Sara2009 February 3, 2015 Share February 3, 2015 I've never found Darren charismatic tbh. To me he 's just hyper. 2 Link to comment
fakeempress February 3, 2015 Share February 3, 2015 (edited) I tend to think that at least the album as it was, was scrapped, if he wasn't entirely dropped by Columbia. It will certainly be a surprise (but who knows) if he has managed to record it and the label wants to launch it at the tail end of Glee as a shocker. At the time of his tour,in summer '13, he was saying it's hard to put 2-3 months aside to focus on the album, he had no idea when it will be done,and "we'll get there". Last summer he had no projects, so there was time to do that but nobody can say if he did. There was some mention of him working a bit in London and that was it, as far as I recall. What is interesting - because he dissed Lea for having it easier with other people writing songs for her - is people found him on the label looking list from early 2013, before his tour that is. Artist: DARREN CRISSRecord Label: ColumbiaLooking For: Co-writer and musician that stars in Glee. Looking for beats with hooks and character. Think Maroon 5 type recordsA Link for Who's Looking: [linked to a private Youtube video, but the song/performance was It's Time]A&R: Ashley Newton / Maria Egan So, we'll see if there'll be a surprise album right off Glee and a tour (which will be a shocker), or not. Since he said there would be a release by the end of last year but nothing came out, and also said last summer that his album will be a priority when Glee ends, it makes me think there won't be any shocker album, and in general, puts a big question mark on an album with Columbia at all. . Edited February 3, 2015 by fakeempress Link to comment
mercfan3 February 3, 2015 Share February 3, 2015 Why does it need to be a shocker album? Why can't he just be finishing it up? Darren's at least as big (if not bigger) of a name than Naya. There would have been reports that he was dropped, I'd think. Link to comment
fakeempress February 3, 2015 Share February 3, 2015 (edited) I'll have to repeat what I said to reply: Because he said the album will be a priority after Glee, which means to me it'll take some time and the main work will be done after Glee. Second, he didn't release anything last year, though he promised. Third, the latest from DCN is quite vague as to the timeline, saying he's working at his own pace and on his own terms, and maybe we'll hear more about it after he's done with Glee. That's quite non-committal, and doesn't exactly quell suspicions that he's been dropped. And fourth, we are 15 days from Glee shutting down production for good, people are announcing projects and he's been silent on the album. So, to me if he announces a release date right at the tail end of Glee, and if the date is very soon after, it'll be a huge surprise. Edited February 3, 2015 by fakeempress Link to comment
dizzyizzy01 February 3, 2015 Share February 3, 2015 Why does it need to be a shocker album? Why can't he just be finishing it up? Darren's at least as big (if not bigger) of a name than Naya. There would have been reports that he was dropped, I'd think. Not really. It's also arguable if he's a bigger star than Naya. Anyway, he's not listed on the Columbia roster at this point so if he hasn't been officially dropped, he's probably very close to being dropped. Even if he hasn't been officially dropped, he's definitely not a priority for the label. 1 Link to comment
camussie February 3, 2015 Share February 3, 2015 (edited) I'll be honest and say I will be surprised if any of the Glee alum put out another album under Columbia. Lea has the best chance, but her album peaked and then petered off quickly. When it was peaking she said she was going to do another one but those circumstances could have easily changed or could still change. I don't think anyone else, including Darren, has a chance in Hades of releasing am album under the Columbia label. Glee simply doesn't have the cache it used to. That is not to say Darren won't find success with a smaller label or through other means (TV shows, indie movies, etc) but I just don't expect him to release anything under Columbia. Edited February 3, 2015 by camussie 1 Link to comment
ComfySweater February 3, 2015 Share February 3, 2015 He can sell out a decently sized tour and break ticketing systems. I know Glee is over, but I'd give him a decent shot at doing it again. He has fans who buy things. Link to comment
dizzyizzy01 February 3, 2015 Share February 3, 2015 He can sell out a decently sized tour and break ticketing systems. I know Glee is over, but I'd give him a decent shot at doing it again. He has fans who buy things. I think he has a shot at a music career. He's just not going to find it on a major label. He's a better fit for a smaller label that would want to invest in him. Link to comment
fakeempress February 3, 2015 Share February 3, 2015 (edited) His venues were around 1K capacity on average and it was a mini tour. To launch a solid music career he needs new and good material. He has a core audience but I agree with dizzyizzy01, he'd be better at a smaller label and he needs to develop a sound. Edited February 3, 2015 by fakeempress Link to comment
