Glee Season 2, Episode 22

Television Review

By our guest blogger, Catherine Fuentes

In a rare change of scenery, the kids of McKinley High left the safe confines of their high school hallway and their favorite booths at Breadstix to run wild in the streets of New York. This was a welcome change of scenery for me, at least, since I got to see some very familiar landmarks, and I loved the energy that came with each scene and each song.

My excitement over the season finale of Glee ends there. I was incredibly disappointed by the original songs, and while at some points, I felt the cheesiness was appropriate, for the most part, I felt Glee blew the saccharine goodness way out of proportion to last us for the full summer hiatus.

I really liked the whole ensemble performance of “I Love New York,” because it felt like such a quintessential spring New York moment (which, as anyone who is familiar with the weather in New York lately, spring is something that we have been missing). The colors of the costumes were bright and fun, the scenery was great, the dancing seemed fun. It was just a good, cute scene.

Finn and Rachel’s date to Sardi’s seemed so typical of them (of her, really), that it made me smile, and fun fact: I learned that Sardi’s is the birthplace of the Tony Awards! Rachel got to meet her idol, Broadway queen Patti Lupone, who gave her good advice about show choir (and told her that Finn is a cutie). Finn and Rachel walking through Greenwich Village after the date was one of those scenes that was both cheesy and perfectly adorable: the rest of the Glee club guys showed up behind them to be the musical accompaniment of their New York movie date.

In the perfect and requisite Broadway moment of the episode, Kurt and Rachel sang “For Good” from Wicked on Wicked’s stage, which they had broken into. Before they sang, the two had a “breakfast at Tiffany’s,” where they got to enjoy authentic New York bagels and coffee, while making a pact to move to New York after graduation to chase their dreams. The performance reminded me that these two have Broadway voices, and while the rest of the club can sing pop songs well, these two have outrageous talent that can fill an enormous room.

In a truly meta moment of the episode, Mr. Schuester sang a Matthew Morrison song, “Still Got Tonight,” on a big Broadway stage, even though he assured the kids that he would not be leaving them for Broadway.

At the big Nationals competition, an all-girls choir sang Usher’s “Yeah,” which sounded great, but the choreography seemed a bit risqué for a high school group. Sunshine Corazon conquered her nerves in her solo of “As Long As You’re There,” with the moral support of Rachel Berry, which to me showed that Rachel has some semblance of a soul.

New Directions came out with a Finn and Rachel solo to original song “Pretending.” The song was fine, nothing special, but the drama came after the song: with the most awkward kiss to ever appear on Glee. Finn and Rachel kissed on stage accompanied by the most painfully awkward silence in television history. Jesse St. James later would go on to say that this kiss would cost them the competition, and I feel that he was entirely right. It was painful to watch.

Following the kiss, the entire club sang an uptempo number, which I actually really enjoyed as much as I could enjoy them singing an original song. I love when they sing innovative covers, not when they sing something I have no interest in knowing about.

The group failed to rank in the top 10 for Nationals – we later learned they came in 12th – but it remains to be seen whether the kiss, or their original performances, cost them the title.

The highlight of the episode came with Santana attacking Rachel in Spanish threatening her because she’s “Lima Heights Adjacent,” which was just hysterical, and another reason why Santana is my favorite member of the glee club.

Despite losing nationals, the club seemed very optimistic in their return to Ohio. Love was blossoming, people seemed happy and positive, and it feels that season three will start off harmoniously. It seemed that while the initial reason for the trip to New York didn’t pan out, the trip was good for all of their personal lives, and it was nice seeing a season end so positively. These characters grew, and the show tackled so many big issues this season, that it was nice seeing them be tied up so neatly.

The music on the finale was not memorable in the slightest, or barring the song from Wicked, particularly good, but I almost feel that it was the point. They weren’t meant to win the competition, but they needed to grow and feel good about themselves. That seems to be the bigger take-home message of Glee.

Glee Season 2, Episode 22

Television Review

By our guest blogger, Catherine Fuentes

In a rare change of scenery, the kids of McKinley High left the safe confines of their high school hallway and their favorite booths at Breadstix to run wild in the streets of New York. This was a welcome change of scenery for me, at least, since I got to see some very familiar landmarks, and I loved the energy that came with each scene and each song.

My excitement over the season finale of Glee ends there. I was incredibly disappointed by the original songs, and while at some points, I felt the cheesiness was appropriate, for the most part, I felt Glee blew the saccharine goodness way out of proportion to last us for the full summer hiatus.

I really liked the whole ensemble performance of “I Love New York,” because it felt like such a quintessential spring New York moment (which, as anyone who is familiar with the weather in New York lately, spring is something that we have been missing). The colors of the costumes were bright and fun, the scenery was great, the dancing seemed fun. It was just a good, cute scene.

