Re: 5x08 "Previously Unaired Christmas" Watch & Discussion thread

[Lottie2303]

So according to some klainers, kurt was sexually assaulted last episode? Funny how defensive for kurt they suddenly are, when a different scene in the first time gets happily ignored.

The feedback is love/hate. I am watching the nyc edit. The episode sounds awesome.

[Ireth]

I think Kurt was very willing to do what he was doing until the reindeer part, and then Cody tied him up and gagged him, which was horrible, but he didn't sexually assault Kurt.

I enjoyed all the NY parts, as well as a few parts of McKinley (  ), like Love Child. It was a cracky dark comedy type episode which was fun, and it was nice to see Kurt act sexy and flirty and make out with a hot guy, pity it ended so badly.

The stuff they make people like Becky and Tina say isn't funny at all.

[ColferInspired]

I am happy that some of the Kurt/Chris fans were upset are now not upset anymore and are liking the scene a bit more.

I am still downloading and will watch this episode then the others I have downloaded but not watched yet.

This episode supposed be set in 2012 so it won't seem weird seeing this one first.

[Lottie2303]

I am currently on tumblr seeing gifs from the episode: WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK??! THEY REALLY DID GO ALL THE WAY!!! I AM SO FREAKING WATCHING!!!    

[valkeakuulas]

It was so good...and then it was not.

I just enjoy this show for Kurt Hummel and Chris and Glee is determinated to make Kurt the most unhappy and unlucky character ever. The episode had so much of NY and I was happy all the way to the end and then it made me wonder why can't Kurt ever just be happy? Is it because he can't be happy without Blaine? Is it because he is already so emotionally F'ed up that he cannot eshtablish a new healthy relationship ie. Adam for example? Too much to think about and this should be just about this episode.

I loved all of the Christmas Mall stuff: all the funny scenes with the Drunk Santa, Santana being Mrs. Santa and that lovely music number and those striped tights. Those brought genuine smile to my face. Santana and Kurt having a one to one at the loft and that silly Chipmunks number. There were so many good things in this NY side this time. So many that I could almost let go of the analysing and just enjoy the NY parts....

But like always with Glee, there is always a BUT. At least they gave the Sleazy Santa a line about swinging both ways or then it could have been seen another joke on Kurt for being duped by this straight guy fooling with the horny homosexual guy just ot rob him. Ha ha! Because Kurt was the predator gay that needs to get a lesson from every man he meets.

About it being an assult: yes it was an assult but sexual? I don't know. Like you said sheny, up until the moment Kurt said no to the roleplay he was also on board and then it turned into a robbery. Was it any easier on Kurt? No. I'm sure it doesn't make the imagination and memories any less damaging. And like Rachel said it could have been even worse.

Glee just manages to piss off everyone, always. I have started to let go of Kurt a little but never on Chris. And like it's been said he seemed to have liked filming this episode, so lets just go with that. How long was it since he had tweeted about an episode since Lambert and now this? A looooong time.

[valkeakuulas]

I am currently on tumblr seeing gifs from the episode: WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK??! THEY REALLY DID GO ALL THE WAY!!! I AM SO FREAKING WATCHING!!!    

No I don't think so. Long enough for Kurt to be in his underwear but then the robber decided to return to his earlier mission.

[Lottie2303]

^ I mean in the sense, that for once, Glee really did NOT shy away from showing very explicit content with a slegehammer-appraoch of informing the audience what is going on.  

I don't like the robbery... but seriously... I am looking forward to it.

BTW: my very dirty mind needs an answer: what does Kurt being Rudolph imply exactly

[tanita_mors]

this episode is sooooo tacky. but in a totally crazy cracktastic way.

[valkeakuulas]

No nothing is actually shown besides Kurt's humiliation, as usual.

Well, if you think about it from previous point of view, yes Kurt did more with SleazySanta than he has ever done with Blaine. I like it as an idea and can understand why on a superficial level a whole lot of Gleeks would feel disappointed that once they show two men getting at it, it is between a crak pairing. And most of all the premiss was unapologetic, which I give Fox some credit for...the "lesson" Kurt got not so much.

[ColferInspired]

I love that even more Kurtsies are coming around and seeing the episode for what it is and not taking it too seriously.

I still haven't finished downloading this episode and is taking too long. I might finish the download and watch it tomorrow.

[SippyCupofLuv]

So according to some klainers, kurt was sexually assaulted last episode? Funny how defensive for kurt they suddenly are, when a different scene in the first time gets happily ignored.

