The most recent Glee-tastrophe

So, here's the thing. When I was a little girl, I wanted to grow up and marry Gene Kelly.

I would sit down on the couch with my dad and lose myself in classics like Singin' in the Rain, An American in Paris, and Brigadoon. If I couldn't marry him, then at least I wanted to be Cyd Charisse so I could taste his sweet, sweet, entirely heterosexual kisses. Later, when I watched an aged Gene Kelly in Xanadu, I knew he still had the magic, even if the movie was awful (awfully, unintentionally hilarious, that is).

I remember listening to the news in 1996 and learning that he had died, and it was tragic.

He is a legend. And I will unabashedly pronounce that Glee shat upon his work in their most recent episode by mashing up "Singin' in the Rain" with Rihanna's "Umbrella." And Gwyneth Paltrow, for God's sake.

And so I ask you, Glee producers, plaintively, beseechingly:

What. The. Fuck.

Losing my religion

So, Glee. They just had to go and tackle the God question, eh? I totally get it. High school is when awkward, pimply-faced teens usually start to wrestle with the religion issue...wondering why a loving God would make them so awkward and pimply-faced to begin with. Everyone wrestles with that issue. It's everyone's personal internal debate with no correct answers and no bell to let you know when the debate is over (um...except I guess when you keel over and find out for sure).

In spite of how contrived I felt the episode was (if only Burt had eaten Kurt's grapefruit offering!), and how annoyed I was by the ending (isn't the "waking up from a coma right at the emotional climax" just a tad overdone by now?), Kurt's performance was emotional and heartfelt. He didn't mince words, and it felt honest. And the Jesus freaks were pretty annoying, which is generally true to life. (When my dad was in the hospital, I really appreciated an amazing friend of mine who visited him out of the blue. She, however, brought him snacks and treats rather than lighting a candle [how does that not violate some kind of hospital fire code] and creepily putting her hands all up in his business. So, I digress, WTF Rachel?)

The main feeling that I took away from this episode was unique in my experiences watching Glee: I don't want to see it again. Usually I will watch and re-watch the episodes during my lunch hour, on the laptop while I'm cooking, or on our tv downloads while Husband plays a video game on his computer. But this episode? It was uncomfortable (yes, yes, I know, that was probably the point). It didn't leave me giggling like a Glee groupie. It left me to my own thoughts, thoughts that I don't want to have to confront just because of some television show.


Did this episode seriously follow the one about Britney Spears...?

Husband sent me a really great Skepchick article that says some things I wish I could articulate. It's worth a read.

Stronger than yesterday (or last episode...)

Let me just get one thing out right now: I do not like Britney Spears. I do not like her music. I do not like her conduct. I do not like her lifestyle. But bitch can dance. So, to set the record straight absolutely: Britney Spears is not a singer. Britney Spears is an entertainer.

That said, I found it quite interesting to hear her songs performed by people who can, ohidontknow, actually sing. Shocking, really. And I was transported back to the late '90s and early '00s, even though I was never a fan when she was actually relevant (I think I was the only teenage girl that was all meh, whatevs over her). And I have to say that, though I generally despise the "it was all a dream" cliche cop-outs, I liked how the elaborate dance numbers (aside from the pep rally) were all in the participants' heads. It couldn't have been as detailed and costumed had the Club performed the songs for realsies.

I was pleased to see that the episode spotlighted Brittany, because she is both a great singer and an incredible dancer. Also, hilarious.

In agreement with Husband's observation, did you notice how pathetic Schue got this episode? He didn't even really need the Terri cameo that kicked him verbally in the 'nads and cemented his pitiful immasculinity (that isn't a word, but it seems to fit him in this instance). Hopefully he grows a pair and punches out skeevy Stamos' lights in the episode three.

We can all dream, can't we?


Overall, a stronger episode than the first, but I don't feel the show has hit its groove yet. The conflict is disjointed and the characters' motivations are unfocused. But I'm still so glad it's back.

Giving me a reason to live

Glee is back, baby! Husband and I are extremely fortunate to be friends with a couple who are just as big of Gleeks as we are. And the best part about them? They have TELEVISION. I know, revolutionary. Even better? They invited us over to watch Season 2's premiere on their TELEVISION. In color and everything. We love them more than words.*

So the show itself? I have some mixed feelings, as I knew I would. They have to generate a lot of conflict and drama that will be able to play out for the rest of the season (wtf was the deal with Santana's boob job? I don't think she got one in real life [in spite of Maxim], so I don't get it...). They have to introduce new characters and endear them to the audience (I'm loving Coach Bieste, she touches a special soft place in my heart in spite of her gruff manner). And they have to make sure to still give us plenty of kick-ass music (however, no comment on "Billionaire"...but props to Artie for "that Bieber cut's got to go" line).

Overall, I'm still in love. Maybe the honeymoon is coming to an end, but I'm not ready to get out of bed, change out of my lace teddy, and shower off the bodily fluids. I've got a couple more rounds left in me. How about you?



*You must understand, Husband and I don't have cable or even an antennae to pick up the local free channels. We have Netflix, which keeps me happily sated, and we only really miss television on nights like the GLEE SEASON 2 PREMIERE. Does that make more sense now? Good.

By it's very definition...

...Glee is about opening yourself up to joy.

And joy is what this season of "Glee" provided. I am posting my thoughts belatedly because I've already verbally hashed out my reaction, and I'm just a little afraid that the golden glow, the exciting, uniting "Glee" phenomenon, will never happen again. I want to savor the moment.

The finale hearkened back to the pilot, with a wonderful Journey medley and several of the characters' stories coming full circle. [Spoiler alert.] Ah, closure. Rachel and Finn finally acknowledged their love. Will confessed his deep-seated affection for Emma, dentist or not! Quinn reunited with her estranged mother, had her baby, and we got to see a more genuine side of Puck. Shelby got a family. Sue bit and snarled and spit but eventually let slip just how good she really might be. And Vocal Adrenaline won, of course, cementing New Directions' status as underdogs.

I had some serious problems with the episode (like Quinn's unbelievably quick labor and delivery), but I ultimately decided to take my dear friend and fellow "Glee" fanatic Philboy's advice: Just don't think too hard about it all. If I think too hard, wonder about the future/motivation/plausibility of a group of unbelievably talented (apparent) sophomores, the reality will begin to tarnish the magical golden glow. And I don't want that.

All I want to think about is this: They've "got another year"!*



*Actually, they've got another two years. But we'll pretend like there's still some suspense left for the show to be officially embraced by the network.

Lackadaisical

I have recently been mired in a cold and computer problems and concerns about the future, leaving me little fodder (or inspiration, at least) for blog posts. So today, to lift everyone's spirits, please enjoy the preview for the continued season of "Glee." We still have to wait until April, and this clip seems just to cruelly whet the appetite, but it still brightened my day.

I hope it does yours, too.