Re: 4x09 "Swan Song" Watch & Discussion thread

[brisallie]

Probably it was due to the time why we didn't see Kurt emotions after his talking with Carmen in the office or more seconds after he received her letter. Personally I'd would have taken away some minutes from Bram, because honestly I'd rather them as friends instead of a couple, it looks so forced their romance. Besides why a girl and a boy can be only friends on Glee?.

Going back to Kurt, though I'm glad he finally was accepted, still don't understand what are the methods of Carmen to reject or accept people. I felt so nervous when Kurt introduced himself to the audience in the WinterShowcase and at the same time I was angry with Tibideaux. Ok I understand if she wanted to testing if he works under pressure but I insist that are teachers allowed to do that in real life?

Ok I need to say this: I like when Rachel sings broadways songs because it gave me chills with her vocals, but seriously two songs in a row? isn't too much? Ok I know Rachen haven't have a solo since Oops I didn't again, and her fans probably are glad because she had two solos last night, but I fast forwarded that scene because it made me long. However, I liked to see how supportive was Rachel with Kurt. I like when she puts aside her selfish attitude.

[coxfire]

OK, I haven't seen the episode yet, but reading that "Kurt is all bells and whistles" baffles me. Seriously? defying Gravity was him and a piano (plus Rachel, but whatever), AIWNSG was just him and minor background (halls, scene, backstage vanity) but the most effective parts were in the choir room, Rose's Turn, apart from the KURT sign was just him and an empty auditorium, IWTHYH was just him in the choir room... He is probably the one that gave the most heartfelt performances in all Glee history!!

I could understand that Carmen only saw NTBND and his second audition tape, and thus missing on his other performances, but to have him (or Rachel) say that he needs bells and whistles...WTF??? Comparing it to Blaine who had 75% of his songs accompanied by mad props during most of his performances, argh, it just pisses off royally, like, Glee writers, do you really think we are that dumb? Well, on retrospect, I think you do....

[Ranwing]

Glorifindel, I agree with 99% of wht you said about Ms. Tibideaux. I was hoping for so much with this character to be the kind of serious vocal coach that both Kurt and Rachel very much need. We need a more serious, less capricious character who can tell both of them the hard truths and guide them towards a real world believable career. And up until Nationals, I'd believed that we finally found that character - the one who could recognize Kurt's real talents and the one not so awed by Rachel that she wouldn't hesitate to deflate Rachel's overinflated sense of entitlement. But they they had her show up at Nationals, just as Rachel begged her to, and the downward spiral began. It got worse on the first day of classes at NYADA when she curtly expelled a girl who should never have been admitted at all and then gave Rachel's rather pedestrian solo praise. It became clear that this character would be used as little more than Special Snowflake padding for Rachel and I was, to say the least, bitterly dissapointed.

The only justification I have for the premise of having Kurt sing, with absolutely no notice, at Winter Showcase was to give her the means to admit a talented kid that she couldn't justify admitting with his first application. I don't think her praise for NTBND was totally disconnected from what she was saying in her office - his performance was worthy of a Tony nominated actor, but she wanted to see more from him and what I was getting from her was more a sense of frustration that the video he sent with his application was more showy theatrics and not what she really wanted to see. It looked to me like she was thinking "Damn it kid, I know you can do more than this! Why do you keep sending me this dross and not what you're really made of." Having Kurt sing at Showcase was all but holding out a spot at NYADA on a silver platter for him to grab.

[brisallie]

^
I'm agree with your last point that Carmen wanted to see another side of Kurt, besides the theatrical one. What I didn't like was the unexpected way she asked him to audition without prepare him emotionally before. But I'm just thinking if when you work in this business you have to be ready to performance in any moment? Because I've always thought that's if someone going to perform, the person has rehearsed a week before at least .

[Ireth]

It was a good episode. Kurt got in NYADA.

This is my second favourite scene in the episode after Kurt's performance. Brad finally talked

This part was hilarious, I love him.

