Re: Glee season 6 discussion and spoiler thread--Part 2

[Glorfindel]

Even if Kurt is  more effeminate than Blaine,he is still more of a man than Blaine, and in my opinion always  has been.

Definitely.

It's always hard to talk about effeminacy in this context, because there's indeed absolutely nothing wrong with having (attributed to) feminine traits. I personally even think it's more of an extra strength and hate how negative and wrong being a girl/woman is perceived by many, especially by men (hence effeminate gays getting so much hate). While being a jock doesn't automatically mean you are superior and a hero either, but they are considered as such.
And when you look at Kurt and how he handles things it's obvious he has a 1000x more guts and resilience than the likes of Blaine and Sam.

But that's sadly not what the show has been telling us, as they very clearly think that being a jock equals being a hero who needs to resque the damsel in distress and/or have the right to correct the girls' wrong (in their eyes) behavior. According to Glee Blaine is one of those 'heroes', while Kurt is...well...Kurt.
And therefore it's odd that over the seasons in appearance they made Blaine look more effeminate (and Darren gradually acted him more effeminate too) while Kurt slowly grew into his body and started wearing less layers. But their characters roughly stayed the same (well, at least Kurt did), so now we have this weird situation where they often behave and are perceived quite the opposite as to how they dress.

And more importantly: the people around them, even strangers, still react as if Blaine is this muscular manly alpha male (when he's wearing ugly bowties and suspenders!) while Kurt still looks like a 11 year old milkmaid in their eyes (with the exception of 'Tested') when he clearly doesn't.
It just doesn't make any sense.

[Ranwing]

The funny thing is that with the sole exception of June Dolloway, no one in the NY storyline has been treating Kurt like this. It's nearly exclusively a Lima conceit. Since arriving in NY, Kurt has been seen as a major theatrical talent at NYADA, an object of desire by the men of NY and per Tested, seen as Blaine's superior (the alpha/beta gay dynamic was completely upended). It's only in Lima that Blaine is see as the idealized masculine gay figure.

Part of it, as I see it, is overfamiliarity. Most of the people who haven't been able to see Kurt's more normalized masculine qualities are people who've known Kurt since his milkmaid stage. They just haven't been able to separate that sharp, fey boy from the sharp, heroic man that he grew into. Kurt's natural androgynous qualities are a part of it as well, though as of late Kurt has been taking on a strikingly more masculine cut.

I think that it's telling that the show has allowed Kurt to thrive and grow in NY, where he finds acceptance and affirmation while Blaine is the one who struggled, failed and went running back to the place where he'd regained as a quasi-godling. Blaine went back to the comforting womb of Dalton where he was lauded and idolized because he couldn't cut it in NY. But Kurt is making it in NY which just affirms how much stronger and well-equipped for life than Blaine is.

[Glorfindel]

^I totally agree with the overfamiliarity thing and people from Lima only still seeing Kurt as the 11-year old milkmaid.
It was quite telling that Kurt's new friends and acquaintances in New York, like Isabelle, Chase, Brody, Adam, Elliot, Dani, those NYADA guys, his colleagues at the diner, and let's not forget the men in the gaybar, never were bothered by or mentioned anything about Kurt's appearance other than complimenting him.
No talk of Kurt always naturally being second to his alpha male bf, calling him "lady Hummel", and having to find his "own niche" from them. That sort of stuff only came from his old 'friends' from McKinley, and even his dad (hospital scene in 'Bash').

But when you look at season 6 then we get Blaine being worshipped as a hero by the Warblers again, when these new Warblers are all strangers to him, a complete new batch, as Blaine only spent at the most 1 1/2 years there and left 2 years before graduation.
I understand some of Blaine's famous 'legacy' (of tying at Sectionals, LMAO) still lingers at Dalton, but one look at grandpa/toddler Blaine should be enough to have those new Warblers seriously question whomever hired Blaine to be their feareless leader.

Same with new McKinley guy Spencer, who will probably reject whatever Kurt has to say to him because he deems Kurt not the 'right kind of gay', when he, the jock, obviously is. When Kurt's guns and broad chest are clearly visible under every tight button-up shirt they put him in, let alone those legs in stretch jeans.

It's RIB who can't let go of the old tropes: they decided to stubbornly bring everyone back to Lima, Ohio, and instead of looking at the developments and changes these characters (and some of their actors) have gone through the last 2 years, they just reset everything to how they were in season 1 (or 2, in Blaine and Sam's cases).

[Divalicious]

^ All of this, but sadly the show is now also saying that because Rachel and Blaine couldn't keep success in NY (because she threw it away) it is no longer valuable. Kurt should be willing to go to Lima to help her out (and pine after Blaine), because everyone exists to help Rachel, and I have no doubt she will be given, yet again, another wonderful chance. Kurt will clap just outside of the spotlight, just in case someone watching the show doesn't know she is the star.

