Spoilers and Discussion

[caracas1914]

Like I said, letting Darren write a couple of songs is an indulgence, which is fine, it's the Producers' prerogative. I just was pointing out its not like there is something in his resume that indicates a Broadway writing caliber credit.

Matt never directed previously and his one Glee episode had some good moments, ditto Chris penned episode.

I'm guessing Darren will do a serviceable job, it's not as if any of the songs on Glee are getting much buzz/ attention at this point in the game.

Edited February 28, 2015 by caracas1914

[fakeempress]

 

I must have missed statements that proclaimed Darren having written hit Broadway and pop songs. I only saw some saying he's got some experience and the Starkid thing was popular.

It was bandied about that he has songwriting cred credible for a Broadway hit musical - that may earn  Rachel the Tony since this is the spec about how his second song may be used. It may turn out to be a great song, I liked the first one well enough. 

[Ann Mack]

Child Star Ratings and overall this season:

 

http://headlineplanet.com/home/2015/02/28/ratings-foxs-glee-viewership-slips-for-child-star-episode/

 

February 27 – 0.6 – 1.67M
February 20 – 0.6 – 1.86M
February 13 – 0.6 – 1.81M
February 6 – 0.5 – 1.58M
January 30 – 0.7 – 1.85M
January 23 – 0.7 – 1.82M
January 16 – 0.7 – 1.98M
January 9 (average of two episodes) – 0.7 – 2.34M

[Craphole Island]

We Built This Glee Club

Well aware of the dire implications should the new New Directions/Warblers supergroup fail to defeat Vocal Adrenaline at Sectionals, the infighting among the gleeks begins to take its toll on morale, prompting the team’s two weakest dancers, Spencer and Roderick, to seek the uncompromising help of Kitty in order to improve their moves and bolster their odds at victory, and leaving one gleek to decide how far he is willing to go for a chance at victory. Sam and Kurt’s concern over Rachel’s looming decision to return to Broadway before completing her degree at NYADA continues to grow. While they each try to convince her to complete her studies, former flame Jesse St. James makes an unexpected visit - and a startling admission - in a bid to convince her to take the job. Meanwhile, Sue remains full of surprises as her all-out assault on Will and the Glee Club reaches heretofore unseen heights.

SPECIAL GUESTS:
Jesse St. James - JONATHAN GROFF
Kitty Wilde - BECCA TOBIN
Clint - MAX GEORGE
Jane Hayward - SAMANTHA MARIE WARE
Spencer Porter - MARSHALL WILLIAMS
Roderick - NOAH GUTHRIE
Mason McCarthy - BILLY LEWIS JR.
Madison McCarthy - LAURA DREYFUSS
Rod Remington - BILL A. JONES
Donna Landries - PATRICIA FORTE

ADDITIONAL CAST:
Head Warbler - MYKO OLIVIER
Super Gay Warbler - MASON TRUEBLOOD
Warbler #2 - JP DUBÉE
Warbler #7 - RILAN ROPPOLO

 

So "Listen To Your Heart" might be a Jesse song? Or Samchel breakup? I'm secretly hoping it's a Sam/Kurt duet to Rachel, heh.

[Hana Chan]

Again, we're back to precious Special Snowflake Rachel, who unjustifiably gets both NYADA and a Broadway role to choose from (despite having pissed on both her previous chances and then shit on them on her way out the door). And it's not enough to have Kurt and Sam looking out for her interests, but they trot out Jesse to join in.

[spiritof76]

So I really think Rachel should go back to school (whether Carmen should let her back in is another story altogether) but I'm going to hate them having Sam and Kurt be the ones pushing her to do it. And on the flip side I'm going to hate them having Jesse be the one trying to convince her to go back to Broadway. It just reeks, yet again, of a bunch of guys deciding for the girl what's best for her. I guess we have to see how it plays out, but how many "prayer circles"/interventions are we going to have for Rachel?

[camussie]

Don't care about Rachel's angst beyond hoping she chooses NYADA. Am looking forward to seeing Kitty dance/teach dance. Hopefully Becca's acting can elevate Marshall and Noah some.

Edited February 28, 2015 by camussie

[Pink ranger]

Strange that the press release dosent mention sectionals at all considering all but one of the songs is from there so will likely take a lions share of the episode as competitions usually do.