The feedback is love/hate. I am watching the nyc edit. The episode sounds awesome.

Klainers are full of shit, as usual. If what happened with SexyBadSanta was "sexual assault" (it wasn't) then most definitely what Blaine did in the car scene was (which it was).

I just rewatched the episode, and basically Kurt and SexyBadSanta were having a good time, until SBSanta wanted to do something Kurt didn't. So SBSanta went back to his original mission, which 'getting it on' with Kurt had distracted him from, and bound/gagged Kurt so he could freely rob the loft.

There's no implication that he did anything more. He seemed to take Kurt's "no" as a "no" (except for the Rudolph antlers, but since Kurt was wearing them earlier he may have been when they were getting frisky) since Kurt's still clothed, albeit in his underwear.

Basically it was "Oh, funtime's over? Okay then, don't want to hurt you or have you stopping me rob you, soooo...."

Duh, it wasn't nice to do to Kurt, but the guy was a thief and it's not like anyone's planning Kurt and SexyBadSanta's wedding....

... And he's STILL better than Blaine...

[Lottie2303]

I wrote this little novel for tumblr in terms how I perceive the situation, even though I can only judge it based on gifs:

The last episode really split the Kurt fandom. There is no denying the opinions of Kurtsies never differed as much as last night. Santa!Claus and Kurt really did a number. I believe both sides have valid arguments, but I also believe those who “liked” the episodes are not monster or even hypocrites.


Personally, I laugh about it and reblog the gifs of Santa!Kurt like crazy. Why? Because this is Season 1! A large pile of an offensive, politically incorrect and dubious mess, totally shocking the audience because it is SO inappropriate. This is the caliber of Quinn lying to Finn about the pregnancy, Terry faking her pregnancy, Sandy getting suspended for obviously being a molester… The list goes on an on. That is the season everyone is mourning. It was very, very, very dark humor on Kurt’s and Chris expense (the later one actually tweeted about the scene – yet another factor that needs to be considered, as Chris never seems to tweet about Glee anymore).


It was never presented as anything positive. It was clear from the get-go what happened was wrong and Kurt was a victim. If this would be real life, it would also be a very terrifying experience. But it is a TV-show and every now and then it is an apology – especially when Glee uses its very dark humor we usually all love and cherish. Personally, I love to see Kurt’s kinky side and him being miles away from being a baby penguin.


What Blaine did in “The First Time” was dubious and in my opinion sexual assault. Especially because the episode ended with Kurt apologizing and having sex with Blaine. The scene was romanticized, the assault was excused and even worse, it was never acknowledged as such. That is the major difference! That is a real scene that needs to be addressed more so the Glee writers can finally realize how toxic Klaine actually is. But last episode? That was very dark and WRONG fun but not even close to the car park scene.

[Ranwing]

I'm going to have to admit that I haven't enjoyed an episode this much in ages. It reminded me so much of season one Glee, with the really dark humor, the crack storylines that would never make sense in the real world but make perfect sense in the Glee world, and just plain fun. The balance between NY and McKliney was pretty even and for a change, I wasn't ready to throw my tv out the window when the McKinley scenes came on.

I'll get McKinley out of the way and keep it brief.

The good stuff:
1) The return of bitchy Kitty - I loved her here. With so much sweetness in the group, her brand of vinager is a well-needed tonic to keep me out of diabetic shock.
2) Blaine basically being relegated to scenery - when all of ND told him to shut up, they spoke for an entire fandom.
3) The borderline-offensive humor that is so often lacking. From Unique giving birth to baby Jesus to the stoner club with their bong decorated reefer bush, I was giggling a whole lot.

The eh:
1) Becky - it seems like now that they don't have Brittany around for comic relief that they're using Becky and it's now overdone and annoying.
2) Marley and Jake back to being
3) Tina and Sam at the begining - so bad and annoying.
4) Blaine in a white angel costume during the Love Child performance. Actually, Blaine period.

Now for the good stuff:

Santana - her hysterical turn as Mrs. Claus and how she likely emotionally scarred children for years to come. I was in absolute stitches because I have no maternal instinct whatsoever and I love seeing children horrified.

Rachel - classic Rachel without being obnoxious or too self-insolved. I love her when she's like this.

