Re: Glee

SNeaker Wed Dec 07, 2011 3:46 pm

It's not even about condemning Quinn. If her turnaround had not come at the expense of Puck (and Shelby) I could have dealt with it.

But after a whole storyline involving a real journey for Puck, that there was no resolution between him and Shelby is egregious, especially since it completely worked with the theme of the episode about kids trying to grow up too fast. Puck has been doing that for weeks. The fact that Quinn hijacked it all just makes it worse. Shelby apologizes to Quinn (not Puck) for sleeping with Puck; Rachel finds out her birth mom slept with Puck and that Quinn is determined to rat on them, and does she get a scene with either Puck or Shelby about it? No, she only gets scenes with Quinn.

From what I've seen online, the storyline didn't seem to be resonating with a number of fans

I think the Shelby/Puck relationship had the potential to start resonating if they'd continued slowly in the way they were developing them in "Mash-off." But they quickly reduced it to a one-time roll in the hay, with no damage to Puck. I mean, he's just a slutty cougar-lover, right? Not like the writers seemed to actually be paying attention to the fact that he's always wanted a family, has severe Daddy issues, and never wanted to give up Beth.

And the one part of this story that I think was absolutely resonating was Puck's relationship with Beth, and we got no resolution or closure on that, and probably never will. The writers brought this child back into his life, showed us how he bonded with her and tried to make a family for himself, and now...what? Is she just gone again? And that has no effect on him?

Tra la la la, Merry Christmas.

One scene. That's all it would have taken. One scene of Shelby apologizing to Puck, assuring him that he'll always have a part in Beth's life but explaining that they were both confusing their feelings for Beth with feelings for each other, and telling him that he'll make a great husband and father one day, but he still has time to be young and pursue his dreams before settling down. Then I could believe that the happy Puck I see on screen is possible, rather than wondering how he hasn't drunk himself into a stupor by now.

Snarryfan Wed Dec 07, 2011 4:14 pm

One scene. That's all it would have taken. One scene of Shelby apologizing to Puck, assuring him that he'll always have a part in Beth's life but explaining that they were both confusing their feelings for Beth with feelings for each other, and telling him that he'll make a great husband and father one day, but he still has time to be young and pursue his dreams before settling down.

That would be fine except Shelby said she only fucked him to feel young again. You seem to be placing a lot of emphasis that sex between two characters has to mean something when really, sometimes people just want to get off.

SNeaker Wed Dec 07, 2011 4:25 pm

But that came out of nowhere. That completely disregarded the actual dynamic they'd been building for weeks between them as just a roll in the hay between a cougar and a cougar-lover. They could have made it that, if they'd wanted to -- Puck and Shelby could have been screwing for weeks just because they're hot and horny, but that's not what happened. Puck assumed after the sex that they were in a relationship, and he called her a coward for not taking a chance on being with him. So regardless of Shelby's feelings, Puck clearly wanted more, and Shelby knew it, and she still screwed him and then threw him out. He told her that he was in love with her (and we know he believed it because he said so in his voiceover too) that he wanted to be Beth's dad, and that he wanted a family with her. No way I buy that he's just fine with being rejected and isn't worried now about what will happen to his relationship with Beth.

dionneshea Wed Dec 07, 2011 5:42 pm

Do we know that that's the end of that storyline, though? The Puck/Shelby one, I mean. Did she actually say that she was leaving? And when she spoke to Quinn, she said, "I'm going to end it", making me believe that she hadn't had the talk yet with Puck, but that she would be in the future. If the next two episodes happen and there's no mention of it, then I'll join you with your indignation, but I'll give them some time to actually wrap up the story.

RiverThames Wed Dec 07, 2011 5:45 pm

I got a vague sense of, "And that's the end of Idina Menzel's run", especially with the idea that the TroubleTones are done, but you're right, it's not definitive that we've seen the last of her.

curryalley Wed Dec 07, 2011 5:52 pm

I am so proud of Tina, an interesting reaction towards a TV character, but whatever. It took a lot of courage for her to talk to Mike's dad and she was terrific at Sectionals. That's a lot of growth from a character who faked a lisp. Good for her.

punkysdilemma Wed Dec 07, 2011 5:55 pm

Everyone in this episode was so high on sunshine and roses, at the end of it I thought it was someone's drug-induced fantasy. But apparently that all happened?