Edited February 28, 2015 by Pink ranger

[jaytee1812]

Am looking forward to seeing Kitty dance/teach dance. Hopefully Becca's acting can elevate Marshall and Noah some.

She's an actress, not a magician.

[rlj67]

LOL, still not seeing how this season has so much focus on Sam, seems he is still a supporting character as he has been in past seasons. 

[Ann Mack]

LOL, still not seeing how this season has so much focus on Sam, seems he is still a supporting character as he has been in past seasons. 

 

Only ONE that is getting too much focus this season is Rachel. The show has destroyed her character and made her even more unlikable IMO. She is suppose to have become an adult according to Ep 07 but yet she is still incapable of making a decision on her own. She's had Will, Mercedes, Sam, Kurt and now Jesse advising her on what she should do with "her" life. Never mind that they are decisions she has to make about returning to a nice school or Broadway which the show has shown her not having to work or grow to deserve either. The way this is being written all of this is happening within a year of her blowing both off and pretty much telling NYADA and Broadway to kiss her ass. Yet both seems to be ready to welcome her back with open arms. I call bullshit on lazy writing and them trying too hard to say Rachel is such a talent that no matter how many times she screws over people or herself she will always get that GOLD STAR! The way this is going/being wrote I guess her begging Carmen is suppose to show something. Too much has been handed to her this season without any effort on her part. And to me too many are saying its okay but if it was any other character I do believe utter outrage instead of understanding would be coming at that character from every direction.

Edited February 28, 2015 by Ann Mack

[caracas1914]

I wish the fuck the show would let Rachel reach an epiphany on her OWN...

 

I'm all for friends helping out friends...but GEEZE.....

[tom87]

I wish the fuck the show would let Rachel reach an epiphany on her OWN...

 

I'm all for friends helping out friends...but GEEZE.....

Bears repeating.

[Florinaldo]

It was bandied about that he has songwriting cred credible for a Broadway hit musical - that may earn  Rachel the Tony since this is the spec about how his second song may be used. It may turn out to be a great song, I liked the first one well enough. 

Reading that, I thought I had missed something in the exchanges. After reviewing the thread, I see that this slightly misrepresents what was said. Who knows if he could write the songs for a Broadway hit musical at this time. What was said is that he certainly has the track record to perhaps attempt it one day.

 

Plus, what he probably has to do for this episode is write a single song that can credibly pass as an excerpt from an imaginary musical. It does not need to be memorable for the ages, just to be convincing enough in the moment. It's a narrative device like many others. If it turns out to be more than that and is a song that can be appreciated independently from the episode, it will be a bonus.

 

I do not remember if it has been spoiled that Rachel succeeds in getting back into NYADA. Perhaps Ms. Thibodeau is reminded during their conversation that she knows other worthy students from Lima and spontaneously decides, true to her mercurial character, to readmit Blaine and give Kurt the highest marks for his practicum with ND, sending Rachel back on her merry way to the stage.

Edited February 28, 2015 by Florinaldo

[Ann Mack]

I DO NOT think there are enough known languages in which I could express how much I think Glee's final season is BULLSHIT!

[phoenixrising]

She's an actress, not a magician.

Yeah, am I supposed to think Roderick and gay kid will improve?

Just bring Jake back, and have newest newbies stand very still while Jake and kitty dance.

[jaytee1812]

Just bring Jake back, and have newest newbies stand very still while Jake and kitty dance.

Jane can dance with them, I think she's up to it.

It's funny, New Directions used to get bent out of shape when they had competition who could do flips and somersaults about the stage, yet when they had someone who could do it, he doesn't dance nevermind do flips and somersaults.

I wish the fuck the show would let Rachel reach an epiphany on her OWN...

 

I'm all for friends helping out friends...but GEEZE.....

To be fair to Rachel this show is chronic for people not doing stuff off their own back. I mean it's at its worst with Rachel, but it's prevalent throughout the show. Finn with Grease and going to college, Tina applying to college for Mike, Sam putting Mercedes on YouTube, Brittany with Santana's abuela, Brittany and Sue with the Klaine wedding.

Apparently somewhere around season 2 everyone except Quinn stopped being able to function by themselves.

[tom87]

Quinn had people trying to help her too.  Rachel, Shelby and Puck all tried to help her when she went off the rails in season 3.

