S06.E04: The Hurt Locker, Part 1

[Craphole Island]

For the record, I agree that if they want us to care about Samchel, they're going about it all the wrong way by treating it initially as a joke, especially when you consider the Finn of it all. That this is her first attempt at a relationship (possibly) since.

 

With that said, I thought the scene with the piano hands was cute, so I decided I'm okay with it for now.

[Cranberry]

You know that Klaine is a horrible ship when Sue ships them. 

 

I think that if you want to be a good/intelligent person in general, you should ask yourself, "What would Sue Sylvester do?" and then do the opposite.

 

Also, Sam is too stupid to live and Rachel deserves way better.

[tom87]

Sam almost didn't seem as dumb when hypnotized. 

[tomorrowgirl]

Could this show be any more stupid?  There wasn't a single storyline in this episode that was funny, entertaining or believable.

[cali1981]

Some of the worst writing and acting in the history of this series.  Multiple Sue extended tirades? Really?  What a novel idea.  I wonder what Jane Lynch must really think about dredging up dialogue for Sue that is just recycled crap from four and five years ago. Sam being portrayed as a complete boob?  Wonder which of the shining lights in the writer room came up with that.   Except for VA's performance, everything about this episode was terrible.

[Ikki]

The scene where VA performs is hilarious if you imagine that everyone's reaction is in response to how bad it was/how uncomfortable it was to watch. And then in that interpretation, I feel really connected with the characters because that's how I felt throughout the whole episode.

[txhorns79]

The scene where VA performs is hilarious if you imagine that everyone's reaction is in response to how bad it was/how uncomfortable it was to watch.

 

It was truly bizarre.  Neither of those songs make any sense for a show choir, and the choreography was like some kind of new wave nightmare. 

 

As for the episode itself, it was just so freaking weird.  I almost wonder if this episode was shot with just the outline of a script, and the actors were told to ad-lib.  I mean, seriously, are we supposed to just think Sue is mentally ill at this point?  Are we supposed to be rooting for her to bring Kurt and Blaine together, or are we supposed to hate her for wanting to destroy the glee club because of Will's plastic fork?  It's all so dumb. 

[Ceeg]

 It's all so dumb. 

 

[insert Glee logo]

[wayne67]

I guess I was the only one that enjoyed this episode.

 

Everything was so stupid and ridiculous it was funny in a dad joke kind of way, so transparently awful the attempt is kind of funny. Perhaps it's because I only had 30% of my actual attention focused on any of the ridiculous plots and characters while playing a game and doing other things. It probably helped that I stopped caring about the Glee characters around season 4 and I only watch it for the random fun mash up song so I don't take this show seriously.  My frequent refrain during the episode was "That's so stupid."

 

Personally I found Rachel asking her friends who are coaches of different teams to basically dial back their performances for her barely cobbled together team typical of her general air of entitlement, that the world must bend for her 'talent'. I liked that Blaine said no though his tone came off weird as if he was trying to go for indulgent preppy but came across as lacklustre. If invitationals don't matter than losing shouldn't be an issue since no one can lose in the first place so what does it matter ? She could have been a good teacher and learned from Will's poor example and talked to the students beforehand and used it as a TEACHING EXAMPLE. "These are our competitors these are their strengths these are their weakness let's build from their performance and get 8 new members before Sectionals". If Jane and Male Twin looked up New Directions performances last week, what's to stop them from seeing a Vocal adrenaline performance online. They don't live in a vacuum.

 

Personally I always thought the point of Arts was learning to express yourself  through hard work and determination not having victories handed to you through cronyism.  MEH this show has so many mixed messages it's a confusing mess.

 

I have this terrible feeling Blaine is going to tell his team to have a nose dive because of his feelings for Kurt. UGH

 

I really hope the New Kids get some plot lines soon otherwise they essentially become more plot devices in the story of the boring Originals who can't escape their former environment for more than a few months at a time.

