S05.E18: Back Up Plan

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Rachel jeopardizes her "Funny Girl" lead when she auditions for a television pilot. Meanwhile, Mercedes (guest star Amber Riley) tries to help get Santana in on her recording deal, and Blaine befriends an older, rich socialite (guest star Shirley MacLaine).

[CleoCaesar]

So Rachel has been dreaming of starring on Broadway since she was basically a fetus, and she gets tired of actually being on Broadway after less than a month? I just can’t with this show. And they’re making an entire TV show about a Broadway actress who has 3 weeks of experience? Are RIB smoking crack? Glee never stops scaling new heights of Mt. Stupid.

 

The episode bored me senseless. Five lines of dialogue, then a song, five lines of dialogue, then a song, rinse repeat. I did kind of enjoy Rachel nonsensically singing a song at her TV audition and the group being all, “…We didn’t need you to sing.”

 

I don’t get what Shirley Maclaine’s appeal is.

[heyerchick]

Oh, god that was terrible. I'm not even talking about Kurt and yet another in a long line of rejections. I mean Rachel. Finally, she gets schooled with some harsh truth about her irresponsible, selfish ambition and is chastened. 10 seconds later, she gets a fucking Hollywood development deal. I felt actual physical pain. 

 

What is this show? 

 

Rachel making horrible decisions, treating people like crap and still rolling from success to greater success is just an awful and, for me, alienating storyline. 

Edited April 30, 2014 by heyerchick

[brightside]

Beyond the absurdity of Rachel auditioning for a tv show less than month into the run, girl needs to renegotiate her contract. She should have a "TV out" or a "Pilot Out" once they get out of Tony Season. 

 

Also you can't just put in a girl from the street who hasn't been a part of the production for months, there are UNIONS, people!

 

I don't understand how Lea Michele could even finish reading that script with all her Broadway history. 

 

I basically can't even judge how I felt about the episode and the actions of the characters because the total lack of realism makes me feel like this episode was somebody's fever dream and it was never supposed to make it to air.

[heyerchick]

My first thoughts were actually about the awful, alienating Rachel story, but my second thoughts are all about Kurt. I thought it was made pretty clear that Mrs Dolloway rejected Kurt not because of his talent, but because he couldn’t/didn’t give her what she wanted and Blaine, people pleaser and inveterate basker in adulation, did. Chris made some great acting choices during the showcase - Kurt sang beautifully but his performance was a little stilted, a little awkward. Adorkable Kurt, not authentic, emotive soaring Kurt. He really brought out the reasoning behind Mrs D’s choice. And I liked later on how it was also made pretty clear that Kurt realises Blaine is a commodity, and that Mrs D. is going to get out of him probably more than she puts into him. I think Kurt called it correctly when he said Blaine was taking one for the team.

 

This didn’t feel as egregious, as offensive to me in the way that Tony/West Side Story did. Blaine didn’t win anything here; he’s being given a specific opportunity with huge, intrusive expectations and ultimatums in return. And he’s clearly going to be lying to both Kurt and Mrs D, trying to keep them both happy, which will inevitably fail. And then in the finale the final choice: stardom or love, since that’s the line Mrs D has drawn in the sand.

 

I’m not praising the character of Blaine, you understand. Just that the writing of this particular scenario, by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, was more nuanced and ambiguous than I expected.

[tab19]

I wish the show were only white noise - I find it so cringe-worthy that fast forward through much of it.  

 

I will say I thought the opening song and the visuals did a nice job of portraying the repetition of the performances; but that doesn't mean that I buy the bullshit storyline overall.

 

Also, I am going to assume that the writers are TRYING to show that Blaine is too immature to be in a committed relationship, which is why they have him lying to Kurt.  Because that's how it's coming across.

 

ETA:  Heyerchick, that's certainly a kinder interpretation of the Blaine scenario (ie, he's trying to please them both); I guess I could see it.  I think my problem is that Kurt is SO mature in this relationship (fully supporting Blaine when he gets the opportunity) that I'd like to see Blaine be similarly mature and just be honest about the crazy old biddy.

Edited April 30, 2014 by tab19

[heyerchick]

I will say I thought the opening song and the visuals did a nice job of portraying the repetition of the performances; but that doesn't mean that I buy the bullshit storyline overall.

 

Ian Brennan directed this one. He's still a rookie, but he already has a distinctive visual style. He pulled off a characters on the bus shot in the first ep he directed that felt very fresh and dynamic and here, as you say, the rinse repeat recycle aspect of Broadway was nicely illustrated.

 

Also, I am going to assume that the writers are TRYING to show that Blaine is too immature to be in a committed relationship, which is why they have him lying to Kurt. Because that's how it's coming across.

 

I'm going to assume that Blaine will try to keep both sides happy and in blissful ignorance of the other until he can't get away with it anymore, and then in the finale he will make his very own Sophie's Choice - stardom or love. And we'll be meant to cheer him as the debonair, charismatic Hero the Glee writers room clearly think he is if he picks poor loser Kurt.

[caracas1914]

So what was the point of the June character ?  She's a mean bitch who hates Kurt and wants Blaine to dump him.  Just by making her an octogenarian Sebastian/Tina Glee painted themselves into a corner that no way is Blaine going to eventually succumb to her Faustian deal.  But of course it's just an excuse to have this ancient withered star blow smoke up his ass while Darren does for the umpteenth time Blaine's  smug humblebrag look of "aw shucks, you really like me?" shtick.

 

Why the fuck did Rachel  risk a performance by lying...Patti Lupone would have kicked her ass from her to Sunday.  The producer was right in saying he should have fired her and he would sue her next time and make sure she never works again in the town.  Ungrateful doesn't even begin to describe Rachel in this episode, what happened to the girl who wanted ND to succeed and was willing to sacrifice to make sure every production was perfect.  That girl wouldn't be so unprofessional. 

 

That's right, she gets a TV development deal after 3-4 week of Broadway stardom.

 

So  I fully expect Rachel and Blaine to get mega stardom as the most special snowflakes of all time.

 

Episode 20 should be a blast as all their dreams come true.   Just shoot me.

