One thing I’ve loved about “Glee” is that its followers – or Gleeks – are immensely passionate about the storyline and the characters. On Show Tracker we get numerous comments on the show, and it’s clear you all are watching and venting! Last week’s episode sparked a number of conversations, about the pregnancy subplot. Below is an excerpt of one of my personal favs:
As far as the pregnancy storyline goes....one very frustrating thing is the triangle...you watch this episode and here you had the babies real father taking responsibility...albeit slightly illegally (see pot cupcakes). Anyway, at a time when we have deadbeat dads and people unwilling to accept responsibility for their actions, we have a character really trying and I mean I feel Puck is genuine in his desire to support Quinn. I understand she wants to protect Finn and also his friendship with Puck to a small degree and admitting that she cheated is worse than being pregnant. – Craig
During Wednesday night’s episode, I had mixed feelings. While I think the subplot of the pregnancy triangle (wait; Mrs. Shue makes it a quadrilateral, right?) was a complete misstep it finally reaped some results that were at least worth mentioning.
Keeping the tradition of awkward turtle moments alive, Finn serenades the sonogram of the lil’ bundle of joy, and his mom walks in.
That's the collective sigh in response to a fresh new "Glee" episode! After being off for a couple of heart-achingly lonely weeks (I had the loveliness that is "Modern Family" to fill that void; I imagine others just turned off their TV on Wednesdays), the show we all love to quote and dish on is back.
If you keep up with all things "Glee," and you do, then you know this week was a big episode, and with all such episodes comes controversy. And those who know me well know I love me a good controversy.
The episode, simply titled "Wheels," finally addressed Artie's (brilliantly played by Kevin McHale) challenge of living life in a wheelchair. But of course we know in Hollywood that nothing you do is correct.
I was very disheartened to see Advocates for the Disabled in an uproar about the episode. Here we have an episode bluntly addressing the complexities of disability and doing so with so much respect and dignity, and there are complaints about Artie not being wheelchair-bound in real life? Cooooome on, guys.
If you are one of those TV viewers who think “Glee” is just about funny lines and amazing music — and there’s nothing wrong with that — you’re in for a surprising ride tonight when the hit Fox show returns after its three-week hiatus.
In previous episodes, “Glee” has hinted at its big heart: Remember Kurt (Chris Colfer) coming out to his father and Finn (Cory Monteith) learning that his girlfriend is pregnant and crying on his teacher’s shoulders? Weepy stuff. But tonight’s episode is a game-changer for the off-beat series about an underdog glee club, guaranteed to make you laugh, cry and probably dance a little, all the while answering burning questions about Artie (Kevin McHale) Sue (Jane Lynch) and Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz) and showing off the vocal talents of Rachel (Lea Michele) and Kurt in a Diva-Off.
Overcoming emotional and physical disabilities is the central theme of tonight’s episode, titled “Wheels,” which showcases McHale, who plays the wheelchair-bound Artie, and reveals in a fresh way the daunting challenges some people face in their everyday lives. Filmed last spring and directed by Emmy winner Paris Barclay, the emotional episode kept the actors and crew in tears throughout its entire production and, according to creator Ryan Murphy, had long-term effects on its three writers.
“This episode is the turning point for the show,” he said during a recent telephone interview. “Certainly, after this, it remains a comedy, and it’s fun. But writing this made me feel the responsibility of showing the truth of the pain that outcasts go through. It’s not all razzle-dazzle show business. It’s tough, and it’s painful, and it was for me growing up, and it is for most people. So I think this made me realize that amid the fun and the glamour, it’s really great now and again to show the underbelly of what people who are different feel.”
Things kick off with Artie’s first solo, a confident, wheelchair-bound bop to the Nouvelle Vague version of Billy Idol’s “Dancing With Myself.” The number is a response to a prior scene in which his fellow glee clubbers dismiss the idea of paying extra for a special wheel-chair accessible bus so that Artie can ride with them to sectionals. They assume he won’t mind riding with his dad – only he does.
“ ’Dancing With Myself’ is where Artie gets to break away from being misunderstood by everyone,” McHale said. “It’s where he gets to express himself. He's actually a very secure guy – you know, he does rap! – and he doesn’t usually care what anyone else thinks. But here’s an instance where his friends have taken for granted the fact that he’s in a wheelchair. So this performance is all about him saying, ‘Look, this is who I am, and this is who I want to be.’ ”
McHale, formerly of the boy band Not Like Them, said it didn’t take him long to adjust acting (and singing and dancing) in a wheelchair – “I do have to concentrate on keeping my legs still and laid to one side,” he said -- but that the role has made him more aware of the challenges other people face.
