Glee just had one of the most uneven seasons we’ve seen in our lives. It was almost as uneven as Grey’s Anatomy season 5 (one of the best and stupidest seasons of the show). Half of the Glee episodes were heartless, confusing, and flashy. The other half of the season would have earned the show an A. Let’s hope the show learns not to try so hard and just goes back to being a good show with heart. Glee is getting a few new writers for season three, so hopefully that will bring some restraint and coherence.
Let’s look back at the high and low points of the season.
High: Our first introduction to the Warblers with their great rendition of "Teenage Dream". Also, their versions of "When I Get You Alone" and "Somewhere Only We Know". Also, Blaine. Mainly Blaine.
Low: Their other covers. Did we really need to hear "Misery"? Who isn’t sick of that song? And "Raise Your Glass" and "Candles" made us want to cover our ears. The group that was capable of a cappella heaven stayed in top 40, overproduced hell most of the time. We feel robbed.
High: Quinn and Sam. He was a loveable dork, and she was a girl trying to take it slow after last year’s drama. And they had some great chemistry. Just watch their duet of "Lucky".
Low: Quinn most of the time. She started cheating again, got back with Finn, slapped Rachel, chose the Cheerios over Glee for a second, and had that stupid meltdown at Nationals. Plus, the prom queen obsession. That character regressed and has become almost completely unlikeable, and it makes no sense.
High: Rachel’s rendition of "What I Did For Love" in the first episode.
Low: Rachel’s bangs, her dramatic weight loss, and most of the other songs she sang. "Firework" and "The Only Exception" were completely unnecessary.
High: Gwyneth Paltrow’s first guest appearance, where she sang Cee Lo and played a fun part well.
Low: Gwyneth Paltrow’s other guest appearances, where she was uninspired, butchered ADELE, acted like a slut, and just wasted our time.
High: Burt’s sex talk with Kurt. We’re still crying and muttering, “Amen.”
Low: Too much focus on Kurt. As one blogger put it, “He works better in an ensemble. He’s just been the moral of every story, rather than a character.” A little Kurt goes a long way. Half of his storyline this season was touching and awesome. The other half was heavy-handed and preachy.
High: Jesse coming back
Low: Jesse not getting great material, just being a straight douche, and not singing enough.
High: That they gave us more Brittany and Santana.
Low: Too much Artie
High: Brittany’s dancing.
Low: Theme episodes, as a whole.
High: How fair the religion episode was.
Low: How safe and dull the religion episode was.
High: Sam forming “The Justin Beiber Experience,” which was hilarious, however you feel about “The Beebs”.
Low: The episode where Kurt and Finn’s parents got married, the vows and reception were all about Kurt, Sue married herself, and Carol Burnett wasn’t that great (for once in her life).
High: Finn and Rachel being such a nice, healthy couple for the first half of the season.
All-time Low: THE BEISTE KISS
High: The first two original songs, "Loser Like Me" and "Get it Right".
Low: The Christmas episode, which was just an excuse to sell us a Christmas album.
High: John Stamos
Low: The Will/Emma relationship
High: The Rachel/Blaine duet and drunk Rachel.
Low: The way Sue was used this season. Especially when she was mean to Becky and nice to the Glee club. What?
High: All the Fleetwood Mac covers.
Low: All the songs they sang at prom. (Leeard VEHEMENTLY disagrees with this one, but Ern insisted on putting it here).
High: No Mr. Schue rapping.
Low: Artie rapping, too much autotune, and too many top 40 hits. We already have those songs, show. Introduce us to lesser-known stuff and classic stuff.
Leeard's season grade: C
Ern's season grade: B-
Average: C+
Omg I completely agree with everything you wrote! Glee's first season was awesome and made me love the show. But season 2 was a disappointment. They focused more on themed episodes, guest stars and being preachy and not on the actual storylines of the main characters. And sometimes they didn't even follow through the storyline (like whatever happened to Quinn's big plans for new york she was talking about at the end of the funeral episode?). And there wasn't much comedy either. Instead there was forced drama (people breaking up over stupid things, one moment Finn feels fireworks with Quinn and the next he feels tethered with Rachel?!). So this season was messed up. The only good thing that happened was Kurt and Blaine. And Sue Sylvester is such an awesome character but she didn't get to do much this season :( Let's just hope season 3 is good like season 1!
ReplyDeleteGlee is one of the shows you would want to put in a top 100 list but can't because of this season. :( A lot of the characters seem to be getting boring too. (last season I liked mostly every character except Artie.)
ReplyDeleteAgree. One of the Glee show runner said he thinks season three will be the best. He said that they have "big, great ideas."
ReplyDeletePlease drop the "big." We don't need "big" from this show anymore.
Lol, I know what you mean. Anyways here's something I found http://popwatch.ew.com/2011/05/26/season-finale-awards-nominations/
ReplyDeleteThey are doing Season Finale Awards. Maybe you guys should do something similar :) Pick your favorites and least favorite moments/episodes/shows from this season. That'll be awesome :)
We saw that and were jealous that we didn't think of it first, but they've been doing it for a while. Love EW. It's the only magazine that one of us reads.
ReplyDeleteWe like your idea of season awards, rather than season finale awards. We may do that.
My MAIN issue with this year is their obsession with Top 40. First of all, get some friggin variety. Second of all, I already have those songs or decided I didn't like the song, so I'm not going to buy yours. Thirdly, glee clubs sing a lot of showtunes. I love showtunes. Come on, what was everyone's favorite song from the season finale? Kurt/Rachel's Wicked song. It suits them, there's a lot of different styles, and they are just good songs! Besides, I can never have enough versions of I Dreamed A Dream. :D
ReplyDeleteI agree with absolutely everything in your list to an extent, EXCEPT "The Only Exception" (how appropriate). It's probably one of my favorite Glee songs of all time and it was my Most Played this past fall. It was awkward in the episode and didn't fit, but it was such a pretty version of the song and I can't even listen to the Paramour version because Rachel is just such a better singer.
Pretty much everything you said we have all agreed on before. Let's just hope next year Artie stops pretending to be a character we care about at ALL, Quinn goes back to being a person instead of a blonde stereotype, Mr. Shue sings better songs as Matthew Morrison is a Tony-winner and needs to stop making me hate his character, and Finn falls off a cliff.
Oops, how'd that one sneak in there? ;)
Mostly, let's hope they take it back to the simplicity that got us hooked. Stop doing big flashy numbers and stick with the power of your singers and their natural chemistry.
We thought the Paramore version was superior because of the emotion. The Paramore girl sounded like a strong, sure girl who would actually have trouble finding love. Rachel sounded like...Rachel. Fitting for the episode to have her sound like a romantic 16-year-old, but not for a superior song though. Her voice is prettier though.
ReplyDeleteOther than that, word. We could go for more a Capella stuff too, like Teenage Dream and their Grinch song from the Christmas episode. Glee clubs harmonize. They don't just do straight, similar versions of the originals.
Also, the show-runners need to realize that there are more Broadway shows than A Chorus Line, Wicked, and Gypsy. While we love those, we need variety. When they did Mame and Les Mis, we were pleased and surprised. Pull out some lesser-known, but still good, shows.