Edited April 30, 2014 by caracas1914

[tom87]

Here we are again where they do not need to make Rachel so bad.   They could say she is flatter but remind the Fox exective she is commited to Fanny  and has contract oblgiations.  But she would love to hear thier ideas.  For the record I hate the tv  plot idea. 

 

It is like they want us to dilsike her, even though I just can't. I just do not like where they are going.   I still found it funny how she went in with a song and they couldn't seem to stop her.  

 

And Rachel yelling Taxi still works for me.

 

Frankly I zoned out in the Blaine/June scenes I am not sure even what happened.

 

Mercedes/Santana stuff was a bit undelevoped (an won't be)  but not sure Mercedes is any better with her demands on the record label but since we barelyy see it i guess it doens't grate as much.

 

Also I would really like to see some Rachel scene were she is a good friend  and helps someone out of a jam, her talk with Mercedes was nice but let us see why they are even friends with Rachel .

Edited April 30, 2014 by tom87

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Thank goodnesss Kurt tried to talk some sense into Rachel. He was 100% correct that she has always said her dream was to perform Funny Girl on Broadway. Why would she jeopardize that for a pilot? Most pilots don't even get aired so it seems like a huge risk. I got so annoyed when Rachel said that EVERY SINGLE PERSON who works on Broadway wants to make it onto tv or film. Not true. As for Rachel challenging Kurt by saying that he would go to the audition if he had the opportunity, that's different. He's not starring in a Broadway show right now and lying to get a day off to go.

 

I was so glad when Sidney handed Rachel her ass and said that they all wanted to fire her for being an immature and irresponsible brat and that if she ever did something like that again, they would sue her for breech of contract. YES! Finally, real world consequences! And then the show had to go and ruin that by offering her a deal not ten seconds after she left that meeting. Wah, the producers are SO MEAN for expecting me to do the job I was hired to do, which is star in the Broadway musical I have dreamed of since I was a little girl! They're so mean and unfair!

 

I do think that Ian Brennan did a great job showing the repetition of doing eight shows a week though. It was a really great visual of how it's the same thing day after day, show after show. Still no sympathy for Rachel though - that's what starring in a Broadway show entails and she knew it.

 

I also didn't understand why she chose The Rose as her audition song. It's a lovely song, to be sure, but the range is very limited. Even little kids can sing a G.

 

Kurt and Blaine singing for Shirley MacLaine was lame because when YOU audition for a spot and YOU are chosen for a performance, that doesn't mean YOU get to turn it into a duet. I hated the lame segueway into bringing Blaine: how are you going to sing all of the harmonies? There are five guys singing! No problem, I will bring one other person so there are some harmonies. Why would the dance lab have a singing performance to commemorate the plaque? Why wouldn't they have, you know, dancers? And of course, she thinks that Blaine is the Best Thing Ever. Ugh. And he does not have the raw voice for Take a Little Piece of My Heart.

Edited April 30, 2014 by ElectricBoogaloo

[Helena Dax]

Awful episode. I like Blaine, but there wasn't anything special in his performance and I can't believe MacLaine thought he was so awesome. And Rachel, ugh. I would have been okay with her plot if it had ended when she got scolded by Sidney, but then she got that TV offer and I hated it. This show... I think I can't stand it anymore. Everything seems fake and forced.

[truthaboutluv]

I only saw the last 10 minutes of the episode and really didn't care about much of what was going on. But I will say, with regards to Blaine's lying to Kurt, again keeping in mind I only saw the last 10 minutes, I didn't read Blaine's actions as immaturity or one more way of the writers showing how awful they are together. And believe me I've been one since Blaine got to NY wondering why the writers don't just put the pairing out of its misery with how awful they've portrayed them, between Kurt not being able to stand living with Blaine and Blaine resenting Kurt succeeding and whatever else. 

 

But all that said, last night was the first time in a LONG time that I thought they seemed like two people who actually like each other and may even possibly care about each other. I thought Blaine's action was misguided, clearly, but I think the scene showed that it wasn't something he planned or thought out. But Kurt was sitting asking him about his time with June, telling him how proud he is of him, how much he loves him and he didn't know how to say, "well things with me and her are awkward since she really, really hates you and wants me to break up with you..." I also think Blaine is thinking he can eventually change the woman's mind and so Kurt will never be the wiser. Again, misguided sure, but the motives I think were pure. 

Edited April 30, 2014 by truthaboutluv

[coolbeans3131]

I agree. I think Blaine is trying to figure out how to keep this opportunity with her and get her to warm to Kurt so he can have everything he wants. It doesn't look to me like he's considering breaking up with Kurt, he's just trying to figure out how to work around this. He's got 0% chance of that happening though.

[Coxfires]

But all that said, last night was the first time in a LONG time that I thought they seemed like two people who actually like each other and may even possibly care about each other. I thought Blaine's action was misguided, clearly, but I think the scene showed that it wasn't something he planned or thought out. But Kurt was sitting asking him about his time with June, telling him how proud he is of him, how much he loves him and he didn't know how to say, "well things with me and her are awkward since she really, really hates you and wants me to break up with you..." I also think Blaine is thinking he can eventually change the woman's mind and so Kurt will never be the wiser. Again, misguided sure, but the motives I think were pure.

 

 

His intentions were good, but lying about the part was stupid. I can understand not telling your SO someone hates you, but promising him a part when you know your benefactor can't stand him? Moronic at best. And frankly, Kurt has shouldered worse, and Blaine could have been honest with him, meaning they could have agreed together on what was best for Blaine. But since the writers just care for contrived drama instead of showing a couple facing a hurdle together, they go the lazy route and have Blaine lie. And I have too little patience for this character to whitewash once more one of his screw ups. He'll probably end up whining about how hard it is on him and want the whole world to woobify him, and everything will be swept under the rug.

 

Speaking of sweeping under the rug, Rachel should have been fired, but this is SpecialSnowflake Rachel, so she'll bear little to no consequence. Great.

 

Amber and Naya should sing (or should have sung) together more often. POMH should be erased from collective memories, that was one of the worst cover ever.

