Glee Celebrates "A Wedding"

Article first published as TV Review: 'Glee' - "A Wedding" on Blogcritics.

This week’s installment of FOX’s Glee, titled “A Wedding,” is set almost entirely in a barn in Indiana. See, it’s Santana Lopez (Naya Rivera) and Brittany S. Pierce’s (Heather Morris) wedding day, and they still can’t legally tie the knot in Ohio, which is not harped upon, but is definitely wrong. As everyone plans and attends the wedding, the characters apparently make several trips that take multiple hours each direction across state lines, but almost no one important misses the big day, which turns into a double celebration.

Santana and Brittany are one of the two best couples on the series, arguably the best one, so it’s natural that they would get married before the series’ end. They always understand each other better than anyone else can, and their love is true. They break up for awhile and pursue their own interests, but eventually come back together because their bond is so strong. This episode is not surprising and a very welcome development, up to and including Brittany’s superstitious freakouts.

Brittany springs the idea of a double ceremony on Kurt Hummel (Chris Colfer) and Blaine Anderson (Darren Criss), who are just getting back together, and while the boys acknowledge the craziness of the idea, they do say their vows. Klaine is another destined-to-be-together pairing who has explored separate avenues but always come back to one another. It does happen too fast, but no one cares because the guys know who they are and what they want, so it works.

Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz) tries to make it a triple wedding when she proposes to ex-boyfriend Mike (Harry Shum Jr.), but he declines. This feels just as natural as the other two tying the knot. Not everyone meets their soul mate in high school, and despite Glee‘s propensity for mostly only having McKinley students and alum date other McKinley students and alum, most high school sweethearts don’t work out. The promise Artie (Kevin McHale) and Tina make to marry if they’re still single at 30 is a silly, dated reference, and one that probably won’t work out since Glee won’t still be running in ten years.

So, look, the general conceit of this episode, that two pairs of must-be spouses not only date in their teen years, but get married at twenty, is ridiculous. It’s not realistic. But Glee isn’t always realistic, and I’ve pointed out on numerous occasions in the past that the series tends to favor emotion over story structure. In this case, “A Wedding” is an enjoyably sweet episode, even if it doesn’t really make sense when viewed from a real-world perspective.

Which doesn’t mean Glee should be forgiven for all of its mistakes. Will (Matthew Morrison) not showing up until the last minute and Quinn (Dianna Agron), who is around earlier this year, not showing up at all, is pretty inexcusable. Where are the couples’ friends from New York? The frequent costume changes at the wedding and reception are downright ludicrous. Burt’s (Mike O’Malley) lack of surprise at his son suddenly getting hitched and Kurt having ready vows is unforgivable. The girls being gifted a month-long honeymoon while the boys get a weekend and none react to it is stupid, but clearly signals who’ll appear these next few weeks. Why isn’t Sam and Brittany’s fake wedding referenced? I’m just saying the overall feeling of joy one gets from watching “A Wedding” mostly outweighs this, but Glee would be a much better show if their writers exerted a little bit of effort on continuity.

Sue (Jane Lynch) isn’t invited at first because Santana hates her, understandably. But Brittany, like most of their classmates, forgives Sue easily, like one would a racist elder relative, so the principal manages to worm her way in anyway. Sue is a complex character at her best, and while she isn’t always written consistently, her support of these unions is nice and shows a good side to her character.

Sue’s ticket in is by bringing Santana’s abuela, Alma (Ivonne Coll), to the ceremony. I like that Alma doesn’t come around on gay marriage, but decides she wants to be a part of Santana’s life again. Alma’s tears during the wedding likely are as much from disappointment as joy, but this is a realistic take on the generational divide, with Glee’s trademark happy ending twist to it.

Finally, there’s a weird little subplot in which Rachel (Lea Michele) is afraid of what Finn’s mother will think about her moving on with Sam (Chord Overstreet). I guess, from Rachel’s perspective, this is a concern, but from a logical approach, there’s no reason to think Carole (Romy Rosemont) would disapprove, and of course she doesn’t. I’m still not a fan of Samchel, nor do I think this story is needed here, but if it is going to be done, this is the best way Glee can do it.

The musical numbers in “A Wedding” start late, but are solid. The moms group, including Carole Hudson-Hummel, Whitney S. Pierce (Jennifer Coolidge), Maribel Lopez (Gloria Estefan), and never-before-seen Pam Anderson (Gina Gershon), whom duet with the reconnected Troubletones – Brittany, Santana, Mercedes (Amber Riley), and Sugar (Vanessa Lengies) – on “I’m So Excited,” is all kinds of crazy fun mixed with real talent. Mercedes and Artie’s “At Last” is perfect for the wedding. “Hey Ya!,” which features Artie and a couple of high schoolers who probably shouldn’t be there, may not be generation-ally appropriate, but comes off great. Finally, the two couples sing “Our Day Will Come,” and it may not be the best piece in the hour, but is still pretty good.