mercfan3 February 3, 2015 Share February 3, 2015 Not really. It's also arguable if he's a bigger star than Naya. Anyway, he's not listed on the Columbia roster at this point so if he hasn't been officially dropped, he's probably very close to being dropped. Even if he hasn't been officially dropped, he's definitely not a priority for the label. I'm pretty sure he's never been listed on the Columbia roster. (Amber wasn't ever listed either. And Lea was only listed after she released music.) Is Amber still a part of Columbia records? I do agree that Darren would be better off at a smaller label. That seems more like what he wants to do musically, and probably where his best shot at a music career is. And, IMO, if he has commercial post show success, it's much more likely to come in acting. He's a better musician than actor, he's just not a mainstream musician. Link to comment
KatWay February 3, 2015 Share February 3, 2015 His newer songs were meh, but his stuff on A Very Potter Musical (+ sequels) was pretty great. I only listened to that after I saw him on Glee, so I wasn't exactly part of his fanbase or anything (still not his biggest fan, but I find him inoffensive enough to wish him well, just like the rest of the cast). Link to comment
ComfySweater February 3, 2015 Share February 3, 2015 I wasn't thinking any sort of major label stuff, but I do think he can probably keep the lights on. Link to comment
dizzyizzy01 February 3, 2015 Share February 3, 2015 I wasn't thinking any sort of major label stuff, but I do think he can probably keep the lights on. I agree. I just think it's unlikely, unless he got pretty lucky, that he'd become some breakout star in acting or music. I certainly think he can make a career for himself. Link to comment
truthaboutluv February 3, 2015 Share February 3, 2015 (edited) It seems to me that for some, there is still this "now for now" view of any of the cast's future prospects, not to mention the not so subtle undertone I get that some are practically relishing the idea of Darren just falling off the entertainment earth after Glee ends. In my opinion, all the opining and speculating is all well and good but I'll say the same thing I said in the "Cast In Other Roles" thread - Hollywood is a very, very unpredictable and strange beast and no matter how talented one thinks someone they like is or how untalented another, there is no way to really predict how people will do. And I also, no offense, find the notion that because Darren is one of the few who hasn't announced any post-Glee projects, things are so grim for him, laughable. I have seen too many "comeback" Hollywood stories, people who seem to vanish for months, maybe even a year or two and come back out of nowhere with a perfectly well timed successful project. In my opinion, it's simple - Darren may very well end up doing some mediocre parts and be nothing more than some bit player in Hollywood. Or, he very well may land on on the right project and explode and frankly neither would shock me no matter how untalented some believe he is. Because I agree with the previous post that the reality of Hollywood is that talent alone has NEVER been a guarantee for success or failure. Edited February 3, 2015 by truthaboutluv 4 Link to comment
dizzyizzy01 February 3, 2015 Share February 3, 2015 I mean I think it'd be awesome if everyone of these guys have a long-lasting career. It'd be fun to do a where are they now several years from now. I just think it's silly to state that anyone has the "best" shot at success post-glee as others have stated about Darren, and it's true that Darren at least currently doesn't have any projects lined up. However you never know what the future holds. Like some have said, a lot of it is luck. Sometimes it's just about being in the right place at the right time. 1 Link to comment
tom87 February 3, 2015 Share February 3, 2015 It seems to me that for some, there is still this "now for now" view of any of the cast's future prospects, not to mention the not so subtle undertone I get that some are practically relishing the idea of Darren just falling off the entertainment earth after Glee ends Darren has as much chance as any of them to continue to succeed. This competition by some fans about who will do the best is so odd. What defines success anyway? I doubt he will be homeless and selling his guitar for food any time soon. 2 Link to comment
dizzyizzy01 February 3, 2015 Share February 3, 2015 If you can make a living doing what you love to do, I think that's pretty damn successful =). 2 Link to comment
truthaboutluv February 3, 2015 Share February 3, 2015 (edited) This competition by some fans about who will do the best is so odd. More like predictable and petty. Really, I've seen this happen in way too many fandoms when the shows are winding down and it's all typically been teen oriented shows starring mid to late 20-something year old actors. Funny enough, of the most recent shows I've seen this occur, so far none of the actors are exactly storming Hollywood. But guaranteed, people always think their favorite is the super special one that is going to be a massive star and the actor they can't stand is going nowhere. It honestly is kind of amusing in how repetitive it is - just change the name of the show and the actors but it's the same dialogue. eta: Being that this is the Darren and Blaine thread, let me just also add, as Glee dies it's slow and merciful death, that Blaine Anderson is without question one of the worse written characters in the history of television. That may seem like hyperbole but I'm going off the television shows I've watched and in my opinion, he ranks up there. Never had a clear identity and individual personality, shitty characterization, poor to nonexistent motivations, no character growth, poor choices and shitty actions, selfish, whiny, creepy, inconsistent age, etc. Just horrible, absolutely horrible. Edited February 3, 2015 by truthaboutluv 4 Link to comment
