Re: 5x19 "Old Dog, New Tricks" Watch & Discussion thread

[Buenos]

I would think that Santana being the PR handler of Rachel would have tons of potential. It's a way to hook the characters in SL's without being rivals, but alas, we may have seen the last of Naya on Glee.

[Buenos]

http://www.thebacklot.com/glee-519-recap-puppy-love/05/2014/2/

This episode was written by Chris Colfer who manages to squeeze a little heart (and a dose of schmaltz) into every scene. It was a nice break from the standard fair, and good to see Colfer get a chance to shine behind the camera as well

[Ireth]

I think this is the first time someone on the show actually said that Kurt is a countertenor, and of course Chris is the one who had to write it in.

Ooooh, 'Memory' is on.  
I love how they go back and forth between the old pictures and the people now.

Memory was beautiful and nostalgic, that definitely started the waterworks here.

The little flashes of the elderly as children was sweet, I was a little misty eyed again.. Wtf is wrong with me.. I'm so buying this episode tomorrow.

I loved that touch!

It was cute, maybe a little too cute for its own good, but I laughed and cried and was able to watch the entire episode without fast forward. And that is much considering this is Glee.

There were so many hits for the Kurt lover and I'm so happy that even for one episode Kurt gets to say what he thinks of things. Because it's only for episode Chris cannot fix all the things that have been dropped during the years but yay for Kurt talking about his mom, Sam having a personality and family and Kurt being frustrated and sad about him being used as a friend prop.

There were so many feel-good moments and just like others have said Sam was exceptionally well presented here, him spending meaningful time with Artie and Mercedes was such a bonus.

This. I really loved Sam and Mercedes' storyline this ep.

@Delight, Glorfindel, Lottie and Ranwing, I agree with everything you've discussed, you guys put it much better than I could have.

Overall, this was a really good job by Chris, and definitely better than a lot of what we have seen this season. I really think (hope) he'll be offered more chances to write for Glee since he did such a good job and his episode was well received.

[Lottie2303]

I would think that Santana being the PR handler of Rachel would have tons of potential.   It's a way to hook the characters in SL's without being rivals,  but alas, we may have seen the last of Naya on Glee.  

Totally agreed! Also with Rachel becoming a star, Santana in connection raising as PR spokerperson with her natural talent and some classes she could take at the same time, actually sounds realistic for me.

When are the ratings released?

[ChrisColfersLightning]

Just wanted to share my feelings about everything, I made a post earlier and thought I like to share it here.

It is Ok you guys!
You know what? Glee each week is worse and worse, every time they piss of viewers thousands of people DO NOT come back. Last week episode had 2.35 as their low ratings, this week we got 2.18 and you know what that tells me? People are simply BORED of Glee! WE had so much press release and spoilers about the finally and season 6 that people are simply tired of supporting this awful show. Last week fans of Rachel witnessed Glee writers making her VERY OOC and dismissing her dreams like an ungrateful Diva only to have spoilers that she would not only risk her career, but STILL risk it some more and Broad Way, something Rachel is KNOWN for since season 1 no longer matters. Glee’s main star, the girl from season 1 that was the outcast has become so unlikable to the GA but even her fans got upset because Glee writers, not Chris Colfer, made Rachel NOTHING like how she used to be!

FIVE YEARS was flushed down the toilet last week! FIVE YEARS of Rachel striving for Broad Way, destined to be Fanny was WASTED. We went from season 1 Don’t Rain On  My Parade Rachel to Rachel who was quick to give it all up the next episode. Then we got Special Snow Flake Blaine AGAIN being told he is such a special snow flake while poor Kurt is a loser who Blaine should break up with. Like why would Glee viewers stay anymore? Honestly why would people stick around when they know Rachel just made the worst mistake of her life and STILL will throw away 5 years of built up anticipation for Broad Way that we known about her since SEASON FUCKING ONE!

And We get a boring and stupid ass story about Blaine, someone we do not give a fuck about! Once again being told how much he is a star and better than Kurt! People are SICK of this shit! People LEFT! They are DONE! That is the GA, after last week, the GA left, and AFTER spoilers was released about the Finally, and people were angry about the Blaine and Rachel story line in episode 18 they LEFT, so the GA left and the Glee fandom left too, so OF COURSE this weeks ratings were not gonna be sky high!

We already know the finally will be bull shit! Why waste our time anymore? Plus it does not hurt that Fox and RIB lack of supporting this episode until the very last minute also had a part in it. Week after Week cast and crew and Murphy did a GleeAlong, This week NO ONE helped Chris, showing they did not care, so guess what? Us FANS showed we still care! Imagine if we did not tweet and watch? Imagine what would have happened if WE did not trend Old Dogs New Tricks all night long? We COULD of had less that 2 million viewers! It COULD have been WORSE!

