rachel has been suspended and banned from Sectionals competition. I don't know if something will happen to reverse Figgins' decision, but it doesn't look good for right now. Spoiler Alert: Sam Evans, played by Chord Overstreet, is returning next week, and maybe he'll be the solution to their problem. He's not as good as Rachel, but he might help. But, the bigger issue is whether this will permanently derail Rachel's chances of getting into NYADA. I certainly hope not, and if it does I hope she gets into some other New York musical theater school instead.

Finally, the whole Bieste/Cooter/Sue triangle is definitely fun. It's the closest thing in Glee to a pure good vs. evil struggle. It'll definitely be an interesting relief from all the more important drama happening with the glee kids.

Favorite Quotes:
Sue was deceptively meaningful and funny in this episode, pure Sue!

Sue: Why would someone assume I'm a Friend of Ellen just because I'm mannish and highly aggressive and have short hair and I only wear track suits and I coach a girls sport and I married myself? It just doesn't make sense!

Sue: Cooter Menkins is the best thing to happen to me since a sophomore named Becky Jackson waddled into my life.

Honorable Mention (because Naya Rivera as Santana is pretty close to perfect):

Santana: Abuelita, I love girls the way I'm supposed to feel about boys. It's just something that's always been inside of me, and I really want to share it with you because I love you so much. I want you to know me, who I really am. When I'm with Brittany, I finally understand what people are talking about when they talk about love. I've tried so hard to push this feeling away and keep it locked inside, but every day just feels like a war. And I walk around so mad at the world, but I'm really just fighting with myself. And I don't wanna fight anymore...I'm just too tired. I have to just be me.

Musical Rundown

"Perfect" by Pink--This high school friendly version of the song was nice in this context. Darren Criss (Blaine) got a further chance to show he's not all bubble gum. We've already seen that Chris Colfer (Kurt) is a versatile singer. Put them together, and they're pretty good. I'd be interested ot know if they'd actually sing the original version of the song in the car. I bet they would.

"I'm the Only One" by Melissa Etheridge--I must say, I was kind of blown away by this. The performance, on screen, was heavily doused with Puck, and it's always a good thing when the characters come through the musical performances. But, musically, this was really, really good too.

"Girls Just Want to Have Fun" by Greg Laswell--I have to admit, I'd never heard this version of this song. But, I loved it. Cory Monteith (Finn) did well with it. I like Greg Laswell's version better, but this was good. And, I was moved by it, so that counts for something because it's Finn, whom I'm not a huge fan of.

"Jolene" by Dolly Parton--This was nice, but I thought the most interesting part was the inclusion of Quinn in the scene. I don't really know exactly why she was there, but I found it kind of poignant. I think it was just the mood, and the message of the song fit her too (less ironically than it did Sue) even though Bieste wasn't singing about her.

"I Kissed a Girl" by Katy Perry--This was obviously the centerpiece of the episode, musically, and it was definitely fun and hot! It provided some much needed relief from the drama (some of which triggered the performance).

"Constant Craving" by k.d. lang--This is another example of Naya Rivera's brilliant portrayal of this character. This was beautifully done and heartfelt. Her brilliance was sneaky, but I fully appreciate it now.

Gleeview: Mash Off

mjacton — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 18:32:07 GMT

Spoiler Alert!

This is one of my favorite times of the year for Glee. It's time to start gearing up for competition, and usually the episodes are lighter and funnier around this time (and also usually between Sectionals and Regionals). And, even though the ending of this episode was really very heavy and ominous, I enjoyed the general lightheartedness of the rest of the episode. I personally like it when an episode deals with fairly important issues (bullying, friendships, and in this case inappropriate relationships) with humor. I like the power too, but it's better when it doesn't weigh the episode down completely.

It seems the Troubletones and New Directions have been put up against each other for Sectionals, and while that seems fairly unrealistic, I don't really mind it. I'm guessing there will be a combining of the show choirs at some point before the end of the season, but I don't see that happening for a little while still. For now, I'm liking the Troubletones. Their numbers have been fun and sexy, and I'm all for that.

There wasn't a lot of resolution to story lines here, but there was quite a bit of progress. Again, though, the progress was in the middle of quite a bit of fun. So, there wasn't too much weighing the episode down. Here's a quick rundown of the storylines.

The one resolved storyline was the Rachel/Kurt falling out. I like this friendship. It makes sense. Obviously Kurt and Rachel are a lot alike, especially in their ambitions, and that can breed conflict. And, it did, but it also can lead to healthy competition and driving each other to excel. I think that this is how the relationship works best, when they sing together and, more importantly, dream of New York together. I look forward to more of that...and it'll be interesting, at least, to see how Finn fits in. I have my opinion, but I'll not go into it again right now.