fakeempress February 3, 2015 Share February 3, 2015 (edited) More like predictable and petty. Really, I've seen this happen in way too many fandoms when the shows are winding down and it's all typically been teen oriented shows starring mid to late 20-something year old actors. Funny enough, of the most recent shows I've seen this occur, so far none of the actors are exactly storming Hollywood. But guaranteed, people always think their favorite is the super special one that is going to be a massive star and the actor they can't stand is going nowhere. It honestly is kind of amusing in how repetitive it is - just change the name of the show and the actors but it's the same dialogue. And that is true for those upthread saying Darren won't get work, and those who said he will be the most successful of all. So, I'd propose to try keep the this here and the other actor / career threads to more concrete discussion and speculation, and not blanket statements about the future career, because as we've discussed before (my perennial example Jared Leto Oscar winner) anything can happen and the twists and turns of a Hwd career can boggle the mind. Edited February 3, 2015 by fakeempress Link to comment
Myrna123 February 3, 2015 Share February 3, 2015 More like predictable and petty. You're right. From now on those of us who want to be considered decent human beings should use these actor threads to warmly wish well these fine, good-hearted performers. No more voicing mean old opinions used to support reasons why one might think Darren Criss won't continue on as the star he is. Besides, someone has to take Ian Ziering's place when it's time to film Sharknado 8. Why not Darren Criss? Link to comment
truthaboutluv February 3, 2015 Share February 3, 2015 You're right. From now on those of us who want to be considered decent human beings should use these actor threads to warmly wish well these fine, good-hearted performers. No more voicing mean old opinions used to support reasons why one might think Darren Criss won't continue on as the star he is. Besides, someone has to take Ian Ziering's place when it's time to film Sharknado 8. Why not Darren Criss? Uh-huh...sure. 2 Link to comment
Cranberry February 3, 2015 Share February 3, 2015 None of you are allowed to police the tone of this thread, so drop it now, please. Link to comment
phoenixrising February 4, 2015 Share February 4, 2015 On pure speculation, I'd guess he'll have a career, but nothing that'll be huge in the industry. I feel that way about pretty much everyone in glee though (of the kid actors, anyway). Link to comment
Hana Chan February 4, 2015 Share February 4, 2015 On pure speculation, I'd guess he'll have a career, but nothing that'll be huge in the industry. I feel that way about pretty much everyone in glee though (of the kid actors, anyway). I think that there are several in the cast that have a lot of potential and several have already made some pretty significant career jumps following their time on Glee. Whether or not that continues remains to be seen. Strictly going by the potential that I see, Darren is going to have a challenging time. With the amount of heavy feature he's gotten over the past few seasons, it's shown his weaknesses as an actor and singer. Had he been kept in a more supportive role and not shoved as a lead, I think he might have had an easier time lining up something for after Glee. But the quality of his acting has been poor and while his voice can be pleasant with the right material, his versatility as a singer is limited. So am I totally surprised that he's one of the few (along with Chord) that has yet to announce anything for after Glee, or even to have his management state that they're in talks for something? Not particularly. Darren strikes me as being a flash in the pan. Again, that doesn't mean that I think that he's unemployable and that he won't get something else once Glee ends, but I don't see him becoming any kind of big star (either acting or musically). And I do think that having Darren so heavily featured in Glee's BTS PR (which is run by his girlfriend) is an effort to try to keep Darren relevant and tempt perspective employers. I'm not inclined to follow Darren's career after Glee (since I genuinely don't like him as a performer), but I would be curious to see where he lands after Glee. Strictly for science. 1 Link to comment