[Ann Mack]

Jane can dance with them, I think she's up to it.

It's funny, New Directions used to get bent out of shape when they had competition who could do flips and somersaults about the stage, yet when they had someone who could do it, he doesn't dance nevermind do flips and somersaults.

To be fair to Rachel this show is chronic for people not doing stuff off their own back. I mean it's at its worst with Rachel, but it's prevalent throughout the show. Finn with Grease and going to college, Tina applying to college for Mike, Sam putting Mercedes on YouTube, Brittany with Santana's abuela, Brittany and Sue with the Klaine wedding.

Apparently somewhere around season 2 everyone except Quinn stopped being able to function by themselves.

 

Exception at least in my opinion - Sam may have put Mercedes video on YouTube but he didn't call anyone to set up an interview or ask them to give her a chance. Also, once Mercedes got that chance she made a choice to let it go because they asked her to do something she wasn't comfortable doing and wanted to use someone else's image for her hard work. She didn't come back to Lima with expectations of someone nursing her and babying her. No she got a job and sold her CD out of the trunk of her car. So he might have initiated the YT video that got her noticed but everything else was done by Mercedes herself no interventions, no one healing her heart, and definitely no one taking her by the hand and guiding her through every step of the decision process pertaining to "Her" life!

 

I also don't think any of the others equate to the amount of interference or assistance that is being afforded Rachel. I don't know how the writers thought they were writing her but what is being shown is a little girl who is incapable of living her life without outside entities telling her how and when. Who is going to change her diaper, wipe her nose, be her cheerleader and praise her, and hold her hand when she has to get back out there on her own?! Oh I guess that will become Jesse's job if the spoilers are accurate.

Edited February 28, 2015 by Ann Mack

[fakeempress]

 

Reading that, I thought I had missed something in the exchanges. After reviewing the thread, I see that this slightly misrepresents what was said. Who knows if he could write the songs for a Broadway hit musical at this time. What was said is that he certainly has the track record to perhaps attempt it one day.

 

I don't think I misread or misrepresented the following, for instance:

 

 

They tapped someone who has an established track record for this new Rachel solo and it appears that the results were deemed satisfactory (I expect they would enforce strict standards because this is the final episode).

Edited February 28, 2015 by fakeempress

[caracas1914]

I also don't think any of the others equate to the amount of interference or assistance that is being afforded Rachel.

 

The girl gets interventions for combing her hair these days.

Edited February 28, 2015 by caracas1914

[Florinaldo]

I don't think I misread or misrepresented the following, for instance:

 

They tapped someone who has an established track record for this new Rachel solo and it appears that the results were deemed satisfactory (I expect they would enforce strict standards because this is the final episode).

You said "It was bandied about that he has songwriting cred credible for a Broadway hit musical", which goes further than the quote you seem to rely on.

[caracas1914]

Sam and Kurt’s concern over Rachel’s looming decision to return to Broadway before completing her degree at NYADA continues to grow.

 

 

WHY? 

 

Sam, you have a  football team to worry about, and Kurt you have New Directions and your own NYADA career. 

Edited February 28, 2015 by caracas1914

[ComfySweater]

WHY? 

 

Sam, you have a  football team to worry about, and Kurt you have New Directions and your own NYADA career. 

That her best friend and boyfriend worry about her seems reasonable. It'll be how they're written doing it that'll be the problem.

[Ann Mack]

That her best friend and boyfriend worry about her seems reasonable. It'll be how they're written doing it that'll be the problem.

 Possibly but she hasn't worried about anything in their lives (hell she can't even really be bothered to listen to Sam for more than 10 seconds, and she definitely doesn't have enough confidence or trust in Kurt to manage the Glee club in her absence, but he can contribute to a possible life altering decision that "she" has to "make".) Plus really it's not like the "looming" decision she has to make is a choice between getting "jail time" vs "parole" or something. Either is her decision and a sweet deal and more than she has earned IMO. Does NO ONE on this show discuss anything with their imaginary parents, just a thought or an adult like lets say maybe Will who they have been let mentor her and encourage all season long up until this point. I'm almost at my full WTF & who gives a damn status right now with Rachel Berry. 