“A Wedding” is a feel-good installment designed for maximum emotional impact, and it succeeds there. That the story is full of holes is sadly beside the point, but this close to the end, forgiveness of these glaring mistakes comes a little easier. Overall, I think this episode succeeds.

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

"What the Worlds Needs Now" is GLEE Like This

Article first published as TV Review: 'Glee' - "What the Worlds Needs Now" on Blogcritics.


The final season of FOX’s Glee gets back on track this week with “What the World Needs Now.” In a Burt Bacharach-fueled episode, which contains more songs than recent hours, Mercedes (Amber Riley) pushes Rachel (Lea Michele) to revive her Broadway dreams while Brittany (Heather Morris) attempts to repair things between Santana (Naya Rivera) and her abuela, Alma (Ivonne Coll). Neither are entirely successful, at least not yet, but both end happily enough.

First, the music. In the last couple of weeks, the music in Glee has been sparse and mediocre. Bacharach is very successful for a reason, and his songs fit very well in the show’s style. From the opening Rachel / Sam (Chord Overstreet) duet “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again” to Brittany’s dreamy “Wishin’ and Hopin'” to Rachel’s triumphant city-spanning “Promises, Promises” audition to the big ensemble closer “What the World Needs Now,” each number lands strong. It doesn’t always make sense as to who is singing them or in keeping with what the situation is (I’m looking at Santana’s soulful “Alfie” for her abuela), but they numbers enjoyable enough and beautifully staged to see past that. Other numbers in this episode include “Baby It’s You,” “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)”, and “(They Long to Be) Close to You.”

Second, the story. Brittany trying to make Alma accept Santana for who she is is a sweet, timely narrative. Santana wants her family around her, and hates the estrangement of the past three years. But Alma has old-world values and, even after seeing the loving couple together, cannot bring herself to shift her stance. I think of my own grandmother, sweet and kind as anyone, but unwaveringly against gay marriage to the point that it makes her angry, an emotion I’ve rarely seen from her, and it’s sad. And I’m not even a homosexual.

Society’s attitude overall has shifted, but not nearly as much for the elder population.  There’s a certain age gap, a generation that cannot make the switch into the modern world. Homophobia is this era’s racism, and it’s hard to see otherwise accepting people turn cold against an idea completely alien to them.

That “What the World Needs Now” does not sway Alma is realistic. Most television shows would go with the easy shift, and Glee has changed hearts and minds on many occasions. Who knows, with seven episodes to go in the series, perhaps Alma will be brought back in a softer manner. I hope not, though. It’s a more powerful and believable story to highlight what the schism does to families without resolving it, and if it hits home for a few, it will be well worth it.

I very much like that Mercedes has come back to raise Rachel’s game. The two don’t always get along, but they are stronger together. When they both achieve success in season five, it’s heart-warming. I have no idea how Glee justifies Mercedes having so much time off to come back and encourage Rachel, but I’m glad she does. Rachel has a destiny greater than McKinley, and while reviving the glee club at the high school is a great way for her to spend her recovery time, it’s not her end game.

It won’t be easy for Rachel to break back into show biz, though. Despite that awesome audition, I would be very disappointed if Rachel wins another plumb role so easily. The casting director has to have serious doubts about her reliability given her past track record and the mistakes Rachel has made. If Rachel is given the chance to sell herself and express her regret, that would be OK, and she should be able to work her way back up. But a second bout of instant success cannot happen.

Also, should Rachel be offered a part, she cannot abandon the New Directions to take it right away. Part of showing she’s changed is honoring her commitments, and she recently promises a student she won’t go before their journey is done. She has to finish out the year before she can return to New York City. Otherwise, nothing has changed and she’s likely to make the same bad choices over.
Third, shippers. I’m not a Samchel fan; I am all about Samcedes. But we’ll see how that plays out. From “What the World Needs Now,” it looks like it could go either way.

Fourth, parents. Using Ken Jeong (Community) and Jennifer Coolidge (2 Broke Girls) as Brittany’s parents is hilarious. They’re goofy and slightly offense, sort of like Brittany herself. It works extremely well.

My only real complaint about this episode is that Emma (Jayma Mays) is absent from the engagement party in her own house. Since The Millers, the sitcom Mays is a main character in, has been canceled, though, hopefully she’s available to appear in later episodes of the season.

Seven episodes left. If Glee can deliver more stories as moving as “What the World Needs Now,” it will be in great shape. Glee airs Fridays at 9 p.m. ET on FOX.