“It’s a completely different side of life,” he said.
The developments on last
night’s “Glee” came fast and furious. And, in some cases, they were as sticky
as a certain sugary, calorie-riddled drink. Consider the following:
9 p.m.: Quarterback Finn gets a Slushee thrown in his face, a
rite of passage usually reserved for McKinley High losers. Which he now is,
since he’s not only in glee club but has taken credit for knocking up Quinn.
“You two don’t have the juice anymore,” the hockey-playing Slushee thrower
sneers at the dethroned king and queen of popularity. “Welcome to the new world
order.”
9:01: Emma, sadly MIA last week, returns! The reluctant
bride-to-be, along with fiance Ken Tanaka, interrupt Will’s lunch to inform him
they’ve decided to marry on the beach in Hawaii, which Emma chose not because
it’s romantic but because it’s far away from everyone they know. Mars still
wouldn’t be far enough away for this girl.
9:02: Ken and Emma—Kenma?—tell Will they can’t agree on a
first-dance song for the wedding. Emma wants “I Could Have Danced All Night”
from “My Fair Lady,” while Ken’s got his moneymaker set on the “The Thong
Song.” Kenma’s doomed… unless Will can rustle up some more of his mash-up
magic! Oh, who are we kidding? Kenma’s doomed.
9:05: Will imparts a bit of mash-up wisdom to his glee club
(“Sometimes things are so different they don’t feel like they go together, but
the big difference between them is what makes them great”) before busting a
move to “Bust a Move.” He’s break dancing, sliding across the floor on his knees
Johnny Castle-style and looking, let’s face it, all-around hot. How can Kurt
look so bored?
Today, the NY Post questioned whether there was such a thing as too much "Glee."
At the rate news about the show is devoured, the answer is not yet. The latest? EW.com reports that pop music's leading lady, Madonna, has granted "Glee" rights to her entire catalog.
Creator Ryan Murphy teases that an all-Madonna episode is in the works for next year.
And that's not all. Apparently, Murphy is trying to get "American Idol" runner-up Adam Lambert to guest star on the show. Next year, "Glee" will be paired with "Idol" on Wednesday nights.
What Madonna songs are we sure to hear? Will Coach Sue get down with \a little "Erotica"? Is Rachel in line to sing "Like A Prayer" to Finn? Weigh in below.
-- Denise Martin (follow me on Twitter @denisemartin)
Seven episodes down -- time for a "Glee" club progress report. In reverse order, the show's Top 10 performances so far:
10. Keep Holding On
Didn't Quinn just break your heart last week? The closing performance of Avril Lavigne’s “Keep Holding On" was fueled by the despair of the head cheerleader -- and her rallying friends -- after she was informed that her secret pregnancy was not-so-secret anymore. Her sometimes friend and nemesis Rachel and boyfriend Finn are stuck too, trapped by their growing affection for each other and wanting to support Quinn. Lies! Jealousy! Love triangles! To be in high school again. Plus, the group numbers are just the best, aren't they?
9. I Wanna Sex You Up
When it comes to choir director Will Schuester's repertoire, it's a tossup between “Golddigger” and “I Wanna Sex You Up.” (And actually, I would have picked “Leaving on a Jet Plane” from the original pilot – just actor Matthew Morrison on an empty stage, a lone spotlight, and an acoustic, melancholic song of longing. Alas, that was cut from the version that aired.) So with a heart full of nostalgia, it was simply too difficult to resist Acafellas’ middle-aged (yet also boy band-happy) version of Color Me Badd’s 1991 slow jam of an invitation to get busy. Bonus points for the surprise cameo by Tony Award winner John Lloyd Young (“Jersey Boys”) as the thumbless, cough-syrup-slurping Henri St. Pierre.
Just hours after news spread 'round the Web that Joss Whedon had signed on to direct an episode of "Glee," Whedon took it upon himself to explain what his involvement would mean to Ryan Murphy's musical comedy.
