Re: 3x20 "Props" & 3x21 "Nationals" Watch & Discussion thread

[tanita_mors]

I watched both episodes yesterday morning, and although I liked them very much in general (except for the Tina meta and the Rachel worship/overload), I have not been able to write about them yet.

Ever since I knew that Kurt will be the only ND kid to never have had a competition lead in 3 years, I have been very sad and frustrated, and to protect myself I guess, I put a damper/shield over my feelings when I watched ‘Props’ and ‘Nationals’. It didn’t really prevent me from getting angry and sad again (and the Kurt solo in drags plot didn’t help in that regard), but it stopped me from having any sympathy and feelings for the storylines and songs.

The only times I genuinely felt something was when Puck cried in Beiste's arms in 'Props' (Mark stepped up his game in the acting department here) and, as cheesy as it was, during 'We Are The Champions': I know RIB are the ones to blame for the song distribution, not Mr. Schue, and I’ve always had a weakness for Will (being a teacher myself), so when he cried, I cried. Seeing them all together for one of the last times…..


Now, a day later, I think I can comment on the episodes without getting too angry again, but I can make no promises:

- The meta on Tina had me raging within a minute of watching ‘Props’: that was really low and foul, imo. This went beyond a funny meta comment or a ‘tease’: it even was worse than Kurt’s ‘alpha male’ and him sitting on a stool when his bf sings meta comments, and that is saying something.
“Put in the work, be a good team player, and you’ll get you solos.” Not true for Tina, and Kurt.
What I found especially annoying was that Tina's POV and problem (not being heard in show choir), turned into another 'lets-kiss-Rachel's-butt-again-and-tell-her-how-amazing-she-is'. They made Tina's storyline all about Rachel, and seriously: I love Rachel (she’s in my top 3), but the last few episodes I can’t stand her, nor her storylines. Even Mike was a horrible bf to hammer it into Tina’s head that Rachel is the star and Tina has been side-lined for a good reason. No, no, no.
Jenna’s song was amazingly beautiful though, and I thought she really tried with the acting, and it showed.

Although I think her timing was very off (a week before Nationals), I felt sympathy for Tina: she was one of the main players in winning Sectionals, and noone has noticed her since.
However, what I think, and others have noticed too in another thread, is that this storyline would have been much better fitting for Kurt, for multiple reasons. He fought for solos right untill the moment Blaine became the ND human jukebox and the Adele mash-up became a hit. Kurt even needed a solo desperately for his NYADA resume. There’s no way that Kurt, who unlike Tina, always auditioned for solos, would have kept silent and happily swaying in the background after the TT deal and after seeing Rachel get everything again, even after he aced his NYADA audition and Rachel messed up hers.
The only way it would have been remotely acceptable that Kurt still got nothing at Nationals was if he had given his solo to Rachel, so she could have another shot at NYADA. That still would have been frustrating and wrong in a way, but that is something Kurt would do. The solo in drag in itself was a funny storyline (and Chris’ and Jane’s interactions were spot on), but to deny Kurt his solo by having him decline on these grounds….. after 3 years of neglect in ND and the effemiphobia this season: that is not funny anymore by a long shot.

- Rachel leaving 14 messages for Carmen, sending her a muffin basket (and did anyone else notice that around the time this episode was written Chris got a muffin basket from the hugs4Chris fans? Coincidence?), following her to a location: stalkerish. And no dean would ever accept, let alone reward, such behavior.
If Carmen had another reason to be at Nationals that would have been fine. Her showing up because Rachel asked her too, was far from fine.
No Gleek can ever complain about the St. Kurt praise in ‘Furt’ ever again, after watching 3 episodes in a row of sickening Rachel worship and diva pampering. Ugh, I never thought they could destroy my sympathy for Rachel, but I think they just did.

- Puck had me bawling. The fighting scene was scary, and him crying in Beiste’s arms was heartbreaking.
I didn’t feel much for Beiste’s pain, because 1) Beiste has been dead to me ever since she laughed Kurt off stage, and 2) the domestic violence story is so out of the blue and one-sided.
Personally I could have done without the knifes in both the fighting scene and Beiste at home, and I found the parallel the WSS stage knife provided was a bit overdone. Having said that: I really enjoyed ‘Mean’, and I want to cheer that Puck gets another shot at graduating (and he didn’t have to take the spotlight away from anyone to achieve that, unlike Rachel).

