GLEE Sees "Sue"

Article first published as TV Review: 'Glee' - 'The Rise and Fall of Sue Sylvester' on Blogcritics.

FOX’s Glee spends a bit of time on its primary villain this week with “The Rise and Fall of Sue Sylvester.” Sue (Jane Lynch) is the loud-mouthed, abrasive, arts-hating, championship-winning cheerleading coach-turned-principal at McKinley High. But why is she this way? What makes her tick? Why is she so bent on destroying the glee club? This hour touches on those things, stopping short of really delving into the part the way it should.

There’s no denying Sue is a complex character, but she isn’t always written that way. In the best Glee episodes, we see that Sue’s harsh attitude comes from pushing the kids to do their best, their future and self in her mind. She rarely goes after anyone for something they can’t help, such as sexual preference, physical disability, or gender confusion. Instead, she attacks their interests and the way they spend their time.

However, like the rest of Glee, the portrait painted above isn’t always consistent. Sometimes, she has attacked for petty or no reason. Sometimes, she shows unexpected kindness where she shouldn’t. Sometimes, her actions just plain don’t make sense. That’s the way this show is written, and it with the end a mere two weeks away, that doesn’t change now.

“The Rise and Fall of Sue Sylvester” makes some attempts to correct those inconsistencies, though it doesn’t go far enough. It attempts to explain away her hatred of the arts, not just because she thinks they are a waste of valuable time, but because they are the passion of her unloving mother, Doris (Carol Burnett). Bringing Doris in, the two sing a healing and fun rendition of “The Trolley Song” from Meet Me in St. Louis, though Sue is not at all changed by this.

Following the number, she takes over coaching Vocal Adrenaline through the energetic “Far From Over,” determined to destroy Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison) because of a personal vendetta. What has Will done to deserve this? I always assumed Sue’s annoyance with Will mainly stemmed from his pushing of a subject she detests, and that’s usually how it’s portrayed. They are often friends, especially in the later days of Glee, and Will, along with Beiste (Dot-Marie Jones), stands up for Sue when her character is attacked this week. Why is she going after him now? Other than providing a dramatic showdown for the story, it doesn’t make sense. Though, Sue and VA are a match made in heaven, er, hell.

The character assassination doesn’t make sense either. Becky Jackson (Lauren Potter), Sue’s best friend in the world and near clone of the coach, turns against her for no good reason. Becky exposes some of Sue’s lies to Geraldo Rivera (himself), and they are aired on television. This is a fun sequence with cameos by Carnie Wilson, Michael Bolton, and others, playing themselves, and it works to prove Sue is really insecure, making up things. Either that, or she believes what she says, and others attack her for no reason, like her mother did, also giving a credible explanation for her character. But this refusal to pick one direction ends up making the sequence messy and insincere, ruining it overall.

Lynch is an incredible actress and Glee gives her the break-out role she deserves. It’s fitting she should get such focus just before the series’ end. Too bad it’s done with such weak effort, stopping short of truly giving us an idea of who Sue Sylvester is.

Elsewhere in the episode, Dalton Academy burns down and the Warblers are forced to join with the New Directions because apparently there are no other legit private schools in the area. (This is not true, though it sort of depends on which area you’re talking about, as McKinley’s Lima and Dalton’s Westerville are hours apart in real life, but I’ll leave my complaints about how poorly Glee has always treated Ohio in my past reviews.) This should be a major plot, a coming together of two rivals, but since the meat of the hour is given over to Sue, it’s reduced to a couple small bits and a big, unearned healing number in “Rise.” Apparently we don’t get to see the adjustment arc; they are just now one big happy glee club with enough numbers for Sectionals. Oh, and it looks like maybe half the Warblers actually came, if that, even though the characters talk like the entire group has transferred, and barely a mention is made of how they screw over Jane (Samantha Marie Ware) earlier in the season. So, bad job all around.