Edited January 25, 2015 by wayne67

[seacliffsal]

Like some others, I, too, was bothered by both Rachel's asking Will to not have his students do as well as possible as well as by Will's agreeing.  As a teacher of many years, I have changed schools a few times and although I loved my students and friends at my previous school(s), I would focus on the students I had for that year as well as the school at which I was teaching (and where, you know, they were paying me to do my best for the school and students).  As I have only taught juniors for the last few years, I focus on my current students even though I have much love and respect for the students I had the year before and am happy to write their letters of recommendation and try to keep current with what they are doing and where they will go to college.  But my current students are my priority.  Sorry, but it bothered me so much that Will would give in to the interests of a former student who made her own back choices instead of giving his all and his best to his current students and the school that actually hired him.  Sigh.

[Camera One]

I thought this season so far had been going reasonably well, but this one just plummeted that streak to almost nil.  Aside from the verbal and visual crack about Missing Matt, Sue's schemes and rants were as idiotic and offensive as ever, except minus the funny.  There's no way she cares about Klaine, and I don't see the point of her having Sam kiss Rachel.  

 

I think Blaine was antagonistic at the beginning because of the conflict from the season premiere when Jane transferred to McKinley.  Now, the writers have Will angry at Rachel, and vice versa, so it's predictably setting up the conflict between the 3 choirs, ending with a heart-warming reconciliation at the end of the season.

 

15 minutes into the episode, and I noticed there was STILL no music.  That wasn't normal, was it?  There was way too much talking and the show sucks at that. And then after "Bitch", there was another long dry spell before "A Thousand Miles", which had the cheesiest effects ever.  

 

What a way to waste a final season episode.  No more alumni's, no more Bieste, but we still have Becky.  

 

I'm glad the newbies aren't monopolizing screentime, but we don't even see Rachel or Kurt doing anything with them.  What happened with last week and their determination to learn and really try for the upcoming competition?  They could have cut some of Sue's screentime and included two more musical numbers, one with Rachel singing with the new kids, and one with Kurt singing with the new kids.

[Kromm]

Okay, this show is actually almost good when it goes off the chain and just lets Jane Lynch lead.

 

Almost. 

 

I mean it's still limping creatively when the meta is so in your face.  I like that the humor was a bit sillier, because its better than the sanctimony the show more often falls on.  But it's like they've almost given up on actually making anything matter other than trying to recreate little bits of the older show.  Are the new kids going to even get a single scene where it's about them again?

[fakeempress]

I think it's very jarring to have this episode after the double PSAs in the last one The tonal shift is like whiplash. I've watched and liked shows which are somewhat like this episode (though less excessive) but that was their tone throughout, they kept it consistently. This is one of the big problems I have with Glee, it can oscillate wildly in tone depending on who writes it. Ian Brennan's clearly fond of the absurdist comedy, and I think he writes Sue in all the episodes. I think we'd gotten a different Glee if he were the only writer, as in his initial script, and also the audience for it would be different. 

 

So, after I calmed down from the Jerry Sandusky "joke" which was such a slap in the face of Will and Finn, and in such poor taste, I can say that there were some scenes that I liked, but for themselves, and there were some jokes that were funny in a self-contained way. However, the meta references were unbearable. Sue as the greatest Klainer was ridiculous. I suppose they can't be bothered to move the couples (Kurt/Blaine and Rachel/Sam) plot without an external agent and decided to give Jane something to do because what else is Sue doing, surprise! destroying the Glee Club again. So, two birds killed with one stone. That the absurdity of this external agent will put the viability and credibility of these couples under a huge question mark seems of no concern.  I suppose the fans of the couples don't care and just want to see them together, come hell or high water, and with the ratings numbers seems the audience is indeed down to the core. 

 

Songwise I think Jane did very well in Bitch, lacking some attitude in the singing but the scene was typical Sue. Thousand Miles was carried by Lea and good that she did so, Chord is such a bland singer and was straining on the highs - but who thought of this sweeping road-traversing video for it I don't want to know. It was ridiculous, and so badly shot; when they were playing on the moving platform in the street I thought it was like a scene from a 30's movie with a projector screen behind a studio set. Rock Lobster I couldn't stand, Whip It had more of a spark but again not exciting at all. 