Being Alive was amazing, it had me in tears for the rest of the episode. Carmen did annoy me with the lack of soul comment and getting Kurt to perform at the winter showcase last minute, but I've let it go because Kurt getting that standing ovation (and he was so surprised at that, bless!) and being so happy to get into NYADA was perfect.

Rachel was a very good friend to Kurt this episode, they were adorable throughout. But I'm sick of this "Rachel is a special snowflake" attitude so many people including Carmen, and Rachel have. And she is an appalling student, I really felt for Cassandra this time. And a superficial observation: I don't like Rachel's new look, I find it trashy. I much prefer her animal sweaters and skirts-they were cute, and suited her character. At least her makeup was better this time around.

The meta about Brittana shippers was so annoying and awkwardly scripted. I know Brittany is the best character to say something that is unrealistic in the Glee universe, but it was too much like breaking the fourth wall in a bad way. I do think Sam and Brittany were cute together though.

Really felt bad for Finn. And as awful as the whole eating disorder storyline was, I'm shocked no one seemed to help Marley. All I heard was her being blamed for losing sectionals (which I'm sure they would have lost anyway). Jake knew that Marley had been skipping meals regularly and didn't do anything at all about it? I want them to address this properly but considering how they made it start, I have no faith.

And how was New Directions so quick to disband? I'm glad I don't really care that much about many of these characters anymore, because the McKinley side is becoming more and more frustrating.

[Glorfindel]

The only justification I have for the premise of having Kurt sing, with absolutely no notice, at Winter Showcase was to give her the means to admit a talented kid that she couldn't justify admitting with his first application. I don't think her praise for NTBND was totally disconnected from what she was saying in her office - his performance was worthy of a Tony nominated actor, but she wanted to see more from him and what I was getting from her was more a sense of frustration that the video he sent with his application was more showy theatrics and not what she really wanted to see. It looked to me like she was thinking "Damn it kid, I know you can do more than this! Why do you keep sending me this dross and not what you're really made of." Having Kurt sing at Showcase was all but holding out a spot at NYADA on a silver platter for him to grab.

Carmen trying to force a new audition for Kurt because the material Kurt gave her (an acoustic Wake Me Up Before You Gogo. Really Glee? Kurt would never) doesn't hold any canon ground. If she was that powerless to give someone an audition when she thought he deserved it, she could never have justified to her peers and fellow teachers letting Rachel in after she blew her audition. Rachel gave her no justification whatsoever to get a 2nd chance and yet she got it.

Plus, if Carmen felt for Kurt and this was her way of getting him an audition, she could have, no: should have given him more warning. There was ample time for that before the Showcase.

So I'm sorry. Although I like this headcanon theory of Carmen doing this to help and/or test Kurt to get the best out of him: in real canon?.... she really didn't.
She scolded him in her office for something he could not have known because she didn't tell him earlier, denied him every chance of ever applying to NYADA again, and then completely ambushed him for no good reason at all.

[Ranwing]

OK, I haven't seen the episode yet, but reading that "Kurt is all bells and whistles" baffles me. Seriously? defying Gravity was him and a piano (plus Rachel, but whatever), AIWNSG was just him and minor background (halls, scene, backstage vanity) but the most effective parts were in the choir room, Rose's Turn, apart from the KURT sign was just him and an empty auditorium, IWTHYH was just him in the choir room... He is probably the one that gave the most heartfelt performances in all Glee history!!

I could understand that Carmen only saw NTBND and his second audition tape, and thus missing on his other performances, but to have him (or Rachel) say that he needs bells and whistles...WTF??? Comparing it to Blaine who had 75% of his songs accompanied by mad props during most of his performances, argh, it just pisses off royally, like, Glee writers, do you really think we are that dumb? Well, on retrospect, I think you do....

I think that this was Kurt's battered confidence finally showing itself. For all his brave talk about applying again, the cracks were clearly showing from having constantly being told that he's talented, but.... How often can someone keep trying to achieve a goal, fail, and have the stomach to keep trying. Kurt said it himself that this would be his last time trying to get into NYADA - it's just too painful to keep banging his head against the wall and having nothing to show for it. It's easy for Rachel to be willing to take as many tries as it would take given that she pretty much always will eventually win everything she tries at. Kurt is rewarded so rarely that I totally understand that being rejected that first time (and then to have Ms. Tibideaux apparently reject his second appluication) left him completely demoralized and ready to give up.

