GLEE "Transitioning" Towards Finale

Article first published as TV Review: 'Glee' - 'Transitioning' on Blogcritics.

FOX’s Glee begins “Transitioning” to the endgame  as it reaches the halfway point of its final season this week. Coach Bieste (Dot-Marie Jones) returns to McKinley as a man, where he is protected by Principal Sylvester (Jane Lynch) and his players. But Will’s (Matthew Morrison) new glee club doesn’t share the same spirit of tolerance and compassion, going after Bieste to psych out the New Directions. This, while Rachel (Lea Michelle) is mourning the loss of her childhood home and Blaine (Darren Criss) is wondering if his future should bring him back to Kurt (Chris Colfer).

I stated in a recent review that it makes no sense, given the past history of the character, that Bieste would have gender reassignment surgery. That still holds true. However, the emotional execution of the story in “Transitioning” and the powerful performance by Jones almost make one forget that, feeling the character’s pain, and seeing Glee highlight yet another group of people are misunderstood and deserve acceptance.

When Glee starts down this route with Bieste, my immediate thought is, “Why isn’t Unique (Alex Newell) the one going through this?” It’s never stated on the show, but my guess is that a high schooler getting the surgery likely crosses some ethical lines and Unique isn’t yet a candidate for such a transition. Thankfully, Unique does return this week to offer emotional support, her first appearance this season, and organizes a three-hundred member transgender choir to make Bieste feel like he belongs. It’s touching, and despite a weird locker room scene between Bieste and Unique, by and large works.

An ongoing story this season is Will’s uneasy adjustment to Vocal Adrenaline. The group is led by Clint (singer Max George), a jerk of a student who doesn’t like or respect his coach. Will gets fed up and decides to quit when trying to reach the kids doesn’t work. It’s a tough decision that he makes with his supportive wife, Emma (Jayma Mays, finally back!), realizing he will never fit in to the culture of the school that pays him so well. But it’s satisfying when Will agrees to return to McKinley as an unpaid mentor who will surely get back his old, beloved job when Rachel inevitably returns to New York at year’s end.

Glee‘s handling of Vocal Adrenaline has been uneven, much like the rest of the show. They are introduced as villains originally, but evolve into something much better over time. While they do eventually run Unique off, there is a period where Unique is their lead. It’s regrettable to see this backslide, and it sucks that a teacher as dedicated as Will would give up on the kids. But without administrative support or the control needed to make real changes, it’s understandable that Will leaves and this group is firmly a two-dimensional bad guy at the end.

Rachel’s “Transitioning” involves giving up her childhood home, which affects her because it’s where she retreats after her early career failures. It’s a safe refuge, so while it may be a bit immature of Rachel to cling to it, I can also see why she does. Letting go of the place is part of the show’s final theme, moving on to the next stage of life. Sam (Chord Overstreet), Mercedes (Amber Riley), Kurt, Blaine, and the kids help Rachel get through this in a journey the audience is invested in as well.

It is weird that the alumni party with the students, though since none are actual faculty, merely outsiders serving as mentors, and Glee has always promoted student-teacher friendships, it kind of works. I’m glad the bar is closed in Rachel’s basement, despite how the New Directions used to drink down, there because that would have been highly inappropriate for Rachel to give kids booze. It’s also weird that Rachel and Sam are becoming a couple and that Kitty (Becca Tobin) is grouped with the alumni in helping Rachel. However, these inconsistencies, the worst parts of this hour, are overshadowed by all of the moving stories unfolding, so it doesn’t ruin “Transitioning.”

The one thing that really bothers me is that Rachel almost does an Ohio singers-themed lesson, which is abandoned. Despite being set in the Buckeye state, Glee gets almost nothing about Ohio right, and it would have been gratifying if the writers finally did some research and paid tribute to the setting. Sadly, this will not happen, though I did somewhat enjoy Glee poking fun at some of its own weaknesses around this part of the episode, a tongue in cheek acknowledgment it hasn’t done Ohio justice.

In the final subplot, Blaine kisses Kurt. But after Blaine and Karofsky (Max Adler) break up in a terrifically done scene, Blaine finds out Kurt is still dating Walter (Harry Hamlin), and so unavailable.

This is only temporary, of course; Kurt and Blaine will end up together. Once Cory Monteith, and, by extension, his character, Finn, passes away, Kurt and Blaine replace Rachel and Finn as the show’s favorite twosome. Santana and Brittany are awesome and I’ll always love them, but Klaine is who most viewers are particularly invested in. Walter is merely the last obstacle to be overcome, and hopefully he will be at least half as understanding as Karofsky of the situation.

