Heck, I even got my husband to watch with me! But lately, things aren't so rosy between us. Don't get me wrong. I still love the music.
The Halo/Walking On Sunshine mash-up was my very favorite. Great dancing, great singing, great wardrobe! And speaking of wardrobe, Emma Pillsbury's is definitely the one television character's closet I would want to raid:
It's a delight to see what she'll wear next. I think half the stuff is from Anthropologie, so it makes sense I'm drooling. When I came across this, I was overjoyed. Another bright spot is Sue Sylvester.
Jane Lynch's scene-stealing, over-the-top cheer coach is definitely the funniest, but she's been eliciting fewer guffaws as the weeks go on. Still, I count her in the plus category. So yeah, the songs, wardrobe, and Cheerio coach are working. Here's what's not: the plot. Which is kind of a deal breaker for me.
The main difficulty I have is with Mr. Shuester's wife's fake pregnancy. I don't understand how she's managing to fake him out. He's too smart of a guy to be falling for this lameness. I don't understand why Terri's sister is supporting her in this outrageous lie that cannot end well. I don't understand how Terri got the OB to play along. One threatened bogus lawsuit from the annoying/not funny sister and he's doing their bidding? Really? I don't understand how she's going to substitute Quinn's baby for her fake one. Their pregnancies are at least 3-4 months apart. I don't understand why they're devoting so much time to this stupid plotline, since they have not made Mr. Shuester's wife the least bit sympathetic. She, like a lot of the characters, is very thinly drawn. She's basically there just to keep Mr. Shuester and Ms. Pillsbury apart--a purely evil woman we're supposed to boo. I'm surprised HER wardrobe isn't a black hat and a twirly mustache. I can't think of one redeeming quality they have given her. And Quinn's pregnancy is problematic as well. Aside from the fact that they were able to tell the gender from a 3 second, 10 week ultrasound (I thought maybe I was being too picky and only the pregnant woman demographic would quibble with it, but even Carter knew THAT can't happen), the whole Puck as the father situation came out of nowhere and hasn't been touched since. It's there just to keep Finn and Rachel apart, I guess. Keeping couples (that are set up to be the ones everybody is rooting for) apart with insane reasons gets tiresome fast.
Also, I HATED the way they treated the issue of The Celibacy Club. The show acted like it was a huge joke. It was basically instruction for the girls to be big teases until Rachel, the beacon of reason, tells everyone there is no possible way for a teenagers to be celibate. Gross. For the last few weeks, plot has really only served as a means to divide up the club in creative ways for the musical numbers (i.e. girls vs boys, "minorities" vs everybody else). I keep looking at my watch thinking, "When are they going stop talking and sing?" And that, my friends, is no way to live.
Carter is done with this show, I think. He can't take the hysterical ridiculousness anymore. I'm going to give it a couple more weeks (it is a new show, after all, and they're probably trying to find their footing). But please tread lightly, Glee. We are so close to being done. And then there will be one more example of the writers keeping couples who are meant to be apart.
As a someone who occasionally gives the titles to Kelly's posts, I'd just like to say that had I been consulted, this one would have been: Glee Flub.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree. Loved, loved, loved this show in the beginning! Now I, too, am disappointed. I keep watching, thinking some of that magic from the pilot episode will come back, but I hate the fake pregnancy (and the wife altogether) and some of the crudeness that has snuck into the show. I do love the singing though (especially the episode where the football team broke into Beyonce on the field...haha) so I'm going to keep watching and hoping for plot improvement.
ReplyDeleteI missed the first four episodes but I really like this show. I don't know why I'm so willing to forgive the ridiculousness of the whole baby thing but I am. I must be hypnotized by the music, cute Mr. Shuester and Emma's wardrobe. I love Emma and my favorite was the scene when she accepted the proposal. I was laughing.
ReplyDeleteHopefully they do stabilize and find their niche before they totally dig themselves deep in an unbelievable plot they can't get out of.
I agree as well. I usually just watch the musical numbers on youtube later because those are the only parts I like.
ReplyDeleteOh how I love this post. Where to begin?
ReplyDeleteFirst of all - LOVE Emma's wardrobe. LOVE IT.