fakeempress February 4, 2015 Share February 4, 2015 (edited) Had he been kept in a more supportive role and not shoved as a lead, I think he might have had an easier time lining up something for after Glee. One doesn't necessarily have to do with the other. And we still don't really know if he hasn't landed anything or is close to do that. I don't see Heather hailed as a good actress, but she has landed 2 (3?) movie roles already, while he really got positive reviews for his role in his movie. So, I don't see how there is a direct link between what you (and I, mind you) think of his acting, and how his post-Glee career will go. People keep point out how it's a crapshoot in Hwd for a reason, because there are dozens and dozens of such examples of not so good, or outright bad actors, making it big. And I do think that having Darren so heavily featured in Glee's BTS PR (which is run by his girlfriend) is an effort to try to keep Darren relevant and tempt perspective employers. It's promos and hooks for the viewing public / fans. While I still think they're pushing him hard as the face of Glee and it's become ridiculously overboard, this season in particular, I can't see prospective employers checking out the Glee BTS's to scout for talent. I'd rather think Fox is grooming him for something else of theirs hence the promotion, not the other way around. Edited February 4, 2015 by fakeempress 3 Link to comment
mercfan3 February 5, 2015 Share February 5, 2015 (edited) Darren keeps winning polls for playing Danny in Grease, which Fox is doing. That's a possibility in terms of why they are promoting him the way they are. I think this idea that Fox would be so sweetly promoting Darren with no benefit to themselves is silly. Either they've figured out he's their best bet at a decent draw (which is likely why he got a prominent role in the first place) or they are promoting him for something else. Edited February 5, 2015 by mercfan3 Link to comment
dizzyizzy01 February 5, 2015 Share February 5, 2015 People give too much weight to the BTS productions. 5 Link to comment
fakeempress February 5, 2015 Share February 5, 2015 (edited) Grease is way away, next year. They may be looking at Darren, I don't discount it. And lol the fanboys at Broadway.com or Playbill with the contests, they've been trying to cast him in something else forever. However, can he sing Danny's part, I mean as it should be sung? I know only the movie version with Travolta, seems to me too high range for Darren, and judging by Hopelessly Devoted, there'll be shouting instead of singing on the high notes. He did fine on Beauty School Dropout - but even there he still didn't finish phrases and hold end notes well, which is more typical for pop singers than for Broadway. Edited February 5, 2015 by fakeempress Link to comment
Hana Chan February 5, 2015 Share February 5, 2015 (edited) I wouldn't place too much weight on any on-line polls for the casting in Grease. Chris won several polls for the lead in Peter Pan and that didn't happen. As for Darren's chances... I wouldn't be totally surprised if his name was in the mix, but looking at who has already been cast, Darren doesn't measure up. Julianne Hough is best known for Dancing with the Stars, but she's also a credible recording artist and did several film roles (including musicals). Vanessa Hudgens has a huge fanbase and a pretty active film and music career after leaving High School Musical. As far as Darren being a draw... where? Glee ratings since he was elevated to lead have plummeted. I'm not placing total blame on Darren (the shit writing and crap storylines bear most of the responsibility), but his presence didn't seem to be such an asset. Nor was it an asset for Girl Most Likely (which was such a commercial flop that it couldn't be pulled from theaters fast enough). Playing a few venues of less than 1000 seats (and many of them not sold out despite his PR team's pronouncement) is one thing. Getting a few million eye-balls to turn in to a tv special is another story. Outside of his fan bubble, how much demand for Darren is really there? If it's so great, why would the recording label shelve his album? I was frankly shocked that Adam Shankman didn't cast him in the production of Hair that Amber and Jenna participated in (given how much of a fan of Darren's Adam is and how he featured Darren so heavily in the Trevor Project benefit performances that he staged). Maybe someone at FOX wants to keep Darren on the backburner for an upcoming project. But until someone announces anything, we're all speculating. Glee finishes filming in two weeks (per Kevin's tweet). So his best chance to publicize his future plans (and have people pay attention because he has some relevance) is running out. Edited February 5, 2015 by Hana Chan Link to comment
fakeempress February 5, 2015 Share February 5, 2015 (edited) I don't get that So his best chance to publicize his future plans (and have people pay attention because he has some relevance) is running out. People aren't announcing their projects on the show, they are announcing it in the media. I'm sure his PR guy can arrange for Hwd publications and entertainment press when there is something to announce, and they will be adding "from Glee" to any of these actors' names at least for the short-term, doesn't matter how low the ratings are now or that the show is soon off the air. Glee is still widely recognised as a name and brand not to be mentioned. Even if people haven't watched the show ever, they have heard about it. The show Girls for instance, ended their last season at barely 700K viewers (granted it's HBO but still), but NBC still cast Allison Williams as Peter Pan - her father is news anchor Brian Williams of NBC. Edited February 5, 2015 by fakeempress Link to comment