 

http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130216220601/glee/images/e/e5/Care-o-meter.gif

Edited February 28, 2015 by Ann Mack

[Higgs]

When a person is confronted with a supremely important choice, they can expect virtually everyone close to them to weigh in heavily with advice, whether it's requested or not. That's normal human behavior. When they receive contradictory advice, it's up to them, and them alone, to make the call. What Rachel's Choice has to do with any of the examples being put forth, pro or con, is beyond me.

Rachel would have to be a complete idiot to enroll as a full-time student at NYADA, even if she didn't have an offer for a role in a professional production. (No job, Rachel? Go find one, any one. Sing in the subway. Call the newspapers. "Funny Girl On Her Fanny", runs The Post's front page headline. Oh shit, now I'm doing it. It's so easy to get sucked into enabler mode with her. That's So Rachel.) She will, regardless, need to take singing lessons for the remainder of her performing life, and there's a small army of private world-class voice coaches in NYC far superior to those at a dump that doesn't do opera and would admit someone who was (barely) the eighth best singer in his high school show choir and the sixth [sic] best singer in his own tribute band.

For me, Glee was launched with a song, of which I had only heard the snippet that I was hoping would usher in the lead-filled corpses of the entire vile Soprano clan, performed as a Lea solo (except for Cory's intro) with professional session vocalists as chorus. For it to go out with another Lea solo, in another new-to-me song, with lyrics fully appropriate to the occasion, is perfectly fine. Darren will never have heard a song of his better sung, it will have a tiny chance of becoming a small hit, and I won't have to listen to any more pop poop for and by tween girl sensibilities and worshipped by its fans as timeless, sacrosanct, high art sung by auto-tuned, lip-synching goddesses. It's win-win-win.

[caracas1914]

Funny how Burt and Carole  don't pop up to remind Rachel "Life is short, seize the moment!" as  a compelling reason for her to take on the Broadway role.

 

If Klaine can crash and burn and take another shot together (and now marry) don't see why Rachel can't give the Great White Way another go.

Edited February 28, 2015 by caracas1914

[Hana Chan]

That her best friend and boyfriend worry about her seems reasonable. It'll be how they're written doing it that'll be the problem.

 

I don't have an issue with them being concerned. What I have a problem with is them (Kurt especially) doing it to the exclusion of focusing on their own professional aspirations. Kurt should be focused on his work at NYADA and perhaps even hitting a few auditions himself. Not sitting on his hands until Rachel needs her nose or ass wiped.

[ComfySweater]

I don't have an issue with them being concerned. What I have a problem with is them (Kurt especially) doing it to the exclusion of focusing on their own professional aspirations. Kurt should be focused on his work at NYADA and perhaps even hitting a few auditions himself. Not sitting on his hands until Rachel needs her nose or ass wiped.

I lost all real hope for him getting professional stories when he bailed out on his junior year to chase Blaine back to Lima and do some kind of internship with a show choir he can't even be trusted to run for a few days. At this point, we're more likely to get a storyline about Sam's Chapstick collection than Kurt's career.

[camussie]

The problem always lies with how Glee writes these things.  The writers tend to infantilize the person receiving advice.  As someone who was happy that Finn found a passion for becoming a teacher my main criticism of that story was  he was handheld through every major decision he made in it instead of showing some steel in his spine and taking charge of his own life.  After he made decisions that brought himself to such a low that was what was absolutely needed instead of Artie pushing him to direct, Will saying hey take over the Glee club, and Marley dressing him down before he finally made the decision to go to college.  

 

Similarly Rachel needs to show some backbone in this story.  It started off well enough with her taking the initiative to get ND up and running again but it has gone down hill from there.  One low point was Mercedes, not only arranging the audition for her, but then having to rally the glee club behind Rachel before Rachel took the chance.  It would have been so much better if Mercedes was used to encourage Rachel not to give up (using her own setback and subsequent success as an example) and then Rachel taking the initiative to start working back towards a BW career.  Like perhaps that pep talk from Mercedes could have been the catalyst for Rachel to reach out to Carmen.  Another low point was in the very next episode Rachel allowing Kurt and Sam to hijack sectionals prep to rally ND around her yet again because she was bummed her childhood home was being sold.  

 

Then there is the most frustrating part of all.  Rachel saying it "all fell apart" instead of owning up to she blew it apart.  I am hoping her scene(s) with Carmen include an acknowledgement Carmen was right because that would mean Rachel is owning up to her mistakes in ditching Broadway. 

