Glee and Me: It’s Complicated

A while back, b. and I talked amongst ourselves about making sure this blog didn’t get too pop culture centric. We are scholars of pop culture, for sure, but there are already many and much better pop culture blogs out there. We’re both huge Losties, and I can write all day about Sayid’s calves of death and general badassery or how “not Penny’s boat,” still reduces me to a salty puddle of tears, but what does that really add to a conversation about you know, life and death and science v. faith and all that deep thinky stuff going on on Lost.

However, due to extreme busy-ness, for both of us, the only thing either of us really has time to do these days is catch some TV shows here and there. So that’s all I have to write about right now. So, Glee….

WHY WON’T YOU LET ME LOVE YOU LIKE I WANT TO???

Glee, this really wouldn’t be an issue if I didn’t know your potential. You can be better. I want you to be better. I’m willing you to be better, and yet, you just aren’t. Why won’t you listen to me? Did I do something wrong? Haven’t we had good times, Glee? Remember when you were sweet but also biting, and a little dark and you flaunted that wicked sense of humor of yours all over my musical loving heart? Remember when Mr. Schue was that kind of dorky teacher who thought he was cool, but really wasn’t? And then you made him rap, and turned him into kind of a jackass? Or when the show didn’t entirely depend on Sue Sylvester’s one-liners to carry it? I mean, I’m really glad you started spreading the solos out, because Santana has mad skillz and can wear a Gaga catsuit like nobody’s business, but I’ve seen the pilot. And it was amazing. And you haven’t been that good since. I mean, I guess we’re still friends, Glee. But I’m not gonna call you when I need someone to cheer me up on Hulu. Parks & Recreation and Community have been there for me all season, Glee. They didn’t start phoning it in halfway through. I’m not mad. I’m just disappointed. And everyone knows that way worse.

So basically, I was not a fan of last night’s finale, and have kind of been falling out of love with the show during this back nine stretch of the season. Outside of Puck & Santana (my faves), it seems to have lost all it’s biting edge and borders on sentimental ‘very special episodes’ from week to week. And I’m fairly certain that a different writer writes every episode and they’re each given nothing but the pilot as reference. There doesn’t seem to be a shred of continuity from episode to episode. And yeah, I get that Glee doesn’t take place in the real world…I totally accept and love that wind machines appear out of nowhere as Rachel and Finn sing a Madonna mashup down the hallway. Love it. But Shelby rolls in, says “hey, cute baby!” and all the sudden we’ve got a drive through adoption service? Um, no. Also, Finn? Worst of all the boy singers. So why is he always the main boy singer?

I have many, many more problems with the show (let’s all just pretend the Thong Song never happened…in both real life and on the show), and yet, I still like it. The musical numbers make me want to dance and sing around my living room as e1 and my cat uncomfortably and silently judge me. And when Sue isn’t being overused,which seems to be seldom lately, she is my favorite person on television. (After Ron effing Swanson, of course.) I want to watch Britney dance her ass off in between her ridiculously stupid insights on gay sharks and happy meals. I get excited when Shaft and Other Asian actually get lines. Puck makes me all swoony every time he sings, and I’m currently working a mad crush on Jesse St. James. I cannot get enough of Kurt or for that matter, his dad. And who ever thought anyone would ever say that about Mike O’Malley?

So, Glee…we can still be friends right? We might not sit together in the cafeteria any more. And that’s okay. But you should still totally save a big space for me to sign in the back of your yearbook. I’ll write nice things like “stay cool this summer,” and maybe after spending a little time apart we’ll appreciate each other more next season. Especially if you find a way to fold that St. James kid back in. I need more sexy ballet choreographed to “Total Eclipse of the Heart” in my life.

What are your thoughts, fellow Gleeksters?

Class of ’94 rulez,

c.

ps. Hey interwebz, we are so over. Why won’t you let me find the clips I want to post here? You are such a jerk sometimes.