Hana Chan February 5, 2015 Share February 5, 2015 What I meant is that right now, while he still has Glee as a means to keep him somewhat relevant, is the best time for Darren to find and promote his new projects. Because once Glee goes off the air, he's going to be just another unemployed actor. Right now it is starting to look pretty bad that only he (and Chord) currently have no future projects confirmed or apparently seriously in the works (Amber's manager indicated that he is working on several things for her). Even Heather has something confirmed and she's the weakest actor on the show. Do I honestly care if Darren gets any work? Not really. I don't plan to follow his career after Glee except for basic curiosity. Don't get me started on the Allison Williams drag show... talk about poor casting choices. Link to comment
KatWay February 5, 2015 Share February 5, 2015 Don't get me started on the Allison Williams drag show... talk about poor casting choices. I didn't think she was all that, but the role of Peter Pan in that musical has always been played by a woman. Amber doesn't have anything confirmed either, aside from her manager's statement. I hope they can get her on Empire. Does it matter who has stuff announced right now or who doesn't? When Smash ended, Megan Hilty had a part in a sitcom lined up and Kat McPhee had nothing. Now Kat McPhee stars in a successful CBS show and Hilty's sitcom crashed quickly. And all that with Hilty being far more talented than McPhee. Hollywood's a crapshot. I'm still rooting for Hilty, but that doesn't mean she'll make it. Neither does thinking McPhee is a terrible actress mean she won't be employed. 5 Link to comment
Pink ranger February 5, 2015 Share February 5, 2015 Allison Williams received good reviews for Peter Pan and was actually far better received than Christopher Walken who is the oscar winner. Most actors careers go in peaks and troughs so I think that deciding the value of an actors entire career based on whats happening RIGHT NOW is rather shot sighted. 2 Link to comment
Myrna123 February 5, 2015 Share February 5, 2015 I don't get all the pearl clutching about speculating about the future prospects of Glee performers. Sports enthusiasts spend hours upon days upon weeks upon months speculating about how certain high school athletes will perform in college and how college athletes will perform in the pros. Was it Michael Jordan who didn't make his high school basketball team? Ohio State won the national championship this year with a third string quarterback. The world's a kooky place but that doesn't mean we can't look at a certain situation and evaluate certain conditions and make predictions about how things are going to play out. 1 Link to comment
truthaboutluv February 5, 2015 Share February 5, 2015 (edited) Does it matter who has stuff announced right now or who doesn't? When Smash ended, Megan Hilty had a part in a sitcom lined up and Kat McPhee had nothing. Now Kat McPhee stars in a successful CBS show and Hilty's sitcom crashed quickly. And all that with Hilty being far more talented than McPhee. Hollywood's a crapshot. This exactly. I honestly cannot see the connection between Darren getting and announcing something now just because Glee is still airing versus six months or even a year from now. As someone else noted, whatever he gets cast in, whenever he does, I'm sure Glee will get referenced anyway. Case in point, between yesterday and today, THR has retweeted at least three times the news of Milo Ventimiglia joining Gotham for a recurring arc. And everytime they reference his being on Heroes and Gilmore Girls - how long ago were both of these things? And it's not like Glee is some huge catchet right now that things must happen for Darren while the show is on the air because it's the only way anyone will care about the news because frankly, nobody cares about Glee anymore - certainly if their ratings and FOX's scheduling of it is anything to go by. So from my perspective Darren's chances of success or lack thereof or people's interest or lack thereof will be the same whether he announces something now or months later. I mean I certainly don't see Glee's being on air or not, having anything to do with any success or failure Darren may have if say he's cast in some other show. Shows don't succeed, from my experience anyway on any name - sure in cases like True Detective, some will watch out of curiosity when you have big names like McConaughey and Woody Harrelson but of the many, many new shows that come to television, the few that survive do so because of interesting concepts, good writing (hello Glee - something you know nothing about), good cast chemistry and acting and good scheduling. Whatever shows any of the cast-members used to be on, rarely makes a difference to whether or not people watch. Edited February 5, 2015 by truthaboutluv 1 Link to comment