So you guys, thank you so much for sticking as a fandom, I do not see 2.18 million viewers as something to be ashamed of, Glee loses hundreds of thousands of viewers WEEKLY. Nothing is gonna change that. Chris made us happy, made the Glee fandom see that someone cared about continuity and someone remembered that Glee has ups and downs and good moments and sad moments, Chris gave us a spark of the old Glee. His episode was not perfect, and he did have some flaws, but think about it. He had less than 2 months to write a script and he had to rewrite his script for episode 18 that was STILL filming barely 2 weeks ago. He had last minute writing to put in his episode and with that hot mess from last week with the Whole Rachel losing who Rachel was for the past 5 years, Chris worked with what he could, Glee is not his show, he did not create these characters, and while it was not perfect, it certainly could have been worse and I think he has a lot of reasons to be proud of himself.

So yeah, think about that you guys. Think about Chris working over 13 hours a day for a show that JUST stopped filming barely  days ago for an episode we will see next week :/ Chris was STILL filming his own episode barely a week ago and 2 weeks before that he was filming for The Back Up Plan. He dealt with the Drama of Blind Items AND the Glee drama on set while writing his episode in a small limited time, PLUS rewriting scenes to fit in with the last minute rewrites Glee personal writers did for The Back Up Plan, not to mention since Naya part got cut out in episode 20, he most likely had to write in a last minute scene in his episode for her as well, that awkward interview scene could have been from that, who knows.

All I do know is Chris did amazing for his first episode of writing a show that was not his creation and writing for characters that he did not know as well as he knew Kurt. HE worked with last minute adjusting and a very limited time with constant script changes in less than a month all while filming for Glee 5 days a week 13 plus hours a day while reading his own lines. Chris in less than 2 months had to film for Glee several last minute shootings for episodes that aired next week, sing in the studio, learn his lines, write for Glee all the while trying to make sense with drama on set and Glee writers criticism in a very short time and tie up loose ends on his episode in 40 minutes.

Chris had no chance to stretch out his plot, yes everything was settled into a happy ending at the end of his episode, but what choice he had? It was the second to last episode of Glee and he COULD NOT affect the finally of Glee, his episode was not meant to lead into ANYTHING for the Finally and that is NOT his fault, that is GLEE fault! They wanted him to write? Why not give him that chance when they had filler after filler for episodes like The End Of Twerk, Puppet Master, Perry or a GaGa? That way Chris would of had a chance to stretch out his story in 2 or 3 episodes and it would not have mattered about viewers, those episodes sucked anyways. Like Glee and fox did not give him much to work with and set him up in a very bad position of harsh judgement.

This episode was not meant to be before the Finally, Chris does not have any inpact and could not have any inpact of the finally. If anyone is to blame for the episode not being proper for the ‘plot’ of Glee (LOL Glee has a plot? Yeah right!) It is Fox and RIB, Chris was offered a Job, a SEPARATE PAYING writing Job and he did not turn it down, and you know why? He wanted to give his character a voice for once and everyone with eyes can see Glee wont last next season, and no one in the cast knows wtf is happening in season 6 so I can see WHY he wrote this episode, if anything he wanted Kurt to have ONE happy moment and he was selfish and I do not blame him, I would do the same thing!

The difference between him and the writers is he gave Kurt HUMAN emotions and a heart and compassion., He could have did ANYTHING for Kurt’s story, and you know what he did? Show us something about Kurt and himself that we known since season 1. Kurt just want to be respected and cared about AND he loves giving back and helping others. Instead of being selfish and giving Kurt instant fame like everyone else but especially special snow flakes, Chris gave Kurt an inner peace and satisfaction of a small achievement that meant more to him as a person than fame and Glory.

Let me know when the Glee writers would EVER tell a story about a character who struggles or an underdog anymore. Glee used t be about underdogs, and all Chris reminded us was that Underdogs STILL exist no matter where you live or what you got, and that Glee for once needed to remember why people loved Glee in the first place: FOR the Under Dogs. Thank you Chris, you made me so happy for this episode and I am no longer watching this show, the finally is already a let down and you ended your episode on such a good note that I rather have happy head canons then feel disappointed at the finally and be pissed all summer while waiting for season 6 of BLEE. No thank you! I am happy and content with how Chris left it, so good bye Glee! I won’t miss you, but I will always miss what you use to mean to me.