By and large, the music in “Transitioning” is good, too. Blaine and Kurt’s “Somebody Loves You” isn’t their best work, but it’s serviceable. Mercedes and Roderick (Noah Guthrie) are a perfect pairing in “All About That Bass.” Sam and Rachel make me forget how weird their coupling is when they sing “Time After Time.” Vocal Adrenaline, assholes that they are, rock “You Give Love a Bad Name.” And, of course, Will and Unique’s “Same Love” and the trangender choir’s “I Know Where I’ve Been” are incredibly sweet, powerful stuff.

There have been many times in the past few year’s where I have regretted taking on Glee as a weekly column (you can find a review of every single episode of Glee ever by clicking the “Gleekonomics” link at the top of this page). That regret is melting away as Glee begins to nail its final season. The story isn’t air-tight, nor has it ever been, but the ensemble usually excels at emotional stuff, and there is plenty of that in “Transitioning” and season six. A couple of missteps early in the year worry me, but if the last six installments are anything like this one, Glee will end strong.

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

GLEE "Hurt"

Article first published as TV Review: 'Glee' - The Hurt Locker' on Blogcritics.

I’ve reviewed every episode ever aired of FOX’s Glee, good or bad. Still, I couldn’t help but combine last week’s “The Hurt Locker, Part One” with this week’s “The Hurt Locker, Part Two” into a single article. So close to the end of the series, the show takes a side trip into some truly horrendous stories, emphasizing the inconsistency that has always been a hallmark of the characters, and with far less singing than normal. To say I’m disappointed in this two-hour episode is an understatement.

The main problem with the episode concerns the story in which Sue (Jane Lynch) hypnotizes Sam (Chord Overstreet) to seduce Rachel (Lea Michele), starts a new feud with Will (Matthew Morrison) over a forgotten plastic fork, and works hard to get Klaine, a.k.a. Kurt (Chris Colfer) and Blaine (Darren Criss) back together. Sue is often an uneven character, combining an underlying soft heart with true villainy, the two sometimes in direct conflict. But “The Hurt Locker” is a new low for a character that has no true investment in the show’s gay twosome, overreacts more than she usually does with Will, and brings an unneeded, stupid supernatural element into the show.

Despite Sue’s flaws, I usually like her because of the amazing Jane Lynch, who sells some pretty ridiculous things enough to almost be believable. Even she cannot overcome a swinging watch and a creepy storage shed, though. When a Saw-like puppet of her is introduced, one knows Glee has completely lost it. What are the writers thinking?

In these interweaving threads, Sue brings the New Directions, Vocal Adrenaline, and the Warblers together for a show choir invitational. This is a convenient plot to get nearly all of the main characters (save Beiste and the mostly-MIA-this-year Mercedes and Artie) in one place, and allows for performances from the show’s major groups. This, in theory, is a solid concept, even if it is poorly executed.

The invitational actually delivers most of the music for the two hours, including the only songs sang in part two. Sadly, though, these performances are as flawed as the story. Vocal Adrenaline’s “Rock Lobster” and “Whip It” are clearly the best, even if they are awarded second place because of emotional manipulation. The Warblers’ “My Sharona” and “You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)” are surprisingly flat, and I’m not sure how Sue could possibly be moved by the New Directions’ lackluster “It Must Have Been Love,” “Father Figure,” and “All Out of Love.” Not to mention, Sue doesn’t bring up the 12-member requirement spoken of in the first half, and the New Directions are once again the only group to perform three songs.

There are some better numbers during the episode’s first hour. Sue’s “Bitch” is goofy, but enjoyable. Rachel and Sam’s “A Thousand Miles” is also good. Too bad those are first, and everything else that comes after it pretty much sucks.

It certainly seems that Glee is setting up Sue to be the ultimate villain in this final season. It makes sense for Will to soon abandon his new kids that hate him to return to the fold, and Blaine doesn’t fare much better with the Warblers, whose performance he completely misses while being stuck in a fake elevator. But I guess that is something to sort of look forward to in the end game.

A hint of goodness exists in the way Kitty (Becca Tobin) is recruited back to the glee club. Rachel’s words to her sound sincere, though we know Rachel isn’t the most reliable. Kitty, however, is someone to count on, and now that she’s back on board, the club should only grow. In a perfect world, Kitty will find and bring back her four former classmates whom she thinks abandoned her to fill out some of number needed to compete in Sectionals. But if only one person from that class is going to return, I’m glad it’s her.