If you look at it, the female characters are not written as strong. They are written as mean. Santana is cruel, Brittney walks away from any mean things she says because she's stupid, I mean she's a genius and we just can't understand how brilliant she is, Sue is pathologically angry at Glee club, Rachel is pathologically needy, etc, etc.

To be strong on this show, you have to be male, number one (which is why they are changing Beiste to male I guess, because she was strong, until you mock her femininity, then she shrinks like a violet) and you have to pass, in the eyes of the writers. Then you can be whiny all you want, but you are still not mean like the girls. You are just misunderstood, but your bros totally get you. So in the end, Glee is all about white boys getting to the stars, the token incredibly talented girl is the star, and all the POC and the LBGT are politely clapping from the back row.

[Glorfindel]

^ All of this, but sadly the show is now also saying that because Rachel and Blaine couldn't keep success in NY (because she threw it away) it is no longer valuable.  Kurt should be willing to go to Lima to help her out (and pine after Blaine), because everyone exists to help Rachel, and I have no doubt she will be given, yet again, another wonderful chance.  Kurt will clap just outside of the spotlight, just in case someone watching the show doesn't know she is the star. 

And they're not even saying that: having Blaine be worshipped as the New Messiah at Dalton (with a nice fat office to sit in that even has a shrine dedicated to his Warblers jacket and fugly bowties), and painting it so that Rachel goes back to coach ND in order to save them, not because she literally has nothing else to do after being blacklisted on Broadway and having failed in Hollywood.

RIB want to have the cake and eat it too, as always. They want viewers to sympathize with Rachel and Blaine by making them the biggest losers again (as that was part of the magic of season 1), but they don't want to actually show their special snowflakes as losers.

So Rachel gets to mope around for 1 episode, but has Blaine and the Warblers, her dad, Mr. Shue, and later Kurt and the old gang at her beck and call to cheer her up. And instead of focusing on why she's back in Lima, namely because she was a brat who badmouthed and quit her dream school and abandoned a Broadway show after 3 weeks, she only gets pitied for being so out of luck, and then is portrayed as the great, altruistic saviour of her old glee club.

And though we know Blaine flunked out of NYADA and crawled back to his rich parents with his tail between his legs, his bad fortune is painted as solely being Kurt's fault for dumping him, while he's just a tragic here because he just FEELS so much.
And we don't even get to see his unfortunate return to Lima, because at the beginning of episode 1 it seems he's already firmly and happily established at Dalton with no tarnish on his career or reputation whatsoever. And on top of that he's also aready in a new relationship, with cute nicknames for the both of them and plans to move in together.

So Rachel and Blaine don't even get their deserved comeuppance and 'life lesson': they just land comfortably on the thick cushions RIB provided for them, while numerous characters wait impatiently in the wings to comfort, pity and worship them.
Ugh.

If you look at it, the female characters are not written as strong.  They are written as mean.  Santana is cruel, Brittney walks away from any mean things she says because she's stupid, I mean she's a genius and we just can't understand how brilliant she is, Sue is pathologically angry at Glee club, Rachel is pathologically needy, etc, etc.  

Mercedes is lazy and sassy, Tina is an ungrateful overreacting bitch, Quinn is just crazy, etc., I agree.
But when you look at it a lot of these 'weak' females have accomplished more than most of the guys: Mercedes, Santana and Brittany are succesfully touring together, Santana and Brittany are in a committed years-long relationship (no matter what you might think of their characters) Quinn is at Yale(?), Tina is in college too, and Sue is principal again.

And if we can throw in Kurt as an honorary girl, because he's often treated that way by RIB, then he also has accomplished a lot more than alpha male Blaine or macho Sam, even special snowflake Rachel, as he is the one still in a prestigious college, with Vogue on his resume, a job, and holding up his own pants in his loft in New York.

To be strong on this show, you have to be male, number one (which is why they are changing Beiste to male I guess, because she was strong, until you mock her femininity, then she shrinks like a violet) and you have to pass, in the eyes of the writers.  Then you can be whiny all you want, but you are still not mean like the girls.  You are just misunderstood, but your bros totally get you.  So in the end, Glee is all about white boys getting to the stars, the token incredibly talented girl is the star, and all the POC and the LBGT are politely clapping from the back row.

And how sad is this? When this show in the beginning was lauded for being interested in the misfits and underdogs. Now they've made a complete 180 degrees U-turn.

[brisallie]

I so agree that is in Lima that Kurt is still perceived as the 'wrong kind of gay' , as it seems for them time has no passed, or simply don't wanna see the changes that have occurred. In Lima, Blaine is still the 'alpha gay', and as you have pointed is because of the overfamiliarity. So why do change things that work as they are? Bullshit.