Edited February 28, 2015 by camussie

[fakeempress]

You said "It was bandied about that he has songwriting cred credible for a Broadway hit musical", which goes further than the quote you seem to rely on.

Yes, that's what the quote together with a couple quotes from other posters (hence the "for instance" in my previous post) bandied about. 

Edited February 28, 2015 by fakeempress

[caracas1914]

Don't see why Rachel can't accept another Broadway role, having LEARNED something from her last BW experience.

 

You just don't get a good foundation from school, you get a good foundation from experiencing life and changing how you contront another situation.  Why couldn't Rachel appreciate a second chance and be more dedicated and focused on the task at hand? 

Edited February 28, 2015 by caracas1914

[jaytee1812]

Don't see why Rachel can't accept another Broadway role, having LEARNED something from her last BW experience.

I wish they'd show her having learned something. But she seems to think it was just circumstances, not her fault.

I don't mind what option Rachel chooses, as long as she chooses it and she actually sticks to it.

[Danielle87]

 

 

Sam and Kurt’s concern over Rachel’s looming decision to return to Broadway before completing her degree at NYADA continues to grow. While they each try to convince her to complete her studies, former flame Jesse St. James makes an unexpected visit - and a startling admission - in a bid to convince her to take the job.

 

Oh.My.God. I knew it. Rachel is going to have not one but THREE men lecture her on what's best for her. Screw Rachel being a "special snowflake" I'm done with her being lectured by men. Especially an idiot like Sam and a haughty know it all like Kurt. I love Jesse so he is excused (for now).

[camussie]

Don't see why Rachel can't accept another Broadway role, having LEARNED something from her last BW experience.

 

 

The issue for me is I haven't seen any indication she has learned anything from the mistakes she made previously.  She still is extremely self involved to the point where she doesn't really know the kids she is coaching.  She still seems to wilt at the least little setback.  She still isn't owning up to the mistakes she made.  I simply don't feel like the Rachel I see currently would stick with Broadway any longer than the Rachel who quit it last year.  That is why I want her to choose school.  

 

It is too bad because they could have used this season to show us a Rachel who has learned from her mistakes but they haven't.  They could have used this season to show us a Rachel rebuilding herself so that when she left for NY again at the end of it (preferably to hit audition circuit) I would have said that girl has learned and will make it back some day.  That way when they showed her Tony flash forward it would have felt more earned.  As I see it, now the only way it will feel slightly earned is if I can say well Rachel was still a complete mess when she left Lima but she found the seasoning she needed at NYADA and that is how she became ready to, not only tackle the challenging world of Broadway again, but make it to the top of that world.

 

This all goes back to the writers telling us a story instead of showing it to us.  Unless she goes back to NYADA, I will no more buy into Rachel having what it takes to be a Tony winner in 5 years, than I will buy into Kurt/Blaine still being together 5 years in the future. 

Edited February 28, 2015 by camussie

[shantown]

Oh.My.God. I knew it. Rachel is going to have not one but THREE men lecture her on what's best for her. Screw Rachel being a "special snowflake" I'm done with her being lectured by men. Especially an idiot like Sam and a haughty know it all like Kurt. I love Jesse so he is excused (for now).

Exactly. Tell me ONE thing Sam knows about going to college, getting a real job, living in New York or working on Broadway.

[ComfySweater]

Most of my problem is nothing about a NYADA type program will prepare Rachel for the rigors of Broadway she couldn't handle. She got bored doing the same show over and over. In NYADA she'll be doing different things each week and leaning technical skills she clearly already has at necessary levels to book Broadway gigs. It potentially buys her time to mature, but that's about all it does for her. I'm sure we'll all get a very special lesson in how arts education cures all ills, but what NYADA offers doesn't have much to do with her actual issues and needs as a professional performer.

 

Granted, I'm still not sure how she managed to successfully bail out on Funny Girl. That was glossed over like so many other things they need to have happen so they can get to whatever their next bit of insanity is.