Edited April 30, 2014 by Coxfires

[heyerchick]

The writing for Rachel is making her increasingly unsympathetic and unlikeable. I just don't understand the thinking behind it. I love her, and I'm still rooting for her to have some sort of comeuppance. Richly deserved at this point.

 

I wish with all my heart Rachel had got the understudy role in Fanny; it would have been awesome seeing her fighting tooth and claw to steal the lead from some vapid stunt cast Hollywood starlet, for example. Her actually stepping out onto the stage as Fanny for the first time, even if it was only for one show, would have seemed such a happy, triumphal way to end the season and to lift her up again after losing Finn. The final scene could have been the producers telling her they had faith in her to take over the role after vapid starlet departs. 

 

Lea was great in the FOX audition scene. It's not her fault the writing makes Rachel's actions such a mockery of her entire life to this point, or that she's causing nothing but trouble for all the people around her, personal and professional.

 

I wonder if the Smash producers shed a bitter tear after witnessing the debacle that is Glee's take on the great white way.

[ShadowDenizen]

So Rachel has been dreaming of starring on Broadway since she was basically a fetus, and she gets tired of actually being on Broadway after less than a month? I just can’t with this show. And they’re making an entire TV show about a Broadway actress who has 3 weeks of experience? Are RIB smoking crack? Glee never stops scaling new heights of Mt. Stupid.

 

Agreed.

I loved when Sydney called her out for being an irresponsible child. (Which she is, and would actually make for a compelling character arc, expect RIB insist on handing everyting to Rachel on a silver plate.)

 

And I know there are alot of Blaine-haters out there, and I kinda get it. BUt I just think Darren Criss invests so much energy and enthusiasm and earnestness into everything he does, I really, really can't hate the character. Plus? He's Harry freakin' Potter, not to mention supermegafoxyawesomehot.  (Though I'm still not sure why they insist on shitting on Kurt like that. Did Chris Colfer do something to piss off Ryan? [He does seem to take offense awfully quickly...])

 

And I'm SO sick of Mercedes' "album drama of the week". UGH. She was selling albums out of her car less than six months ago, now she thinks she can dictate terms to producers?

Edited April 30, 2014 by ShadowDenizen

[Coxfires]

Did Chris Colfer do something to piss off Ryan? [He does seem to take offense awfully quickly...]

 

Refuse to sleep with him? No, just kidding, I'm being sarcastic, I don't believe the couch casting stuff that's said aroung Glee. And I might not like Darren that much but I also think the casting couch rumours regarding him and Ryan are bullcrap. 

 

It seems it started after the Big Summer of Lies and the mess around the supposed spin-off. Plus RIB have a strange kink with Resilient!Kurt. 

[camussie]

Good lord Rachel is so unlikable in this episode.  It has only been a month since her big Broadway debut and she is already feeling like she is in a grind? Just what did she think her big Broadway dream would entail?  And of course her understudy fell off the stage because lord knows an understudy for a big Broadway production would be utterly incompetent.  So incompetent that someone who hasn't rehearsed this production in 9 months (including the changes they made after a trial run) needed to come off the street and fill in. 

Yes Sidney called her on her behavior at the end of the episode but she has an incompetent understudy, so while Sidney was mad, he didn't rightfully fire her like he should have.  On top of that she got a development deal.  All of that said I still don't think she is going to face consequences from outside forces.  I think she is going to be a raging success in Hollywood and end up finding it all hollow thus she returns to her roots in Lima.  It is the "I'm Home" ending without Finn because RM is just that fixated on the choir room.  

 

I should note that Mercedes annoyed the crud out of me as well.  How about she have some modest success before she start making demands that her unknown friend do a duet with her? 

Finally the entire cast, save maybe Darren, seemed to be zombieing their way through the material this week.

There is one thing I liked in this episode - Santana agreeing with the record producer that Mercedes had to play by their rules.  Too bad they ruined an all too rare somewhat realistic moment by having Santana take over for FG.

[heyerchick]

EW, in lieu of its customary recap pom-pom shaking, cast some delicious shade at The Back-Up Plan :)
 

“Tonight on Glee, everyone is actively trying to ruin their own lives—it is very weird!Glee has heard your cries of incredulity regarding Rachel’s meteoric rise to stardom, with little more than a polyester waitress uniform and partial fine arts school transcript as her stepping stones, and they have committed themselves to creating balanced storylines and characters. So, if Rachel is going to achieve her dreams one week, then why not have her become bored of them and totally change her life purpose in the very next episode? And just to really hone in on this theme, let’s have Mercedes risk her album by forcing her record company to make her first single a duet with an amateur singer. OK, and I know this isn’t dashing anyone’s lifelong dreams or anything, and will probably improve the character’s life drastically, but just to keep the tricks guessing, let’s have Santana change her whole personality. This kind of focus is what keeps the audience coming back for more!”

 

"I had a little more trouble, however, getting down with the writers trying to have us feel bad for Rachel because she’s up to 40 Funny Girl performances and…I guess, bored? Wake her up when it’s all over, because she’s kind of done with this whole starring on Broadway night after night thing. I don’t think I can feel sorry for this girl achieving her dreams—wait, maybe I can, let me just—nope, no, not an ounce of sympathy for her being bored with Broadway. But the episode never really helps me figure out if I’m supposed to feel bad for her, or if I’m supposed to be annoyed that she’s not appreciating all that she’s achieved.”

 

"June, played by Shirley “A-f—-ing-mazing” MacLaine,  arrives to the unveiling and it’s fun to see Kurt finally excited about a storyline of his own again (don’t get too attached).”

 

"It took me a while to understand why Kurt had all the lame verses, while Blaine had the much more exciting bridges and higher harmony on the chorus. June could only be impressed by one half of their “youthful energy,” and since Kurt was given a small sliver of Blaine’s charmed life last week, we’re being set up for the golden boy to get back in the throne-like saddle."