SNeaker Wed Dec 07, 2011 7:23 pm

If the next two episodes happen and there's no mention of it, then I'll join you with your indignation, but I'll give them some time to actually wrap up the story.

The next episode is the Christmas special, and then there's a four week hiatus.

*shrug*

It just seems unlikely to me that they'll suddenly go back and revisit it after that. But who knows with this show. If that's it for Idina, it's criminal the way she was trashed and wasted. There was so much to do with her, and I liked having her on my screen and singing. I liked her friendship with Will, I liked the idea of her maybe helping out with ND and using her professionalism plus Will's "let's express ourselves" attitude to create the perfect show choir; I wanted to see her and Rachel get on better terms as friends, and find some closure on Beth for Puck and Quinn. Instead she fucked Puck and now she's just kind of gross?

Eris Rising Wed Dec 07, 2011 7:39 pm

What's the name for that pairing, anyway? I kind of like "Shuck".

Esseilte Wed Dec 07, 2011 8:21 pm

I'm studiously ignoring the Puck/Shelby storyline, mainly because I couldn't conjure up enough interest in it for it to even bug me.

My main reaction to this episode was - I'm disgusted that the girls from the Troubletones were allowed into New Directions again. They were the ones throwing a stroppy fit over not being special enough snowflakes, they were so damn insistent that they'd annihilate ND. They completely failed, and then they get to just walk back in and take advantage of the work that the non-treacherous members of ND did by riding their coat-tails to Regionals? I'm really annoyed that they got their way, even though they lost the competition. Mercedes especially does not deserve to be allowed to do that, and Santana is almost as bad. Having a built-in promise of giving them solos in a competition they've already failed to qualify for? That's insane. What about the other members, the ones who didn't walk out in a diva fit? The ones who were on the winning team? If Mercedes, Santana and Brittany were allowed back at all, they should have to stand in back, sway, and damn well like it. And as for Sugar - she was turned down once, what on earth is she doing there?

Corvus Wed Dec 07, 2011 8:28 pm

I watched more scenes from last night's ep, and the closest thing that came to real characterization was Blaine insulting Sam when he was really mad at Finn

Hm, that's interesting. I was entirely baffled by that exchange. Did Finn and Rachel come running back to announce what Sam had been doing? If so, why is anyone surprised when he walks through the door? (And if so, shut up Rachel and Finn.) If it was transference, then why would Blaine need an explanation for why Finn was hostile? The reason presented couldn't have been more prosaic and uninteresting - Brittany could have told them that. Had Finn said something about conflicted feelings about Blaine's relationship with Kurt, well, then that would have have been something. And where was the make-nice with Sam? I suppose it's easy to say neither one is a grudge-holder, but the episode was loud, harsh and violent. But like the rest of the resolutions, it was all just a shrug. (Shelby shrugs off her teaching career, Quinn shrugs off her batshitness, Rachel shrugs off not being on stage, the girls singing group shrugs off the reason they split off (justifiable or diva-fit, whatever), Mike Senior shrugs off his worldview (after seeing Mike somewhere in the crowd dancing in sync) and presumably the glee club shrugs off the poor voiceless musicians dragooned into service because they aren't CHORD OVERSTREET.

Speaking of him, such a nice fellow and so fun to watch, but was his presence really the thing that saved the day? Other than bringing bump-and-grind to the choreography (which was apparently radical only to sexless Blaine), what changed? It can't have been that song about (underage) drinking which was mostly notable for Kurt's expressions.

I have concluded that Ryan Murphy is the problem. 'American Horror Story' is just as manically disjointed. (Not maniacally, that would be fun.)

queenofdenile Wed Dec 07, 2011 8:53 pm

Well, I didn't see the whole episode, so I entirely missed the Rachel/Finn/Sam exchange from the beginning. I'm not talking about the Finn-Blaine conversation, just Blaine being nasty to Sam. I bought that a teenage boy who was already sensitive to his teammate's (and boyfriend's brother) giving him shit for no reason would blow up at an innocent person when he was already feeling sensitive about something, especially when said shit-giving teammate is propping the innocent person up while blowing off all of Blaine's suggestions. It was an assholish thing to do, but assholish in a believable teenagery way (in my opinion), not assholish because CONFLICT!!ELEVENTY!!!