I don’t think for a minute anyone thinks Kurt and Blaine won’t end up together. I like Max Adler’s Karofsky, and I’m surprised at how much I enjoy Kurt’s budding relationship with much-older man Walter (Harry Hamlin, Mad Men, Veronica Mars), but Klaine is destiny. “The Hurt Locker” leaves no doubt in my mind about that.

So what will it take Glee to get its act together? I think the answer is: more involvement from Ryan Murphy. I can only assume that most of the troubles plaguing Glee these past years are because he’s busy with many projects, as his other work such as The Normal Heart and American Horror Story have been excellent. Glee has almost always stuck its landing on emotion, though, so I’m expecting a moving finale. Comparing Spencer (Marshall Williams) to Finn in this episode strikes a wrong chord, but hopefully there will be less of that moving forward and more of what Glee does well. Unfortunately, since Glee has disappointed many times, including in this double episode, I can’t say with certainty it will give fans the conclusion they deserve.

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

Shameless still not blushing

Grade: 94%

Showtime’s SHAMLESS comes back this weekend with “El Gran Canon,” airing Sunday at 9 p.m. ET. While the Gallaghers may be the same old family they’ve always been, the stakes of season three have definitely been amped up, with real life-and-death danger threatening them all.

I refer, of course, to Steve / Jimmy’s (Justin Chatwin) father-in-law. Estefania’s (Stephanie Fantauzzi) dad blows into town, and, after watching Jimmy for awhile, takes him to Estefania’s apartment and murders Estefania’s boyfriend, Marco (Thierre Di Castro). Then he tells Jimmy that he expects him to watch out for Estefania, and keep his nose clean to avoid trouble with the law, meaning Jimmy will have to get a legitimate job.

Marco’s death is disturbing in that Jimmy is forced to witness it. But Marco is known to be abusive, so despite Estefania’s protests, it’s probably not a bad thing that he is dead.

The point of this really appears to be to put serious fear into Jimmy so that he will do what Estefania’s father wants him to do. This looks to be very effective. Jimmy is noticeably shaken, and while he would have probably helped out Estefania without the threats, he definitely will do his best now.

The thing that goes unspoken between Jimmy and his new “boss” is that Jimmy can continue to live with Fiona (Emmy Rossum) and her family, as long as he puts Estefania’s needs first when she needs him. This is all well and good for Jimmy, but the thing he should consider is, he is putting his new family, the Gallaghers, in danger by hanging around them. If Estefania’s father would kill Marco so callously to manipulate Jimmy, it is likely that he would not be above hurting one of the Gallagher children to continue to do so.

Fiona, for her part, remains oblivious, but she wants to be. As “El Gran Canon” begins, she is bored of Jimmy acting as the house mom, helping with the responsibility, seemingly being a normal, though not legal, husband. The danger presented by Estefania’s father’s surveillance of the house and Jimmy’s disappearance for a day excites her, and she’s soon hopping into the sack with him, whereas before, she made excuses to avoid sex.

Fiona has always seemed the normal, responsible member of the family. It’s a little disappointing when SHAMELESS reveals that she is not much better than the rest. Is her attraction to the danger around Jimmy a character flaw, or just a method to blow off steam? Either way, she is jeopardizing her charges, putting them at unnecessary risk.

Other than that, though, Fiona is doing good, finally moving up in the working world. She has a chance to do a promotion night at the club, and she hands over her last paycheck from a crappy job to do so. Her irresponsibility in not paying the property tax could come back to bite her in the butt, but hopefully, by then she will be making enough money to fix things. One can wish, anyway. At least she might be able to break even, and keep the status quo.

The rest of the Gallaghers are doing what they normally do. Lip (Jeremy Allen White) is getting into trouble with the law, misusing his formidable brains, but never far away from taking the right path. Ian (Cameron Monaghan) continues his affair with Jimmy’s dad, Lloyd (Harry Hamlin), though he is starting to pull away, a good decision, even if Ian may do it for the wrong reason.

Debbie (Emma Kenney), alone, has put her life on hold. Frank (William H. Macy) has been missing for over four months, and while the older children know enough now to worry about him, maybe even hope that he won’t return, Debbie prays at an altar set for Frank, and looks for him every day. It’s sad, knowing that she will be disappointed by her father soon enough. Yet, it’s cool that SHAMELESS lets us see a kid not yet cynical and spoiled by reality, the way the rest of the family is.

Frank is actually down in Mexico, without identification, unable to cross back into the United States after a really bad bender. While this could spell trouble for most, Frank is a conniving sleaze ball. It doesn’t take him long to find passage home, using his anal storage talents, and setting a record in the cocaine smuggling world. This is the comic relief of “El Gran Canon.”