 
All this and more…

Edited April 30, 2014 by heyerchick

[heyerchick]

The AV Club, which never shakes pom-poms, was kinder to the episode but had this gem:

 

“Murphy also reports that season six won’t be New York-centric. It’s early to complain about that, but if season five has made anything clear, it’s that Glee thrives on structure, limitation, grounding. The season’s best episodes revolve around that calendar-motivated goodbye-hello in the middle. As it is, Glee is completely discombobulated, geographically, temporally, narratively. Not to beat Glee with The Sopranos or anything, but Mad Men is similarly bicoastal this season with a fuzzy corporate (cast) structure, in part because of the fractured times. This season of Glee is an ambitious experiment, too, but in service of what? What is this show anymore?”

 

Edited April 30, 2014 by heyerchick

[truthaboutluv]

(Though I'm still not sure why they insist on shitting on Kurt like that. Did Chris Colfer do something to piss off Ryan? [He does seem to take offense awfully quickly...])

 

 

This may be a SUPER unpopular opinion but I actually don't think the writers crap on Kurt per se. Or at least I don't think it is about Ryan or the writers not liking Chris or the character. I think what happened is that Chris became a break-out in Season 1, particularly with Kurt's storyline of coming out to his dad and his journey of accepting himself and he and Burt's struggle about his sexuality. And he shed some tears and got praised all over the media, even winning a major Award, the only one out of the cast, aside from Jane to do so. 

 

And I think it's more that the writers got a boner for "Kurt - the guy who constantly has to claw and fight his way through everything" because they think it's interesting and I don't know, what people enjoying seeing Chris do. So they started heaping more and more angst onto the character. But the thing is, Kurt is one of the few characters who actually does not mess up or at least not very often. He just always has stuff being done to him and against him. So that's why I could never buy the idea that the writers hated Chris. No, I buy that for poor Jenna. But Kurt is the character the writers called the "moral center of the show" and a lot of the writing has supported that. 

 

As some have noted, Kurt is almost always in the right in most of his issues with Rachel, Blaine is the one who cheated on him and ruined the relationship, his and Blaine's issues in New New York was framed as Blaine being the problem, the one smothering and being annoying and I still can't even begin to wrap my head around that mess that was Tested and the things they had Blaine saying to and about Kurt. Kurt is rarely if ever portrayed as the problem or the "bad guy" in a situation. And let's face it, this is a big part of where the St.Kurt meme comes from because I do agree that the writers like making Kurt a victim. And Chris Colfer has even commented on that. So I really don't think Ryan and company hate the character or the actor. They just love heaping angst on him. 

Edited April 30, 2014 by truthaboutluv

[ShadowDenizen]

But Kurt is the character the writers called the "moral center of the show" and a lot of the writing has supported that.

 

Interesting points!

I think Kurt has become the moral compass of the show with Cory/Finn's death.

 

But we've seen so litle of Kurt's ambitions ;post-high-school.  We don't really know what he wants, like most of the other characters.  I mean Rachel wants to be a star, Mercedes [as we've had jammed down our thoat] wants to be a singer, Sam wants to be a model.. What does Kurt want?

 

If anyone should have the "Home"/Look-Backwards moment at the end of the show, where they return to LIma and reopen the Glee club [in honor of Finn?], I feel like it should be Kurt and not Rachel.  (Other than Finn, I think Kurt's trajectory could mirror the trajectory of Schue (maybe in a more positive way, however), which was such a big part of the first season.

Edited April 30, 2014 by ShadowDenizen

[truthaboutluv]

But we've seen so litle of Kurt's ambitions ;post-high-school.  We don't really know what he wants, like most of the other characters.  I mean Rachel wants to be a star, Mercedes [as we've had jammed down our thoat] wants to be a singer, Sam wants to be a model.. What does Kurt want?

 

 

I may be wrong but I could have sworn that Kurt has stated what he wants - like Rachel he wants to be on Broadway. He's just never been as pathological about it as her and the writers have also had him voice wanting a family and to be married as well so there is the suggestion that he's the kind of person who may put family/love above his ambitions. But ultimately I think Kurt wants a career in the performing arts like most of the characters.

[camussie]

I think Kurt was the moral center of Glee even before Finn's death. It just too bad that moral center in RM's world = put upon saint.  The Glee writers just simply cannot do anything nuanced.

• If Rachel is a supernova she will experience a meteoric rise to the top that has never really been seen.  
• If Finn is to be their representation of a character feeling lost after high school he will end up shooting himself out of the army, the place that seemed his last refuge.  
• If Santana is to be the "tough love" girl with an attitude she can't give a pep talk without first saying to that person how much they suck at everything else
• If Becky is supposed to have no filter because of her Down's Syndrome she will be written as a heinous witch
• If Kurt is the moral center of the show he will be a constantly put upon saint.

 

The one character they have avoided being that extreme with is oddly enough Artie.  They have some how refrained from making him an Avatar for every physically disabled person

[heyerchick]

I think Kurt loves performing and that's what he wants to do - he's glowing in that promo of him playing Peter Pan. It's a transformative experience for him, whether joyous or painful. What he isn't, unlike Rachel, is pathological about being a STAR!!!!! 

 

As a Kurtsie, much of my annoyance and regret is that Kurt is no longer a point of view character on this show. He is Rachel's friend, he is Blaine's boyfriend...he doesn't get storylines of his own so much as he gets to support others in their storylines. His role in June/Blaine situation, for example, is strictly to serve as a source of difficulty/angst for Blaine. There wasn't any consideration given to the difficulty of all of this for Kurt, whose talent is so specific. NYADA seems to have great confidence in him, but the writers have got literally nothing to say about Kurt's struggles to build some sort of career or find his niche. There's no teacher guiding him, not even a frank discussion with Blaine about how he's going to get cast in anything if people in power keep writing him off as they're shown to do (West Side Story, for example). 

