Glee Season Three on Sky

[Mr.Lavigne]

Originally Posted by Fricky

Also, how come New Directions got to do a number that was 3 times as long as the other groups got?

While a lot of your questions don't really have valid answers, this one I can answer. All groups get to do three songs, we just don't see them all. We cut to Quinn in the corridor while the Unitards were doing their other songs, and we cut to a break after the Troubletones first song. We saw all three of the New Directions songs because they are "our" glee club.

[Fricky]

Well, I found that...kind of excruciating to watch. Just way too camp, contradictory to itself, and pretty aimless. It seemed like they were setting up the idea of Artie being delusional about himself as a director with the ideas of basing the production off of the Star Wars Holiday Special* and only having happy, cheerfull christmas songs**, only to have the Irish one who can't act*** make them all see the error of this with his bible reading****, but the thing is...I didn't feel like the majority of the production they made was MEANT to be the intentional "so bad it's good" stuff that Glee usually does so well. It just felt LEGITIMATELY bad, and they seemed strangely sincere in it, not to mention it just went on, and on, and on, past the point it would have been funny if they were going for that. I kept expecting Sue to show up and ruin it because they cancelled appearing at her function. What exactly was meant to be the tension in that, btw? They showed up anyway, and they do so because the special was ended 10 minutes early. How much of a difference would that 10 minutes have made? Cos when they showed up, food was still being served out. Without Sue really doing anything to the club, the whole thing was way too syrupy sweet and cheesey, which they usually avoid falling into with her comments and behaviour. The whole thing came off more like what people who DON'T watch Glee seem to think the show is, rather than something good, like season 2's christmas episode, which was a lot better executed. As for the Rachel subplot, I thought we'd gotten past her being so selfish this year with how she's had to sit out Sectionals, and her decision to pull out of the Class President race for Kurt's sake? There's a bunch of ongoing things about the show that bug me, but they're relatively minor and some are just nitpicks, but this episode was almost a "jump the shark" moment for me.

*Requiring them to stress they aren't dressed like SW to avoid copyright infringment, yet seemingly having no worries about getting clearance for the licensed songs they were using on a televised show
**in which case, I don't really get why they would have originally planned to end it with a song about Famine in Africa, with references to "the bitter sting of tears" and "clanging chimes of doom"
***Well he can't! He always sounds like he's just doing a readthrough as opposed to an actual TAKE
****Which somehow didn't bother any of the atheist or jewish Glee club members present

[Mr.Lavigne]

Extraordinary Merry Christmas.

They said this was going to be unlike any other Glee episode, and they certainly got that right. I wasn't really a fan of the last Christmas episode on first viewing, though I did actually quite like it on rewatch. I took it as like a "fantasy" episode, one that wasn't based in the real Glee universe, mostly because it was completely bizarre, even for Glee, and things like Artie's magic legs weren't ever mentioned again. Though they were mentioned this week. They broke the next day.

Sue was back to being her best, loved her analysis of Artie, Kurt and Blaine. "Wheels, porcelin, other gay"...
The black and white segment was complete cheese, but fascinating. Star Wars mixed with a 1940's style Christmas special. Just completely crazy. I really did enjoy it, but I can imagine a lot of people were baffled. If there is one thing Lea Michele can do other than sing, it's overact (see Run Joey Run). The songs were mostly brilliant, and much better than last year.

Rachel was a bit of a bitch this week (though she is always so self-centered, she was even more so here), though she was always going to do an about turn in the end, which resulted in a very sweet climax for the episode. It can only be got away with because of the time of year, but that really was fantastic.

[Mr.Lavigne]

Yes/No

A great episode to return on, very upbeat and happy. I know people say it a lot about an episode that they like, but this one really did "feel like a Season One episode". For the first time this season really, it was mostly about Will, the first season seemed to focus on the adults more, and this episode went back to that a bit. It also felt like it had a lot more songs than normal.

The opening Summer Nights was fun, but daft. Glee normally does songs in the context of performances so to have it out of context like this was unusal, but the songs a classic musical moment, and it was performed well, so I'll accept it. Then this was followed up by Emma also singing out of context, though this was revealed to be sort of in her head I suppose, so that one will slide. Other song performances : Moves Like Jagger was great fun, First Time I Ever Saw Your Face was lovely, and beautifully directed, Without You was overdone(and remember, I love Rachel), and found myself agreeing with Santana, and We Found Love was brilliant, ending with that amazing proposal.

They have done a big character re-write with Finn's dad, which was a bit of a surprise, but led to some good moments, and a hell of a final scene.

Other bits I loved : The swim coach telling Sam that she had never seen lips like his on a white guy, the nice to nasty reversals of Sue with Artie, and Santana with Rachel, both scenes where I thought the two of them were being uncharacteristically nice, and then turned it into wisecracks. I loved what they did with Sue here actually, sometimes she can be too much of a pain in the ass, but she was great here, and still funny. Beiste's chickens never fail to make me laugh. Becky with the voice of Helen Mirren was hilarious, and I hope one that becomes a running joke "You may wonder why I sound like the Queen of England". For once Blaine didn't have anything to do, and neither did Rory, which really isn't a surprise. And I continue to love Sugar, I hope she is regular next season.

Top stuff.