Finn and Rachel’s date to Sardi’s seemed so typical of them (of her, really), that it made me smile, and fun fact: I learned that Sardi’s is the birthplace of the Tony Awards! Rachel got to meet her idol, Broadway queen Patti Lupone, who gave her good advice about show choir (and told her that Finn is a cutie). Finn and Rachel walking through Greenwich Village after the date was one of those scenes that was both cheesy and perfectly adorable: the rest of the Glee club guys showed up behind them to be the musical accompaniment of their New York movie date.

In the perfect and requisite Broadway moment of the episode, Kurt and Rachel sang “For Good” from Wicked on Wicked’s stage, which they had broken into. Before they sang, the two had a “breakfast at Tiffany’s,” where they got to enjoy authentic New York bagels and coffee, while making a pact to move to New York after graduation to chase their dreams. The performance reminded me that these two have Broadway voices, and while the rest of the club can sing pop songs well, these two have outrageous talent that can fill an enormous room.

In a truly meta moment of the episode, Mr. Schuester sang a Matthew Morrison song, “Still Got Tonight,” on a big Broadway stage, even though he assured the kids that he would not be leaving them for Broadway.

At the big Nationals competition, an all-girls choir sang Usher’s “Yeah,” which sounded great, but the choreography seemed a bit risqué for a high school group. Sunshine Corazon conquered her nerves in her solo of “As Long As You’re There,” with the moral support of Rachel Berry, which to me showed that Rachel has some semblance of a soul.

New Directions came out with a Finn and Rachel solo to original song “Pretending.” The song was fine, nothing special, but the drama came after the song: with the most awkward kiss to ever appear on Glee. Finn and Rachel kissed on stage accompanied by the most painfully awkward silence in television history. Jesse St. James later would go on to say that this kiss would cost them the competition, and I feel that he was entirely right. It was painful to watch.

Following the kiss, the entire club sang an uptempo number, which I actually really enjoyed as much as I could enjoy them singing an original song. I love when they sing innovative covers, not when they sing something I have no interest in knowing about.

The group failed to rank in the top 10 for Nationals – we later learned they came in 12th – but it remains to be seen whether the kiss, or their original performances, cost them the title.

The highlight of the episode came with Santana attacking Rachel in Spanish threatening her because she’s “Lima Heights Adjacent,” which was just hysterical, and another reason why Santana is my favorite member of the glee club.

Despite losing nationals, the club seemed very optimistic in their return to Ohio. Love was blossoming, people seemed happy and positive, and it feels that season three will start off harmoniously. It seemed that while the initial reason for the trip to New York didn’t pan out, the trip was good for all of their personal lives, and it was nice seeing a season end so positively. These characters grew, and the show tackled so many big issues this season, that it was nice seeing them be tied up so neatly.

The music on the finale was not memorable in the slightest, or barring the song from Wicked, particularly good, but I almost feel that it was the point. They weren’t meant to win the competition, but they needed to grow and feel good about themselves. That seems to be the bigger take-home message of Glee.

Glee Season 2, Episode 21

Television Review

By our guest blogger, Catherine Fuentes

The penultimate Glee episode of the season took a drastically different tone and sentiment than most every episode that came before it: Tuesday’s episode of Glee was both incredibly moving and emotional, and it came from the most unlikely of sources, Sue Sylvester.

Sue Sylvester’s sister passed away, which turned my beloved sharp-tongued Sue, into an emotional wreck, capable of very few zingers. As much as I love Coach Sylvester, her character is a bit one-note… not that I’m complaining. The death of her sister, and the raw emotions it conjured up, added depth to Sue that I never saw coming.

Again, we found ourselves with an episode of Glee that paid more emphasis to the drama and the relationships between the characters and the development of the characters than to the music. Even though I don’t care to be reduced to tears by an episode of Glee, somehow this was worthwhile for me.

Music wise, the performances were very cut and dry – pretty much all of them were staged as auditions to become the solo singer at next week’s nationals competition. Mr. Schuester and the newly appointed show-choir consultant, Jesse St. James, were judging the soloists, who were fantastic… even if Jesse would never admit to it.

First Santana sang a very emotional “Back in Black,” which of course, Jesse deemed as not emotional enough. I’m most impressed with Santana when she’s making sassy one-liners and singing emotional songs, since I always forget how talented she is. I loved this one from her – it wasn’t quite “Landslide,” but it was still beautiful.

Next, Kurt tackled Gypsy’s “Some People,” which Jesse deemed as being too “girly,” which shows how little he understands Kurt and the glee club in general. Singing a song originally performed by someone of the opposite gender is what they do – and it’s why I like them so much. Sure, Jesse had a point: Broadway legends have made their mark on that song, but I thought Kurt was fantastic.