- ‘Nationals’ left me cold. I’m very sad about this, because it was a good episode (1000x better than ‘New York’), and not that long ago I would have thorougly enjoyed watching it. The shenanigans during the last rehearsals, the performances themselves: everything was all Glee should be. Maybe after the summer I will be able to enjoy all the good things of Glee again.

- Things that irritated me in ‘Nationals’ (besides the Rachel>NYADA storyline):
* Quinn walking and dancing normally again after the drama of ‘Prom Queen’,
* Quinn and Tina, once again, getting a solo by default, because of Mercedes’ illness,
* Beiste the-fat-girl eting chocolated to calm her nerves,
* Only 33% of the songs have to be ‘Vintage’ (according to Jesse): how convenient,
* Lindsey Lohan (liked Perez Hilton though, and I normally hate him).

- I liked Wade/Unique’s performances, although not as much as ‘Boogie Shoes’, but think that Alex is a very bad actor with an attitude problem, and I don’t want him transferring to McKinley next season.
Jesse was hot as ever (please let him be in New York next year).

- Cory did a great job with ‘Paradise by the Dashboard Light’. I liked that Puck got a line (strangely enough I could really appreciate that without connecting that to Kurt getting nothing again): it was deserved.
Although very cute, I didn’t like Klaine and Brittana paired up again for this song: I’ve had it with the romances on Glee deciding who gets what to sing at important moments like competitions. And, since he is a junior: Blaine got too much at Nationals: it felt that Kurt only got his (shared) line because that was a way to insert Blaine the junior into ‘Paradise…’.

- Rachel. Well, I’ve already said it all: this really turned me off from her. I still appreciate her performances at Nationals, but….. just no.
And this rage could have been easily prevented by making ‘It’s All Coming Back to Me’ a Hummelberry duet, like Meatloaf did it. Carmen still could have seen Rachel shine and Kurt would have had his moment in the spotlight too.

- The triumphant return to McKinley was nicely filmed. Didn’t care much for the slushie threat, I thought it was a bit stupid, but at least ND are accepted now. No Klaine kiss was glaring again, but I expected it to go this way. Loved the montage of the kids celebrating.
The Wemma sex though….. not only was it absolutely not fitting in the Nationals story, but I think that this deserved a little bit more attention on its own at some other time, or at least a build up in this episode by an earlier scene.

- Teacher of the year Mr. Schue should have me raging again, but I understand that we are supposed to see him as the big inspiration and guide of these kids. And as a teacher myself I appreciate that.
‘We Are The Champions’ was beautiful, and Will hugging them all: yup, that got me crying.

- Overall there was not enough Kurt in ‘Nationals’. ‘Props’ was alright, with the drag queen solo story, even though the story itself was infuriating. Chris as Finn was priceless.
But in ‘Nationals’ they carefully kept Kurt in the background, and I think we all understand why: they know they messed up with Kurt not singing.
So far I’ve been optimistic of Hummelberry in New York, and I still believe they both will get into NYADA. But the ‘Nationals’ episode has me worried about Kurt really becoming Rachel’s best gay and sidekick next season. It is very evident that Rachel and the adults in charge in the show, and RIB behind the show, are very willing to side-line Kurt and even deny him his fair due in favor of Rachel.
This makes me very sad again.

I agree with you analysis of the episodes completely Marie. The only thing : I wasn't bothered by the knife scenes with Puck and Beiste - I was a bit surprised at first, because we haven't had scenes like those on Glee before, but they served their purpose well.

All in all, the episodes were good, not quite Duets, season 1 Regionals or Preggers, but solid. I have the same peeves as most of you, but am really not in the mood for a long post.

[tanita_mors]

Also, Chris looked super hot in that tight black shirt and pants at Nationals.

[Glorfindel]

I agree with you analysis of the episodes completely Marie. The only thing : I wasn't bothered by the knife scenes with Puck and Beiste - I was a bit surprised at first, because we haven't had scenes like those on Glee before, but they served their purpose well.