This totally broke my heart when Kurt said that he wouldn't try again to get into NYADA. His dreams are just as big and just as real as Rachel's, and unlike Rachel, he has gotten absolutely no validation for his aspirations from anyone but Blaine or his father. No one has assured him that he's a future star and has a real shot at achieving his dreams. So each time he gets told "no" because he's too gay or too theatrical or whatever excuse was given to not give him a part of a solo, that dream died a little. I think that this was the reason why we've seen Kurt turning away from chances to perform at places like Callbacks - why should he put himself out there to sing in front of NYADA students if he's not good enough to get into that school?

What Ms. Tibideaux did might be cruel, but it was also shock therapy. It forced Kurt to put it all on the line in front of the audience who's opinion he feared most. She told him exactly what she wanted to see out of him, and presented him with the ideal venue in which to do so. And I totally believe that she knew that he was more than capable of giving the performance that she needed to see so that he could give him the spot that he hungered for and she believed he deserved. The smiled on her face as she applauded him spoke volumes - you could tell she was thinking "Now that's what I've been waiting to see."

And Kurt finally gets the affirmation that he's been denied for so long. He gets his standing ovation, the regard of NYADA students and faculty for being able to sing the way did and the spot in the school that he wanted more than anything else. BB deserved this so much, and I wanted to cry at the look of bewilderment on his face when he heard the applause. As if he couldn't bring himself to believe that they were actually applauding what he did. I never want to see that look on his face ever again.

[Ranwing]

Carmen trying to force a new audition for Kurt because the material Kurt gave her (an acoustic Wake Me Up Before You Gogo. Really Glee? Kurt would never) doesn't hold any canon ground. If she was that powerless to give someone an audition when she thought he deserved it, she could never have justified to her peers and fellow teachers letting Rachel in after she blew her audition. Rachel gave her no justification whatsoever to get a 2nd chance and yet she got it.

Plus, if Carmen felt for Kurt and this was her way of getting him an audition, she could have, no: should have given him more warning. There was ample time for that before the Showcase.

So I'm sorry. Although I like this headcanon theory of Carmen doing this to help and/or test Kurt to get the best out of him: in real canon?.... she really didn't.
She scolded him in her office for something he could not have known because she didn't tell him earlier, denied him every chance of ever applying to NYADA again, and then completely ambushed him for no good reason at all.

I don't disagree with you about this. Logically they can't square this circle. Not admitting Kurt but admitting Rachel in Goodbye was sloppily done and the fix was also doomed to be sloppy. They so totally destroyed whatever credibility Ms. Tibideaux had by making her yet another NYADA cheerleader for Rachel that nothing she makes any kind of sense. I totally agree that springing the audition on Kurt with no notice is rediculous, but it's no more rediculous than admitting Rachel based on her Nationals performance after choking on her official audition, and then making her Ms. Tibideaux's pet.

I'm going to preserve my sanity by having her consider his file again, maybe go on YouTube to watch some old ND performance where she'll find things like IWTHYH and AIWNSG (since I believe that these performances should be recorded by the club) and based on that, gives him his second chance. Yeah, highly unrealistic and doesn't exist in canon, but I don't care right now because there are tons of crap on this show that I wish didn't exist in canon but cant' escape.

[valkeakuulas]

Episode was good, since it had a lot of NY in it, buuut...

I just cannot handle the way Kurt is used and how his whole character is being twisted and turned around to the pleasure of the writers. The scene in Carmen's office made me sad and physically sick and it was awful. I don't know why I felt so horrible during that scene but whatever I really did. "Devoid of complexity and depth." Really, really? I know Carmen only saw NTBND but was that performance devoid of complexity and depth and only consisted of surface? So the only side of an artist that Carmen appriciates in an audition is vulnerable and scared performances, whilst I appriciate that ideology to some extent, that can not be the only one. Performances can be demonstrative, joyous and fun, no?