wayne67 February 8, 2015 Share February 8, 2015 eta: Being that this is the Darren and Blaine thread, let me just also add, as Glee dies it's slow and merciful death, that Blaine Anderson is without question one of the worse written characters in the history of television. That may seem like hyperbole but I'm going off the television shows I've watched and in my opinion, he ranks up there. Never had a clear identity and individual personality, shitty characterization, poor to nonexistent motivations, no character growth, poor choices and shitty actions, selfish, whiny, creepy, inconsistent age, etc. Just horrible, absolutely horrible. I've always thought Britney was the worst written character with her wildly swinging IQ and her mild pixie girl antics. She's sometimes amusing but only in small doses. Then again it's Glee we could argue about inconsistent characterisation and nonsensical portrayals all day without a clear winner :P lol I miss Blaine's characterisation from when he first started and was the confident gay guy from a competing show choir that Kurt liked and they supported each other. Sadly Blaine has become increasingly neurotic, controlling and weird for ... reasons that make no sense and doesn't even provide much entertainment either. The last time I remember enjoying a scene of his was when he was singing with puppets. I don't want Blaine and Kurt together because they're dull together, I'd rather they find other people that they connect with in New York and move on from their only gay highschool romance. It feels like they're only getting together because it ties up loose ends without involving any extra work for the writers, casting agents. Link to comment
mercfan3 February 9, 2015 Share February 9, 2015 I think Blaine is poorly written because he is a prop. He was essentially made for Kurt. And doesn't have any motivation outside of Kurt. And he only got that motivation when Darren Criss needed to take the lead in McKinnley because the audience wasn't going to care about anyone else there. It's the same reason that Quinn and Brittany are poorly written. Not only that, but Blaine and Quinn's personally changes to fit the needs of the plot. Sometimes they are confident. Sometimes they are neurotic and controlling. Sometimes they are bitchy. But they are only props for Kurt and Rachel. And when they finally tried to make Blaine a true character, they really didn't expand him beyond Kurt. (I mean really, any idea what his musical aspirations are? What he wants in his future? What his personal conflicts - other than with Kurt - ever were? Nope..cause he had none. Which makes things hard when he's the character trying to carry a half of a show.) 4 Link to comment
wayne67 February 9, 2015 Share February 9, 2015 I think Blaine is poorly written because he is a prop. He was essentially made for Kurt. And doesn't have any motivation outside of Kurt. And he only got that motivation when Darren Criss needed to take the lead in McKinnley because the audience wasn't going to care about anyone else there. Well I remember he had issues with his older brother stealing the spotlight from him and he has major control issues and egomania. Other than that I don't really know his character that well. I have similar issues with Sam though, he's constantly being rewritten to serve as a prop for whichever female love interest that the writers decided to have him hook up/fall in love with that episode. You'd think that Blaine being 'made for Kurt' would mean that they'd gloss over their issues and make them stop breaking up or at least introduce a third party to try and tempt one or both of them out of monogamy. It would ratchet up the tension if Kurt and Blaine got a love triangle... Other than Blam cause that was going nowhere. Normally I hate a love triangle but if the third party was a hot gay guy introduced to liven up Kurt and Blaine's sex life that would be novel for a tv series. Happened all the time during the Eating out franchise but seems completely overlooked on tv shows. There are tonnes of gay couples in open relationships and it would be hilarious to watch it unfold on the small screen... That could lead to some fun drama. 1 Link to comment
mercfan3 February 9, 2015 Share February 9, 2015 IMO, Blaine wasn't really too much of a whiny, control freak, egomaniac until they needed to put Blaine front and center. Basically, when he became "The New Rachel." Before that, Blaine was really sort of a half mentor/half boyfriend, confident gay man that helped Kurt come into his own and became Kurt's love interest. His personality changed though, to fit the needs of the show. (Like all the characters sans Kurt and Rachel). I mean..when they suddenly decided that Blaine was younger than Kurt it was weird. And yea, they could have been more creative with their love story arch, or made their relationship deeper, or fixed some of their issues. But it's Glee. It's as well written as the rest of the show. I just enjoy it for what it is..and I actually really like the incredibly meta campy offensive dark comedy the show has become in the final season. Glee spent too long trying to take itself seriously. 1 Link to comment
tom87 February 9, 2015 Share February 9, 2015 (edited) is personality changed though, to fit the needs of the show. (Like all the characters sans Kurt and Rachel). They did a 180 on Rachel just to get the enitre show back to Lima. She has had other personaiity changes too, making her actually less confident then when we first saw her. They regress her character whenever the mood stricks them, one stop forward, two steps back. Kurt maybe not as much but from season 1 to 2 they did soften him for the bullying stoyline and took away some of the sarcastic edge. Edited February 9, 2015 by tom87 2 Link to comment