[BizBuzz]

OMG, Kurtsie, I LOVE IT.  Yeah, I never heard of it, so thanks, will pull that one on my 14 year old daughter today.  Hey babe, your 51 year old mother is a Kurtsie.  ::giggle::

[heyerchick]

Kurtsie - a name for his fans coined by Chris Colfer himself :)

[caracas1914]

Kurtsie - a name for his fans coined by Chris Colfer himself :)

Yea Kurt's doesn't even have an antagonist to battle against and get snarky with. The show has shown he wants a Broadway career (unlike Blaine who is still undefined as far as his goals) and that he does want mainstream success, the show hasn't given it to him so far, fair enough(though not really compared to the other characters) but if they don't give it to him, WHAT is the Point?? Is he too niche, too effeminate gay, too what? They say he's talented and yet they want him to suffer angst ;it's like candy to these writers. Just like they can't help giving Rachel constant wins and having someone kiss Blaine's ass all the time, they don't give Kurt more than perfunctory career advancement before they have him rejected or delegated to sidekick again. If this is "love' I'd prefer they knock him from his moral pedestal and actually give him a SL where he's a jerk and he's the driving force as opposed to reacting and servicing others

In this NY universe he's tied to Rachel and Blaine to somehow serve their career arc SL in this one episode, why not throw in him servicing Mercedes recording career for good measure.

I agree with Heyerchick that the writers have lost interest in making him a POV character. So while they don't "hate" him, they don't bother to give him any SL's where's he's the actual focus. Hell even Mercedes and Sam have had more of the focus in an episode SL.

Edited April 30, 2014 by caracas1914

[truthaboutluv]

To be fair, other than Rachel's ridiculous meteoric rise and I guess maybe Mercedes' working on her album (and even that, so far she's just working on album. Many people work on albums that never see the light of day. I'm sure some on the cast can relate to that) no one is really achieving this huge mainstream success. Sam, after months of couch surfing at Rachel and Kurt's, got an agency to sign him but there's been nothing more about his landing huge modeling gigs. Blaine is mostly just a NYADA student who until this episode was apparently not exactly sailing through it, Artie's just a film student and I'm not really sure what's happening with Santana. Rachel is still the only just winning all over the place. 

[Glorfindel]

It’s amazing how much overdue emailing I was able to get done while semi-watching this episode.
What a bore: how pointless, stupid and…disconnected it all was. I tuned out during the songs and during most of the Rachel and Mercedes storylines, because Rachel annoys me to no end lately and Mercedes’ attitude towards the people who give her the chance and plenty of money to make an album irks me too. Plus, being in ‘the showbizz’ myself, the lack of even a hint of reality in their storylines makes me shake my head and roll my eyes half the time.
I was a bit more invested in the Blaine/June storyline, frankly because these days a Blaine or Rachel storyline is the only chance of me getting some Kurt snipbits, but while watching this June Dolloway debacle unfold I was mostly trying to figure out what was going on and if there was even a point to it? Also Darren’a acting is as cringeworthy as ever and Fox should be sued for allowing this version of ‘Piece of My Heart’ to be unleashed unto the world.

 

Rachel really doesn’t deserve what she has, nor does she appreciate it enough. She gets bored of being the lead in a Broadway show after a month? And just when this entitled, spoiled brat finally gets called out on her shit and her lack of commitment and loyalty she gets a new offer and immediately is willing again(!) to jeopardize and betray the very same job she was in the middle of crying ‘pity-me’ crocodile tears over.
And I’m supposed to keep rooting for her? Glee, you’re doing it all wrong.

Singing ‘The Rose’ only for an audition, with no emotional meaning at all, and then even having someone point out that that song wasn’t required nor necessary,…that was a terrible waste.

 

You know you’re watching the Rachel Berry show (with a big splash of Blaine, but I’ll get to that later) when another character gets the chance to perform on Broadway for the first time, after a multiple episodes story arc about that, and that other character is not even shown on stage for 10 seconds, nor does it have any real impact in her life or on the musical she’s saving singlehandedly.
After Santana singing Rizzo at a last minute notice in Grease and now Fanny, her reputation for saving shows could probably bring her a succesful career as a swing on Broadway, right? Santana being able to succesfully perform as the lead character in a musical after not rehearsing for it in what… a year?... surely that is even more impressive than Rachel singing DROMP on the fly for a show choir competition in season 1? Not to take anything away from Rachel’s stellar performance back then, but when you compare the 2 and the way Glee handled them it really points out what this show has become now.
Come on Glee, was this really necessary? Rachel already had another understudy: if specificly Santana filling in for Rachel had no significance or consequence whatsoever in the show, why let her do it in the first place? Or was this another showcase of Rachel’s friends being so loyal to her they come to her resque and are willing to clean up after her even when she messes up herself for the umpteenth time, because she is just that special? Which only confirms that this is indeed the Rachel Berry show.

 

Mercedes apparantly also is very special, and in this episode is also feeling as entitled as Rachel, as she goes against her producer’s advice and hires Santana to sing a duet with her on her upcoming album. At least Mercedes was willing to share her success with Santana, and Santana quickly saw that Mercedes’ producer was right and didn't try to push the issue (but of course entitled brat #2 Mercedes went against that advice anyway), so I guess they get points for having 2 girls work together for a change.
But that producer (yay: sexy Warrick!) better put his foot down when she also suggests a duet with her beau Sam.
BTW: not that I’m complaining or anything, but Sam was completely missing from this episode, and so was Artie. With all the Rachel and Blaine/June overload I found myself actually wishing Artie and/or Sam would show up and randomly burst into song, just to break the dullness.

 

Since my thoughts on Blaine (and Kurt’s?) storyline are kinda elaborate and this post is long enough as it is already I’ll make a separate post about that.

[caracas1914]

The point is Kurt is given little Screen time to explore his career options.

And please , after 3 episodes in NY Blaine is being offered the show biz world in a silver platter by a rich socialite, somehow we are suppose to believe that Blaine is really struggling after one single shot episode to be quickly forgotten?

However Sam may have no career success yet ( it's obviously coming per spoilers) but he and Mercedes were the focus of practically an entire episode, which hasn't happened with Kurt since Season 2.

[Glorfindel]

So June Dolloway adores Blaine but doesn’t like Kurt: fine, it happens. That’s her loss and imo if she’s got such bad taste Kurt is better off without her. This storyline could have been quite interesting if :
1) Kurt actually would get a decent POV and be an essential part of the storyline instead of simply being Blaine’s prop and cheerleader, and…
2) I would have gotten an inkling as to why June hates Kurt so much that she not only refuses to further his career (and Blaine was a bit naive thinking he could ask to include Kurt in the showcase after she rejected Kurt so brutally, but he gets points for trying) but also strongly advices Blaine to break off his engagement with Kurt. What? Why?