Yeah, is a pity in what Glee has turned into. A tv show that was praised for accepting misfits characters as people who are as awesome as the popular ones, the stereotypes of high school. And now is...a joke? They have turned into the opposite they used to promote.

[Glorfindel]

I'm very curious about this song. We know Kurt is singing on it, along with a dozen other characters, so I want to know how much he's singing (probably only 1 line, keeping my expectations low).

There are stills of Rachel, Sam, Puck and Mercedes probably singing that song, but not Kurt.
 

'Take on Me' is in the top 10 songs I've always wanted Kurt to sing, so on the one hand I'm glad he's on it, but on the other hand I don't think he'll get to sing much, so.....

[Buenos]

This is why it's useless to hope too much for this Season 6, as the co-Director of Glee one would think Kurt would have a large singing role trying to recruit students, but nooo.......  

Oh well, If I can't have Chris, I would love for Mark/Puck to have a big role on "Take on Me".  I've always enjoyed Mark's voice and there is a distinct tone to it that is nice.

[Buenos]

FRIDAY, JANUARY 16

GLEE CLUB 2.0 ON AN ALL-NEW "GLEE" FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, ON FOX

Rachel and Kurt struggle as they try to rebuild and co-direct the glee club at McKinley. Meanwhile, Sue is concerned when Becky brings her new boyfriend to town in the all-new "Jagged Little Tapestry" episode of GLEE airing Friday, Jan. 16 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.

(GLE-603) (TV-14 D, L)

Cast: Lea Michele as Rachel Berry; Chris Colfer as Kurt Hummel; Darren Criss as Blaine Anderson; Chord Overstreet as Sam Evans, Jane Lynch as Sue, Matthew Morrison as Will, Dot-Marie Jones as Coach Beiste, Lauren Potter as Becky

[Glorfindel]

6x04 The Hurt Locker | Press release thefutoncritic.com

FRIDAY, JANUARY 23
[EDITOR’S NOTE: An audio description for tonight’s episode of GLEE is available on the SAP Audio Channel.]


—“GLEE” - (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) CC-AD-HDTV 720p-Dolby Digital 5.1


SUE STIRS THE POT ON AN ALL-NEW “GLEE” FRIDAY, JANUARY 23, ON FOX
Rachel tries to make a deal with Will, so that his glee club purposefully underperforms at their invitational. Meanwhile, Sue is busy meddling and hypnotizes Sam into making a move on Rachel to throw her off in the all-new “The Hurt Locker, Part One” episode of GLEE airing Friday, Jan. 23 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (GLE-604) (TV-14 D, L)


Cast: Lea Michele as Rachel Berry; Chris Colfer as Kurt Hummel; Darren Criss as Blaine Anderson; Chord Overstreet as Sam Evans, Jane Lynch as Sue, Matthew Morrison as Will, Dot-Marie Jones as Coach Beiste, Lauren Potter as Becky
 

[mindschemez]

"Take on Me" performance: http://www.etonline.com/media/video/glee_sneak_peek_take_on_me-155731/?viewFull=true

Highlight
-Chris introduces the clip BTS from the wedding set in his tux

Fail
-Kurt: "We are going to give McKinley a taste of what they've been missing."
*Basically disappears*

Typical. Marie called it. I do think it's a fun performance, though.

[angelnessa]

Yeah, cute, but I felt nothing. What a difference from season one and two, when they had performances that could give me chills.

[Buenos]

It was just there.

TBH I can't even get upset Kurt was hardly featured because even the vocalists with solo lines were not even featured.  All of the Glee characters on the video were like inconsequential wall paper, and in this case the gimmick of the Original AHA music video ( edgy at its time) backfired, the cartoon drawing just diluted their actual prescense on the screen.

Sadly, this is one of the first times I felt they could have had the Noobs of Season 4 perform a number and it would have been interchangeable with the Original cast. Not horrible but just inconsequential and throwaway.

[mindschemez]

http://churroscolfer.tumblr.com/post/106713676617

[mindschemez]

http://kurtsies.tumblr.com/post/106714643113

[valkeakuulas]

The animation was cool and then...

well nothing. And yes the annoying trend of having Kurt and Rachel, espcially Kurt, be the non-featured-header of the Glee general promo's. I don't even count the Fox BTS crap, but these official, entertainment site segments.

It's just a crying shame we will not get to see more of Kurt in those tight yellow trousers and purple jacket with a 80's swoop.

Ah the wasted opportunities of Glee.

You know also, I was afraid they'd throw in Blaine just for the sake of it...THAT not happening was the only suprising moment of the Take On Me.