While there is definitely real danger for many of the characters presented in this episode, it’s hard to believe that Frank will ever come to real harm. The good die young, but the bad don’t. Frank always stumbles into something to save himself. His family would be better off without him, but as Fiona promises Debbie, Frank will always find his way home.

Speaking of homes, Sheila (Joan Cusack) seems to be building one with Jody (Zach McGowan) and the baby. I wonder how long Sheila can possibly be happy with her daughter’s immature, hippy ex-boyfriend? At least Jody cares, and appears willing to take on the responsibility of fatherhood.

Lastly, Kevin (Steve Howey) and Veronica’s (Shanola Hampton) latest venture is performing racist, historical, live sex shows on the internet. It’s funny because it’s so wrong. The only complaint I have about this sequence is, how come their “fictional” sex is so much less raw and dirty than their real intercourse? This couple’s passion is renowned, but it’s not very evident here. However, maybe they think of this as a joke as much as viewers will, thus why they aren’t giving it their all.

Because the stakes have been raised, this season of SHAMELESS should grow in ways that will be exciting and feel fresh. Yet, the characters remain true to themselves at their core, bringing the same sensibilities they always have. “El Gran Canon” is a fitting season premiere, and is tantalizing enough to get fans pumped for the rest of the run.

Want to read some of my fiction? It's on my website, JeromeWetzel.com! Also, for the latest updates and article links, as well as commentary on episodes I don't fully review, please follow me on Twitter!

Article first posted on Seat42F

'Fiona Interrupted' is Shameless

Showtime's Shameless brings its second season to a close with "Fiona Interrupted," which finds many of the Gallaghers (and their friends) contemplating change. Frank (William H. Macy) is intent on breaking Monica (Chloe Webb, China Beach, Twins) out of the mental hospital, but finds most of his children unwilling to help. Fiona (Emmy Rossum) determines a new list of priorities, which Jimmy / Steve (Justin Chatwin) hopes to be included on. Lip (Jeremy Allen White) also has some tough choices to make concerning his romantic life. Karen (Laura Slade Wiggins) gives Sheila (Joan Cusack) an ultimatum: the baby goes, or Karen will.

What does Karen expect when she makes Sheila choose between her and the baby in "Fiona Interrupted?" Karen is pretty much grown, and has proven repeatedly that she doesn't need her mother. The baby, on the other, definitely does need someone to love and care for it. Considering that he has Down syndrome, he isn't likely to be adopted. Sheila does the responsible thing by taking in her grandson, and the police, when Karen calls them, agree. Sheila makes the only decision she can here.

Why does Karen hate the baby so much? Is he a reminder of the person she is? Does she not like herself or her promiscuous ways? When she sees the baby's face, is she reminded of the drugs that she consumed during pregnancy? Surely Karen's anger is directed at least as much at herself as at the infant. Otherwise, her character has become a psychopath, and there's no reason for her to continue on Shameless, as no viewer will like or relate to her.

Lip loves Karen. He wants to be a father, too, but he also genuinely adores Karen herself. Even as Karen pushes him away over and over, Lip is willing to stand by, and likely would, even after he learns that baby is not his. However, these monstrous actions by Karen in "Fiona Interrupted" drive him away. That's not to say that Lip is done with her forever. But it will certainly take a lot of time and apologizing for the eldest Gallagher male to consider getting back with his first true love.

Might Lip find a replacement companion in Mandy (Emma Greenwell)? Mandy is just a warm bed for Lip, but she really seems to be interested in something more with him. And while Lip initially shoves her off and avoids talking to her about a relationship, he seems more accepting by "Fiona Interrupted." Does this mean he is warming up to her? Might he consider something more than a friends with benefits arrangement? He should have already considered this, seeing how dangerous her family is, and if he isn't ready to be serious, he needs to find a way to let her down gently.

Emma Greenwell has now played Mandy in more episodes of Shameless than Jane Levy (Suburgatory) did before leaving the show. Despite this, it's still hard not to see Levy in the role, and miss her. Greenwell does fine, but she seems to lack that extra spark and subtle layers that Levy brought to the part. One wonders if Greenwell would be better received had she been the one originally cast as Mandy. This situation brings to light the problem with recasting. Bottom line: avoid it at all costs!

Fiona has Steve, er, Jimmy back. Will Shameless ever pick a name for him? Jimmy makes the most sense, given that it is his real name, and someone else is now using the identity of Steve. But since he is called Steve for all of season one, there will be an adjustment period for the audience, which is probably why both names are currently being used. Either way, Fiona gets back with the guys she loves.