Is it simply because she thinks Kurt is such an awful performer she doesn’t want Blaine to be even associated with him at all, including his private life? Is it because June wants to keep Blaine for herself and she fears Kurt stands in the way of that? And if so, is June’s interest in Blaine more than just being friends and having a young man hanging on her arm in her social circles?
Or is it because she doesn’t like the thought of Blaine being gay, either because she secretly wants to do him herself in her fantasies, or because she prefers him in the closet to better his career chances?
There was no real explanation presented in the show why June resented Kurt that much that she so rudely rejected him and thinks Blaine “settles’ when he stays with Kurt, and after the interviews she gave I got the impression that even Shirley MacLaine didn’t really know what her character’s intentions were here, as she got no directions for it.
Not really motivating June’s dislike of Kurt (which is imo more important even then her motivation for liking Blaine in this storyline) is a cop-out imo. The show practically tiptoed around the whole issue, maybe not wanting to touch either the ickiness of the dubious (romantic) interest of a 80 year old lady for a 19 year old, or June's possible reservations against out, and in Kurt’s case, ‘obvious’ gay men.
With the way it was told in the show all I can take away from this now is that June is a crazy old bat who makes unfounded and harsh, prejudiced decisions on a whim and who’s judgment (e.g. on who’s a star or not) I shouldn’t really take seriously. And with all the guest star and Blaine ass-kissing Glee loves to do I doubt that this was the show’s intent.

And Blaine… I don’t get why he felt he needed to lie to Kurt about there being a part for him on the showcase too?
Kurt never even expected or assumed that he would be part of the showcase. And although Kurt admitted he was a bit jealous he wasn’t resentful that Blaine got this opportunity, even when it was his well-earned chance to perform for her in the first place. Kurt put the blame of his exclusion and rejection solely on June, knowing very well she didn’t like him and only wanted Blaine (though God knows why).  Heck, Kurt even thought that Blaine getting handed fancy diners and performances from June was Blaine “taking one for the team”! (WTF?)
(Oh Kurt, what have they done to your fighting spirit when it comes to your career ambitions? You’re only constantly propping up and saving your bf and bff’s careers while they don’t really do things to deserve your loyalty.)

There was absolutely no need for Blaine to lie to Kurt about being part of the showcase, as Kurt basically presented him an easy way out on a silver platter right on the spot! All Blaine had to do was say that it indeed sucks that June only wants Blaine, but hey: it’s a great career opportunity and who knows what will come out of it in the end, not only for him but for Kurt as well? He even could have told Kurt (the truth!) that he tried really hard to get him in the showcase too but June said no, the bitch.
I also would have fully understood Blaine keeping from Kurt that June wanted him to break off the engagement, as this would actually spare Kurt’s feelings, and it’s not something Blaine would take into consideration for even a second (and Glee better not prove me wrong on this in the next episode, as that would make Blaine look really, really bad).

Blaine getting something out of a career opportunity Kurt initially worked for wasn’t a problem, as Kurt didn’t resent Blaine for it and shrugged his own rejection off seemingly easy. June wanting to spend so much time with Blaine wasn’t a problem either, as Kurt was okay with that too (up to certain understandable limits). June telling Blaine that he was better off breaking the engagement off also wasn’t a problem, because she didn’t demand it from him nor threatened to stop supporting him if he didn’t do it. Kurt not being included in the showcase was not a problem either, as he obviously didn’t even think he should be.
So Blaine being in a tough spot now with his lie and it boiling down to him having to choose between career and love soon is solely his own fault because he himself made it a problem.

In this issue Kurt was behaving very maturely and honest, while I can only conclude that Blaine acted immaturely and even selfish in a twisted way, because leading Kurt on like that was a cowardly and selfish thing to do as Blaine didn’t even have the guts to possibly disappoint Kurt for a brief moment (though Kurt seemed fine with it already!), but it will now only hurt Kurt a lot more when he finds out the truth in the end after having built up all those expectations.

Will Blaine go so far as to actually have Kurt prepare a song with him for a few weeks and let him dress up for the showcase, when Blaine knows it’s not gonna happen while June’s still in charge, and will he do nothing to correct his mistake/lie till right in the middle of the showcase itself? (Come on, this is Glee: I’m 99% sure it’s gonna play out that way.)
Will Blaine even tell Kurt he wasn’t supposed to be in the showcase, or will Kurt never find out about that when at the very last moment Blaine chooses to sing with Kurt after all? And should I then be expected to let out an enormous sigh of relief, wipe a tear from my eye and applaud Blaine for not being a total ass in the end, although he probably was an ass to Kurt up untill 3 minutes before and June afterwards?

[truthaboutluv]

The point is Kurt is given little Screen time to explore his career options.

And please , after 3 episodes in NY Blaine is being offered the show biz world in a silver platter by a rich socialite, somehow we are suppose to believe that Blaine is really struggling after one single shot episode to be quickly forgotten?

However Sam may have no career success yet ( it's obviously coming per spoilers) but he and Mercedes were the focus of practically an entire episode, which hasn't happened with Kurt since Season 2.

 

For the record, I was only responding to the comment about Kurt wanting mainstream success but the show not showing him gaining that...that's all. I'm not debating whether or not he has no individual storyline focus or not. And so, with that said, yeah I stand by my assertion that other than Rachel, I haven't seen any of the characters achieving mainstream success. 

Edited April 30, 2014 by truthaboutluv

[Higgs]

Rachel was NOT depicted as being bored with FG. She was shown to have been spooked by a vision of the future in which she would BECOME bored and be very limited in her opportunities for artistic growth.

A TV show can take a long time to go from "development" to shooting a pilot, and need not mean that Rachel would have to quit FG in violation of her contract.

There is no drama in limiting Rachel to performing in a long-run stage show. They absolutely MUST give her another career SL, whether in serial or parallel with FG.

A major story in the episode was a satire of various showbiz types, all of whom have no problem in exploiting the artist for their own selfish purposes, with no regard for the impact it might have on the artist's career or personal life. This very much includes Sidney willing to send Rachel to some sleazy doc prepared to ply her with whatever pills will get her through the show, and, of course, June's grotesque self-aggrandizing fantasies.