The Puck/Shelby "affair" wasn't resolved. At least I don't think it was. Of course, Shelby told Puck that they couldn't be together, but she didn't run away. And, Puck is persistent. I don't think he's gotten the message yet, and there's a moment in the teaser for next episode when Puck is telling Quinn something important. I don't know if that's going to be him telling her he pursued Shelby unsuccessfully or if he's telling her that he's in love with Shelby and is going to try to get her. Or, maybe it's something in between. We'll see.

Related to that, Quinn's plot to take Beth away from Shelby seems to be in big trouble. Puck told Shelby about Quinn's planting of the evidence, and Shelby shut Quinn out of Beth's life because of it. Again, Shelby and Beth are still around, Quinn might try again. Or, there's a chance Quinn will change her mind and agree to be a part of Beth's life without taking her from Shelby. I actually think the latter is a likely outcome. I don't know how it's going to happen, but I think it will.

It wasn't long, but there was a nice scene with Rachel and Shelby. I've always thought that, whatever Shelby's faults are, whether she's the best mother for Beth, whether she had the right motives for seeking Rachel out and then leaving her again, whether it was the right decision to move back to Lima...Shelby has always recognized Rachel's talent and been one of her biggest cheerleaders. I think that Rachel needs that amongst all the "tough love" she gets from other people.

Finally, Santana seems to have been outed...or at least there's the threat of it. There was a sweet little moment between her and Brittany in the Troubletones meeting, and I think that it's true that everyone can see that Santana isn't just Brittany's best friend. It's just a matter of her being open about being a bona fide lesbian, but this is not the way Santana or any of the people who support her would have liked it to happen. Finn let his temper get the better of him, so even if he didn't deserve the slap in the face for what he said to Rachel, he does deserve his part of the blame for airing what is essentially glee club business--they know from last year's "Landslide" number that Santana and Brittany have a real relationship now--in public.

Favorite Lines
Santana had some nice zingers, but I can't include everything.

Sue: Burt Hummel...he's running for Congress. Last year he had a heart attack. He might have had a heart transplant, and he might have got it from a baboon...If Burt Hummel thinks what Washington needs is more baboon parts, then he needs a brain transplant. Watch out, baboons!

[On-screen at the end of Sue's campaign ads]: Paid for by Angry White People to Elect Sue Sylvester.

Brittany: And, also, listen. Rachel Berry's still on MySpace and thus unfit to lead.

Brittany: Is this what having a stroke feels like? Because I like it.

Mercedes: ...I was up half the night thinking about our mash-up for the mash off, and it came to me: Adele!
Sugar: I sound just like her.

Mercedes: I nominate myself as president of the Troubletones. All in favor? [Everyone but Brittany and Santana raises her hand]
Brittany: I'm not impressed by your campaign...didn't put any posters up.

Musical Rundown:

"Hot for Teacher" by Van Halen--This was the first really hard-driving rock song of the season, and Mark Salling (Puck) did a great job. I also thought Darren Criss (Blaine), in a supporting role, showed he can sing loud and not so sweet. This was the only number in the episode that wasn't a mash-up.

"You and I"/"You and I" by Lady Gaga/Eddie Rabbitt & Crystal Gale--I really liked this. Idina Menzel (Shelby) has a deep tone to her voice for a Broadway performer (she has recorded pop music also, of course), and I think it lends itself to the pop/country style of this music. Matthew Morrison hasn't had a really suitable vocal opportunity for awhile--"Fix You" from "Asian F" really wasn't his best style in my opinion--but this was better for him as well.

"Hit Me With Your Best Shot"/"One Way or Another" by Pat Benetar/Blondie--This was definitely fun. I like the music, and Cory Monteith (Finn) and Naya Rivera (Santana) did fairly well with their lead vocals. I can't deny that dodge ball with dancing is interesting.

"I Can't Go for that (No Can Do)"/"You Make My Dreams" by Hall & Oates--Again, Finn did a decent job with the vocals here, and Dianna Agron stood out with a short solo. But, the best part was the hotness of the girls with their (19)80's hair and short, puffy skirts.

"Rumour Has It"/"Someone Like You" by Adele--This was easily the best musical number of the episode. Naya Rivera did an excellent job with the emotional quality in her singing, and Amber Riley (Mercedes) gave a typically strong performance. It was really a powerful way to end the episode (even though it didn't technically). I think it was the best choice to close an episode musically in a long while...rivaling "Somebody to Love" from "The Rhodes Not Taken" (I think this is better), "Total Eclipse of the Heart," and several others from season 1. I don't know if that's really important, but I think combining music and an ambiguous ending helps get people excited for the next episode.