On the other hand I do get that Kurt's best performances have been always private, close circle events where the boy has basically opened himself in a song and performance and Carmen has not seen that...I'm still too upset to search for the point.

Putting Kurt in a spot I do get. She is a blunt, self assertive woman, and maybe, just maybe I can see what some of you have said that she does like Kurt and the only way to justify his acceptance was to brutly push Kurt out of the boat infront of all these important people; that shot of her glancing at Kurt during Oh Holy Night was brilliant piece of direction.

I would have loved for the Being Alive to be played out in it's entirety but I'll settle for what we get, because this is all we'll be getting. This episode was Glee's "NY centered" episode, we're not getting more NY in an episode than this for Glee and it did have good Kurt moments, but geez this makes me hate the McKinley side even more. This ep showed how much I'm just focused on the "adults" of the show, and the McKinley was some weird annex that I felt needed demolishing.

And just as we got the minimal "I didn't get in" we got diddly squat on the getting in part as well. If I'd curse more, I'd do it now but because I'm talking myself out of getting too upset over a stupid TV show I'll leave the cusses out. It's good to see that you guys also found the good bits: Kurt is a magnificent, tough boy, Rachel can sing beautifully (All That Jazz, naah) and Cory is still a fabulous actor.

And since when did April sell the auditorium back to the school?!?

[sheny]

I just want say how mad I am with Sam after this episode. I don't care if he dates Brittany, but I seriously want to beat him because of the things he said. So Santana hated him all this time or was annoyed by him, because she sensed that he was into Brittany the whole time.

First I'm bothered because Sam dated Santana in season 2 and now he is trying to seduce her ex-girlfriend. But he is stupid he probably forgot, just like Britt forgot about dating Artie. Why everybody has to date everybody on this show? Can't these people respect their friends, in this case ex-girlfriend and not try to steal their love interests.

And second he said he was into Brittany when she was still dating Santana. That's what I got from his words. That guy spent the entire season 3 trying to win Mercedes back, cried for her, sang her romantic songs to her, chased her, kissed her and kind of convinced her to cheat on her boyfriend Shane. And now this individual claims that he was actually in love with Brittany.
Blaine and Sam are really perfect for each other. They are both morons.

[Ranwing]

I know that RIB has a major jones about Rachel ending up as the biggest star on Broadway ever when all is said and done, but I think that if we were going to be totally honest and look at where her talents really lay, it's not on a Broadway stage. Rachel is a singer, first and foremost. Her abilities in the other two areas that are equally as critical to being a successful Broadway performer (dance and acting) are decidedly lacking. This episode, for the very first time, was totally honest about Rachel's dance abilities and the reality is that no matter how hard she tries, dance is never a skill that will always be her achillies heel. For all the musicality in her soul, there's none in her body and it will always look labored and clumsy. She might become, at best, competant, but never enough that she could carry a part where dancing would be critical (such as Roxy or Velma in Chicago).

Her acting is also a weak point that might get better, but we would really need to see marked improvement before I'd be remotely convinced that she'd be able to carry anything more than a chorus role. During All That Jazz, she infused nothing of Roxy's heat into the performance. But Cassandra obviously could carry Velma very easily and brought out the sultry passion and flinty edge that we associate with the character. From my perspective as someone who's done theater and played a variety of characters, Rachel's biggest problem is that she always wants Rachel Berry to be seen first. She finds it difficult to get into the backseat so that you see the character she's supposed to be playing first and the actress second. I saw this during Rocky Horror and WSS and it's telling that Rachel gravitates towards the inguenue characters (so similar to herself) and never delves into something quite different from herself. She talks about playing Evita and other iconic roles, but doesn't seem to understand that when playing characters like this that you have to let the character shine through. When Rachel performs, she wants you to see her first and foremost.