Add:
Oh! I would also like to add this: Thank you Chris, for speaking for all of us Kurtsies. You are the biggest Kurtsie of us all and you got to show everyone just what we Kurt stans been saying ALL ALONG! See everyone? Chris feels the same way, you say we complain a lot about Kurt and say we speak for him, but did Chris not just show us how Kurt feel about being mistreated? We are not making stuff up in our head. Kurt was just silenced for so long, he is heart just like we are heart Bless Chris for always being the number one Kurtsie <3 You understand us and it means alot :,)

[brisallie]

I would think that Santana being the PR handler of Rachel would have tons of potential.   It's a way to hook the characters in SL's without being rivals,  but alas, we may have seen the last of Naya on Glee.  

Is a pity is still uncertain if she will return or not. This PR plot could have helped to Santana to realize what she actually want in her life, or she's good at. I'd love to see some development.

As regards Maggie and Clara SL, at some point I think that story could had a connection with Rachel, as Maggie was a broadway star who was more into her work than her family, and now she's seeing the consequences of that, so she could have been a good advisor for Rachel. BUT I put aside those thoughts right after that idea came to my mind, because as this was Chris's episode, and though we know he's very generous and has no problems to give everybody a plot, I really wanted Maggie to be his story. But still I couldn't avoid to see the parallel.

[Ranwing]

A lot of people noticed the parallells between Maggie and Rachel, and it could possibly be explored if Maggie was going to come back at some point. But since she's not (as far as we know) the point is moot. Maggie was there to support Kurt's story and honestly, I'm not upset that Kurt wasn't sharing his special guest stars this time. He's had too much taken away from him over the course of the past three seasons and I'm inclined to be a little selfish.

[ChrisColfersLightning]

Posted on Tumblr, but would like to add here Can we try to Trend 'Gleeks Love Old Dog New Tricks' No hash tags so it can trend easier? Just wanna show Chris some more love and support today  

[YaoiChick]

When? Now?

[Lottie2303]

OMG!!! This is epic: http://blindgossip.com/?p=62309#more-62309

BONUS CLUE: Which 4 TV actors gave a gleeful shout out last night to their favorite gossip site? Touché @chriscolfer! http://t.co/LEhtliRFIz

— Blind Gossip (@blindgossipcom) May 7, 2014

[brisallie]

A lot of people noticed the parallells between Maggie and Rachel, and it could possibly be explored if Maggie was going to come back at some point. But since she's not (as far as we know) the point is moot. Maggie was there to support Kurt's story and honestly, I'm not upset that Kurt wasn't sharing his special guest stars this time. He's had too much taken away from him over the course of the past three seasons and I'm inclined to be a little selfish.

So agree. But you know if Maggie would have come back, I would haven't mind if she gives some advices to Rachel, but as we're not sure about it, actually I think we won't see her again, I'm glad she only was part of Kurt's story.As for the last line you pointed out he had too much taken away from him, some people were commenting if this episode was the opportunity for Chris to vent about things he wasn't so agree, like Kurt being put aside.

OMG!!! This is epic: http://blindgossip.com/?p=62309#more-62309

BONUS CLUE: Which 4 TV actors gave a gleeful shout out last night to their favorite gossip site? Touché @chriscolfer! http://t.co/LEhtliRFIz

— Blind Gossip (@blindgossipcom) May 7, 2014

What? Is this real?   This site is so funny. Real life imitating fiction?

[ChrisColfersLightning]

When? Now?

I'm trying to get more people on bored, but I am starting to tweet now, yea

[ChrisColfersLightning]

You guys! Quite a bit of people are trying to help Trend 'Gleeks Love Old Dog New Tricks' :D Omg I am really happy! I also put tiny messages to Chris in mines    Here is the link to the twitter feed! Gleeks Love Old Dog New Tricks Twitter feed

[YaoiChick]

A lot of people are @ Chris, including myself. He gets positivity for the episode while we trend.

[ChrisColfersLightning]

A lot of people are @ Chris, including myself. He gets positivity for the episode while we trend.

  Exactly! I am also writing comments about the other actors and their characters and tweeting them to Lea, Amber, Chord, Kevin so they can see we like them too and their fans also tweet stuff to them :)SO basically, we are letting them know we love the episode and their funny scenes :D I tag Chris in those tweets too since he wrote their funny scenes ^_^ Lot of people are tweeting, I hope it trends

[ChrisColferFan1]

Although, I wish the ratings had been higher I am proud of Chris Colfer.

[Glorfindel]

^And that's what really matters, right?   

