6x01x02 "Loser Like Me/Homecoming" Watch & Discussion thread

FRIDAY, JANUARY 9

Following the epic failure of the very first episode of her semi-autobiographical live TV series, a humiliated – and now unemployed – Rachel flees Hollywood and returns home to Lima, Ohio looking for moral support and a reboot. Unfortunately, things at home aren’t any better, as she quickly discovers her two dads are in the midst of getting a divorce and their family home is being sold. Misery loves company, and Rachel reconnects with Blaine, who, following his breakup with Kurt and being cut from NYADA, has also returned home to Lima to lick his wounds, and has taken a position as the coach of the all-male Dalton Academy Glee Club, the Warblers. Also back home is Sam, who has given up his modeling career for the lower stress position as McKinley’s assistant football coach, and proud poppa Will has taken a job coaching McKinley’s bitter rivals, Vocal Adrenaline.

In the interim, Sue, McKinley’s new principal, has remade the school in her own image, disbanding the Glee Club and ridding the school of every last remnant of New Directions – and all arts classes and clubs in general – and turning it into a sports powerhouse. Meanwhile, in New York, Kurt tries to move on with his post-Blaine life but finds himself second-guessing his decision and getting a rude awakening. Back at McKinley, following an attitude intervention by her friends, Rachel sets her sights on a new goal… reinstating the arts and reviving the Glee Club at McKinley… but it comes with a catch, and a whole new set of challenges.


SPECIAL GUESTS
Figgins - IQBAL THEBA
Dave Karofsky - MAX ADLER

PRODUCTION CREDITS
Written by RYAN MURPHY, BRAD FALCHUK & IAN BRENNAN
Directed by BRADLEY BUECKER

FRIDAY, JANUARY 9

As Homecoming approaches at McKinley, Rachel finds she is up against several obstacles, some old and some new, as she tries to reconstitute the school’s Glee Club, but she remains unfazed and dedicated to her task at hand. While Kurt has stepped up to assist her in the monumental task, the two soon find themselves in an all-too-familiar power struggle. Following a moment of inspiration, Rachel resorts to calling on the alumni of New Directions in a bid to make Glee Club cool again, and Puck, Quinn, Santana, Mercedes, Brittany, Artie and Tina arrive to act as recruiters and mentors. While it looks like Rachel’s immediate problems may be solved, the returning alums discover much has changed at McKinley in their absence.

At Dalton Academy, Blaine is shocked with the news that a new student – a girl named Jane – has been admitted to the formerly all-male school and wants to be a Warbler, which results in chaos among the current members of the show choir and ends with Jane getting a chance to earn her way into the exclusive club. Meanwhile, Kurt finds himself in an unusual situation when he approaches a gay – and uniquely empowered – member of McKinley’s football team in a bid to recruit him for the Glee Club, Sue continues her pursuit to crush the new iteration of New Directions, and three rival show choir coaches find keeping their “friendly competition” friendly to be a bit harder than anticipated.

SPECIAL GUESTS
Tina Cohen-Chang - JENNA USHKOWITZ
Noah ‘Puck’ Puckerman - MARK SALLING
L. Quinn Fabray - DIANNA AGRON
Santana Lopez - NAYA RIVERA
Brittany S. Pierce - HEATHER MORRIS
Kitty Wilde - BECCA TOBIN
Becky Jackson - LAUREN POTTER
Dave Karofsky - MAX ADLER

PRODUCTION CREDITS
Written by RYAN MURPHY
Directed by BRADLEY BUECKER

You all know what to do.

It's almost time for the beginning of the end. Who's not excited?

The only thing I'm going to get excited over is to see how pitiful the ratings are. And Kurt (of course).

Self-pitying Rachel and Blaine? Psychotic Sue? Pass...

But, Wendy, how can you not feel bad for poor Blainey-days. I mean, Kurt sent him packing, he failed out of school, and I heard that his man are too tight from all the cronuts he ate.

Let the snark begin!

I can't bring myself to feel sorry for Rachel. Nothing that's happening is anyone else's fault. Yeah, it sucks when things fall apart on you, but I'll save my sympathy for those who have shitty things happen through no fault of their own. Not selfish children.

Rachel had the lowest rated television show of all time? Could that be foreshadowing for what the Glee episodes this season?

You know, this opening scene might be funny if it weren't for the fact that Ryan ruined this show with his egotistical ideas of what this show.

I usually enjoy Lea's voice, but she doesn't have the edge to pull off "Unvited." I think she's been watching Darren too much with all this derping.

Oh gods... Darren must never sing live again. And Lea... stop screaming at me!

That scene between the two of them at the Lima Bean was funny (unintentionally of course). The two most blessed characters who had the easiest paths imaginable now Lima Losers because of their own failings. Nope... no sympathy for them.

Stokes! The second best part of the episode! I love Stokes!

Rachel goes into seclusion? What a sulky baby.

You have to lose everything before you really find yourself? Is that the point of Rachel this season? Letting her lose everything so she can come up on top?

Yes, Rachel, you are on the worst television show in history. It used to be good, but then came Blaine, and he sucked everything that was good from the show.