I was surprisingly unmoved by Rachel's performances last night. They were exceptionally beautiful and there's no question that Rachel (and Lea) are stunning technical singers. But I got absolutely no real emotional vulnerability from her. If Kurt's performance was all about putting his heart and soul out on the stage for everyone to see, Rachel's was strictly about putting her voice up for display. It's unquestioningly a stunning voice, but this, like so many of her other performances, feels too much as a "look at me!" feel and not a sharing of emotions. Rachel wants her talent to be admired, but when she sings for an audience, she keeps her innermost self very securely locked away. Given Rachel's very real weaknesses as a performer, I just don't see her having a major career as a Broadway performer. She would be far better as a concert singer, where her voice can be her instrument and it won't be a flaw for her technique to be the focus.

Kurt, OTOH, does have more potential to be successful as an actor and that's because while his vocal instrument is easily as beautiful as Rachels (and in my mind far more unique), but he is able to give more emotionally during a performance for an audience than Rachel is capable of. Because Kurt is not primarily a technician, he's a far more soulful singer and has no problem allowing his innermost emotions to be displayed while performing. If Rachel demands that I watch her perform, Kurt draws me in. It's a subtle difference, but a very real one.

Kurt may not have the many years of dance training that Rachel boasted (and often bragged about), but what he does have is far more natural musicality in his movements than Rachel ever will. Kurt can become a dancer because his body has a more natural sense of movement. Training is the easy thing to get and NYADA will certainly provide that for him (and I doubt that having Cassandra for a teacher would make him flinch even once). We know from canon that he has the ability to move well and follow very complex choreography (from his time with the Cheerios), so with proper training and a lot of hard work, I have no difficulty seeing Kurt become at least a competant if not accomplished dancer.

But it's in acting that Kurt really shows his potential. In none of the productions that ND had anything to do with did Kurt play a fey gay man. He played Riff Raff (and got the mischievous malevolence down perfectly), and Officer Krupke (which we didn't see but we know could not be a more different character than Kurt himself is). But Kurt has more than just the ability to play a character - he is able to meld himself with the characters that he's playing so that while the character rings true, we still get those elements of why having that character be played by Kurt Hummel will be special and unique. That was on full display during NTBND - we saw the Peter Allen character, but how Kurt played him was markedly different than how Hugh Jackman did (and I will admit that I would give anything to see Chris Colfer do the whole show becaue he was less cartoony than Jackman was in the role). It's a rare talent to be able to meld in with a character so fluidly that there's no telling where the character ends and the actor begins. That's a talent that some of my favorite character actors share - I might be concious that I'm going to be watching actor X play character z, but when I'm watching the performance, all I see is the character. Think of Meryl Strep when she played Miranda in The Devil Wears Prada or Julia Child. Same actress, two vastly different characters and she was able to meld seamlessly into both.

Kurt at this stage in his life would not be suitable for every role, but I see him playing parts the way a young Malcolm McDowell could carry. I was thinking the other day that I would love to see Kurt try to play a character like Alex from A Clockwork Orange or St. Jimmy from American Idot. Characters with depth that he can sink his teeth into. As he matures (and we se how beauifully he is maturing) there will be other roles that he'll be suitable for, but he's showing that he can play far more than Pippin or sterotypical "gay" characters. I think that the theater world will be far more receptive to Kurt, whereas the musical world is more Rachel's sphere.

[Divalicious]

Well, I worked last night, came home, fast forwarded to watch all the Kurt scenes while my kittens were playing very noisily, went to bed and then came on here. I haven't watched the full episode yet, and I was tired, but these are my feelings on the episode.

I think that Glee writers take comments given them on other performers, and paste them on characters just to be meta. Kurt not having depth!! Using bell's and whistles? Is that what you call that dancing and high kicks? He was the bell and the whistle. He doesn't have Cheerio's dancing all over the quad or people pounding on red plastic cups. 3 girls did the doo-wop thing, but they didn't dance with him. Whatever Glee. Chris is this most emotive singer, and he gets the line that he has no depth, whatever Glee.

