Glee Season 3 thread (1 Viewer)

[Adam Lenhardt]

I'm not going to say you're wrong, but I do think that the series has been consistent (for good or ill) in the attention (or lack thereof) it pays to its characters and stories from the first season to the present. 'Glee' is an odd duck - it wants to address real-world issues and dispel stereotypes and generate discussions about serious subjects - religion, bullying, acceptance - but like most musicals it wraps that content in a highly-stylized, over-the-top presentation that is very easy to dissect and say, 'That would never happen in a real high school.'

My problem with "Glee" -- especially in the the later seasons -- isn't that it addresses serious subjects in a highly-stylized way; plenty of musicals have done the same in a highly effective way. You won't see real gangs prancing around Manhattan in choreographed fashion, but "West Side Story" still works as a powerful examination of the toll of urban youth violence across the racial divide. "Sound of Music" only has a very tangential relationship with the real story of Maria and the family Von Trapp, but the themes of family and remaining true to one's beliefs in the face of enormous personal consequences ring clearly. "Cabaret" uses cabaret to present an unnerving portrait of the corruption of German society as a result of the rise of national socialism. "South Pacific" took on racism more or less head on.
The presentation in all of those classics was highly stylized, and in most cases quite lightly drawn. But the topics being addressed were taken seriously. "Glee" doesn't take anything seriously any more, and it ALWAYS favors the sledgehammer for making its points.

The most common perception out there is that 'Glee' was better in season one and has gone downhill since. Season 1, as I recall, had Mr. Schuester's wife faking a pregnancy, and waiting for Quinn to give birth so she could claim that baby as her own. That may still be the most ridiculous story they've ever tried, and yet season 1 gets a pass from those who remember that season fondly.

While I was definitely not a huge fan of anything about Schuester's first wife, and especially not the pregnancy storyline, the difference is that storylines carried over the whole season. They were set up and allowed to play out over a natural length of time. We took the journey of Quinn's pregnancy along with her. The characters and plot came first, and the song selections were used to augment the storytelling. Season 2 was the worst offender for trying to shoehorn the plot to fit a preselected roster of songs, but season 3 introduces and drops plotlines pretty willy-nilly too.

And Sue has, for me, always been an outrageously exaggerated character that would never hold a job for ten minutes in a public school - in season 1 she pushed the school nurse down a flight of stairs so Teri could take that job, blackmailed the principal by sleeping with him, and demanded that Madonna music be played over the PA system throughout the school day. I still love the character because I think Jane Lynch is a brilliant actress. There have been episodes where Sue has behaved abominably, and in the final moments she has something of an epiphany (the first Christmas show and 'Grilled Cheezus', for instance) and with minimal dialogue she conveys so much.

Yes, Sue has always been an outrageous, over-the-top character. But in the first season they took certain pains to justify her behavior within the context of the rules of this universe. She was a highly successful cheerleading coach that brought a lot of funding into the school from her regular National Championship wins, so the administration overlooked her horrible behavior. She was a character we loved to hate, and then the introduction of her disabled sister helped humanize her in a really satisfying way. Over the first season she goes on a journey that leads to that wonderful moment in the finale where she's the lone vote in favor of the Glee club she resents and despises. The development made me believe that she would get there.
Now, there's no rhyme or reason to her character. If the writers feel like making her a monster one week, she'll be horrible. If they want her to be sympathetic the next week, suddenly she'll be decent again. Nothing made me groan more than when she was acting principal, and they had her deliver these impassioned anti-bullying speeches, when she herself is a consummate bully.
There's just no glue that holds the show together any more. Much like "Family Guy", they throw it all at the wall and see what sticks.

It's not a perfect show and never has been - but it is certainly one of the more ambitious shows we have now, and given the challenges of a large cast and numerous guest stars and intertwining music with plot and crafting full-out production numbers alongside intimate character moments,

I agree that it's one of the more ambitious shows we have, and it's got a lot of production challenges other shows don't, but that's no excuse for letting the characters get lost in the shuffle. I don't buy Rachel and Finn getting married, I don't buy Trout Lips and Mercedes together, I don't buy Quinn suddenly (and undoubtedly temporarily) paralyzed for a half-assed anti-texting moral of the story, I don't buy the Irish exchange student character, etc. etc.
If the show was thoroughly crap, I don't think I'd care so much. The disappointment is in its failure to live up to the potential it's repeatedly demonstrated in the past.