Edited January 25, 2015 by fakeempress

[SadieT]

The Sandusky reference bothers me a bit. Will is definitely overly involved with the kids, but he's never come close to actually doing anything sexual to them, so I think Ian went a little too far.

 

Sue's actual quote to Will was, "You stalked a nude student in the showers....I’m honestly surprised you didn’t reenact what was clearly the formative event of your own teenage years, and Sandusky the kid right there and then." So not only is she implying that Will would do something inappropriate to his students, she's also saying he must have been molested as an adolescent and that's why he's so overly invested with his kids, as if that's funny. So gross and horribly offensive on multiple levels. And this is the show that did a very special episode where it was revealed that both Kitty and Ryder had been molested as kids and were clearly traumatized by the experience. I feel like Sue's joke would be slightly less offensive if they never went there with Kitty and Ryder, because then at least it wouldn't be so hypocritical, but the way Glee tries to have it both ways is infuriating. 

 

I'm glad the newbies aren't monopolizing screentime, but we don't even see Rachel or Kurt doing anything with them.  What happened with last week and their determination to learn and really try for the upcoming competition?  They could have cut some of Sue's screentime and included two more musical numbers, one with Rachel singing with the new kids, and one with Kurt singing with the new kids.

 

I think we're seeing just enough of the newbies to not only keep us from resenting them for taking up screen time, but to actually make us want more of them. They're doing the exact opposite of what the did with the season 4 newbies where the shoved those kids down our throats and made them the primary focus of just about every episode they were in even though the audience was resistant. Had they introduced Marley, Jake, Kitty, and Ryder like this, maybe they would have been better received. 

 

I think it's very jarring to have this episode after the double PSAs in the last one The tonal shift is like whiplash. I've watched and liked shows which are somewhat like this episode (though less excessive) but that was their tone throughout, they kept it consistently. This is one of the big problems I have with Glee, it can oscillate wildly in tone depending on who writes it. Ian Brennan's clearly fond of the absurdist comedy, and I think he writes Sue in all the episodes. I think we'd gotten a different Glee if he were the only writer, as in his initial script, and also the audience for it would be different. 

 

 

Yeah, that's one of the major problems I have with Glee too. The tonal shifts from one episode to another are insane. It's like each episode exists in a vacuum and none of the writers care about tone, continuity, or characterization. It's just whatever works for that episode. So sometimes bullying is horrible and it makes kids have to transfer schools and attempt suicide, but other times, bullying is hilarious. Sometimes, child molestation is horrific and traumatic, other times it's fodder for cheap tasteless jokes. Sometimes violence is bad, other times, it's funny to slap, punch, and push random people down flights of stairs. Beiste transitioning was introduced last episode as something very serious and emotional, and then this episode we have Figgins in drag as a cheap sight gag. They should have never bought their own hype that the show was changing lives and thus it needed to be used to educate us all on the sensitive topic of the weak and just stuck with dark humor, because you can't do both simultaneously without looking like huge hypocrites. 

[tom87]

In the pilot they implied Sandy was a pedophile and they never did anything to rebut that if anything they added to that belief.  But I guess since they maintain the dark comedy it was more under the radar in a way.

 

The way Sue also deliverers the rant it doesn't even come off as harsh to me  maybe because she is such a cartoon it starts to sound like Charlie Brown's teacher, wha wha wha whaaaa. 

Edited January 25, 2015 by tom87

[ComfySweater]

The way Sue also deliverers the rant it doesn't even come off as harsh to me  maybe becasue she is such a cartoon it starts to sound like Charlie Brown's teacher, wha wha wha whaaaa. 