Edited February 28, 2015 by ComfySweater

[camussie]

See that is where I disagree.  Professional acting/theater programs teach performers techniques to, not only interpret the material, but how to keep it fresh performance after performance, take after take.  They also give performers a rounded view of what a production takes so that they learn, that while they may be the star, there is an entire team working on making a production great.  Both of those are things Rachel needs to learn as she got bored with "Funny Girl" after a month and as she also never seemed to grasp that, while she was the star of "Funny Girl,"  there were many many others who also made the production the success it was.  Finally her time at NYADA can teach her how to handle criticism because as of right now she seems to wilt at every little setback.  That is if the professors don't all turn out to be like Cassie, who was right about Rachel's dance ability, but who then ended up being a cheerleader.  

 

I also wouldn't discount that time to mature because right now every indication to me is she desperately needs that.  I was hoping her time in Lima would be used for that but unfortunately it hasn't been.  

Edited February 28, 2015 by camussie

[jaytee1812]

See that is where I disagree.  Professional acting/theater programs teach performers techniques to, not only interpret the material, but how to keep it fresh performance after performance, take after take.  They also give performers a rounded view of what a production takes so that they learn, that while they may be the star, there is an entire team working on making a production great.  Both of those are things Rachel needs to learn as she got bored with "Funny Girl" after a month and as she also never seemed to grasp that, while she was the star of "Funny Girl,"  there were many many others who also made the production the success it was.

Answering in the episodes thread.

[ComfySweater]

They teach those things, some better than others, but Rachel has shown zero of the maturity necessary to hear that message. NYADA as shown hasn't done a whole heck of a lot of that anyway as they unrealistically cheered her on and handed her all the awards right away. If anything they enabled her wild ego trip.

 

What it comes down to for me is that Rachel lacks maturity. If she had that, she could learn in college or on the job equally well.  Lacking that, she's pretty well fucked unless the magic of the passing of time fixes her. It's hard for me to see NYADA as much more than a way to have her cool her heels until she grows up some more. She hasn't shown a lot of enthusiasm for the college experience itself, and it's not necessary for a career in entertainment. 

[Hana Chan]

What would work if they weren't going to send Rachel back to school was to show Rachel actually having to learn the hard lessons of the real world where what she did isn't just forgotten because she can sing. That she spends months hitting the pavement and getting doors slammed in her face. That it takes ages for her to get anyone willing to let her audition outside of an open call and even longer before she's actually considered seriously for chorus or small supporting roles. That her first job ends up being one that she would have looked down on when she was riding high, where she's chorus positioned in the back row and not seriously considered for a main role or even to be an understudy. That she has to spend months of working hard and learning to be a team player, because that would start to teach her that every member of the cast has value. And just maybe, years later, after working hard and proving that she was worthy of being trusted and earning the respect of those that she works with (and learning to respect them as well), she gets her chance for a more substantial role.

 

But Glee won't have her actually have to work to achieve her goals. No, that's for suckers like Kurt who do the right things and doesn't take for granted the very rare opportunities that he's granted. Rachel will get all of her wishes handed to her on a silver platter because she's so. very. fucking. special. Too precious a talent to allowed to linger in obscurity despite the fact that she doesn't have the emotional maturity of a five year old and has done not an iota of work herself to try to grow.

[caracas1914]

If Jesse St. James is shown as a successful BW performer I would be very entertained.

[jaytee1812]

If Jesse St. James is shown as a successful BW performer I would be very entertained.

Another one who dropped out of college because he was lazy.

This show really has no respect for hard work. I mean I imagine Broadway performers work their asses off. There are no easy rides.

[SeanC]

What would work if they weren't going to send Rachel back to school was to show Rachel actually having to learn the hard lessons of the real world where what she did isn't just forgotten because she can sing. That she spends months hitting the pavement and getting doors slammed in her face. That it takes ages for her to get anyone willing to let her audition outside of an open call and even longer before she's actually considered seriously for chorus or small supporting roles. That her first job ends up being one that she would have looked down on when she was riding high, where she's chorus positioned in the back row and not seriously considered for a main role or even to be an understudy. That she has to spend months of working hard and learning to be a team player, because that would start to teach her that every member of the cast has value. And just maybe, years later, after working hard and proving that she was worthy of being trusted and earning the respect of those that she works with (and learning to respect them as well), she gets her chance for a more substantial role.

 

But Glee won't have her actually have to work to achieve her goals. No, that's for suckers like Kurt who do the right things and doesn't take for granted the very rare opportunities that he's granted. Rachel will get all of her wishes handed to her on a silver platter because she's so. very. fucking. special. Too precious a talent to allowed to linger in obscurity despite the fact that she doesn't have the emotional maturity of a five year old and has done not an iota of work herself to try to grow.