The final subplot squeezed into “The Rise and Fall of Sue Sylvester” is that Rachel (Lea Michele) somehow convinces Carmen (sadly unseen this week) to let her back into NYADA, and Carmen relents just as Rachel is offered another Broadway role. Rachel is torn, understandably, with Kurt (Chris Colfer), Blaine (Darren Criss), and Mercedes (Amber Riley) supporting Broadway, and only a disappointed Sam championing school. This decision is actually handled pretty well by Glee, and while I think school has to be her decision, I’m not sure it will be. Thankfully, no answer is given, as this needs more mulling over.

My problem with this subplot is not how it’s done, but when it occurs. Rachel makes a promise to Kitty (Becca Tobin) and the New Directions that she will see them through to the end. Right before their all-important Sectionals, and during a transitional time as two groups come together, she disappears to New York. Then, when she returns, her focus is on her personal life, not them. She is making the same mistakes again and betraying more people. I hope this comes back to bite her in the butt, not because I don’t like Rachel, but because it should to deliver a solid story.

Song wise, there’s also a performance of “Rather Be” in the opening, which is fine, but pales in comparison to the other, better numbers in the episode, which are few, but memorable.

You might be surprised to hear that overall, I am satisfied with “The Rise and Fall of Sue Sylvester.” It is an enjoyable episode with some great moments, such as the Will / Sue fantasy battle in “The Final Countdown,” with the kids looking at them like they’re crazy. All of the complaints above are legitimate and important, but they’re not enough to completely spoil the hour. If you accept that Glee is always uneven, never living up to what it should be, then this episode is graded pretty well on a curve of past installments, partly because of the focus on the incredible Lynch. Or, maybe I’m just going to miss the show, for all its flaws, and I’m willing to look past the glaring mistakes it makes more than I used to.

Glee airs Fridays at 9 p.m. ET on FOX.

Go Home to MAMA'S FAMILY

Article first published as 'DVD Review: Mama's Family - The Complete First and Second Seasons' on Blogcritics.

When thinking back to the most fondly remembered sitcoms of the 1980s, Mama’s Family is surely one that comes to mind, viewed with warm nostalgia, even if it isn’t the pinnacle of television comedy. Cranky old Thelma “Mama” Harper, played hilariously by Vicki Lawrence, ran for six seasons, the first two on NBC, and then four much more popular years on CBS. Mama, herself, however, is a timeless character, who had a much longer lifespan on television than this series. Now, The Complete First Season and The Complete Second Season of this show are available on DVD.

Mama’s Family came at the end of an era of sitcoms. Having more in common than those which aired before it than what came after it, the series painted a portrait of an ungrateful family who Mama slaved away for, which justified her less-than-sunny disposition. She is the put-upon, caring matriarch viewers root for, giving a healthy dose of love and sound advice, whether her kids and relations want to listen to her or not. She is a parent, grandmother, and friend to any who need it.

That’s where the authenticity of the show came through. There was truth in her lamentations, and audiences could relate to both sides of the argument. Thelma was the familiar Mama, at least in that particular era for our society, and her issues were our issues. Sort of.

It’s a good thing there is much that is relatable and funny in the story, since the production is quite crude. Mama’s Family often feels like a play, with garish sets and costumes and harsh lighting. This helped reduce the cost of producing the show, and kept it on the air long enough to gain viewers, at least the second time around, but also makes it a little hard to get through until one adjusts to the style, or lack thereof. It is worth it to stick with it, the players being quite enjoyable.

Among the colorful characters in Mama’s life are: Mama’s sister and roommate Fran (Rue McClanahan, The Golden Girls), an uptight writer; Mama’s son, the youngest of three children, foolish Vinton (Ken Berry, Mayberry R.F.D.), who is evicted from his house and dumped by his wife, prompting him to move back in with Mama; Vinton’s love interest, trampy neighbor Naomi Oates (Dorothy Lyman, The Departed); Vinton’s stubborn, obedient son, Vinton Jr., otherwise known as Buzz (Eric Brown, The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman); and Vinton’s annoying, complaining teenage daughter, Sonja (Karin Argoud, The Stonecutter). This makes for a very full house indeed.