[Mr.Lavigne]

Michael

I'm not the biggest Michael Jackson fan really, I didn't even know all of the songs here, but I really liked the episode. All the songs were performed well, especially loved Ben and Smooth Criminal.

Two reasons why I loved this episode so much. The rise and rise of Santana.


And Rachel gets to be a finalist in NYADA. I think we should have seen her get the letter, after all the build up, but I was so happy she got in because it was devastating seeing her so upset at the lockers after finding out that Kurt had got his letter.

I like that the Warblers are proper villains and rivals now. I like that Quinn got in to Yale. And I like that finally we got another proper Brittany one liner. All is right in the Glee world.

[Mr.Lavigne]

Heart

I thought last weeks Ricky Martin episode was fairly week, and a bit too silly, I felt a bit sorry for Will, and so didn't really feel like commenting on it. Heart, I felt was much better. Back to the good one liners, good song performances, and some great character action.

Ok, it was silly too, but Glee is always like that. Sugar is hilariously annoying, and it was great to see Artie and Rory fighting over her (even better seeing Rory actually having something to do), and he's totally lying about having to be deported. Also good to see the appearance at last of Samuel, and the God Squad meetings were full of good lines.

Song wise the highlights were Mercedes' fantastic performance of I Will Always Love You (breathtaking), and the Love Shack finale, (hate to say it, but I am glad Blaine is back).

How could they ever think about getting rid of Sam? He's so good. In fact the whole cast they have got here is amazing, the casting people should take a bow. It's a hell of a talented bunch.

Good episode for Rachel too with her dads, she was like season one Rachel again here. The Karofsky thing felt a little tacked on.

In short, the more Sugar the better.

[Mr.Lavigne]

On My Way

A very mixed episode. They crammed a hell of a lot into this, and as a result came across as incredibly rushed. The impact of Karofsky's suicide attempt could have been enough to fill an episode, but when it was combined with Regionals, the wedding, Quinn's crash, and Sue's pregnancy, it all became a little much.

It was the weakest "competition" episode yet, I think. I can't stand Sebastian or the Warblers, and even New Directions set wasn't great, apart from the fantastic "Here's To Us". The rest of the songs in the episode were weak.

I also think that there would have been a lot more impact if Dave's suicide bid had actually succeeded, but maybe a little dark for Glee. It would have given the "live for today" message a bit more weight, I think.

Still, more good one liners, a great cliffhanger ending (she'll be OK right?), and I really like what they are doing with Sue now.

[Mr.Lavigne]

Big Brother

A contender for worst of the season. I didn't like Blaine last year, but over the course of this season, I've really warmed to him. He works very well as a team player in New Directions, but it's a shame that the show has leaned towards being a little too much about him. This episode was a bit too much. Three songs for Blaine, a weak storyline involving the appearance of his brother, and pretty weak songs all round.
It's the timing more than anything I think I have a problem with, we only have seven more episodes left with our seniors, and this just felt like a waste. Conflict between Finn and Rachel was needless and silly (they were going to get married last week - now he wants her to go to LA instead of her dream of NYADA?)

There were some good moments, a few snappy one liners (as always), Sue and the swim teacher were brilliant together. Artie and Quinn were superb and sweet too, though why the hell it was the B Story in the episode is anyones guess, it should have been the A plot, and Blaines story lessened. The kids on the roller coaster was also funny.

Hoping this was a one of slump, and back to normal next week.

[Mr.Lavigne]

Saturday Night Glee-ver

I enjoyed this one a lot more than last weeks. It was an utter cheesefest obviously, and totally ridiculous as normal, but had a lot going for it. Average song covers, but great dialogue, a real feeling of nearing the end for out seniors now, and the spotlight shared around a bit more than usual.

I like that Sue is helping the Glee club now, even if it is for her own benefit in the end. They had to take her character here if she was going to stay in the show - her plans to kill off the club were getting repetitive even in the back half of the first season. To have her cutting lines, but still a necessary part of the show, she had to adapt.

The almost complete absence of Quinn, and actual complete absence of Sugar and Damien needed addressing though, it was too strange that no one mentioned it. Brittany probably had her best one liner of the season too, regarding the supposed missing floor.

[Mr.Lavigne]

Dance With Somebody

If you had asked me two weeks ago how many songs I knew from Whitney Housten or from Saturday Night Fever, I wouldn't have been able to list more than three. Turns out I knew almost every one which has been covered in the last two weeks in Glee.

They have also been two great episodes, the upturn in quality last week continued through to this week. It seemed a bit out of the blue having Kurt texting this guy. It would have been better, and had more impact after weeks of build up, like they did with the Karofsky bullying story, which went on for a while, and felt like the story earned it's conclusion. Here it was just Blaine being a bit off (as we later find out because everyone is leaving so he will be the star next year, urgh), and Kurt being OTT texter. Story didn't work for me. What did work though, was the very touching Burt and Kurt scene. They are dragging out these goodbyes, but with good reason. It's sad for everyone.

Brittany and Santana's duet, and Rachel and Santana's duet were the musical highlights, both excellent.

Smauel and Quinn would have worked a bit better without the boners I think. It is possible to have feelings for someone without getting boners. It felt a little rushed and unnecessary. Boners aside though, it was fairly cute. Also cute, the scene with Puck bonding with his fellow gleeks.