Love Emma, love Sue and love love love awkward coach. Also LOVE Sandy. Where was he last week?
I agree some plot lines are struggling. Wouldn't Puck go public that he's the father by now? What's in it for him to keep quiet? He's rejected by Quinn, surely wants to one-up Finn and he likes creating drama, right? That's totally not believable that he's just standing by. I, too, was NOT BELIEVING the obgyn would agree to fake an ultrasound that easily. And HELLO.... a gender-ID ultrasound at 10 weeks?!?! Has NO WRITER on the ENTIRE show EVER been pregnant, impregnated someone or known ANYONE to be pregnant? Seriously? 10 WEEKS. Come on.
All that said, I, like Laura, am just kind of willing to forgive the ridiculousness for all the other pros. And part of me just kind of likes some of the ridiculousness. I love to hate it, you know? Makes the show even more addicting in a way.
Oh, but one thing I find SO UNREALISTIC... how can they ALL do everything?! School, Glee practice/competition/celibacy club/coming up w/ mash-ups on their own, football, cheerleading. Is gay kid still the football kicker? Is football season over so now they can give Glee 100%? Do practices NEVER overlap? I came from a tiny school where I could and did do just about everything, but let me tell you it was TOUGH and no one thing was exceptional. I guess their football team does suck. And I do acknowledge they had an episode all about kids being spread too thin and popping pills to get by. But really. Really. Quinn and Finn can't be stars (or near stars) in BOTH arenas.
And I could definitly do w/out some crudeness and pro-teen sex agenda. It's really unfortunate b/c I think teens would/do love this show, but I wouldn't want my kids watching it.
Well, it's comforting to know that supporters like Wendy can acknowledge the show's blatant flaws rather than denying them. I too wondered about gay kid on the football team. Did he quit after hitting one field goal? It seemed to fill him with a lot of purpose...you'd think he'd stick with that. And practices DO overlap sometimes. I remember at least one time when they were like, "Dude, we're late for practice.." when glee rehearsal was still going. Whereas other times they seem to hang out forever afterwards. And yeah, the 10-week ultrasound is ridiculous on many levels. Too early, yes. Girls are much harder to determine than boys. Strike two. AND the technician announced the verdict about TWO SECONDS after she started to look.
ReplyDeleteThe fake pregnancy is ridiculous. The man hasn't seen his wife's bare stomach for months? Really? What happens when he wants to feel the baby kick? It's. Im. Poss. Ible. for her to keep this from him this long. Sorry. Someone even attempting to do that strains credulity, but you want us to believe that he's fooled by it? See ya. I'd expect something like this out of an Uzbekistani soap opera. Maybe.
Ditto.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Can't wait to crack open American Wife. It sounds delicious.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree! Inspired by Wendy's post, Nate and I started at episode 2 (the pilot was already removed from online) and at first really loved it, but with each episode we're laughing less and finding the plot to be way too incredulous and obnoxiously teen-sex/it's-ok-to-cheat-on-your-spouse-if-they're-annoying promoting. Also Carter et al. are right on--you CANNOT fake a full blown pregnancy to your spouse. Has no one on the entire show ever been married or known anyone married?
ReplyDeleteWe also couldn't stop rolling our eyes when Rachel said to Quinn, "I don't agree with your choice [to have the baby and ruin Finn's life]"--what a surprise that the smart protagonist believes in aborting babies! How original!
Whoa. WHOA. Did you watch last night? It's as though they read us and decided to address the teens splitting their time between activities issue, right? And Quinn got kicked off Cheerios (that's more like it). And it was teased Puck would drop the daddy bomb. I'm staying w/ this show. (Alright, I was never leaving...)
ReplyDeleteBut didn't it bug when Puck's "mash-up" was ONE song. Love me some Niel Diamond, but um... that's not a mash-up...
How much did you LOVE Emma's 2nd wedding dress? And I loved hearing her sing!
And hello, Will S. can DANCE! Dang Gina!
Wendy, I guess all we had to do was put our gripes out into the universe. Last night was MUCH better. Mainly because there was no Terri at all. And LOTS of dancing from Will!