No, Blaine, you got cut from NYADA because you suck! I really hate Darren's little laugh thing he does when he talks.

I guess the beginning of Suddenly Seymour is when Darren sings live, and you sure can tell how weak his voice is. Just sounds sounded terrible. Like a bad open Mike thing. And this song was just pointless in the episode.

And damn Rachel for not going to Kurt right after hearing about the breakup. He was the one who was always supporting and encouraging you, and you sing with the whiny cheating attention whore.

Oh, this is new. Sue is going to keep the glee club away. That is so revolutionary.

i completely forgot about it. just got home. is it on now?

The scene with Kurt was good and it was a good voice over. And at least now we have a logical explanation why he can be in Lima. At least as logical as Glee is ever going to manage.

The Warblers are so overdone. And that number was beyond overproduced. On the plus side, I was able to tune Blaine out completely.

Yeah... this is turning out as bad as I was expecting.

Oh, poor Kurt. You tell people Blaine is a great guy? After the crappy treatment he given you time and time again. I'm not going to rehash the list. It's too lengthy, and we all know it.

I don't like the idea of Samchel, but I have to say that Chord really does bring up his game acting wise when he's not acting opposite Darren. Darren really does suck the life out of people he acts with.

fantastica wrote:i completely forgot about it. just got home. is it on now?

Yes, the train wreak is on now. Come join the watching.

fantastica wrote:i completely forgot about it. just got home. is it on now?

Yup... just to bring you up to speed, Rachel got shitcanned and is feeling sorry for herself. Blaine is feeling sorry for himself. Kurt has a halfway logical reason to justify being in Lima for the semester. And the show totally sucks.

Enjoy!

Oh, the flashback of the breakup. Oh my god. Darren's acting opposite Chris in the flashback scene is hysterical. My gosh, he's just horrible. He can not do Darren. He is whiny. He is just terrible. I mean, seriously bad. I laughed so hard a few times.

Oh gods... Darren's overacting during the break up scene was a riot. He looked either constipated or nauseous... I couldn't decide which. And the early critics were right... Chris's acting is what makes that scene and makes you sympathize with Kurt. Even if he's the one doing the breaking up, he's not wrong.

Will and the baby were adorable!

Aww, Will & Daniel is so cute. He sure loves his kid.

Glee really always mad the VA numbers better dancing numbers. Wow, Will gets no respect from his new Glee kids.

Rachel is still in her pity party? She is just going to be going from person to person saying "woe is me."

Ranwing wrote:Oh gods... Darren's overacting during the break up scene was a riot. He looked either constipated or nauseous... I couldn't decide which. And the early critics were right... Chris's acting is what makes that scene and makes you sympathize with Kurt. Even if he's the one doing the breaking up, he's not wrong.

It is a perfect example of the difference between a great actor, and a weak actor. Darren just can't put real emotion into a performance. He just comes across as a whiny baby, and when he tries to play upset, it is just laughable.

I am so sick of having everyone kissing Rachel's ass and acting as if she's suffering some kind of grand injustice of fate. I'm sorry Will... it wasn't one "misstep" that put Rachel in this position. It was multiple miscues. It was letting her arrogance get the better of her. It was quitting NYADA, ad then Funny Girl, and then signing up for a tv show because it would be all about her. Rachel is reaping the well deserved "rewards" for all the choices she's made.

I really wish that someone would just be honest with her instead of blowing sunshine up her ass.

A Rachelvention? The show was horrible.

I'm glad Kurt wasn't part of the Rachelvention.

You know, why is it always Kurt pining over Blaine, and missing Blaine? And Blaine gets to live his life like nothing happened? probably because Darren is such a sucky actor that he wouldn't get the emotion right

Ranwing wrote:I really wish that someone would just be honest with her instead of blowing sunshine up her ass.

That's always Kurt's job, but Rachel stomps away like a baby when he becomes the voice of reality in her life

Chris's acting is stellar, as always.

Is it any surprise that Blaine seems totally over Kurt? Given that Darren's got all the emotional depth of a kiddie pool in Nevada during a drought. At least Chris is giving me something worth watching.

NO, Kurt, Blaine is the worst thing that ever happened to you. He's just horrible. Kurt spends three years just wanting to get out of Lima and now he just wants to be back with Blaine and Rachel. Seriously? Do the writers even remember Kurt?

So, Blaine never has to apologize, and never has to win Kurt's trust back, but Kurt is going to work to win Blaine back? Seriously?

How can people not tune in to watch this?

Chris's acting is amazing. That scene in Scandals was pretty putrid, but at least Dave doesn't seem like he's a jerk here. He's a lot better than Blaine deserves.

And jezz... will someone be fucking honest with Rachel? No, you didn't "lose" Broadway, you stupid cow! You threw it away!

Let it Go is the height of self-indulgence. And no Lea... you are no Idina.

Is it just me or has Darren's actor actually gotten worse? Or maybe it's just because h didn't look as bad opposite the weaker actors he has been doing most of his acting against the past few years.

I think we're all going to get sick and throw up, Kurt.

Let it go is just OK. There is really no power in the song in this context. It lacks the heart of the original.