GleeJourney to Regionals
3.5 Stars
Complacency is a tragedy, no matter what walk of life you take. However, it is none-so-more a sad sight as when a previously outstanding TV show realises its own popularity and thus turns to sloppy writing and big name stars. Need I mention Friends?
As such, after the triumphant first demi-season of critical and audience success Glee, I was somewhat down-heartened to find that the long awaited “second half” lacked the raw innocence of its predecessor.
Glee; a musical comedy drama that, in part, capitalises on the success of that delightful phenomenon (doot doo da doo doo) High School Musical, first hit screens in AmericaLand last fall, tentatively stepping out to bring to the screen something that, though we had all seen before many a times, we had never come across as a serialised television show. The constant fear of cancellation of such a big budget show meant that writing was sharp, stories were driven, and the music itself simply complimented what was going on in the show.
But then seasons two and three were commissioned, and a sense of self-satisfied smugness began to emanate on a weekly basis. No longer were we presented with a smartly interweaving story arc driven by the occasional bit of musical jollity, but instead we have an episodic series that appears to work its way solely around whatever songs the writers fancy throwing in. As such, the season finale feels, quite frankly, like it could sit happily after episode 11, three months back; nothing (barring the appearance of Rachel’s mother, and the relationship between Finn’s mather and Kurt’s father) has really happened, and when trying to create emotional moments, we have to remember back to when there actually was a story to understand what is going on.
Add to this vastly underused big-name cameos; Neil Patrick Harris and Idina Menzel to name but two, and even a guest direction slot from televisual god Joss Whedon, and it really does feel like we’re trying too hard without actually trying at all.
That said, there has been a lot a good stuff this half-season; most notably the building of the relationship between young Kurt (Chris Colfer) and his father Burt (played with such rugged elegance by Mike O’Malley) has been a tearful joy to watch, and the hate-hate relationship between fluffy Mr Schuester (Matthew Morrison) and acid-faced Coach Sylvester (Jane Lynch) is always riveting. The season finale also, admittedly, had me in floods of tears as soon as the young folk started belting out their re-vamped rendition of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing”. But maybe that’s just because it always reminds me of a few chaps back home… I don’t know.
The music too, has, for the most part, been superior to the first half. If not simply because they’ve realised that the music is the source of the show’s power to the vast majority of pre-adolescent teens who will undoubtedly have been buying the abundance of albums and EPs by the truckload. I foresee next season releasing an extended play for every episode. Money money money.
I truly hope the creators of Glee pull their socks up next season, and remember just why we fell in love with the show in the first place. Bring back the stories; bring back the passion, and please, Don’t Stop Believing!
Complacency is a tragedy, no matter what walk of life you take. However, it is none-so-more a sad sight as when a previously outstanding TV show realises its own popularity and thus turns to sloppy writing and big name stars. Need I mention Friends?
As such, after the triumphant first demi-season of critical and audience success Glee, I was somewhat down-heartened to find that the long awaited “second half” lacked the raw innocence of its predecessor.
Glee; a musical comedy drama that, in part, capitalises on the success of that delightful phenomenon (doot doo da doo doo) High School Musical, first hit screens in AmericaLand last fall, tentatively stepping out to bring to the screen something that, though we had all seen before many a times, we had never come across as a serialised television show. The constant fear of cancellation of such a big budget show meant that writing was sharp, stories were driven, and the music itself simply complimented what was going on in the show.
But then seasons two and three were commissioned, and a sense of self-satisfied smugness began to emanate on a weekly basis. No longer were we presented with a smartly interweaving story arc driven by the occasional bit of musical jollity, but instead we have an episodic series that appears to work its way solely around whatever songs the writers fancy throwing in. As such, the season finale feels, quite frankly, like it could sit happily after episode 11, three months back; nothing (barring the appearance of Rachel’s mother, and the relationship between Finn’s mather and Kurt’s father) has really happened, and when trying to create emotional moments, we have to remember back to when there actually was a story to understand what is going on.
Add to this vastly underused big-name cameos; Neil Patrick Harris and Idina Menzel to name but two, and even a guest direction slot from televisual god Joss Whedon, and it really does feel like we’re trying too hard without actually trying at all.
That said, there has been a lot a good stuff this half-season; most notably the building of the relationship between young Kurt (Chris Colfer) and his father Burt (played with such rugged elegance by Mike O’Malley) has been a tearful joy to watch, and the hate-hate relationship between fluffy Mr Schuester (Matthew Morrison) and acid-faced Coach Sylvester (Jane Lynch) is always riveting. The season finale also, admittedly, had me in floods of tears as soon as the young folk started belting out their re-vamped rendition of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing”. But maybe that’s just because it always reminds me of a few chaps back home… I don’t know.
The music too, has, for the most part, been superior to the first half. If not simply because they’ve realised that the music is the source of the show’s power to the vast majority of pre-adolescent teens who will undoubtedly have been buying the abundance of albums and EPs by the truckload. I foresee next season releasing an extended play for every episode. Money money money.
I truly hope the creators of Glee pull their socks up next season, and remember just why we fell in love with the show in the first place. Bring back the stories; bring back the passion, and please, Don’t Stop Believing!
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