Yeah, I can't muster up much outrage on this one. It's all sorts of terrible in the implications (so was that AU Christmas episode and several others). They shouldn't have gone there after they pretended to care about social issues instead of being the dark comedy they were in the pilot. They shouldn't have done a lot of things. At least this kept it to the characters. Sue is awful. Will is awful. The writers are awful. That old guy from LA Law who lied to Kurt repeatedly and guilt tripped him into a second date is fairly awful too. Everybody who matters gave up after season two and we're all probably fools for still being here.

 

I'm going to take the Matt Rutherford joke and ignore everything else. That bit was funny.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Wow, that was just...not good. I know that to watch Glee, you must suspend not only your disbelief but any sort of linear logic, but there was just too much nonsense going on in this episode that I don't even know where to begin. We're supposed to believe that despite the piano lessons Rachel mentioned, she is so terrible at playing the piano that she needs lessons from Blaine. Then she goes from totally incompetent (as seen during the glee meeting) to being able to play "A Thousand Miles" by ear. Uhhh, okay.

 

She was totally out of line asking Will to throw the invitational. First of all, New Directions would never compete against Vocal Adrenaline (which I pointed out way back in S1). Like sports, even glee competitions have different divisions. A seasoned group like VA would be placed in the advanced division and a brand new group like ND with no experience (both now and in S1) would be placed in the novice division. On a related note, I rolled my eyes when Blaine said that this is a rebuilding year for the Warblers too. Uh, no, Blaine. I do not think that word means what you think it means. Unless every single member of this year's Warblers are brand new then no, it's not a rebuilding year for them too. If you mean a bunch of seniors graduated, sure, you're rebuilding, but that is NOT the same as having your entire team consist of four people who have never performed with glee before.

 

But going back to Rachel, it was inappropriate for her to ask Will to throw the non-competition. On top of that, how exactly do you have your students throw a competition? Tell them to deliberately sing flat? Mess up the choreography? Fall down? As someone who was in show choir, I have no idea what I could have done to sabotage my own team in a performance.

 

I have mixed feelings about the lack of music in this episode. On the one hand, part of me is relieved because in the past, there were episodes where they performed songs I hated or butchered songs that I love. I remember when I used to love this show back in S1 and I would check to see which songs would be performed each week before the episode aired. Now I can't even be bothered to do that. But on the other hand, this is supposed to be a show about singing and music. How did they get halfway through the episode and have only one song so far?

 

While I'm sure it was fun for Jane Lynch to sing "Bitch" (classic 90s grrl power song!), she is still not a strong singer so giving her a solo is not a great idea. Between her constant scooping and the obvious autotuning, it didn't sound very good.

 

One thing I really liked about "A Thousand Miles" was finally, a song with harmonies! In contrast, the VA songs had almost no harmonies at all which is strange coming from a group known for being both a singing and dancing powerhouse. I guess this was supposed to be chalked up to the fact that will made them go ND style and throw together a new setlist at the last minute but it was still weird to me.

 

Honestly, I would have been fine with less music this week if it was for a good reason, but instead we got all these nonsense plots about Sue hypnotizing Sam and meta speeches. On the plus side, Becky wasn't yelling, shrieking, or cursing at people this week so yay?

 

One minor thing that I liked was at the beginning in Sue's hurt locker.  It said "missing" above season one Matt.    Small thing I know, but I'll take it.

Ha, I loved that too! I wouldn't have minded if the sign had his old name "Gaylord Weiner" either. Or was that Mike? It's been so long that I can't remember.

 

Could this show be any more stupid? 

I read that in Chandler Bing's voice which made it even funnier!

[ComfySweater]

Actually, I think we're worse than that because we are still coming back. I wish I could quit now. Last episode I was ten seconds away from turning it off and saying goodbye forever but I need to see it through to the end. 

I'm usually a completionist who can make it through most anything. I hung in there with Dexter, Lost, How I Met Your stepMother, and I still watch NCIS where I pretend to care about Gibbs's latest reason to angst about whatever family member or former colleague died terribly because it could possibly be considered his fault. I'm still not sure about next week. The end is so close, but I can sense so much bullshit between here and there.