I do agree that Finn just being jealous and threatened by Blaine is just plain stupid and boring. I would bet that Blaine did apologize to Sam in the land called Offscreen - you know, the same place where Santana came out to her parents and they were totally okay with it, or where the entire club decided they LOVE Santana even though she's mean to 90% of them 90% of the time, and where Shelby broke things off with Puck.

And no, I wouldn't bet money on that storyline having any real resolution for Puck, because I can't remember the last time this show had a satisfying and logical conclusion for any storyline, and the writers have not earned the benefit of any doubt.

I'd like to be annoyed by the TroubleTones' diva behavior and consequences for said behavior, but I just can't. I've lost track of how many times different members have quit and rejoined the club and I don't know why any of that is supposed to be dramatic and surprising anymore. I don't see how their defecting, coming back, and getting rewarded with solos is much different from Rachel quitting right before their first Invitationals, leaving them short a member to qualify for competition, coming back, and getting rewarded with a solo, way back in season one. It's the same story over and over again.

Although it is a little depressing that the TroubleTones arc did not end with a fairer system of spreading solos more evenly throughout the group, but instead ended with Schue simply extending the preferential treatment of Rachel to Mercedes and Santana. Well, Kurt, Puck, Sam, Artie, Tina, Mike, Quinn - hope you enjoyed your brief moments in the spotlight during this competition. You'll likely never see it again. You only get solos if you throw diva fits for them, or if your divas quit and/or are suspended from school.

On a different note, I'm not amused by smirky Sebastian, but if smirky Sebastian continues to bring out the delightfully snarky side of Kurt instead of this martyred little prince we've had all season, I'd like him to stick around. If he continues in his pursuit of Blaine but changes his mind mid-way and decides he'd rather have Kurt, even better. That could be fun for Chris Colfer to play.

TiffanyNichelle Wed Dec 07, 2011 10:04 pm

Esseilte wrote:
My main reaction to this episode was - I'm disgusted that the girls from the Troubletones were allowed into New Directions again. They were the ones throwing a stroppy fit over not being special enough snowflakes, they were so damn insistent that they'd annihilate ND. They completely failed, and then they get to just walk back in and take advantage of the work that the non-treacherous members of ND did by riding their coat-tails to Regionals? I'm really annoyed that they got their way, even though they lost the competition. Mercedes especially does not deserve to be allowed to do that, and Santana is almost as bad. Having a built-in promise of giving them solos in a competition they've already failed to qualify for? That's insane. What about the other members, the ones who didn't walk out in a diva fit? The ones who were on the winning team? If Mercedes, Santana and Brittany were allowed back at all, they should have to stand in back, sway, and damn well like it. And as for Sugar - she was turned down once, what on earth is she doing there?

Thank you Esseilte! That's exactly how I felt about the Troubletones. I'm so glad they lost and I'm glad the New Directions, the group I thought I was supposed to be rooting for, for the past three years beat them.

RiverThames Wed Dec 07, 2011 10:19 pm

queenofdenile wrote:Although it is a little depressing that the TroubleTones arc did not end with a fairer system of spreading solos more evenly throughout the group, but instead ended with Schue simply extending the preferential treatment of Rachel to Mercedes and Santana. Well, Kurt, Puck, Sam, Artie, Tina, Mike, Quinn - hope you enjoyed your brief moments in the spotlight during this competition. You'll likely never see it again. You only get solos if you throw diva fits for them, or if your divas quit and/or are suspended from school.

The part of my brain that analyzes these things-- since we didn't see the inner workings of the judging at all this time around-- makes me wonder if that's why New Directions won. I mean, Unitards was essentially one girl with back-up dancers, and TroubleTones was two girls with back-up dancers. The New Directions numbers, while on some level weaker entries, were integrated and egalitarian. I could see the judges going, "You know, the first two groups had a superstar fronting a bunch of blank faces, while the last group had a lot of solid performances working together, so that's where my vote's going."

Shadowlass Wed Dec 07, 2011 10:46 pm

"You smell like Craigslist" is one of the greatest insults ever. Ever.

queenofdenile Wed Dec 07, 2011 11:47 pm

Seriously, Sebastian is no competition for Kurt. Kurt's cuter, a more fabulous dresser 9 days out of 10 (let us never speak of his outfit in "Mash-Off" again), and his insults are twice as funny as Sebastian's.

However, as funny as that line is, I still think it's only the second-funniest time Kurt has insulted the way someone smells.