Kurt - I'm going to take this to over to the appreciation thread only because it's going to be a bit involved but in a nutshell:
1) Serious flirting with SmarmyHotShirtlessSanta. I mean, he had it set to Ride Me Like a Bronco at the Rodeo.
2) Hip swivels. Can't ever get enough of those.
3) Really ridiculous how hot he looked in the elf costume.
4) The quest to see how tight they can get his pants while still allowing him movement continues.
5) Crotch bulge. Yes, I'm pervy and shallow.
6) Lots of Kurt singing (and even a reminder that he plays the piano).

We really need more eps like this. It was such fun!

[Lottie2303]

I watched it. I watched the entire episode. I laughed! The NYC trio was glorious! I want this dynamic forever and ever and ever.

[Glorfindel]

Count me as one of the Kurtsies who loved this episode!  

There's simply no comparison that can be made between thief Santa's 'assault' and the Klaine parking lot sexual assault.
First of all because this time it actually wasn't sexual assault, as Kurt consented to making out with Cody, and when Kurt refused to be 'Rudolph' (I suspect that involved some 'riding', wink/wink) Cody didn't go on with the sex. Cody tied Kurt up, and theoretically that could have led to him raping Kurt, but fact is: he didn't. He tied Kurt up because he didn't want to get disturbed when robbing the place.
Of course Cody hooked up with Kurt probably solely so he could rob the place, but imo he wasn't aversed to having sex with him as an added bonus.

Secondly: there has always been this difference in tone on Glee that indicates whether we're supposed to take something serious or more as cracktastic OTT fun. People who view Glee longer than when Darren got on the show know this difference.
This shifting tone is not always clear on Glee, and e.g. last episode (with the puppets) it didn't work, but in both the Klaine parking lot scene and this Santa scene that tone was made very clear: the Klaine scene was supposed to be taken serious, whereas the Santa scene was clearly cracktastic OTT fun.

Of course it's bitter that once again Kurt can't just have a sexy night with a hot guy without it having nasty consequences, but that's more the problem of "endgame Klaine" than of Kurt always losing and being considered undesirable on the show, imo. At least this time.

[Glorfindel]

My TWoP post:


Well, this was fun! I haven’t laughed so much watching a Glee episode in a long, long time. This was also the first time we almost had an even split in screentime and songs between Lima and New York (not counting 'Movin' Out because that had 2 Lima characters in NY who got storylines when the NY characters did not) and I think that worked out very well. Pity we never got this before.
 
Best part for me was New York, as Lea, Chris and Naya have such great chemistry together it practically sparkles everytime they have a scene together. But even the Lima part was acceptable (when it usually is boring and even offensive to me now). They involved the entire ensemble in this episode, played their best cards, and worked very well with the cast’s individual strengths.
You see?! It’s possible to make a good episode which features all the best actors/characters front and center, but has something good to do for everyone of the zillion characters. Well done, writers! I call you out when you mess up, and unfortunately that’s often, but when you done good you get the praise as well.
 
For a cracktastic (and even filler) episode there were some serious complications and repercussions when you strictly look at the canon created (if this episode is canon, that is), like Becky clearly already starting to have an attitude problem, the New York characters being robbed and Kurt practically at risk of being raped or at least very misled by thief Cody/Santa. But when the writing is decent and good actors can deliver those lines in a wink/wink cheek-in-tongue way but still sincerely and completely in character, a cracktastic storyline does not have to result in being offensive or even ruining a character.
And imo that’s what makes the difference between an episode that leaves me cringing, even foaming at the mouth (like last week’s ‘Puppet Master’) and an episode that has me laughing and grinning throughout. With a good balance in the writing and acting (as described above) it’s much easier to accept the cracktastic OTT-ness as the sheer fun it is and still keep rooting for the characters involved, even when they majorly mess things up. There’s even character development possible amongst the ridiculousness, e.g. Santana slowly warming up to moving to New York.
 
Lima:
The storylines in Lima were a bit meh and repetitive imo, but unlike most other times the cast managed to pull it off by manoeuvring between honest actions and OTT reactions. I’d almost say it felt a bit like the old Glee, and that’s something I never thought I’d say of the new New Directions. Mr. Shue singing with his students, in an appropiate way this time, was nice to see. Tina’s acting was still cringeworthy and I can’t like her character anymore, but I did like Sam in this episode, probably because he was not part of Blam or Bram for a change. And lol at Blaine being told to shut up.
The placement of ‘Love Child’ in the episode was hilarious, brilliant! Kitty looked very pretty as Maria, and Unique was absolutely radiant as an angel.
 