[Myrna123]

I'm a total bailer--I watch a season or two, then get out as soon as I don't care anymore--Queer as Folk, X-Files, Supernatural, almost every sitcom ever, I get hooked for awhile but inevitably lose interest. I blame stupid Chris Colfer for entrenching me in this pile of cow dung.

To read the comments and reviews of this ep, we can't watch expecting the characters' words to make sense, we can't expect the characters' actions to make sense, we can't expect songs to make sense, and we can't expect story lines to make sense.

Essentially, Glee is about the sounds letters make as actors pronounce them. And, I guess, sing them.

[ComfySweater]

I'm a total bailer--I watch a season or two, then get out as soon as I don't care anymore--Queer as Folk, X-Files, 

To read the comments and reviews of this ep, we can't watch expecting the characters' words to make sense, we can't expect the characters' actions to make sense, we can't expect songs to make sense, and we can't expect story lines to make sense.

I wish I was a bailer, but I always want to know once I get attached to a character or two. At least the ratings make sense. We'll always have that.

[Sara2009]

Were we actually supposed to take the Sandusky quote seriously, though? Obviously the joke was in poor taste, but I doubt the writers REALLY want us to believe that Will is a pedophile. Sue always takes something with a grain of truth like Will being overly involved with the kids and greatly exaggerates it.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I am a strange combination of a completionist (I watched Buffy to the bitter end, which I could justify more since the first five seasons were awesome, and for some reason I am still watching the trainwreck that is Parenthood) and a bailer. I started out loving Lost and Desperate Housewives but I quit watching both after the second seasons because I was like sorry, this is just cracked out nonsense. I finally gave up on Bones and Castle this season (and I was so proud of myself for quitting Reign after the first season ended). Every year I say I'm not going to watch Grey's Anatomy anymore and somehow I always end up watching. But those three shows are just more of the same every year whereas Glee and Parenthood have me rolling my eyes, yelling at the tv, and asking if the writers are deliberately trying to piss me off with their ridiculously bad plots.

 

I think I keep watching because I remember how good they were the first season and hoping they will get back to that. I mean, the pilot of Glee was so good. I fell in love with the show, the characters, the music, the feeling of hope and promise. I want that again and I keep believing that it will happen (and instead I get Sam being hypnotized and Sue leaving a bear cub in Blaine's apartment). Plus with Glee and Parenthood, I knew these were the final seasons. Watching now is easier so that the finale makes sense. I quit watching Roswell and Dawson's Creek so when I tried to watch the finales of both shows, I was like wait, what the hell happened between the time I quit watching and now? Thankfully both Glee and Parenthood have mercifully shortened their final seasons.

Edited January 25, 2015 by ElectricBoogaloo

[camussie]

No one said we were supposed to take the Sandusky quote seriously. For that matter I don't think we were supposed take any of Sue's tirade towards Will seriously. I am saying that using Sanduskying in an effort to be funny and edgy was extremely offensive.

To focus on that it was Will who was on the receiving end of the comparison misses the point. It is just plain offensive to use child rape in some sad effort at humor.

Edited January 25, 2015 by camussie

[Sara2009]

No one said we were supposed to take the Sandusky quote seriously. For that matter I don't think we were supposed take any of Sue's tirade towards Will seriously. We are saying that

using Sanduskying in an effort to be funny and

edgy was extremely offensive.

Really it isn't about Will at all. It is just plain offensive to use child rape in some sad effort at humor.

Did her insinuation that Will had been raped make it better or worse?

[camussie]

Again it isn't about Will or Finn who was the kid in the shower. It is about using those real life heinous acts as fodder for a sue rant. Doesn't matter that she ranted that Will too had been raped as a child. The whole thing was disgusting and would have been no matter Sue had been ranting at. Focusing on Will I feel is not looking at the big picture.