Which does not mean there isn’t room for others to drop by. Mama’s two daughters, Eunice (Carol Burnett, The Carol Burnett Show) and Ellen (Betty White, Golden Girls), put in appearances. And among the familiar faces making guest appearances in these two sets are Harvey Korman (Blazing Saddles), William Windom (To Kill a Mockingbird), Richard Dawson (Hogan‘s Heroes), Imogene Coca (Your Show of Shows), Jack Gilford (Cocoon), singer Jerry Reed (Smokey and the Bandit), and Fred Willard (Anchorman). While not all of these names have stayed in the lexicon today, they were big enough in their own time.

I think what’s most curious to me is that Mama’s Family is a spin-off of a recurring sketch from The Carol Burnett Show, which first spawned a TV movie, and then this series. Looking at other sketch comedies, I can’t imagine a premise holding it’s own for six years. Saturday Night Live bits have been turned into films, but not to my knowledge have they ever been developed as a weekly series. Yet, Mama’s Family worked very well in this format. I guess this is a testament to the unique, layered, fun characters The Carol Burnett Show created.

Speaking of the roots of this series, the extras on The Complete First Season and The Complete Second Season provide a look back at such things. On the first set, fans get one of the classic segments of “The Family” from The Carol Burnett Show. The second contains the aforementioned TV movie, Eunice. Other extras include interviews of some of the stars involved, an outline of the branches of Mama’s family tree, and a featurette about the series.

The only real complaint I have about this set is that it features the episodes in broadcast order, rather than production order. NBC aired them haphazardly, with a wedding that happens early in the run not having occurred yet in later episodes. This DVD set preserves that mistake, though it seems like it could have been an easy fix. Of course, anyone with access to Google can decide on their own how the installments should be watched, assuming they are aware of the issue ahead of time.

Bottom line, despite its flaws, or maybe a little bit because of them, as they seem true to form, Mama’s Family is a welcome addition to the DVD field, and it sure feels good to relive this series. Mama’s Family: The Complete First Season and Mama’s Family: The Complete Second Season are available now.

Glee: The Complete Second Season arrives on Blu-ray

     Now available on Blu-ray is Glee: The Complete Second Season. Year two is quite eventful for McKinley High's glee club students, and a number of them go through some big changes. There are the obligatory romantic pairings and splits, and some real social issues get dealt with, too.

     Homosexuality plays a large part in season two. Kurt (Chris Colfer) is forced to transfer to a new school after being bullied by Karofsky (Max Adler), who is secretly gay. Fortunately, Kurt soon meets Blaine (Darren Criss), who not only helps him feel comfortable with himself, but proves to be a love interest. Also, Santana (Naya Rivera) struggles with her feelings for Brittany (Heather Morris), who seems to like guys and at least one girl.

     In other relationship developments, Emma dates Carl (John Stamos), and Will (Matthew Morrison) falls for Holly (Gwyneth Paltrow), which provides a distraction to keep them apart for awhile. Finn (Cory Monteith) goes back to Quinn (Dianna Agron) for a time, despite his feelings for Rachel (Lea Michele). Quinn takes an interest in Sam (Chord Oversteet). Puck (Mark Salling) does his best to woo new member Lauren Zizes (Ashley Fink). Artie (Kevin McHale) loses Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz) to Mike Chang (Harry Shum Jr.), but soon dates Brittany.

     Among the other new characters is Beiste (Dot-Marie Jones), the new football coach who befriends Will. She is such a unique person, that she certainly adds another layer to a very diverse cast. Jones, a talented actress, is a nice addition.

     There are some pretty special episodes in Glee's second season. "Britney/Brittany" boasts all Britney Spears music, and an appearance by the singer herself. "The Rocky Horror Glee Show" takes on the musical "The Rocky Horror Show." "A Very Glee Christmas" is the series's spin on a Christmas special, complete with holiday tunes. "The Sue Sylvester Shuffle" aired after the Super Bowl! "Original Song" marks the beginning of premiering all new music on Glee. Finally, "New York," the spectacular season finale, is set and filmed in New York City as the New Directions compete at Nationals.