[fantastica]

i love the animated drawing treatment. glee still has a lot of creative juice in it, just not in the writing department.

[Glorfindel]

Typical. Marie called it. I do think it's a fun performance, though.

Ha, it was even worse than I thought: I thought they would at least give him 1 solo line. But not even that.

The whole song was a mess, basically, with an oversynthesized bunch of robot-sounding people singing the chorus,

Ha, you know what they did, the morons? They had the guys start singing the chorus at the low beginning, and then let the girls take over to sing the higher notes at the end!!! Sure, there is some overlapping voices that do the whole part, but they are very clearly computersynthesized and sound extremely robotic.
Doing the chorus like this takes away every impact that awesome low-to-high part had, done by ONE VOICE (Morten Harket) in the original from A-Ha .

I can't tell you how pissed I am about that! 
And not just because Chris and/or Kevin could have sung that chorus as a solo or duo, maybe even Naya could have done it.

It's just ignoring and destroying one of the most iconic and epic solos of the pop songs of its time. It's like having the famous clarinet solo at the beginning of Gershwin's 'Rhapsody in Blue' being divided between 3-4 instruments because the clarinettist can't reach both the low and the high notes. Or like having the dying swan ballet solo performed by 10 people, of which 5 are male (to do the stretching and bending), and the other 5 are female (for the spitzen/pointes parts).

They basically took the best part out of the song, an impressive solo, and the thing that makes the song so special in the first place, and don't even realize what they've done. Baffling.

I thought I'd be pissed because Kurt wouldn't get much to sing in 'Take on Me', but (as an artist) the way they arranged it (and also for completely making it flat and as exciting as elevator music), is way worse.
Ah well, at least I won't have to write a review about it, as Kurt cannot be heard at all.

Grrrmmmmbbbllll.

[Glorfindel]

Having said that (lol), I liked the way they recreated the A-Ha clip.
It needed more Kurt imo, but that's like stating the obvious here. 


I think it's funny that you can recognize Chris even when he's somewhere running in the back of a badly animated cartoon.

[Glorfindel]

This though......

 
x

The return of 'Single Ladies' and Kurt excoting dancing on a table. 

[Kurt addict]

This though......

 
x

The return of 'Single Ladies' and Kurt excoting dancing on a table. 

Well I could have done with more of that and in better focus! that body of his ahhhhhhhhhhh

Happy New year to one and all, may your year ahead be safe, happy, healthy and fulfilled

[valkeakuulas]

Isn't Zacn Woodlee back for this season again?

[Jellyrolls]

I hate to be critical of the pre-Bland cast, but this isn't anywhere close to the season one and two group numbers--doesn't come anywhere near the magic of something like Home/Homeward Bound that featured many of the grads. It just lacked a real group number feel to it despite the fact that it is a group number.

I kind of wish they didn't just recreate videos so much, though. It was a great concept when aha did the video in the mid-80's, but seems silly now. You know what the sad part is? A lot of the young Glee fans probably never saw the original video and will think that Glee had the brilliance to come up with it (well, the young fans who aren't saying "Where's Darren?").

And I am sick of the number of times these kids go running back to their high school. No school would allow grads to run around like this now a days.

Damn you Ryan Murphy for screwing up the show.

[Buenos]

I remember how revolutionary and cutting edge the AHA! video seemed in it's day, and IMO it still holds up quite well, but geeze, that was 30 years ago.

Just recreating it, what was the point?

Hard to believe that might have been the last big group number of the original Glee. What a waste.

Again, it wasn't horrible, but just inconsequential and bland and generic.

[Glorfindel]

I hate to be critical of the pre-Bland cast, but this isn't anywhere close to the season one and two group numbers--doesn't come anywhere near the magic of something like Home/Homeward Bound that featured many of the grads. It just lacked a real group number feel to it despite the fact that it is a group number.

What it lacked was actual singing. Real, pure, raw singing, not this synthesizer mess.

And them running around like babboons after eating fermented fruit also doesn't help to create a group feeling, where some good old synchronised choreography would have made the difference, imo.

I remember how revolutionary and cutting edge the AHA! video seemed in it's day, and IMO it still holds up quite well, but geeze, that was 30 years ago.

Gosh, I loved that video! Wanted to watch it everytime it came on tv (no youtube back then, nor MTV, not even video!)

Back in those days the drawings were handmade one by one, not coming from a computer who only has to process the digital footage.
Only that fact makes the imitation of Glee seem a bit disrespectful and hollow.

But I still think it was fun to see the old cast (even Sue) together, and then of course there was looking-hot-as-hell Mr. Colfer.

Hard to believe that might have been the last big group number of the original Glee.  What a waste.

Now this is just sad.

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