Edited January 25, 2015 by camussie

[fakeempress]

Again it isn't about Will or Finn who was the kid in the shower. It is about using those heinous acts as fodder for a sue rant. Doesn't matter that she ranted that Will too had been raped as a child. The whole thing was disgusting and would have been no matter Sue had been ranting at. Focusing on Will I feel is not looking at the big picture.

I agree. Let Sue rage against Will's butt chin or hair as she has, or ridicule his teaching and coaching Glee Clubs, but calling him a pederast and then the kicker with the Sanduskying was extremely disturbing. Doesn't matter that it's Sue, and that it's not true, it was using child rape and a real case of vile proportions for jokes.

[ComfySweater]

Did her insinuation that Will had been raped make it better or worse?

I'm fairly sure the rule is that rape jokes make everything worse.

[jaytee1812]

It's not exactly beyond the realms of possibility that someone assaulted by Sandusky was watching.

[camussie]

Yeah I think the fact that it was a reference to real life vile acts is why it was so horribly offensive. If she had compared Will to Sandy Ryerson I would have thought it was in bad taste but I wouldn't have been offended like I was with the Sandusky reference.

[txhorns79]

Doesn't matter that it's Sue, and that it's not true, it was using child rape and a real case of vile proportions for jokes.

 

I think this is pretty par for the course for Glee.  They take all sorts of subjects and make them fodder for jokes, some of which can be seen as offensive.  I think at this point, since the show is on its way out, if you are that offended, you should just set your DVR for something else.  I mean, it isn't as though the writers are going to suddenly change their stripes.       

[camussie]

Maybe so but I can say that this is the first time ever I was so offended I sent an email to Fox. Most of the time I think these people need some training if they think that was funny rather than distasteful. To me this was several steps beyond that.

[fakeempress]

I think this is pretty par for the course for Glee.  They take all sorts of subjects and make them fodder for jokes, some of which can be seen as offensive.  I think at this point, since the show is on its way out, if you are that offended, you should just set your DVR for something else.  I mean, it isn't as though the writers are going to suddenly change their stripes.       

Let's not go into what we should and shouldn't watch, and what decisions we should take. I won't give the writers a pass for extreme crudeness and crossing lines, and just grin and take it because I can't change them. 

[ComfySweater]

 I won't give the writers a pass for extreme crudeness and crossing lines, and just grin and take it because I can't change them. 

Just lie back and think of England is rarely a good way to approach media of any form. Even dead media. Even this.

[tom87]

On a different note it totally dates the show.  Their current event /cultural/meta references  will lose any comedic element down the road.

[Cranberry]

I tend to give up on shows when they start getting really bad after at least two seasons. I dropped Heroes, LOST, Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy, and Gossip Girl. I almost dropped Glee -- I still haven't watched eight episodes from the end of last season -- but I find it much easier/more enjoyable to moderate this forum when I understand everything you guys are arguing talking about, so I'm back. Basically, I blame all of you. ;)

[shantown]

No one said we were supposed to take the Sandusky quote seriously. For that matter I don't think we were supposed take any of Sue's tirade towards Will seriously. I am saying that using Sanduskying in an effort to be funny and edgy was extremely offensive.

To focus on that it was Will who was on the receiving end of the comparison misses the point. It is just plain offensive to use child rape in some sad effort at humor.

My problem is more that Glee wrote last season that child sexual assault was a serious, awful subject - then this season it's a lighthearted joke. Glee wants to have their cake and eat it too. The show is a comedy when they think they're being funny, but they're CHANGING LIVES when they're being serious. And each story line exists totally independently of each other. It's ridiculous, and shows what terrible, unprofessional hacks they are.

[jaytee1812]

I was pretty faithful up to 100/New Directions. I just hated the New York eps, this show is just better at McKinley. Because I don't get episodes til the next day I read the episode thread and decide if I want to watch. So far I watched Home and Jagged Little Tapestry. I'm noping right out of this one.

Wasn't Kitty suppose to have a big part of the storyline this week or is that next week?