I guess I reacted so strong to the knifes because there just was a knife incident at my oldest daughter's school, and that is not a simple thing in RL: it's huge. And also because my sister was in an abusive relationship many years ago, and shit gets real at the moment one of the couple considers using a knife....
It was just a personal trigger.


Puck had me bawling in the locker scene with Beiste, and grinning like this: during 'Mean'. His Blaine impression was hilarious.
Mark is all kinds of awesome lately.

[brisallie]

...

Before the episode aired, I think I've made a comment that if New Directions won Nationals, it'd be too predictable and rather boring. Predictable and boring was what I got.

...

It was the same for me. All of us we were sure ND was gonna win Nationals because after three years is what they deserve so that why I didn't get emotional by that scene instead I was more emotional with "We are the champions" and not because Mr. Shue was chosen as the teacher of the year -boring and predictable as well- but because it was kinda the last performance of this group Ok I'm sure they're gonna do a performance next week but this one made me cry a lot, besides seeing Will hugging each one of them. I'm sad.

the interesting thing would be next season - now that ND is no longer an underdog - now they are heros, I guess it means no more slushies or bullying? i really wish they jsut stop the show, and let teh graduation be the end, because no matter how brlliant the next seasons' writing is, it's all superfluous.

After the huge reception ND had by their classmates, though for a second I thought their classmates was gonna be the same toward them and they gonna be slushies but it was the opposite so then I asked to myself "what the hell they're gonna do next season? How they are going to turn this kids into underdogs again?" Honestly I've said that next season has to be the last one but how is what developed Nationals, I feel this is the end. Currently I'm more expecting about NY plot than McKenley.

Unlike Marie, I don't have the energy to comment each episode step by step (yet) but I won't deny that in general both were well written and for my shock coherence . That why many people are asking "Why previous episodes wasn't written like these ones?" Sometimes the inspiration comes at the end lol.

[Dame Loli]

Maybe they will lose Sectionals and become the laughing stock of McKinley, than the winning team of Sectionals will be disqualified so they can compete again.

And count me in the group that find the ND's story of the last season so predictable I felt nearly cheated by they victory because it didn't seemed earned.

[msjoanlucette]

the interesting thing would be next season - now that ND is no longer an underdog - now they are heros, I guess it means no more slushies or bullying? i really wish they jsut stop the show, and let teh graduation be the end, because no matter how brlliant the next seasons' writing is, it's all superfluous.

I agree that all of the writing next season would be superfluous. I think that if they made it so that even though they win and they're still losers at their school probably would have made it more interesting. but I also think that winning nationals doesn't make them an underdog anymore. All the obstacles they started off with seem solved. they should stop the show. I don't think Glee is viewed positively anymore. I mean I know Chris wasn't ready to leave glee yet (well that's what he said sometime in the summer/fall of 2011 but Idk if his opinions haven't changed)(I actually don't remember my source. so I'm really sorry if it isn't true), but I want him to become better than glee. I don't want his fame and success to revolve soley on Glee.

[fantastica]

My thoughts on Nationals:
- that one shot of Kurt and Sam during Nationals casually leaning on each other is more married/romantic/shippy than Kurt/Blaine has been in 2 seasons, IMO.
- Kurt dressed as Justin Bieber.
- Kurt dressed as Justin Bieber, lol.

oh, being someone w/ mild demantia, does anybody have that kurt/sam screenshot? where is it? I didn't see it at all. and when does kurt dressed as justin bieber? screencap please?

Ivana where are your fashion posts!!!!

[Emile]

^Kurt/Sam:

[tanita_mors]

The posters that post those HQ screencaps from the site I download haven't updated anything lately. One of them is on vacation and the other has some serious personal problems, so we all have to wait and that includes me. I haven't been able to find them on any other site and I don't want to bother Shinra to screencap for me. If he has no problems giving me 15-20 Kurt pics per episode, he could send them to me then I can make the composites.

[fantastica]

^ sorry sweetie, not to rush you.

thanks emile on the screencap. anybody know what Justin bieber look is?

[brisallie]

^Kurt/Sam:

Love it and miss those days when he was rumored to be Kurt's new bf.

^ sorry sweetie, not to rush you.

thanks emile on the screencap. anybody know what Justin bieber look is?

probably they're talking about this one

[fantastica]

i never watch justin bieber all I know is he has that short blond hair w/ bangs but dont know what he wears.