 

[Kevin Hewell]

Glee has always been an up and down show since it started. Great episodes at times yet it has had its share of lousy episodes also.

Combined with some wonderful musical songs that we've all liked.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

I keep watching the show for moments like Unique's debut performance. Just a wonderful moment of television, triumphantly executed.

 

[Matt Hough]

I thought the entire episode was a step up from many of this season's episodes. Alex Newell did deliver in the number big time. Those who watched The Glee Project last summer knew he could do this.

 

[EricSchulz]

Unique's performance shows what Glee CAN do...but the other performances didn't. "Boogie Shoes" was SO energetic and fun and was EXACTLY the kind of number that has been lacking lately....while the others were SUCH karaoke versions of the SNF hits it wasn't even funny (right down to Santana's Yvonne Elliman "look"). Britanny and Santana are quickly becoming my favorite couple on the show!

 

[EricSchulz]

Wow...has everyone abandoned this show? "Choke" was a great episode...one of the strongest in ages.

 

[Josh Dial]

I'm still watching and enjoying it (though I haven't yet seen "Choke," as it's been a busy week). My lack of posts in this thread can mostly be attributed to the fact that they would all say the same things: the lightning, sound design/editing, and performance staging are among the best (if not the best) on TV; I enjoy virtually every performance; the plot is just as "good" as it was in season 1 (I find arguments to the contrary to be mostly a blend of blind nostalgia and opinion); the ridiculous characters and scenarios don't bother me one bit--they are no more ridiculous than any actual piece of musical theatre.

 

[Matt Hough]

I did enjoy portions of this week's show. It featured a more than unusual number of show tunes (even the jocks singing "The Rain in Spain" was a surprise). Since Kurt hasn't gotten to sing many solos this season since losing out the lead in West Side Story, I was happy to see two songs from him this week, and "Not the Boy Next Door" was his strongest number this season by far.

I still think the narratives are as haphazard and annoying as much of season three has made us endure.

 

[Malcolm R]

Funny segment on the Elvis Duran morning radio show this AM: Is this song from Glee or "KidsBop"? KidsBop is a series of albums of pop songs as sung by small children. For the most part, no one could tell the difference between the various songs. Even one caller who claimed she was a Glee fanatic got most of them wrong.
They actually played both versions of Travie McCoy's "Billionaire" layered on top of each other and there were practically zero differences in pitch, arrangement, or phrasing.
Glee cast member, or a 10 year old child? Only the recording engineer knows for sure.

 

[Stan]

Wow, just finally caught up and saw the Alex Newell Boogie Fever episode. That guy can sing, I don't think I've ever heard a guy sing so high without going into falsetto, but he did it all with his regular voice. If you had come in late and not known the backstory, Very, very people would have even known he was a guy.
Hope they have him back, by far the most memorable of the Glee Project performers. Heck, the only character I even knew was anothe Project winner was the Irish guy. Got a lots of episodes, but relegated to just background stuff most of the time. If there were other Glee Project winners, I didn't even notice.

 

[Matt Hough]

All four of the finalists have appeared at this point in the season. Kinsey's two-episodes (third place finish) happened early on - she was the NYADA-bound singer who blew Kurt and Rachel away with "Anything Goes."

Damien McGinty and Samuel Larsen who tied for first are both currently being seen most weeks. (Damien seems to have had more episodes but has faded into the background once Samuel's episodes began appearing.)

Alex Newell's two episodes will supposedly encompass the Regionals perfomance we saw a couple of weeks ago and at Nationals which is coming up in a couple of weeks.

 

[Kevin Hewell]

Alex's performance was pretty freaking awesome! I can't wait to hear what comes next.
Puck's performance of "School's Out" was great. Alice would be proud.