Mercedes sang “Try a Little Tenderness,” which was my least favorite of the three, solely because I love the original, and I love Otis Redding so much. Personal preferences aside, Mercedes absolutely killed it – Jesse and Mr. Schue were even nodding approvingly throughout the performance – but again, Jesse found something to critique, saying that she doesn’t “want” it enough.

Rachel came last, singing “My Man” from “Funny Girl,” which was a rare moment where I sat there in awe of Rachel / Lea Michele. Normally I find her theatrical performances to be a bit grating, but this one was simple, her voice was amazing, and she reached a point of emotion I felt she was incapable of reaching. Jesse gave her rave reviews, going as far as telling her she’d be the selection because he was so instrumental in the process. As it turns out, no one got chosen, and Mr. Schuester wants their nationals performance to be a group-driven original song, which is what got them to nationals in the first place.

The other musical number of the night came in Sue’s sister’s memorial service, planned by Kurt and Finn, who after hearing the sad news, shared their condolences to Sue, who was quite shocked to see them. They helped Sue deal with her grief – planned the funeral, cleaned out the sister’s nursing home room, and were there to support Sue when she wasn’t yet ready to be supported.

After hearing that Sue’s sister’s favorite movie was Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, the entire Glee club sang the key song from the movie, “Your Imagination,” a song that will forever remind me of horrific Gene Wilder and why I am so terrified of that movie. Most of the glee club members took brief solos on this song, reminding me just how talented they are as a bunch – and just what sweet, generous kids their characters overwhelmingly seem to be.

Glee Season 2, Episode 21

Television Review

By our guest blogger, Catherine Fuentes

The penultimate Glee episode of the season took a drastically different tone and sentiment than most every episode that came before it: Tuesday’s episode of Glee was both incredibly moving and emotional, and it came from the most unlikely of sources, Sue Sylvester.

Sue Sylvester’s sister passed away, which turned my beloved sharp-tongued Sue, into an emotional wreck, capable of very few zingers. As much as I love Coach Sylvester, her character is a bit one-note… not that I’m complaining. The death of her sister, and the raw emotions it conjured up, added depth to Sue that I never saw coming.

Again, we found ourselves with an episode of Glee that paid more emphasis to the drama and the relationships between the characters and the development of the characters than to the music. Even though I don’t care to be reduced to tears by an episode of Glee, somehow this was worthwhile for me.

Music wise, the performances were very cut and dry – pretty much all of them were staged as auditions to become the solo singer at next week’s nationals competition. Mr. Schuester and the newly appointed show-choir consultant, Jesse St. James, were judging the soloists, who were fantastic… even if Jesse would never admit to it.

First Santana sang a very emotional “Back in Black,” which of course, Jesse deemed as not emotional enough. I’m most impressed with Santana when she’s making sassy one-liners and singing emotional songs, since I always forget how talented she is. I loved this one from her – it wasn’t quite “Landslide,” but it was still beautiful.

Next, Kurt tackled Gypsy’s “Some People,” which Jesse deemed as being too “girly,” which shows how little he understands Kurt and the glee club in general. Singing a song originally performed by someone of the opposite gender is what they do – and it’s why I like them so much. Sure, Jesse had a point: Broadway legends have made their mark on that song, but I thought Kurt was fantastic.

Mercedes sang “Try a Little Tenderness,” which was my least favorite of the three, solely because I love the original, and I love Otis Redding so much. Personal preferences aside, Mercedes absolutely killed it – Jesse and Mr. Schue were even nodding approvingly throughout the performance – but again, Jesse found something to critique, saying that she doesn’t “want” it enough.

Rachel came last, singing “My Man” from “Funny Girl,” which was a rare moment where I sat there in awe of Rachel / Lea Michele. Normally I find her theatrical performances to be a bit grating, but this one was simple, her voice was amazing, and she reached a point of emotion I felt she was incapable of reaching. Jesse gave her rave reviews, going as far as telling her she’d be the selection because he was so instrumental in the process. As it turns out, no one got chosen, and Mr. Schuester wants their nationals performance to be a group-driven original song, which is what got them to nationals in the first place.

The other musical number of the night came in Sue’s sister’s memorial service, planned by Kurt and Finn, who after hearing the sad news, shared their condolences to Sue, who was quite shocked to see them. They helped Sue deal with her grief – planned the funeral, cleaned out the sister’s nursing home room, and were there to support Sue when she wasn’t yet ready to be supported.

After hearing that Sue’s sister’s favorite movie was Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, the entire Glee club sang the key song from the movie, “Your Imagination,” a song that will forever remind me of horrific Gene Wilder and why I am so terrified of that movie. Most of the glee club members took brief solos on this song, reminding me just how talented they are as a bunch – and just what sweet, generous kids their characters overwhelmingly seem to be.