     The nice thing about this release is that Glee is meant to be watched in HD, which Blu-ray allows. The picture is very detailed and crystal clear, while the songs sound pitch perfect. There is much detail in the setting, and high def picture allows one to see each and every one of those. It's great to get such a great quality for the music, since this show is so melody heavy. Glee: The Complete Second Season has 5.1 DTS-HD surround sound, and is presented in 1.78:1 widescreen aspect ratio.

     There are lots of bonus features on Glee: The Complete Second Season, mostly drawn from the previously released DVD sets. Glee puts out a release mid-season, so one can buy the year in two parts or one, but only the full season is available in Blu-ray, so that is recommended.

     Over ten minutes are spent examining how the cast shoot the season finale, "New York," in New York City. It's especially touching to see all of the fans that show up to see the actors. Eight minutes of "Guesting on Glee" features interviews with guest stars including Katie Couric, Carol Burnett, Gwyneth Paltrow, Cheyenne Jackson, Charice, Kristin Chenoweth, John Stamos, and Jonathan Groff.

    Cory Monteith takes viewers behind the scenes and spends five and a half minutes talking about building an auditorium set. A real auditorium is used in season one, but for the second year, a set is built on a sound stage. The featurette takes you through the entire process of creating the set, from sketching, to actually putting it together.

     "The Wit of Brittany," which is about two minutes of some of Brittany's (Heather Morris) best one-liners, is fun, as she does provide a good laugh. Even better, an almost six minute short takes fans into a "Day in the Life of Brittany." Morris is in character, but touring the set. Extremely amusing.

     I like "Getting Waxed with Jane Lynch," in which we get to see some of the process it takes Madame Tussauds's to make a Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) wax figure. Two minutes of Sue's one-liners have their own track. Santana gets almost three minutes of her slams put together. There are also fifteen minutes from the Glee panel at the San Diego Comic-Con from summer 2010. "Stevie Nicks Goes Glee" spends three and a half minutes on the Steve Nicks music-heavy episode.

     "The Making of The Rocky Horror Glee Show" is a seven minute look at the very special Halloween episode. Bits of trivia are doled out, such as that Carl was originally supposed to sing "Sweet Transvestite," though Mercedes (Amber Riley) eventually gets the number. Jayma Mays gives the low down on some of the "ab-ulous" going-ons. In general, the cast is very relaxed and talkative about the experience, which is what one wants in such a featurette.

     One feature that is truly disappointing is the exclusive bonus song from "The Rocky Horror Glee Show." Called "Planet, Schmanet, Janet," it is about a minute long. There isn't anything new filmed, just the old red-lips-mouthing-the-words trick used for the opening. The music itself is enjoyable, but longs for something more substantial. There is also inexplicable screaming throughout.

     As always, the Glee Music Jukebox is included, to allow fans to find their favorite musical numbers with a click of the remote. There is a shuffle option, but it only lets you shuffle between pieces from the five or six episodes on the disc currently in the player, so that's a little disappointing.

     It's not a bad lineup, of extras, but it's too bad there aren't some episode commentaries or further discussion with the cast and crew.


     Buy Glee: The Complete Second Season on Blu-ray today.

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Article first published as Blu-ray Review: Glee: The Complete Second Season on Blogcritics.

Glee - "Furt"

     Bizarre. That is the best word I can use to describe last night's Glee, or at least the first half. I certainly can't call this one of the best episodes of the series, although it did contain a few of the best moments. It felt to me like a season one episode, a bit all over the place, except that the plot didn't bend to the songs. In fact, it was a full twenty-two minutes into the episode (counting commercials) before the first note was even sung. When was the last time that happened?

     I was really looking forward to the arrival of Sue's (Jane Lynch) mother, ever since it had been announced that Carol Burnett would tackle the role. I still submit that it is a perfect mother-daughter pairing. And I'm glad they got to sing together, especially a weird song like "Ohio". Their chemistry was fantastic. But why did it take such a weird plot to bring them together? Sue had some of her best moments of the series thus far, but it had nothing to do with the wedding, and I'll get to that in a moment.