OMG!!! This is epic: http://blindgossip.com/?p=62309#more-62309

BONUS CLUE: Which 4 TV actors gave a gleeful shout out last night to their favorite gossip site? Touché @chriscolfer! http://t.co/LEhtliRFIz

— Blind Gossip (@blindgossipcom) May 7, 2014

OMG. This is hilarious. 
Is this art imitating life or life imitating art?   

A lot of people are @ Chris, including myself. He gets positivity for the episode while we trend.

On it as well.  

[Glorfindel]

I wrote some thoughts about the episode on TWoP and Previously.tv, and this is sort of what it boiled down to:
(the St. Gay stuff is included because people were using that trope on those forums again.    )

Chris' episode wasn't perfect, there was some dialogue that felt a bit heavy-handed, and I agree that the mother/daughter storyline was sugarcoated, but compared to the usual crap the Glee writers give us imo this was one of the better ones of season 4 and 5.
With the wiggle room Chris was given for this episode, having to continu Rachel's and Samcedes' storylines and not being allowed to change anything drastic in the canon before the season's finale, I think he did very well. He gave Kurt the main story (and don't forget that he was asked specificly by the writers to write for Kurt, because he knows him so well), but the other storylines got practically equally as much screentime, although lesser songs, but I don't begrudge Kurt his 2nd (almost) solo this season.
There was continuity, good characterisations, serious talks between the characters (like Samcedes), an emphasis on the friendships instead of mere romantic relationships, (dark) humor, the underdogs theme Glee started out with, the good use of the songs in the stoylines, and everyone of the characters getting something to do (although Blaine was mostly supporting, but I suspect Chris wanted to stay as far away from any Klaine/crisscolfer backlash as possible).
To me it had the feeling of old Glee.
 
I loved the way 'Memory' was used in this episode, with the old folks reminiscing their past, and the camera even showing their old pictures to highlight their heydays. It made me tear up, as I understood that Chris was honoring the real actorss achievements and legacy along with their characters'. With the theme of 'Peter Pan' being not wanting to grow up/old I thought this storyline had a beautiful sentimental symbolism.
And letting those old folks sing Madonna's 'Lucky Star' to top it off, while Kurt (or better: Chris) was having a jolly good time flying in that harness, made it perfect imo.
 
As mentioned, the solution to the mother/daughter storyline was a bit of an easy fix, but Maggie did start apologizing to her daughter when she saw her, admitting her blame, so the reconciliation wasn't all one-sided coming from the daughter. Sometimes it just takes 1 person making that first step, even when it's prompted by an intrusive and kind of a naive/trusting youngster.
I think Kurt just is that person who cares and tries to help, even when his help seems unwanted, ill-adviced or even misguided. He gets upset and huffy when his friends don't seem to care for him likewise in return (and they often don't). I don't get how being a nice guy in general, despite some heavy setbacks and heartbreaks in his life I might add, brands Kurt a 'martyr' or earns him the nickname St. Kurt so easily.
Other characters on the show do similar stuff all the time (like the kids being guilt-tripped by Sue and Sam for being excited about making a local tv special instead of volunteering at the homeless shelter on the same day, Rachel had that whole speech calling out Sue 2 episodes ago, and in one of Blaine's first episodes he seeked out Burt to tell him to educate Kurt on gay male sex). But somehow Kurt can't be a basically good person who takes the high road most of the time, but he also can't be flawed and call out someone else or feel sorry for himself when he feels left behind. Damned if he does, damned if he doesn't.
At least Kurt bringing up how he missed having a mom to explain to Clara why he cared that she was estranged to Maggie was imo a much better reason to bring up his mom's death than Burt using that trump card to pressure him to accept Blaine's proposal, ugh.
 
Rachel's storyline was on the one hand repetitive, but on the other hand it fitted her characterisation and storylines of the past episodes, and it was at least done in a funny way, with cute dogs. It also showed the girls' friendships (and involving Sam, Artie and Blaine as well) in an actual active and effective way, instead of giving mostly lipservice and saccharine speeches of how wonderful friends everyone is with one another when the show regularly shows me otherwise in canon.
The way Kurt was woven into Rachel's storyline was in a way also repetitive, but it pointed out some things that I think many Kurtsies wanted Kurt to say for a long time as their conflict was seen from Kurt's POV for a change (where he usually just reacts to whatever Rachel's doing). In the end there was mutual reaching out from both sides (with Kurt calling Rachel to apologize while Rachel already made some arrangements to surprise Kurt), so none of them really had to grovel or be the only guilty party.
 