Edited January 25, 2015 by Cranberry
Hid minor spoiler.

[allonsyalice]

I think Kitty is back next week.

Edited January 25, 2015 by Cranberry
Hid minor spoiler.

[vb68]

 

Ha, I loved that too! I wouldn't have minded if the sign had his old name "Gaylord Weiner" either. Or was that Mike? It's been so long that I can't remember.

 

I wonder if it means there is some hope that he might be back for the finale.  Probably not, but I never thought he'd be referred to again, either.

 

 

Were we actually supposed to take the Sandusky quote seriously, though?

 

That's the thing.  With the abrupt and constant changes in tone, can you really know what they were thinking for a certainty?  I don't really think so.  It was just a very bad choice no matter how you slice it. 

 

 

It's not exactly beyond the realms of possibility that someone assaulted by Sandusky was watching.

 

I remember that some families affected by Newtown weren't exactly happy with the gun episode.  So I agree that is something that they should take into account. 

Edited January 25, 2015 by vb68

[txhorns79]

I won't give the writers a pass for extreme crudeness and crossing lines, and just grin and take it because I can't change them.

 

All I'm pointing out is that this particular show isn't worth the effort to be offended over.  You are welcome to email Fox to tell them how offended you were by the episode. 

[Craphole Island]

I really think I keep watching Glee simply because I love the cast so much. 

 

And even though most of the characters are a shrivel of what they once were, I still like most of them and care for some reason. It's hard to explain. I simultaneously hate/roll my eyes at what's happening onscreen but I also enjoy it just because I like the actors or something??? I can't figure it out. I'm not even hate-watching. I still tell myself I like Glee even though it makes me so annoyed. Sigh.

 

Plus, I usually still enjoy the music (not this episode, except "A Thousand Miles")

Edited January 25, 2015 by Craphole Island

[tom87]

I really think I keep watching Glee simply because I love the cast so much. 

 

And even though most of the characters are a shrivel of what they once were, I still like most of them and care for some reason. It's hard to explain. I simultaneously hate/roll my eyes at what's happening onscreen but I also enjoy it just because I like the actors or something??? I can't figure it out. I'm not even hate-watching. I still tell myself I like Glee even though it makes me so annoyed. Sigh.

 

Plus, I usually still enjoy the music (not this episode, except "A Thousand Miles")

Yeah I started watching the cast  why back at out fest and comic con, then hot topic tours back in summer 2009.

 

I still appreciate the cast even though each one has some crazies  in their fandoms which can ruin it somewhat (even when you try to  limit exposure it pops up). 

[tab19]

On the other hand: Max Adler’s high-pitched voice during the bear scene was hilarious. I don’t understand why they brought back Karofsky this season, and especially not why they have him acting the way he does (as it seems to contradict the Karofsky from earlier seasons) but at least Max is having fun with it.

Yes, true.  Max Adler's reactions and voice were probably the high points (no pun intended!) of the episode.  In fact, so far he's the high point of that whole triangle - he's obviously having a good time with it.

 

One of my main issues with this Samchel pairing is that there are so many things wrong with it. Sam having been with every other girl, it being very random. The fact that it's a joke. That's how this thing is starting. As a joke. It's being played for laughs that Sam doesn't remember kissing Rachel and therefore is treating her awful. And yes, this is her big re-entrance back into the dating/romance world of the show. And.. it's not.. starting out good. And yet, I think the show wants me to root for this couple/pairing? I don't know. I mean I understand a lot of the relationships have been used as jokes or started out as such but in this case it's not in good form. 

I'm agnostic about whether Sam and Rachel end up together - that is, it's okay if they do, and okay if they don't. But THIS is exactly my problem with the way they're showing the pairing right now. Is it comedy or drama?  I mean, either Sam seducing Rachel is supposed to be funny - in which Rachel shouldn't look so upset when Sam turns her down, you'd just cut to a WTF face and Sue sliding by.  OR, it's played as straight up attraction, in which case there'd be no hypnotising at all.  But playing it both ways is just weird - I mean, how are you supposed to root for Sam/Rachel on that foundation?  I also don't think they laid enough foundation for the that first kiss. 