As with many things, of course, the biggest problem with that is that Glee simply doesn't have narrative space to accommodate a story like that.  Even with Rachel, the lead, they've never had room to spend sufficient time developing a career story that has no meaningful roles for other characters in it (hence, things like shoehorning Santana into "Funny Girl").  As a result, pretty much everybody's successes come out of nowhere.

[spiritof76]

Yeah my issue is two fold. On the one hand I HATE that they will have three guys (Sam, Kurt and Jesse) trying to tell Rachel what is best for her. Glee has a habit of the "menfolk" always knowing better. (The only difference is when they had Tina applying to colleges for Mike and going to talk to his father behind his back. But for some reason, I always felt like they put Tina in the male role in that relationship. She was always shown as the aggressor). So I'm just not really here for a bunch of guys trying to tell the "little lady" what she needs to do for her future.

 

On the other hand, I'm sick of people constantly having to rally around Rachel in order for her to make any sort of decision in life. And nobody is saying to her what really needs to be said, which is, "You blew it." My last hope for some down home truths is Carmen. If we could just have Carmen say "I told you so", when Rachel goes to talk to her, I might be able to stomach this better. I want to root for Rachel. I really do. I want to, want her to succeed. They just aren't giving me a lot to go on here.

[caracas1914]

the biggest problem with that is that Glee simply doesn't have narrative space to accommodate a story like that.

 

Yet they have time for a Bar Mitzvah with a 13 year old  for storyline to take up a whole fucking episode.  Oy!

[Hana Chan]

They're doing a fast forward in the last episode. How hard would it be to do a five minute montage of Rachel hitting the audition circuit, get multiple rejections before finally getting her first shot at a job? They were able to show Rachel's weariness of doing FG within the confines of a single song performance. It's not that they can't show Rachel struggling to succeed. It's that the just don't want to, because Rachel is so very Special.

[caracas1914]

This season is the first one where I would say Jane Lynch as Coach Sue is actually one of the leading characters, per screentime and songs.

[tom87]

I don't have an issue with them being concerned. What I have a problem with is them (Kurt especially) doing it to the exclusion of focusing on their own professional aspirations. Kurt should be focused on his work at NYADA and perhaps even hitting a few auditions himself. Not sitting on his hands until Rachel needs her nose or ass wiped.

I agree Kurt should be auditioning and  should have stayed in NY to do his internship.

 

But  maybe i am misreading this but how has singing a song or having a discussion equal to to them "doing it to the exclusion of focusing on their own professional aspirations"?

 

Kurt went to Lima for Blaine not Rachel and stayed in Lima for Blaine not Rachel.  Sam is still being a football coach.  Neither have dropped their plans for Rachel. Kurt at most postpone some of that for Blaine.

 

All Rachel did was suggest Kurt do his internship in Lima AFTER he cried to her AFTER he returned of his own free will and wanted to find a way to get Blaine back.  

They're doing a fast forward in the last episode. How hard would it be to do a five minute montage of Rachel hitting the audition circuit, get multiple rejections before finally getting her first shot at a job? They were able to show Rachel's weariness of doing FG within the confines of a single song performance.

I wanted this for all of season 4 tbh.

[mercfan3]

For gods sake Starkids Harry Potter was not fucking Broadway.

It was college kids theatre that went viral over a FREE YouTube slot.

It was fun , but it wasn't professional theatre at all.

Fuck.

I feel better now.

 

Jesus Christ. Can you all step away from the Darren hate to see the point that was trying to be made. Seriously. It's silly. The venom is ridiculous. 

 

Could Darren write a broadway level show right now? Of course he couldn't. Of course he doesn't have the resume to be taken seriously there. Maybe he will in the future. 

 

However, we aren't talking about him actually writing a broadway level hit. We're talking about him writing a song for Glee that is meant to be one from a Broadway hit. There's a huge difference. And quite frankly, the fact that Darren is from a very good musical theatre program, and he does have experience writing popular songs from a musical...makes him likely more qualified than anyone else around Glee to write a song song that is supposed to be a broadway hit on Glee. The idea that a song penned by Darren Criss couldn't possibly be capable of writing a song that is supposedly a Broadway hit in the Glee universe..is just silly.