I have pretty much given up on liking Rachel as an individual. Her friendship is sweet and all, Hummelberry snuggles could melt a glacier, but Rachel wins so damn $^$^%$%$^%$^%$ much, I am toally sick of it. If this were the lead up to a big fall, so we could actually see this girl struggle, she might be salvaged for me, but I think I'll win the lottery first. I actually said "shut the f$%$ up, Rachel" when she came on to sing, because of all the smoke Brody was blowing up her butt. I'm just so very annoyed that they keep rehashing Rachel et al talking about her not-typical beauty and her phenomenal, cancer curing talent. Where does she go from here? Where can she go? She has Carmen in her pocket, won the winter showcase and had two songs in it. They take Rachel up to the heights, and then just build another floor so she can rise even higher. Let's see Rachel keep trying even when she loses, that is the only Rachel story I want to see.

Both Rachel and Brittney are extremely talented technical performers for me. This songs/moves are great and polished, but you feel no emotion, at least I don't. Kurt and Mike, however, you get that they feel the song/dance. Not as polished, certainly not with as many accolades as the previous two, but I enjoy what Kurt and Mike bring to a scene than Rachel or Brittney. People look for perfection, not emotion. Again, just my opinion.

I do think they added a showcase actually being a competition, which I thought was stupid, it is already an honor to be invited, and then you make it a competition and have a Freshman win? Whatever, Glee. So anyway, I think they did it so it would underline Finn's feelings that he is a loser. Sadly, to me it almost makes like Glee Club only won National's last year because of Rachel, it kind of takes it away from the rest of the kids who were there also, and in this current club. It felt cruel to me.

Kurt, however, was a sweet angel, still able to celebrate his good friends easily gained victory. Where Rachel has the same expressions with every single song she sings, Kurt does change his to fit his songs, and where he is when he is singing. Always, but apparently Carmen noticed it this time. Perhaps she was distracted by the amazing gold lame pants. I know I was, but I did occasionally look at his magnificent face as well. Whoopi is doing a great job as the character, but I am sure she just rolls her internal eyes at some of the dialogue she is given. Treat the fairy princess like a fairy princess, but Kurt is the toad she must suffer. Really hoping that they actually write to Kurt's team player personality and have him be embraced by NYADA in a way that Rachel does not. Rachel always sees herself above all the rest of the people, it doesn't help when she has people who continually tell her that. It would be nice for reality to hit, and her to find out there will be people out there with more talent than you, and even more drive. So it pays to have friends who keep an eye out for opportunities for you.

Kurt didn't have much to do in this episode, look gorgeous at the beginning, look pensive for Carmen, put upon for the dynamic duo, glowing for Rachel's performance, anxious/glorious for his own, shocked and amazed at his acceptance into NYADA. Nice to know that Carmen didn't even bother to talk to him after his performance and made him wait for the mail to bring him his in, but that was probably just to reflect the last time he got a NYADA letter.

A lot of the writing took me out of the episode, and I didn't even watch that much of it. I've decided the "but, it's Glee" needs to become, "well, it's Kurt Hummel" to explain why we keep putting ourselves through this. Because that is a damn good reason. I need to get ready for work soon, so probably won't watch the full episode until this weekend, and I might post again if I change my mind on some stuff. I usually find my first impressions are fairly accurate in how I am going to feel about an episode, though.

[Glorfindel]

Glee is burning through its storylines fast again.
When you give Rachel the highest achievable honor possible at NYDA right in her first semester, and let her win this Showcase over all the NYADA students, what more is there to strive and fight for for Rachel the next 3½ years?


Because of my grievances about the whole NYADA debacle in this episode I almost forgot about the terrible meta comments on the online angry lesbians.
I shake my head at the stupidity of the writers. They are not only not competent at all (when it wouldn't have taken much for them to get it right in the NYADA Showcase plot), they are also deliberately pissing part of their fandom off.
It's baffling, really.

[fantastica]

Glee is burning through its storylines fast again.
When you give Rachel the highest achievable honor possible at NYDA right in her first semester, and let her win this Showcase over all the NYADA students, what more is there to strive and fight for for Rachel the next 3½ years?