     In this week's episode, Sue signed up for online dating, and discovered that her only match was herself. How does that even happen? Had she previously created a profile that she had forgotten about, and apparently, despite Sue's previous relationship with a man, both Sue profiles were looking for other women. I have no problem with Sue the lesbian; the actress that portrays her is one, and I adore Lynch. But to marry yourself, and the fact that no one was really shown trying to put a stop to it, other than her mother, but for self-serving reasons, was truly weird. The only great part about it was that we got to see Sue in a tracksuit gown.

     The Season of Kurt (Chris Colfer) continues. I know this upsets some people, but as an avid Kurt fan who didn't get nearly enough of him in season one, I'm delighted. This week, Kurt had three major, somewhat connected plots.

     Let's go with Karofsky (Max Adler) first. The bully has continued to torment Kurt, and it came to a head this week as Kurt's friends finally decided to stand up for him. The result was that Sam (Chord Overstreet) ended up with a black eye, Mike Chang (Harry Shrum Jr.) became even more likable, quite a feat, and for some reason, Artie was included in this, too. I'm all for equality of handicapped people, but did anyone find it strange when the mostly timid guy in a wheelchair tried to intimidate a big, strong guy physically? And the fact that they didn't accomplish anything by the confrontation, except to further a Finn (Cory Monteith) plot was confusing, too.

     Regardless, it was awesome to see Sue stand up for Kurt. We've seen the protectiveness Sue can have for the unfairly treated before, both with her sister, and at Regionals last year. She's never shown the same deference to Kurt. I think it did not detract at all from her compassion that she continued to call Kurt 'lady'. She was even willing to give up her job as principal to defend him. This is a Sue that I love.

     But when Karofsky was returned to the school by the board, Kurt gave up. This was probably the most bizarre twist in the episode. He finally has an awesome support system in place, with friends, a new brother, and even Sue looking out for him, but he chooses this moment to stop fighting. It was a slap in the fact to Sue, Finn, and the others. I'm sure something will bring Kurt back to McKinley, but in the meantime, it was not a cool move. Not to mention, as I've said before, the private school he will be attending is at least TWO HOURS away!

     I've referenced Finn, and he definitely had his best story of the season so far. I haven't been a big fan of Monteith or his character as a rule, but he really nailed it, deftly handling the part in a way we haven't seen the character in a long time, reminding us why he was cast as a lead in the first place. Hit with doubt about himself, realizing he was not living up to his role as a leader or a brother, he stepped up to the plate and did what was right. Go, Finn!

      Of course, the biggest draw was the wedding of Kurt's father, Burt (Mike O'Malley) to Finn's mother, Carole (Romy Rosemont). Their relationship has really grown, and despite the short time they had been together, it felt right that Burt should propose. I do question how quick the wedding came together, especially as fancy as it was, and Kurt was planning it alone while dealing with everything else. But the wedding and the reception provided the most solid scenes in the episode. Every single actor and actress looked to be genuinely having fun, and it was infectious to myself, and likely many other viewers.

     Finn's song to Kurt, "Just the Way You Are" (another song I don't like that Glee has improved measurably) was certainly a high point, as was the ceremony song with the kids and Burt dancing down the aisle. Yeah, Carole danced, too, but she wasn't having as much fun as the rest of them, especially Burt. It was a long wait last night for a couple of good songs, but they finally arrived.

     One last night, the official proclamation of Sam and Quinn's (Dianna Agron) relationship was expected, but wonderful. However, now practically everyone in the club has paired up except for best buds Kurt and Mercedes (Amber Riley). Not only is that unnatural, though predictable for a TV show, but it leaves poor Mercedes out in the cold! As much as I love Kurt's beefed up role this fall, I think come winter it should be the Season of Mercedes! Who's with me?
 

     Quick trivia! I could be wrong, but was Kurt wearing that huge airplane broach on his sweater in the principal's office scene a homage to Lost? The man playing Karofsky's father, Daniel Roebuck, was a small, but important, presence to the now-ended ABC drama. Maybe I'm reading too much into things, but it tickled me. Why else would Kurt wear it? It looked a bit out of place.

     Glee airs Tuesday nights at 8pm on FOX. Next week is Sectionals, and we're almost done with this batch of episodes. The show won't be back until February, so make sure you don't miss it!

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Article first published as TV Review: Glee "Furt" on Blogcritics.