phoenixrising February 9, 2015 Share February 9, 2015 I think Blaine is poorly written because he is a prop. He was essentially made for Kurt. And doesn't have any motivation outside of Kurt. And he only got that motivation when Darren Criss needed to take the lead in McKinnley because the audience wasn't going to care about anyone else there. This. All of this. I also think Glee doesn't understand the difference between "flawed" and "awful human being". I'd say every character has crossed the line at some point or other. Except, maybe Marley, but other than nice, I'm not sure what she was. Link to comment
truthaboutluv February 9, 2015 Share February 9, 2015 (edited) I also think Glee doesn't understand the difference between "flawed" and "awful human being". Basically. Because this is what RIB said they were doing with Blaine going all the way back to his post-initial three episode run when suddenly the confident, mentor-like friend was gone and he and Kurt were suddenly the same age (before he then later became younger than Kurt). And he apparently had no experience and no clue about relationships. This was their response they said to comments that Blaine was "too perfect, almost a little boring..." Thing is, again, a decent writer would have constructed a proper narrative for this character, realizing he was going to be more permanent and stick with that. Also, making your character flawed should not mean just giving the character a complete personality change. That's not making them flawed, that's changing them to fit a specific storyline or plot and that's just lazy writing. Plenty of shows have had characters that were initially intended for only a few episodes or meant to be minor characters who gained popularity, often through a pairing, and became more of a fixture. And good writers respond by allowing them to be their own distinct character even while maintaining the relationship. The character of Mickey on Shameless immediately comes to mind. Mickey was just Ian's thuggish, gross looking FWB in the first season but the writers over the five seasons have slowly developed the character to someone incredibly compelling in his own right, irrespective of Ian. Honestly, I think the most frustrating thing about the writing for Blaine's character is that I'm not sure what the audience is supposed to feel towards him. The way the writers keep writing him, the fucked up things they've had him do, sometimes say in response to fandom comments, etc. I would honestly think he's not supposed to be likable or rootable in any way. And fair enough, I can live with that. I watch plenty of shows with unlikable characters. However, from everything the writers have said (and I'll admit I haven't seen or read an interview from any of these hacks in awhile so maybe they changed narrative) I don't get the impression we're meant to not like Blaine. It seems they, or really Ryan Murphy, think he's just an interesting flawed character. And I can't imagine we're supposed to dislike him when they're forcing a reunion with Kurt that no one really seems to want, other than the truly ride-or-die shippers. So I am left to conclude that this is a character we are supposed to like and even root for on some level. And that is what truly baffles me when it seems that they for whatever reason are determined to keep making him do these awful things that make little sense or have any kind of reasonable character motivation behind it. The Karofsky relationship really is the ultimate and final nail in the coffin of that character in my opinion. And the frustrating thing is that the writers could have obviously had Blaine date ANY random guy and achieve the same drawn out crap they wanted with him and Kurt. They chose Karofsky specifically knowing it would cause some kind of reaction but not caring how awful it makes this character that again we're somehow supposed to like and/or root for, look. Edited February 9, 2015 by truthaboutluv 1 Link to comment
caracas1914 February 9, 2015 Share February 9, 2015 I think it boils down to Ryan Murphy thinking the fandom "loves" the character so much he's impervious to anything they make him do. its really a variation of what they do with Rachel and most of the other leading characters, Kurt included; but with Blaine its worse because unlike the others, his character was never initially drawn very clearly. Link to comment
Myrna123 February 9, 2015 Share February 9, 2015 (edited) I think it boils down to Ryan Murphy thinking the fandom "loves" the character so much he's impervious to anything they make him do. its really a variation of what they do with Rachel and most of the other leading characters, Kurt included; but with Blaine its worse because unlike the others, his character was never initially drawn very clearly. But does Murphy think Blaine is doing bad things and the audience won't care or does he not even recognize things Blaine does as negative in any way? Or does Blaine behave in a less than ideal manner because of reasons and the audience is supposed to get that? As always, any consideration of the characters and what they do and why they do it is virtually impossible because no one really knows how much of what we see is incompetence versus indifference versus epistemic closure versus passive aggressive reaction to viewers versus refusal to address internal disagreements and just airing whatever the hell you feel like one week to the next. Edited February 9, 2015 by Myrna123 Link to comment