The following is an excerpt from his post on the fan site Whedonesque:
Hey kids and parents of kids and super-old, like ancestor-old-but-not-dead-yet-type people, just poking my oversized head in to say that the rumors are true... unless something very odd happens in the next few months, I will have the privilege of shooting an episode of GLEE. Why GLEE? Because I love cops, serial killers and gritty urban drama (I haven't seen the show yet). Why me? Because they're struggling and can't afford real directors. And to head off a few queries:
The world of Whedon nerds and theater geeks will soon collide on "Glee."
Joss Whedon, he of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" fame, has signed on to direct an episode of Fox's musical comedy. Whedon has guest directed before, lending his eye to a couple episodes of "The Office" and coming this close to directing an episode of "Battlestar Galactica." (Alas, scheduling conflicts prevented that deal from coming together.)
As for Groff, he'll star in five or six episodes of "Glee," reuniting him with former leading lady Lea Michele. The two previously starred in the Tony-Award-winning musical "Spring Awakening."
Ryan Murphy told EW.com that Groff will portray a male singer in Vocal Adrenaline, the arch rivals of McKinley High's glee club. "He is a male diva ... a miva," Murphy said. Naturally, he'll be a potential love interest for Michele's Rachel.
If you're unfamiliar with Groff's work -- he also starred in Ang Lee's "Taking Woodstock" -- take a look at him performing with the cast of "Spring Awakening" at the 2007 Tony Awards (he's the second male singer):
-- Denise Martin (follow me on Twitter @denisemartin)
They may not be able to sing in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on NBC, but the cast of Fox's "Glee" will get to strut their stuff during the World Series.
Fox has confirmed that cast members from its new hit musical comedy "Glee" will sing the national anthem during Game 3 of the World Series, currently scheduled for Oct. 31. That game will be either in Los Angeles or Philadephia, depending on which team ends up in the series against either the Yankees or the Angels.
Fox had to get a green light from Major League Baseball to have the cast sing at the game. Networks often use the World Series and other big sporting events to promote their own entertainment shows, but it is unusual to actually have a cast of a show perform during the game. Of course, few probably have the chops to do it. At least we know they'll do better than Roseanne Barr did when she butchered the anthem during a San Diego Padres ballgame.
Earlier this week, NBC pulled back an invitation that had been extended to the "Glee" cast to sing during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, which the network has the rights to air.
And I thought last week’s “Glee” was rich in smackdowns! Turns out that was just a warm-up for the most recent episode, in which newly installed glee co-chair Sue Sylvester plots to destroy the club from the inside with, as she so memorably put it, “a conviction I can only call religious”-- something Mr. Schu and his fine bird's nest of hair refused to take lying down. This episode, perhaps “Glee’s” sharpest yet, was so chock-full of standout scenes, it makes whittling down the list to a Top 5 nearly impossible. But where there’s a Will (Schuester), there’s a way!
1. Matthew Morrison and Jane Lynch bring out the absolute worst in each other, and I mean that in the best of ways. Their numerous scenes together crackled with electric wit, whether Sue was coolly putting Will down (“Hey buddy, I thought I smelled failure”) or the two were forcing a Figgins-ordered hug, complete with sweet nothings uttered into each other’s ears (Schu: “I will destroy you.” Sue: “I’m about to vomit down your back.”) Any moment of their epic feud might deserve a spot on this list, but I feel compelled to go with the hilarious show-opening battle, which set the tone and standard for all those that followed. The whole thing played out in slow motion, their faces contorted in rage, warbled sounds escaping their lips, as they duked it out for the soul of glee club while its members looked on in horror. But what really put the scene over the top were the dueling voiceovers. Dueling voiceovers! Will was embarrassed by his childish behavior (“I look like a crazy person. That’s not me.”), while Sue was empowered by hers (“Look at me. Even in the heat of battle, I’m so elegant”). Those two can’t agree on anything, but I think we can all agree on this: Thank you, Ryan Murphy, for such pure comedic gold.
2. OK, who is this gossip guy Jacob and where did he come from? He’s completely creepy! No more so than when the Perez Hilton-wannabe blogger was forcing Rachel, the object of his obsessive crush, to pay up in a unique way or he’d blow the whistle on Quinn’s pregnancy to the entire school. “I want Rachel Berry panties,” he told her, his voice quivery with smarm. He wasn’t fooled by the brand new neon green pair she’d already tried to pass off as her own. Note to Rachel: Next time, girl, remember to snip off the tags!