Scarlettfish Thu Dec 08, 2011 12:46 am

I'm annoyed that the Troubletones girls get to waltz back into New Directions, as well. They were the ones who threw diva fits over not being given solos, they failed as a separate group, and New Directions showed they could step it up without them. I'd like to see them EARN their way back into the group and actually put in the hard yards. But, of course, they wanted Mercedes, Santana and Brittany to perform with ND at Regionals, so that obviously wasn't going to happen!

Gillian Thu Dec 08, 2011 1:31 am

I was pretty disappointed in the Troubletones' performance. I mean, I was actively rooting against them, but I was at least expecting to get a fierce show out of the whole thing. Mash-up or no mash-up, a group of girls singing I Will Survive is the biggest performance cliche ever. I giggled when Finn and Blaine were all, "We got this," because seriously.

Raised by wolves Thu Dec 08, 2011 1:49 am

I was pretty disappointed in the Troubletones' performance. I mean, I was actively rooting against them, but I was at least expecting to get a fierce show out of the whole thing. Mash-up or no mash-up, a group of girls singing I Will Survive is the biggest performance cliche ever. I giggled when Finn and Blaine were all, "We got this," because seriously.

ITA. And what was with that flailing arm choreography they did? It looked so sloppy it was distracting me from the performance. I admit that I'm an old fart but was that a Beyonce move or something that all the hip kids know about? Not done well at all.

And I also TA about the Troubletones just waltzing back in to get solos while the ones who stuck it out get shafted.

Eris Rising Thu Dec 08, 2011 1:57 am

queenofdenile wrote:
So yeah, I can't even be mad at the characters for anything they do anymore. They're just puppets.

That's kind of it, isn't it? It's not even so much that they're puppets (they always were), but now we're beginning to see the puppeteer, which is an unforgivable sin in writing.

Oh, and the A.V. Club review is a thing of beauty.

That kind of summed it all up for me. Hell, that's recapping at its very finest. Thank you for the link.

katesti Thu Dec 08, 2011 9:22 am

Raised by wolves wrote:
I was pretty disappointed in the Troubletones' performance. I mean, I was actively rooting against them, but I was at least expecting to get a fierce show out of the whole thing. Mash-up or no mash-up, a group of girls singing I Will Survive is the biggest performance cliche ever. I giggled when Finn and Blaine were all, "We got this," because seriously.
ITA. And what was with that flailing arm choreography they did? It looked so sloppy it was distracting me from the performance. I admit that I'm an old fart but was that a Beyonce move or something that all the hip kids know about? Not done well at all.

Waacking,

Raised by wolves Thu Dec 08, 2011 10:01 am

I am an old lady but I am going to definitely go on record to say that was not waacking. Nothing about that was waacking, it was flailing. Waacking has hard stops, choreography, and matches the beat. And if you don't agree with that argument at least can we agree that waacking follows a beat? Their arms had none. They flailed and failed.

queenofdenile Thu Dec 08, 2011 11:58 am

I feel compelled to point out that Mercedes' worst crime against the glee club was acting like an entitled brat and poaching two other members. Not, you know, arson.

I can't blame people for forgetting that arson bit, because obviously the writers have. But why on earth should Mercedes NOT expect her return to be welcomed with open arms and more solos? She expects that because the precedent for it has been set. No one ever has to expect real consequences for their behavior - except, of course, for when the writers decide that too many episodes have passed before Rachel needs to be punished for her ambition.

RiverThames Thu Dec 08, 2011 4:02 pm

queenofdenile wrote:No one ever has to expect real consequences for their behavior - except, of course, for when the writers decide that too many episodes have passed before Rachel needs to be punished for her ambition.

I understand where you're coming from with this, but I think this time around the punishment Rachel received was justified for doing something legitimately wrong, not anything to do with her ambition. Even if it was, for Rachel, one her most selfless acts ever, it was still wrong and deserved punishment.

If anything, I'd argue that it shows how the writers think about the group and the big competition numbers: that they literally have to force Rachel off the stage to justify it being a true ensemble song.

queenofdenile Thu Dec 08, 2011 4:11 pm

Oh yeah, stuffing the ballot box absolutely deserves punishment. I wasn't thinking of that when I made the comment, though. I was thinking more of the consistent social consequences she faces for being ambitious, deserved or not.

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