Having fallen through the rabbit hole into a surreal world filled with unscrupulous predators. Rachel is utterly alone, with no mentor, parent, or teacher to help guide her. That could/should have been Carmen, who in RL would have mustered her faculty to provide 24/7 support from the instant of Rachel's first FG callback, and told her upon being cast to use the $35k saved in tuition to get an apartment in Manhattan. But then where would be the fun in Rachel being stress-free?

[caracas1914]

Rachel was NOT depicted as being bored with FG.

 

I beg to differ, the whole point of the number  "Wake me Up" was to convey the numbness of Rachel doing the same thing over and over and over again.

 

Sorry but bored with Broadway success after 40 fucking performances would have had Patti Lupone beat the living shit out of Rachel and then making her run buck naked through the streets of Broadway while she beat her some more for good measure..

For the record, I was only responding to the comment about Kurt wanting mainstream success but the show not showing him gaining that...that's all

 

Fair enough, Trubthaboutluv, but I was also responding to your statement that the writers have a "boner for Kurt".

 

I think not giving him SL's and a developed POV doesn't equate to that.  They may not "hate" him but they are not interested in building SL's around him anymore, so that's why I disagree that he's their boner boy.  That lies squarely with Rachel and Blaine and to some extent baby Boner boy , Sam.

Edited April 30, 2014 by caracas1914

[Myrna123]

In this issue Kurt was behaving very maturely and honest, while I can only conclude that Blaine acted immaturely and even selfish in a twisted way,

On a coherent show, where story arcs were planned and characters were meant to evolve in some way, I would say that the major relationship issue with Klaine would be trust.  How can Kurt trust anything Blaine says or does when he always takes the easiest way out; when he constantly equivocates until he absolutely has to face the music.  Cheating on Kurt was the biggest example (which, naturally, Glee shot the wad on first, rather than lead up to it with a series of minor white lies or something).

 

There was the time Blaine was supposed to come to NY to see Kurt's first performance with his newly formed band and rather than call Kurt and tell him he couldn't come, Blaine said absolutely nothing until Kurt called him, thinking Blaine was already actually sitting in the audience!

 

Now you have this latest Blaine-created potential issue with Blaine telling Kurt he's going to be part of the showcase until, what and when?  Kurt shows up to perform and he's barred at the door?

[truthaboutluv]

Fair enough, Trubthaboutluv, but I was also responding to your statement that the writers have a "boner for Kurt".

 

 

Actually my exact words were they had a boner for "Kurt - the guy who constantly has to claw and fight his way through everything". I was responding to the statements that the writers hate the character and/or the actor with how much he gets crapped on. And my comment was simply to state that actually I think it's more that they just love heaping angst on the character rather than them hating the character and/or the actor. 

Edited April 30, 2014 by truthaboutluv

[caracas1914]

Actually my exact words were they had a boner for "Kurt - the guy who constantly has to claw and fight his way through everything". I was responding to the statements that the writers hate the character and/or the actor and saying that actually I think it's more that they just love heaping angst on the character rather than them hating the character and/or the actor.

 

No problem and I don't necessarily disagree, but I guess my contention is even with that perception of him they don't actually use him in SL's or much screen time anymore where he's the protagonist.   Even "Bashed" he was the minor C plot and the whole Bashing SL seemed more just to see Kurt beat up and bounce back in abbreviated fashion than actually flesh out anything for the character to do  in the episode.  They spent far more time agonizing about the epic Samcedes love affair.

Edited April 30, 2014 by caracas1914

[heyerchick]

Unsurprisingly, this episode garnered a new season low with an 18-49 demo rating of just 0.8. I cringe with embarrassment for the very talented actors I like and care about, who deserve so much better than the shit the writers’ room keeps shovelling, but there’s this sense of Glee reaping what it’s sewed. You can only insult the intelligence of your audience for so long.

[caracas1914]

Yea, most of Glee's audience left in droves by season 4 and the extended fuckery of the school year in Season 5 put the final nail in the coffin.

 

They'll be battling and probably losing versus the CW next year if FOX is insane enough to give Glee more than a 13 episode order.  Or even a 13 episode order might be too hard to sustain rating respectability. 

[heyerchick]

The Backlot recap:

 

Glee has always loved to dabble in the meta, but this week’s episode was like falling out of the meta tree, and hitting every branch on the way down. It all feels a little too close to home, and not in a cheeky or fun way. With rumors swirling about Naya Rivera being written out of the finale, it felt as if a dark cloud hovered over the episode.

 

[ShadowDenizen]

while I can only conclude that Blaine acted immaturely and even selfish in a twisted way, because leading Kurt on like that was a cowardly and selfish thing to do as Blaine didn’t even have the guts to possibly disappoint Kurt for a brief moment

 

Actually, the one thing they’ve been consistent with is that Blaine relishes being the “BMOC”, and more importantly needs people to like him.  Rather than hurt Kurt more than he already is, he tries to mollify him by saying he has a part in the show (which Kurt should have IMMEDIATELY sniffed as bullshit, in any case.)  He’s sort of the “Anti-Santana” in that respect; even when Tina was at her clingy worst with him, he really couldn’t even bring himself to set her straight; it really took Kurt to come in and say “Hands off” before Tina really got the message. And (being the Darren apologist that I am), I think that’s how DC tries to portray it, given the absence of true direction and motivation and arcs.

 

Sorry but bored with Broadway success after 40 fucking performances would have had Patti Lupone beat the living shit out of Rachel and then making her run buck naked through the streets of Broadway while she beat her some more for good measure..

 

Bwah ha ha!
Caracas1914, you win the Internet for that image.

[caracas1914]

Heh.    I forgot to add all the time while beating Rachel Patti is screaming   " WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? HOW DARE YOU? WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?HOW DARE YOU? THIS IS THE THEATER!!"

Edited April 30, 2014 by caracas1914

[Myrna123]

Rather than hurt Kurt more than he already is, he tries to mollify him by saying he has a part in the show (which Kurt should have IMMEDIATELY sniffed as bullshit, in any case.)