Thare are spoilers saying that

Spoiler:

Just why pitting rachel the singing sensation against a dancer in the first place is really mind boggling, but it seems that glee writers really don't like direct comparisons unless it's with someone totally aweful, like Homeless Brat or something.

anyway, in RM's vision rachel is not completely successful until she lands on her first broadway role and on her way to be the next Straisend, as well as having a hot hunk in her arm holding her golden purse for her. so as long as glee can come up w/ more jealous enemies in NYADA one way or the other, hopefully all females so they can (1) have a sing off w/ her; and (2) potentially steal every one of her male LIs. her nemesis for next season: a female violin player; then the season is over because the show is cancelled.

the one I am kinda worried is Kurt's story. He sort of had nothing but failures no matter how hard he tried and then in this gay heaven called NYC he had nothing but success! ok being in NYC simply means that being a gay person will not be such a disadvantage, but like every other starving budding artist, gay or straight, it will be a struggle to break into the show biz and make a living. His success comes too easy all of a sudden, as if they just want to give him a happy ending to please his fans while concluding his journey quickly. I hope I am wrong, because if Kurt is pushed to the back burner like many of hte other graduates then I would have absolutely no reason to watch the show at all. maybe they will still have him around next year while they focus on blaine's "struggle" in NYC, so kurt can be in the camera frame simply as his bf and give him support. grrrr! ok, I am hallucinating. Don't read my rambling.

[fantastica]

I agree Piano Brad was the funniest part of this episode.

[fantastica]

my second fav funny scene is when the dreads said he joined the interfaith paintball club, where jews, christians and muslims can shoot at each other safely. yeah, i hope there's a treaty amongst the weapon-producing countries that only harmless painballs and paint bombs will be produced, so the folks in middle east and other conflicted areas can happily vent their guts out w/o acting losing their guts or other body parts. now that's world peace!

[brisallie]

...

Thare are spoilers saying that

Spoiler:

...

Spoiler:

I forgot to say that I was so happy to finally hear Brad speaking, and I suspected that deeply inside he hate these kids . Now that it seems ND is rejoining again, I'm not sure if he's gonna be so happy. Umm probably he's well paid lol

[fantastica]

i wonder if brad will be back since he said "I am free". sounds like he's gone for good.

[ChrisColferFan1]

Just saw the episode. It pretty good in my opinion. The Kurt scenes in my opinion was the best part.

[fantastica]

acapella version of BA: http://chriscolfernews.tumblr.com/post/37482848869/tinaa-cohenchang-being-alive-acapella-glee

[Glorfindel]

It’s gotten to the point where I have to ask them to lower the key of songs. I’m doing Being Alive in an upcoming episode and they had it in a higher key, and I was like, ‘Guys I get that you like when I sing high, but can I PLEASE sound like a man for the man song, pretty pretty please?

— Chris Colfer, Broadway Names Interview

ccn

I don't know what came before or after he said this, or what the question was (and I really want to know now), but all I can say is: bless you Chris, for asking for a lower key.
Mind you: I love it when he sings female Broadway power ballads, and hope he will sing many of them in the future at NYADA, but I'm glad he finally got to show off his rich tenor like he did in 'Being Alive'. That song is originally a man song, like Chris said, even though it has been sung by women too. Somehow having Kurt sing it in a female key when its original is not a female song would have not felt good (although vocally he would have killed it as well).

I know I said before that I wouldn't have minded Chris singing BA in a female key, but I changed my mind. After hearing it like it is now: it is just absolutely 110% right and wonderful.
Good call, Chris.

[ColferInspired]

It’s gotten to the point where I have to ask them to lower the key of songs. I’m doing Being Alive in an upcoming episode and they had it in a higher key, and I was like, ‘Guys I get that you like when I sing high, but can I PLEASE sound like a man for the man song, pretty pretty please?

— Chris Colfer, Broadway Names Interview

ccn

I don't know what came before or after he said this, or what the question was (and I really want to know now), but all I can say is: bless you Chris, for asking for a lower key.
Mind you: I love it when he sings female Broadway power ballads, and hope he will sing many of them in the future at NYADA, but I'm glad he finally got to show off his rich tenor like he did in 'Being Alive'. That song is originally a man song, like Chris said, even though it has been sung by women too. Somehow having Kurt sing it in a female key when its original is not a female song would have not felt good (although vocally he would have killed it as well).