[brisallie]

^

Have you ever seen that episode when Sam was a Bieber clone? Well the real Justin dresses up exactly like that at least the first years of his career, no idea how is now.



Personally I didn't remember Justin with that clothing, just a regular hip-hop style. Probably Kurt goes for that kind of outfit when he's working out

Watching Kurt as Finn again


it makes realize that real Finn has small eyes.

And another Kurt/Sam lol

[fantastica]

[Jellyrolls]

Did you see this? A bunch of Klaine stans chipped in to buy the script for the Christmas episode in an auction so they could see what happens in the Klaine scene that was cut when Blaine gives Kurt the ring box.

http://theboxscene.tumblr.com/faq

[fantastica]

good for them. donate to charities.

[arina]

If someone is interested here are extra's experiences from filming prom.

http://bushyhairedboyfriend.tumblr.com/post/23273847825/my-experience-on-glee-as-an-extra-for-the-prom-shoot

http://iclemyer.tumblr.com/post/23260323783/heres-my-glee-experience-as-an-extra

Janelle came over at some point and asked to see how Darren and Chris were going to dance with each other, and Darren just jumps out and starts doing body rolls and pelvic thrusts and then turns and sticks his ass out toward Chris and Chris starts pretending to spank him and Janelle is just standing there with a straight face and when they’re done she just looks at them and says, “Yeah, that’s what I thought.”
So we’re filming some of the dancing for TMBA and Kiernan and I are right behind Chris and Darren and we’re dancing with this other girl and we’d sort of twirl each other, and sometimes I’d accidentally bump into Chris a little bit (just slightly). During every take they kept looking over at us and sometimes Chris would say something like, “Oh, look at that!” like he thought it was cute, and in one take I sort of heard them mumble to each other, “I don’t know, should we?” and then they just ran over and the next thing I know Darren is holding my hand and Chris is holding Kiernan’s and we’re all dancing around in a circle and we’d sort of go into the center and then back out and I just remember thinking how warm Darren’s hand was and how tightly he was holding mine and trying so hard to keep it together. Then Eric yelled cut, and Darren and Chris turn to us and say, “That was fun! That was awesome. We should do it again!” and Kiernan and I just casually say, “Yeah, definitely!”

Sometime during this Kiernan and I started talking about Klaine fanfiction and comparing which ones we’ve read and liked, etc., and another extra overheard and came over and started talking with us too. Turns out we were standing right behind Darren and Chris’ stand ins and they heard everything and I looked over and they were just giving us this look like they thought we were insane and it was so embarrassing.

When Chris gives Lea her crown, the first few times he did it, he stood in front of her and put it on that way, but Eric told him to go around her and put it on from behind. And Lea goes, “Do it, Chris, rub up on me” and Chris replies with, “rub up ALL day.”
And Eric was like, “Sorry, Chris, but you’re gonna have to be running back and forth between your two marks.” And Damian looked over and called out, “It’s okay, Chris, you need the exercise.” And Chris did the bitch glare and started talking smack back. Then Kevin said about Damian, “oooooooooh, he was quiet all day, and now he starts talking about Chris. The Irish politeness is finally gone!”

It was getting really late, so Chris said something like, “Honestly, I think I’d rather be in church right now.”
When we were filming Rachel and Finn’s first dance, we all had to move to leave a space for them in the center, and Samuel would walk over to the other side and I would move to stand where he had been, but his stand in didn’t know that, so I was left standing right in front of him. So to be polite, I turned and asked if I was in the way, and he asked if I could take a few steps forward, and I did. Chris, who was standing right next to the stand in, turns to me and says, “Don’t let him boss you around.” So I turned and made a face to the stand in, who then apologized and I was about to say it was okay when he added, “You’re beautiful.” And Chris just nodded at that and I was completely stunned and thanked him. And then he went on to compliment my dress.
etc.

[arina]

Mark was lucky person these past few episodes, Puck's storylines with Becky and with Beiste were the best in that particular episodes. And he showed he can be quite capable actor.


I have watched finally the Props episode with subtitles and still really don't underestand why Tina changed her mind. I am not really happy with how they resolved this storyline. And Mike was terrible boyfriend and instead of apologizing to her they made it like he was the one he was right. Didn't like that at all.