 

As for Sue's rant:  I didn't listen to the entire thing, since I read spoilers first and because I got bored about 45 seconds in.  (Actually, I fast forwarded a lot - not a fan of the episode)  I will say this:  the editing and set up didn't do Jane Lynch any favors.  A good portion of the humor in the Santana rant (if you saw it, and I know not everyone did) comes from Naya's delivery and then the cutaways and closeups, including Rachel's reactions.  Sue's rant was just too long.  Especially with nothing else bringing humor to it. 

[cali1981]

Anyone think that Becky wearing the lobster suit during VA's performance was idiotic?  What they've done to Becky's character over the past two years is really obscene.  For someone who is always ramming "lessons" and PSAs down our throats, you would think that Ryan Murphy might have something worthwhile with Becky, like showing her growth as an independent early adult.  Maybe if she was gay and had Downs, RM would have scripted her differently.

[jaytee1812]

Maybe if she was gay and had Downs, RM would have scripted her differently.

Maybe if she'd been a boy with Downs it might've been different.

[Kromm]

Were we actually supposed to take the Sandusky quote seriously, though? Obviously the joke was in poor taste, but I doubt the writers REALLY want us to believe that Will is a pedophile. Sue always takes something with a grain of truth like Will being overly involved with the kids and greatly exaggerates it.

Of course we aren't. It's odd if people really ARE. It's in very poor taste, but much of this show is.

Anyone think that Becky wearing the lobster suit during VA's performance was idiotic?  What they've done to Becky's character over the past two years is really obscene.  For someone who is always ramming "lessons" and PSAs down our throats, you would think that Ryan Murphy might have something worthwhile with Becky, like showing her growth as an independent early adult.  Maybe if she was gay and had Downs, RM would have scripted her differently.

Well, you know the key to showing an empowered character has always clearly been showing that THEY CAN BE BULLIES TOO!

I mean we have Karofsy and now this new gay football player, so it's not just Becky. It's a go-to move of the show to recycle that plotline of the traditionally bullied character type being major fuckwads themselves.

[fakeempress]

All I'm pointing out is that this particular show isn't worth the effort to be offended over.  You are welcome to email Fox to tell them how offended you were by the episode. 

And I am saying it's my choice to decide what I will do if the show offends me, not yours. If I decide I want to comment on it here, I will do so, this forum isn't reserved only for things we like about the show and aren't offended by.

[ComfySweater]

this new gay football player, so it's not just Becky. It's a go-to move of the show to recycle that plotline of the traditionally bullied character type being major fuckwads themselves.

Are we supposed to be all "Go Fuckwad, go! Be awful! Nail that guy the more swishy type let go! Go, fuckwad, go!"

 

Seems awkward.

[txhorns79]

And I am saying it's my choice to decide what I will do if the show offends me, not yours. If I decide I want to comment on it here, I will do so, this forum isn't reserved only for things we like about the show and aren't offended by.

 

I don't think I've suggested otherwise.  You are free to be as offended over the episode as you would like.  In fact, we are all free to say whatever we'd like about the episode.  For example, I thought the entire Becky dressed as a lobster scene was bizarre. 

[fakeempress]

Are we supposed to be all "Go Fuckwad, go! Be awful! Nail that guy the more swishy type let go! Go, fuckwad, go!"

 

Seems awkward.

He said himself he was a jerk, but it was a self-congratulatory admission, he was proud of it. That's how it came across to me, but as to their intent, idk. Judging by spoilers 

it will be Sam who will bring him into the GC next episode. Probably it'll be tit for tat, since his other story has been gunning to be quarterback, and it's Sam who can trade GC for this with him, not Kurt. The actor interviewed that there'll be rehashing of the being "gay" between Kurt and Spencer later on.

Edited January 26, 2015 by fakeempress