ReplyDeleteI liked BOTH of Emma's dresses (sorry, I'm a Princess Di fan). Carter can attest, I said the same thing (repeatedly) about Puck's alleged "mash-up." I wish we could watch together . . .
There's no way in the world last night's episode was NOT a result of negative feedback. I agree it's as if they addressed almost every issue we raised. There wasn't a single FRAME of his stupid wife (or her stupider sister). There was way more music and dancing. Give the people what they want. They even acknowledged gay kid was on the football team. And yes, Kelly about had a cow when Puck's mash-up was one song only. I gotta say, nice, vulnerable Sue wasn't that appealing. I'm glad she went back to her cruel self at the end.
ReplyDeleteI gotta say though, the show's creeping dangerously close to one of "Heroes" fatal flaws -- you know, how EVERYONE on Earth had some sort of super power? Well, everyone on this show is a dynamite singer. Can't wait for the OBGYN to get his big number.
Okay, reading all of these comments was so funny!! I agree with you Kelly, I feel like this show had so much promise and was sorely disappointed in the crudeness and immoral themes. What upsets me most about this show is that it's totally marked toward teens - it's on the same night as SYTYCD and is a show about high schoolers. But like Wendy said, there's no way I would want my kids watching Glee.
ReplyDeleteI am a huge fan of the show Gossip Girl, which is equally as bad on some accounts, but it doesn't try to hide what it's all about. Even the title gives you a clue.
Whereas Glee has the premise that it's this fun show with great singing and whatever else, but there is so much crudeness mixed in that it totally disappoints.
Hi Kelly,
ReplyDeleteIt's Wendy's friend Mindy. She sent me to this post after we had been discussing Glee one day. Love all the comments...I totally agree with all of them. Jeff & I have been saying this for weeks. In addition to the ridiculous plot lines there is also plot overload! Why don't they take a little more time to develop the characters and less time dreaming up ridiculous plots & half the time totally resolving them in ONE episode? I mean let them marinate people. Like when they brought in Kristen Chenoweth as the washed up performer, she was FABULOUS and they totally could've drug that story out a little longer. At least two if not three episodes. Instead they wrapped up her entire story line in one episode. Maybe I was just sad to see her go because she's so talented, because yes her story line too was a bit ridiculous but please not nearly as much so as the fake pregnancy.
Anyway, everyone is saying how much better this weeks episode was but hello, was I the only one witnessing Mr. S singing the THONG song to Emma?! Please! Who decided that was an appropriate choice for a wedding or a teenage crowd? Not to mention that song just sucks so why would anyone ever sing it again? I did not thing that fit & that scene was just weird.
Okay, sorry for the long comment post from a random. Thanks for letting me blog stalk Kelly.
PS I enjoy your writing style Kelly...if you don't mind I may just blog stalk again :)
I'm back. Sorry. After discussing this further with someone it was pointed out to me that the coach requested the Thong Song and that Mr. S thought it was a poor choice. We had a bad storm in Denver that night and our satelite was out for a bit so we missed the first few minutes of Glee this week. I guess the Thong Song makes more sense now...although I stand by my comment that it's a TERRIBLE song.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I thought of something else that drives me crazy about this show. The OVER PRODUCTION of the musical numbers! These kids are supposed to be singing at a school...not in a studio making a record, which is what it sounds like. Why don't they let the kids actually sing or at least make is sound more realistic. Every song just sounds way over produced and so it doesn't seem real at all.
Okay, I'm done.
Agreed. Are they REALLY singing? I assume at least SOME of them are actually singing. But who? Or are all of them? That's what I'd like to hope. But yeah, I'm with Mindy. Has this "over-produced" thing always been like that? It seems like it's worsened with time. But I could be wrong.
ReplyDeleteYes, the Thong song was awful, but makes more sense when you knew coach picked it out. Mindy I can only imagine what you thought thinking WILL picked it!
ReplyDeleteI saw the cast do an interview (on Fox 5, my old station, eh, em) and they are ALL singing. It's THEIR voices. They lay the tracks first, then film the scenes, but they are lip syncing to themselves.
And Kristen Chenoweth was awesome!
Come on you guys, how can you not love the Thong Song??? Hmmm...maybe I just love it because that was my Diva nickname (sandals, of course).
ReplyDelete