 

[Stan]

Kinsey was amazing, really shocked Kurt and Rachel when they saw the competition that they'd be facing. Definitely a "Broadway Belter" who can really command a stage.
Didn't even realize Samuel Larsen was a winner. Nice that they're using his talents rather than just shoving him into a song. WIth Damien I get the feeling that it's an afterthought, like "oops, we need to put him in a song this week, how about this one?" Where Samuel Larsen seems to blend in more naturally.
I'll have to watch the Glee Project if it shows up again. Never saw it and never knew these performers were chosen from those winners.
Seems odd that they introduced Damien first, who seems the weakest of the performers yet got the most show time. He never really fit in, certainly didn't have the vocal talent or range and he always seems just slightly out of sync with the rest of the cast. The other three were wonderful and seemed completely natural reacting with the regular cast.
Still amazed at Kinseys' performance and it will take a lot to top what Alex pulled off. Both were very well done.

 

[Matt Hough]

The Glee Project will have a season two this summer. It's on the Oxygen network.

 

[Stan]

I'll have to watch it this time.
Never even paid attention to the first one, just figured it was a bunch of fans winning a contest to get a cameo on the show. Had no idea they actually had to prove some pretty major talent to make it. Would be interesting to see what Alex and Kinsey did to make it on the show.
Along those same lines, what did Damien do to get on the cast. He was really out of place and detracted from any scene he was in. Hard to imagine he was their first choice. Almost reminded me of Sophia Coppola in the Godfather III, completely took you out of the moment any time he was in a scene. Thankfully they relegated him to the back of the chorus line and shrunk his role.
Looking forward to how they handle the next few episodes and the upcoming graduation where they lose some major cast members. Quite sure they'll be back to help out, but there have to be some major changes coming up.

 

[Matt Hough]

Damien's ride to first place was interesting to say the least, especially since one week he was chosen to be eliminated but his best friend on the show had tired of all of the pressure and didn't feel comfortable in acting scenes getting intimate with girls he barely knew, so he voluntarily left the series that week saving Damien.

Basically, he does have a decent voice, but what put him over the top was his overwhelming desire to please, his completely cooperative attitude never causing drama backstage and giving 100% at all times. (Kinsey was a drama queen and Alex tended to be lazy and a bit of a diva which is what ultimately led to their not being selected as the top winners.) Also producer Ryan Murphy was already planning how Damien would be worked into the show long before the winner was chosen. They were already playing around with the leprechaun storyline and about Brittney not being able to understand anything he said with his heavy brogue.

 

[Stan]

Damien's ride to first place was interesting to say the least, especially since one week he was chosen to be eliminated but his best friend on the show had tired of all of the pressure and didn't feel comfortable in acting scenes getting intimate with girls he barely knew, so he voluntarily left the series that week saving Damien.
Basically, he does have a decent voice, but what put him over the top was his overwhelming desire to please, his completely cooperative attitude never causing drama backstage and giving 100% at all times. (Kinsey was a drama queen and Alex tended to be lazy and a bit of a diva which is what ultimately led to their not being selected as the top winners.) Also producer Ryan Murphy was already planning how Damien would be worked into the show long before the winner was chosen. They were already playing around with the leprechaun storyline and about Brittney not being able to understand anything he said with his heavy brogue.

Thanks for the info on the Glee Project, never saw it so had nothing to draw from.
Can easily see Kinsey and Alex being diva/drama queens. Hopefully they'll tone it down if they want any sort of success.
Still torn with Damien. So-So voice, boring actor, and stood out in every scene as someone who really didn't fit in. Kind of like a dancer out of sync, your eyes gravitate towards the bad one. Seems like he was showhorned into scenes, as if he had a set amount of scenes he was supposed to appear in, so the director just stuck him in, hoping things would turn out.
Even with Kinsey's and Alex's atitudes, would really enjoy seeing them back. They have some major talent, just hope it doesn't go to their heads, they're much to young to pull the diva card.

 

[EricSchulz]

FINALLY had time to watch last week's Prom episode...story-wise I rank it with some of the best episodes of season one! Funny, poignant and fulfilling...and Becky STOLE THE SHOW!!!! She was wickedly funny, and the Prom Queen angle was touching. And the songs were good, but not great. Was the "D-I-N-O-S-A-U-R" number that Britany sang an original?

 

[Patrick Sun]

I thought it was a little too much Becky. I think the DINOSAUR song is not an original, youtube probably has the original version on it.

 

[Brandy S]

I thought it was a little too much Becky. I think the DINOSAUR song is not an original, youtube probably has the original version on it.

It's a Ke$ha song.