caracas1914 February 9, 2015 Share February 9, 2015 (edited) As always, any consideration of the characters and what they do and why they do it is virtually impossible because no one really knows how much of what we see is incompetence versus indifference versus epistemic closure versus passive aggressive reaction to viewers versus refusal to address internal disagreements and just airing whatever the hell you feel like one week to the next. All of the above? I do think the trope of Blaine is the flawed yet desirable "teenage dream" for Kurt, and on some level everything else just flows back into that. This spoiler (or non spoiler) pretty much spells it out: If anything might have revealed some character insight/development with Blaine would have been a SL with his father, to maybe give clues as to why he is how he is. Apparently his mother makes a token joke appearance at his wedding yet the father is MIA. Outside of Kurt, Glee has never cared (or bothered) to give him any background or context for what Blaine does. It's too late regardless. Edited February 9, 2015 by caracas1914 Link to comment
Myrna123 February 9, 2015 Share February 9, 2015 It's too late regardless. True. I must admit I'm a little surprised Blaine has received zero focus this final season. Maybe his future will be addressed in the last few episodes, but if you were trying to court Blaine fans to stay tuned (as they did with their Rachel-Sam-Blaine teases at the end of last season), there's been very little incentive so far. Does he want to stay in Lima? Work at Dalton? Perform? Go back to school to get a degree? Get married to Dave? Live a small-town life? Not that Blaine's motivations were ever a big focus of the show, but with his school choice and one-off lines here and there you could infer a thing or two. Now there's nothing to infer. Or, I guess, there's every last thing to infer. 1 Link to comment
tab19 February 9, 2015 Share February 9, 2015 True. I must admit I'm a little surprised Blaine has received zero focus this final season. Maybe his future will be addressed in the last few episodes, but if you were trying to court Blaine fans to stay tuned (as they did with their Rachel-Sam-Blaine teases at the end of last season), there's been very little incentive so far. Does he want to stay in Lima? Work at Dalton? Perform? Go back to school to get a degree? Get married to Dave? Live a small-town life? Not that Blaine's motivations were ever a big focus of the show, but with his school choice and one-off lines here and there you could infer a thing or two. Now there's nothing to infer. Or, I guess, there's every last thing to infer. This is what I've assumed - Blaine will get more focus in the last half of the season. I figure the Glee writers are crossing things off a list, and since Blaine is available for the entire season, they were going to get the other stuff out of the way (e.g, the visiting graduates) and spend time on Blaine in the back half of the season. They 'resolved' Brittany and Santana's future in one sentence "let's go to New York and go back to college" and I feel pretty sure that Blaine will get more than that. Not the Rachel-centric season-long drama, but certainly more than a line. Link to comment
caracas1914 February 9, 2015 Share February 9, 2015 (edited) This is what I've assumed Never ever a good thing on Glee. I'm sure he'll sing, but character development I still have my doubts of any career wise for Blaine. Of course they can just say that June called him up and has a Broadway gig lined up for him and call it a day. Edited February 9, 2015 by caracas1914 2 Link to comment
truthaboutluv February 9, 2015 Share February 9, 2015 (edited) Never ever a good thing on Glee. Agreed. Granted I haven't watched a second of this season but I still glance every once in awhile at the Spoilers thread and it all seems the same nonsensical, stupid crap so I can't say I see much indication that they will suddenly after three seasons, give Blaine something resembling a decent characterization and development. I actually would not be surprised by a one line resolution. I mean why not, he and Kurt's reunion seem to be a one episode, few lines deal, with little in the way of resolving or exploring any of the many, many, many reasons they are horrible together. Edited February 9, 2015 by truthaboutluv 2 Link to comment
ShadowDenizen February 11, 2015 Share February 11, 2015 (edited) I actually don't blame Darren Criss for the debacle that befell Blaine and Klaine. While not the best actor on the show, I think Darren truly gave 100% any time he was on-screen, but was let down in many cases by terrible writing and plot-points [blatina, anyone?) Both he (and Lea Michele) have been consistently polite, upbeat and positive when talking about this crapfest of a show, even into this lackluster final season. I think Darren will continue to have a thriving career (Starkids alone guarantees that!) post-Glee, and I'm still looking forward to following his stuff in the future. (For the record, I really do think that DC's charisma doesn't truly come across on the big-screen; having seen him on BroadWay in "How to Suceed", and performing live a couple of times, it's truly a substanstially different experience than seeing him onscreen.) Edited February 11, 2015 by ShadowDenizen 1 Link to comment
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