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My biggest guilty pleasure is back.
Glee is a travesty of what it once was, and the majority of its two-hour comeback was utter tripe, but I, and many others, will be sticking with this show simply to see how our favourite characters end up.
Indeed, the second episode, ‘Homecoming’, showed glimmers of what once made Glee so brilliant – and that is fundamentally its core cast of misfits. It was so nice to see those characters back.
But let’s take it back to the beginning.
Season six kicks off in typical Glee fashion by having preposterous decisions made by the characters. The shift to New York in season five is fundamentally rendered irrelevant, as is a large proportion of season four, by having Rachel, Kurt and co. return to Ohio. Why, oh why, have Rachel’s dreams been dashed? She is the core star of this show and one which fans want to see accomplish everything she can.
It may be extremely unbelievable, but having season six start with Rachel’s show being amazing, or having her return to NYADA, or somehow making it to Broadway – THAT would have been a better way to kick things off. Not having her return to McKinley or competing against Will or Blaine, both of whom also have new jobs coaching various glee clubs that fans don’t have the time to care about.
And that’s a mantra which carries through to the new characters. Roderick, Jane and Spencer all appear to be brilliant characters (Roderick, in particular, simply has a stunning voice, and Spencer singlehandedly squashes all stereotypes) but there isn’t time to invest in these newbies. Glee tried it once before, and failed spectacularly. Marley and co. were all brilliant, but the fans wanted Quinn and Puck to stick around. And that’s the same here.
Alas, only 11 episodes remain, so I guess it really doesn’t matter what happens. All I know is that I won’t be able to invest in these new characters properly – introduced, as they are, so near to the end of the show. If I did, I’d only be upset when Glee comes to an end. I guess the premise is to show that even when Glee ends, the Glee Club doesn’t. There’s a positivity in that, I guess. Deep down.
But when the Glee Club was reignited in ‘Homecoming’, I did feel nostalgic about this show. This is how season four should have run – with a new Glee Club arising and the sole focus being upon that, with the alumni popping up every so often to help. That, or shifting to New York entirely. The alternating – and jarring – plots simply didn’t work. But it’s a shame, because deep down Glee was amazing. All I can hope for is a decent ending for the characters.
Not that season six shows signs of that so far.
Kurt and Blaine have split up and got back together so many times that it’s hard to care anymore, and having Karofsky as Blaine’s boyfriend felt like pandering. As much as I like Karofsky, Blaine and Kurt simply have to be an endgame. Blaine and Kurt, Quinn and Puck, Santana and Brittany – those are the three couples I want to end up together.
And I don’t want Rachel to find someone new. Max George, who briefly appeared as Clint in ‘Loser Like Me’, reportedly will be a new love interest for Rachel, but I think it would be an insult to Finn and to Cory for Rachel to find someone new. Glee, for Rachel at least, is all about her stardom. She has to achieve her dream alone.
As for the musical numbers, I fast forwarded over most of them. I cannot stand ‘Let It Go’. But A-Ha’s ‘Take on Me’ was rather brilliant (bedecked with a brilliant sketch homage) and Edward Sharpe’s ‘Home’ reminded me that Glee still can be brilliant – sometimes. It was truly one of those positive final songs that Glee is famous for.
Admittedly, ‘Homecoming’ was much better than ‘Loser Like Me’, and it felt like a return to form. It was the best episode since ‘100’ simply because the alumni returned.
And there were some brilliant little moments of fan service. Sam pissing off the tea club by saying Quinn once slept with a Latino lesbian – pure gold! As was Sue’s rant in her journal, Becky’s rant over the intercom, and Sue crying ‘Try having sex with Michael Bolton and not falling in love – THAT’S hard!’ during the Homecoming celebrations. Man, I miss how great this show once was.
The final episodes will probably be characterised by poor character decisions, lame musical choices, and cheesy storylines, but I for one will be sticking with it. Hopefully everyone will get a happily-ever-after, even if it’s in true Glee style. I.e., entirely unbelievable.
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