I know I said before that I wouldn't have minded Chris singing BA in a female key, but I changed my mind. After hearing it like it is now: it is just absolutely 110% right and wonderful.
Good call, Chris.

Marie, I just found that quote from Broadway Names and it is from a radio interview Siriusxm, it is near the end.

I am starting a thread for this in the Chris section and will post it there. It is a wonderful interview, where Chris sound like he is having so much funny and uses different voices.

Enjoy.

[tanita_mors]

wow, that acapella audio of being alive is just gorgeous.
can't stop listening to it.

[Delight]

wow, that acapella audio of being alive is just gorgeous.
can't stop listening to it.

Seconded. To me, he sounds even better without the loud piano.

The majority of Chris's artistic suggestions are hits rather than misses, and his decision to sing BA in the lower key is definitely a hit in my book.

[Divalicious]

I imagine when the Glee Club is officially reassembled they will have Brad speak once again. A la Godfather, "They keep. Pulling. Me. Back!" and then silence for the rest of the series.

It is amazing how Chris changes his look, he looked like a deer in the headlights when he went on stage with NYADA, but at the beginning of the episode, and right before Rachel's double solo, he just looked like sexy friend.

I do think they didn't have Rachel sing much prior episodes to excuse her getting two in this one, but it looks like a lot of characters are getting double songs in upcoming episodes. Just waiting for Blaine's weekly solo to return. After all, we've had a break. Kurt, however, will end up waiting for another big moment, towards the end of the season.

I wish the show would get away from all this solo crap. I want interaction between characters, so do group songs, or at least duets. Something more than someone just standing there singing, pretty please.

I know I have my Kurtsie glasses on, because Brody seems like a living person when he interacts with Kurt, and just a prop with Rachel. Maybe because his dialogue is usually the same. You're hot, you're the most talented, blah, blah, blah.

It is too bad Marley is a student and Finn and adult, because I think they had better chemistry than she has with Jake or Ryder. Of course, Cory is like Chris, just a chemistry factory. I did like the scene in the snow, with them all coming back together. I do think this group of kids they are getting the friendship stuff right. The old ND, while they loved to sing, it never felt like they were the family they claimed to be. 3 girls left to form their own singing group, and then got handed opportunities. Then the focus on couples, rather than friendships kind of sealed that deal for me. I do think the new kids have the potential to have on-going friendships, because the writers seem to have discovered how dead-end the end-game couple story lines can be. After they get together, all you can do is break them up, only to get them together again. Like Finchel.

After seeing Finn away from Rachel, I hope they never get back together. With the way they write Rachel in succeeding in everything, I can't really see her having a boyfriend that will ever measure up to Broadway. Finn isn't hugely talented, but he is a nice guy, and he deserves to feel an equal in a relationship, someone who will help him grow as a person. I can only see him with Rachel is they have her grow up and discover that she isn't the best in a lot of things, not just dance, and is just a real person with a great voice. But Rachel is wish-fulfillment, so she'll probably get back together with Finn in the end, along with her amazing career. I just hope it is in the last episode of the series, so Finn doesn't have to be the "lesser" in the relationship. We already get that crap with Kurt and Klaine.

They just don't know what to do with Sue. They have her try to destroy the Glee club, then take a break while she is pregnant, and now she is back on that tirade. It is just hard to have scenes outside of the kids, especially now we have NY. Here they have Jane Lynch, and just no room to do anything with her. So they rehash, and make him resent any amount of time she has on the screen, because she has done the same scene over and over again. Just hoping now that ND is kind of set, and NY looks like it is beginning to gel after the new year, perhaps they will finally figure out how to integrate the Lima adult scene into a story that doesn't involve the destruction of the Glee club. Plus give Matt and Jayma something to do.

Bitchy Tina had better lead somewhere. She deserves her time in the sun, and yes she did get to sing the lead in the competition, and I think she really brought the performance. I haven't a club what she said, but she had emotion and attitude in her vocalizations. I love her sweet voice, and hope to hear more of it. Like perhaps give her some of the singing they've been handing Brittney. Less Brittney, Rachel and Blaine, with more Kurt, Tina and Artie, yes, and thank you.

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