New York:
The Kurtcheltana bantering and adventures are fabulous.
Rachel was her usual bubbly self and Kurtana as frenemies is one of the best pairings Glee has ever had. More, please. Once again these 3 show how good Glee’s dark comedy can work, with their interactions and just the right tone to deliver their lines. For instance Kurt’s smitten muttered “Merry Christmas” when half-nekkid Santa knocked on their loft’s door, and the way Santana kept judging him hard for flirting afterwards. Priceless. And of course 'Santana Claus'.
The storyline had a very nasty ending when you think about it for a moment, but boy: was it fun. And yes, Kurt lost again (no more lucky streak and instant success for the NY characters), you could even make of it that Kurt’s not ‘allowed’ to have another suitable lover but Blaine, and it’s all very true and needs to be pointed out. But when it’s presented in such a funny way and they actually show HummelPezBerry, especially Kurt, letting loose and painting the town (as we should have had all of season 4, imo) it’s all worth it.
‘Here Comes Santa Claus’ is a great song, and although I’d rather hear more of Lea’s, Chris’ and Naya’s natural voices the performance of the Chipmunk song made up for that and had me laughing out loud.
 
As for the ‘previously unaired’ indication: I think this episode is still canon? Logically this episode could have taken place a week or so before the season 4’s Christmas episode. And although the absence of e.g. Brittany, Brody and especially Finn was felt (the tackyness of deliberately creating a Christmas episode at a time when Finn was still alive is another matter entirely) I could detect only minor discrepancies in the timeline considering the weird time warp, which I think was quite skillfully done by the writer (Ross Maxwell).
So I see no reason why this episode can’t be canon, because even though it was ‘unaired’ before, it has now actually aired on tv (unlike e.g. the Klaine Box scene), which should make it canon imo. Well, at least I want it to be canon, so I'll stick to that, lol.

[Glorfindel]

 
 

[Glorfindel]

Ratings are in:

9pm
Fox – Glee
Viewers: 3.39 million (#4), A18-49: 1.2/ 3 (#4)

9:30pm
Fox – Glee
Viewers: 2.97 million (#4), A18-49: 1.0/ 3 (#4)

FOX Glee 1.1 3.18

[Lottie2303]

My internet is broke and I have only my mobile. How were the ratings last week?

[fantastica]

^ slightly up from last week. is this the last episode of hte year?

[Buenos]

Outside of Fridays , second week in a row Glee gets the lowest Demo of any first run FOX TV series. 

FOX has only themselves to blame for Glee losing its audience.

[fantastica]

this show has a negative momentum. nothing will save it. those tuned out won't come back. fans are used to bitching so they are only focus on the negatives. the largest shipper left is the klaine fandom and they are not happy even w the engagement. someone on one of the review/recap site commented that kurt and blaine has negative chemistry but kurt and any other "random" guy has tons of it. klaine together is so chaste while kurt is obviously a normal horny teenager when it comes to other guys. the writers cannot break up klaine because then there will hardly anybody left to watch the show, yet klaine is definitely not working as an on screen couple.

when glee is good it's also controversial so it pisses off half of the viewers. when it's bad it pisses off everybody. it cannot win. i doubt there will be a season 6. i am just happy that chris will get paid for as long as the show is running and we will also get to hear him sing a little bit here and there until it's all over.

[sheny]

I finally watched the episode and really enjoyed it. I haven't laughed so much watching Glee in 2 years. I wish the Kurt/Sexy Santa story didn't end so bad. Can't the guy just have a normal ons without it turning into a total disaster.

Too bad the ratings are so low. Of course Bainers are blaming Kurt and the NYC part and if you ask them last weeks the ratings were bad only because it was Thanksgiving. Damn hypocrites Blaine can fuck a random facebook creep while he is in a relationship with Kurt and still be their precious baby cupcake angel but when single Kurt hooks up with somebody they call him a slut.

[Ranwing]

I have to say that I absolutely loved how playfully flirtatious Kurt was during CDBL. We've seen him flirt before, but he usually has to be really subtle because he may not be certain about the sexual orientation of the object of his desire (Finn, Sam) or because he's afraid of being rejected (Blaine, Adam). This time he was on full display and apparently not worried about being rejected and SmarmyHotShirtlessSanta already made that he was bisexual clear so Kurt had a real shot.

Of course, he had the subtlety of a sledgehammer, but that's okay. He knew what he wanted and was making his intentions clear. Whether it was showing off just what those hips are capable of, or that he's got the best ass on the show, he was confident and I loved watching him like this.

[Buenos]

Kurt just wanted to play "hula hoops".  

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