Why should Kurt automatically assume Blaine is lying? Kurt included Blaine in his showcase.

Poor, sweet Blaine, saddled with a boyfriend who stupidly believes his bullshit. Blaine deserves so much better.

Edited April 30, 2014 by Myrna123

[ShadowDenizen]

Why should Kurt automatically assume Blaine is lying? Kurt included Blaine in his showcase.

 

It was pretty clear that Dame Shirley Maclaine had no love for Kurt from the get-go. And Blaine is a terrible liar, and he did stumble quite a bit when asked about the showcase. 

 

He shouldn't have assumed that Blanie was "lying", per se, but Kurt has been consistently shown to be an intuitive guy (as consistently as anything on this cesspool of a show);  I would have thought he should have at least gotten a "Somethings Amiss" vibe...

 

[caracas1914]

He shouldn't have assumed that Blanie was "lying", per se, but Kurt has been consistently shown to be an intuitive guy (as consistently as anything on this cesspool of a show);  I would have thought he should have at least gotten a "Somethings Amiss" vibe...

 

True, but at the same time the burden isn't on Kurt to figure out if Blaine is outright lying (which he was) to his face.

 

The episode clearly pointed out that Kurt thought June hated him and that he wasn't expecting to be used in Blaine's showcase.  So Blaine lying about it was more about Blaine wanting to look like  a good guy  rather than sparing Kurt's feelings about something the dialogue showed Kurt already knew, ie that June  was not interested in him.

 

Blaine was spending 6 hours a day with June and Kurt was fine with that.  How that can be twisted that Kurt wouldn't know June was only interested in Blaine at this late date... So Blaine's lying is a steaming pile he's deliberately waded into completely  on his own...

Edited April 30, 2014 by caracas1914

[truthaboutluv]

I didn't think Blaine was trying to look like a good guy. I think he was stumbling over coming up with something when Kurt kept pressing him about what he and June talked about, what it was like spending time with her, etc. As noted, he was spending 6 hours with this woman and Kurt pointed out that Blaine wasn't saying anything about the experience. And so after stumbling a little, he blurted out some story of Kurt being in the showcase and that it was supposed to be a surprise which is why he was being so evasive about everything. 

 

Again, was it stupid, absolutely since there's no way he can hide the truth forever. But, and again this is coming from someone who has referred to Kurt and Blaine's relationship in the last few weeks as a pit of misery, I really don't think this has to be another Kurt vs. Blaine, round 1,000 situation. I really do think the writers' intent was for Blaine to come across as simply not knowing how to handle the situation and not wanting to hurt Kurt's feelings and I feel like Darren played the scene that way.

Edited April 30, 2014 by truthaboutluv

[Myrna123]

I really don't think this has to be another Kurt vs. Blaine, round 1,000 situation.

But if Blaine's go-to response whenever he is flustered or afraid that Kurt's feelings might get hurt is to tell a lie that makes him look good or temporarily makes Kurt feel good, won't Kurt eventually be incapable of trusting anything Blaine says?

[marcee]

I find it really hard to believe that even 'normal, mainstream' fans of Glee have much, if any, remaining love for Rachel. She's always been depicted as a spoiled, entitled brat, but in the beginning we pitied her. She was teased, slurpeed, she was the outcast, the nerd - so it was easier to see her shittiness as a coping mechanism and/or find charm in her optimism. But now? She's just intolerable. She's "popular" and talented, she's gotten everything she's ever wanted and, yet, she continues to be a spoiled, entitled, obnoxious brat. One would hope she might've learned something by now - but I guess, based on what we've seen, she's only learned that her assholery is rewarded with a production deal with FOX. Oooooohhhh, now I get it.

[Glorfindel]

I really do think the writers' intent was for Blaine to come across as simply not knowing how to handle the situation and not wanting to hurt Kurt's feelings and I feel like Darren played the scene that way.

 

If not wanting to hurt Kurt's feelings was the prime intention of Blaine, how could what he did be a smart thing to do, or even a kind thing? Blaine not telling Kurt the truth when being put on the spot will probably cause Kurt getting his feelings hurt a lot more later, after he finds out Blaine has been lying to him for possibly weeks on end, and Blaine must surely know this?

Or did Blaine naively think that he could still change June's mind and get Kurt a part in his showcase after all?

 

As I understand it Blaine didn't talk to Kurt about what he had been doing with June not because he was hiding/shielding from Kurt what June had said about the engagement and Blaine "settling" with Kurt. As I would find it odd if that's all June and Blaine had been talking about for 6 hours that day.

My impression was that Blaine was spending so much time with June because they were preparing the one night showcase and he didn't know how to tell Kurt that. Blaine probably had been brooding how to break the news to Kurt, and therefore jumped to the lie so quickly, expecting Kurt to be a lot more upset about it than he really was.

 

This isn't the first time Blaine kept things from Kurt untill being specificly asked about it by Kurt himself (confessing his cheating only when Kurt told him he was acting weird, but that was a long time after he flew to New York, gave Kurt flowers and went out for the night, even serenaded Kurt, without saying anything; planning to stand Kurt up the night of his first gig with the band and only telling he wasn't there when Kurt got worried and called him).

Nor is it the first time that Blaine jumped to conclusions after expecting Kurt to react or think in a certain way, and then making a decision for the both of them which end up hurting Kurt (thinking Kurt had moved on in New York so  then Blaine cheated on him; thinking Kurt didn''t want him anymore because Blaine gained a few pounds, and then Blaine withheld sex from Kurt).

 

If Kurt can't rely onBlaine to tell him what's going on, and not only after Kurt has to pry it out of him, and certainly not only after Blaine gets caught in the lie, what trust basis has this relationship of ever working? This is something that Blaine needs to work on, but it's Glee and they'll probably solve the whole issue with a grand gesture and a Blaine solo, and Blaine will get away with it again, without really having progressed or learned anything. (and without Kurt kicking him to the curb)

And looking at Glee's history when it comes to Blaine (and Rachel) he'll probably also ends up with the career prize, either by June supporting him after all (being softened by Blaine's display of love to Kurt) or by another influential person offering him another opportunity when June bolts for the door. Ugh.