[arina]

Sorry for spamming, another extra's experience from filming Prom. I dont know if these things should not be in different thread...

http://klaineluv4ever.tumblr.com/post/23276406156/my-extra-expirience-for-glee-prom-asaurus

[úIn between takes one extra tapped on Chris’s shoulder and asked him when his book was coming out, Chris was all like “Thank you for asking! It’s coming out in July!” and I looked at my date and I said(a little TOO loudly I think ^__^) I wanted to know when Struck By Lightning was coming out. I guess Chris heard because he turned his head and went “Oh that’s not coming out till like November” and I was a little shocked he answered me! (>/////<)]

And she says that Klaine dancing close or little glances were Darren’s idea.

[fantastica]

[úIn between takes one extra tapped on Chris’s shoulder and asked him when his book was coming out, Chris was all like “Thank you for asking! It’s coming out in July!” and I looked at my date and I said(a little TOO loudly I think ^__^) I wanted to know when Struck By Lightning was coming out. I guess Chris heard because he turned his head and went “Oh that’s not coming out till like November” and I was a little shocked he answered me! (>/////<)]

wow, November and December is when a lot of good movies are coming out. there will be some tough competitions at the box office.

[tanita_mors]

They could be going in for the award season. Most of the movies that end up nominated for Oscars, are released in the last months of the year or till February. Maybe they really think AJ has a shot at a nom for SBL.

[Delight]

Sometime during this Kiernan and I started talking about Klaine fanfiction and comparing which ones we’ve read and liked, etc., and another extra overheard and came over and started talking with us too. Turns out we were standing right behind Darren and Chris’ stand ins and they heard everything and I looked over and they were just giving us this look like they thought we were insane and it was so embarrassing.

Not trying to be judgmental here but... *facepalm*

I have to look on the bright side. At least they weren't discussing CrissColfer fanfiction.

[Jellyrolls]

Sometime during this Kiernan and I started talking about Klaine fanfiction and comparing which ones we’ve read and liked, etc., and another extra overheard and came over and started talking with us too. Turns out we were standing right behind Darren and Chris’ stand ins and they heard everything and I looked over and they were just giving us this look like they thought we were insane and it was so embarrassing.

Not trying to be judgmental here but... *facepalm*

I have to look on the bright side. At least they weren't discussing CrissColfer fanfiction.

Actually, this story would have been better if they were talking about CrissColfer fan fiction and it was really Chris and Darren standing in front of them, and then have Chris turn and give him a WTF face.

[brisallie]

Mark was lucky person these past few episodes, Puck's storylines with Becky and with Beiste were the best in that particular episodes. And he showed he can be quite capable actor.


I have watched finally the Props episode with subtitles and still really don't underestand why Tina changed her mind. I am not really happy with how they resolved this storyline. And Mike was terrible boyfriend and instead of apologizing to her they made it like he was the one he was right. Didn't like that at all.

Mark has been my favorite the latest episodes but Chris is still the number one! Actually his storyline with Becky saved the prom episode for me. He finally has showing off his acting skills.

Tina changing her mind is not a total surprise for me, actually It would have been a nice shock if at the end she's still thinking that everybody are there only supporting Rachel to get her pass into NYADA. As somebody else said, that argument that she's a junior and Rachel a senior is so nonsense because if I take those words seriously What about the other seniors? Finn,Mercedes and Santana has have their opportunity to shine this year but no one else, ok the only exception were the sectionals but only because Rachel was absent
In addition What's this all about team work? If this were team work, as I said before everybody would have their time to shine; personally still don't understand the TT number, I would had put ND members instead of those unknown girls.

About that prom report, so at the end if was Darren's idea to get closer? So RIB prefers to have them apart? and that Klaine fanfiction discussion should had been embarrasing but as Jelly said if they had mentioned crisscolfer fanfiction it would had been worse

[Ireth]

I was just wondering-last year's Nationals had all the finalists participate after which they ranked the top ten, right? So maybe there was something similar before the top three teams competed in the final round. And that means there is a missing performance where some of the other seniors got to shine? That's my headcanon anyway because this constant favouritism with everyone else sitting down and taking it is absurd.

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