What stood out for me especially and what I really love Chris for is how he wrote for Sam this episode, reminding everyone (the writers too?) that once upon a time (in seasons 2 and 3), Sam wasn't as dumb as Brittany and took care of his family.
I also liked how maturely Samcedes handled their conflict, but without their storyline getting too heavy-handed because there was some fun in it too (like Artie feeling so uncomfortable being caught in the middle).

[Glorfindel]

[brisallie]

I promise to not read recaps again, they just got on my nerves, some were quite fine like Rae Votta, but that douchebag from AV Club...he irks me, and I don't want to jump in conclusions, but I've the feeling he's a Kurt hater. But what made me feel more sick were the comments, it seems in Glee fandom there can be a discussion that's not end in a war.

I personally liked the episode, though I also agree there were some plot that were treated rushed, like Maggie/Claire story, so quoting the writer of EW, Chris was a quite competent writer. I'm saying this because I've read comments of people saying this episode was kinda sweet, why Rachel wen't from having a diva attitude to being nice and praised again; it seems like people were expecting a miracle and all of sudden this episode would solved all the issues Glee has. That would have been great, but apparently people have forgotten that Chris was invited by Ryan, but he's still not part of the writers crew so he hadn't so much to say, or couldn't make big changes. So he tried to do his best with the material he was given.

[coxfire]

I loved the line about how the old lady planned to play Peter was the only ones whose hips were strong enough to endure the harness. And Tim Conways' about being sure you have your teeth, cracked me up. And Kurt's "she dropped...out" (oh honey, couldn't say she dropped dead).

The Maggie/Clara reunionis the biggest quip I have, I didn't like this part of the plot, although Kurt's actions makes sense with who the character is. I agree that Kurt/Maggie being each other families would have been better, and Clara not showing up might have been a little harsh but less saccharine.

I really liked the rest of the episode, notably how Chris wrote for Sam/Chord. Thanks for reminding us that before S4 trainwreck, Sam was a decent character and not a simpleton just because they had to pair him with Brittany.

Too bad Nayagate happened because her moving to a publicist career would have been a nice and unforeseen move, but we can't always get what we want. And too bad Chris didn't snatch this opportunity to give us a Kurtana duet.

I don't care about the reviews, because, as I knew it'd happened: the GA don't care, haters hate, and Kurtsies mostly love it without forgetting to point out the flaws. The fact that some called it "worse episode of the season" makes me laugh, when you had dreck like Puppet Master, the End of Twerk and even Katy vs Gaga, or basically, when you had to endure the horror that McKinley was.

And compared to previous seasons, I really don't think it was worse than the useless Promasaurus or Night of Neglect, and others I apparently don't even remamber (is Pot of Gold an actual episode?)

And thanks Chris, for not making Kurt an instant megasuperstar, but showing him happy to do something he loves, as low-scale as it is.

It certainly wasn't perfect, but a very, very remarkable effort for a first time.

[ChrisColfersLightning]

I know they might not be super high, but anyone has the itune charts?

[Buenos]

I get that some thought the Maggie/ Daughter mini plot was hackneyed and too patly resolved.  I don't necessarily disagree.

Maybe it's me but Kurt telling Maggie's daughter he lost his mother at the age of 8 wasn't the equivalent of saying " screw you, I've suffered more than anyone in the universe so you must do what I say".

I suppose you can never reference your characters past per some posters.   

The projections of "Sainthood" accusations are amusing and so so transparent.  The vehemence and anger towards Kurt speaks volumes, no?   

[brisallie]

@Buenos, I'm tired of the 'Sainthood' term, why they keep bringing that? But you know, I agree that speak volumes. Why do they invest so much time in a character they hate?

For me Kurt truly wanted to help Maggie, but also I believe he projected some on his deepest feeling onto this relationship, as he lost her mom at a young age, so if he were able to see her mom again, he will do it. So probably that why he doesn't fully understand why some sons/daughters don't interact more with their moms. I believe each person have their own reasons, and personally this plot could have been more developed as in RL sometimes is not easily to forget something that leave marks from the past. But is possible, is just that it takes time. Anyways, I liked that Chris gave Maggie some backstory, it would be great it would have been developed in further episodes, but as is been already commented, she probably is not coming back.

[Buenos]

I admit Kurt like other characters on Glee, can lecture at times.

However in the context of the story how Kurt reacted was consistent with his character and his past. Was it unsolicited and probably out of line? Sure, but it was obvious he was feeling Maggie's loneliness and wanted to help. He gave advice and stepped back, to hear some reactions he dragged the daughter to the performance on his celestial wings.   

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