When Shameless begins season two, it is kind of nice to see Fiona play the field. She has a lot of responsibility, and deserves some fun. Settling down with one man is kind of a grown up thing to do, and Fiona does enough grown up things in her life already. Which does not mean that she doesn't deserve love. Fiona, more than any other character in the series, sacrifices everything for her family. That's why, despite how fun it is to see wild and free Fiona at the beginning of the season, it's also a bit of a relief to hear Jimmy confess his love, and to see her accept it.

Of course, there is always a wrench. In the final moments of "Fiona Interrupted," Fiona's happy ending is interrupted by the appearance of a battered Estefania (Stephanie Fantauzzi) at her door. Technically, Estefania is married to Jimmy's Steve identity, and because of the time she spent with Jimmy, he feels obligated to do something. This is reasonable. Even though Fiona has enough drama to deal with, she should be OK with this because she won't want to see anyone get hurt, and Estefania's guy, who is now using the Steve identity, is hurting her. But will she regret Jimmy helping Estefania if things get too hairy? And how long can Estefania stick around before Fiona gets too jealous?

What's more, Estefania isn't the only problem. Ian (Cameron Monaghan) sleeps with Jimmy's father, Lloyd (Harry Hamlin, Army Wives, Veronica Mars, L.A. Law). This happens before the Gallaghers meet Jimmy's family in "Fiona Interrupted," though Lloyd is interested in continuing the affair. Ian seems reticent, thankfully, now that he knows about Lloyd's wife and kids. But Fiona is bound to be upset, and Jimmy must be told. Without knowing more about Jimmy's family and home life, it is impossible to know what repercussions may arise from this situation.

Which is just plain sad. As mentioned, Fiona deserves her happy ending. She has to give up a good job, and likely, dreams of college, to continue in her role as the caretaker of the family. Thus, her love life should not be a chore, too. And clearly, there will be a bumpy road on the way to happiness, if she stays with Jimmy. If she doesn't... Well, let's just hope that her future suitors are better matches than the batch of guys that she has dated this year.

And Ian should get a little cheer, too, which he won't with Lloyd. An affair with an older, married man who has his own family is bound to end in disaster, which Ian should already know, based on past experience. Hopefully, he will not repeat his mistake.

Frank is lost without Monica in "Fiona Interrupted," and assumes that his kids will be, too. Surprise, surprise, only Debbie (Emma Kenney) agrees to help Frank carry out his "rescue" plan. Why does no one else care?

The Frank and Monica drama is old hat to the elder Gallagher offspring. They have seen the rollercoaster ride that their parents take them on, and want nothing more to do with it. Debbie, on the other hand, does not have those clear memories of what it is like to be with both of her parents. She is really enjoying having her mother back at home, despite the Thanksgiving suicide attempt, and would like to continue this living arrangement. Who can blame her? Kids crave their parents until they learn better, as Debbie's older siblings have, repeatedly.

Debbie and Carl (Ethan Cutkosky) are deeply upset by Monica cutting herself in the kitchen. This should be a sign that helping Frank get Monica back is a mistake. It's not like Frank has become a loving father with Monica around, though he is home more. Monica buys her children things (with the money that she stole from them), but, as a bi-polar drug user, is in no shape to take care of them. Thus, while it's nice to have a mother and a father in the house, Debbie and Carl are without their parents around.

But Debbie helps Frank bust out Monica anyway. The family's happy reunion lasts all of two minutes, until Monica takes off with her new girlfriend, Jill (the amazing, hilarious Jenna Elfman, Dharma & Greg). Jill is a deeply disturbed individual, waiting to see if she's competent to stand trail for violence against her husband. Monica knows how to pick 'em, doesn't she? Is Monica in danger, running off with Jill? Who knows? But that's a plot for another season. What's shown in "Fiona Interrupted" is that Monica's behavior is erratic, and she has no problem abandoning her family. Again.

As soon as Monica is gone, though, Frank returns to the total loser that he is, and soon enough, his kids carry him out and dump him in the alley. Frank is better with Monica around, but only slightly, so it's not with a great sense of loss that he is put back on the street. Losing Monica is a serious blow to Frank's happiness, as Monica is the only woman he seems to care about. His other trysts all have ulterior motives, but with Monica, Frank shows his heart. To the extent that Frank can, that is.

Debbie, Carl, and the others will be OK. No matter how terrible their parents are, they have older siblings who are dedicated to making sure they grow up all right. Let's just hope that these latest shenanigans don't scar them too much.


Shameless has been renewed for a third season, and will return to Showtime.

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