2 BROKE GIRLS Cash In on "Cronuts" Fad

Article first published as 2 BROKE GIRLS Cash In on "Cronuts" Fad on TheTVKing.

CBS's 2 Broke Girls is not the highest-brow comedy out there, but it has a certain kind of everyman charm to it. With Kat Denning's mastery of delivering witty dialogue and Beth Behr's amazing physical humor, it's an enjoyable half hour, even when it falls a little short in the originality category. It's rare an episode is particularly special, which means it's hard to figure out which weeks should be reviewed. Having already missed covering the season premiere, I guess the most recent is as good as any.

In keeping with the mass appeal style, it's no surprise that 2 Broke Girls takes advantage of fads, albeit a few months late, given production lag time and summer hiatus. This week's installment, "And the Cronuts," finds Max (Denning) and Caroline (Beth) losing customers to the cronut craze in New York City. They try to figure out exactly what makes the sweet so popular and apply it to their own business.

This begins with them trying to sell cronuts bought on the black market out of their cupcake window, then do a bait-and-switch, unloading cupcakes. As one might expect, the ploy fails, and it's back to the drawing board. Luckily, a new idea combining fries and frosting falls right into their laps, and they're right back in business! Never mind that me and my friends have been dipping french fries in Frostys forever, and this concept is quite similar.

The girls have friends, too. The supporting characters on the show add a few one-liners, but little else. Sophie (Jennifer Coolidge) predictably will eat anything, cronut, cupcake, or cakefry. Oleg (Jonathan Kite) continues to pine over her. Han (Matthew Moy) is trying out a new fad, and everyone else blows him off. Earl (Garrett Morris) is supportive and present.

It's all a little cheesy, but it comes together, only to pretty much reset itself for the following episode. "And the Cronuts" feels like 2 Broke Girls is working off an established formula, filling in the blanks of a set pattern. The series has about five of these standards they rotate through, and rarely do they have an installment that breaks the mold. There is growth and development, but it's very slow, taking months to actually go anywhere. And most the time, threads are started, then quickly dropped without followup, such as Sophie's toe-dip into bisexuality likes is this week.

 The storytelling is lazy (the girls arrive at the bakery door just in time to learn they're sold out) and crass (both gay and black jokes are used with little effect, and a male prostitute somehow misunderstands them enough to almost whip out his junk). But overall, it's a pretty typical episode, not really any better or worse than the rest, which is the usual way this show goes.

Then again, that's not why people watch the 2 Broke Girls. It's all about the chemistry between the two lead actresses, and that is fully intact in "And the Cronuts." Max gets loud and angry, then down on herself. Caroline is overly enthusiastic and willing to go big on any idea. Things rarely pan out for them, but the affection between them is appreciated and real. Behrs and Dennings are obviously having fun, and so by extension, we do, too.

2 Broke Girls airs Mondays at 8:30 p.m. ET on CBS.

DVD Review: ’2 Broke Girls – The Complete Second Season’

Article first published as DVD Review: ’2 Broke Girls – The Complete Second Season’ on Blogcritics.

CBS’s hit series 2 Broke Girls has just been released in a three disc set. In it’s sophomore year, cash-strapped gals Max (Kat Dennings) and Carolina (Beth Behrs) make some progress on their cupcake business dream after getting an endorsement from Martha Stewart. This leads them to open their own storefront, though it’s a good thing they don’t give up their night jobs waitressing at the diner, because it isn’t long before they need them again.

This is an entrepreneurial tale of two ladies trying to claw their way up the ladder of success. Max has had a rough life, but has a real talent for baking. Caroline was rich, but fell from grace when her father was arrested for financial crimes. Working together, though, they stand a chance, pairing their strengths and offering much-needed emotional support.

Behrs and Dennings are great at the comic delivery. Every time Max opens her mouth, it feels like co-creator Whitney Cumming’s stand up coming out, delightfully delivered with Dennings’ charming lack of charm. Behrs is the queen of physical comedy, in the tradition of Lucille Ball and Laverne & Shirley. While the writing at times lacks cleverness or risk taking, none of the show’s faults can be pinned on its stars, working hard to find the laughs, and often succeeding, always with a terrific chemistry.

They aren’t alone in their efforts, as the second year really sees the supporting cast step up as a help to the main women. There’s: Sophie (Jennifer Coolidge), an independent, business-minded, sex-obsessed neighbor and frequent customer; Oleg (Jonathan Kite), Sophie’s love and the chef at the diner; Han (Matthew Moy), the diner owner who lets the girls push their cupcakes on his customers, usually with good humor; and Earl (Garrett Morris), the kind, flirtatious cash register worker, who is protective of the waitresses. Plus, somehow the girls find the resources to take care of Caroline’s horse, Chestnut, whom they build a barn for off of their apartment.

During The Complete Second Season, the diner is robbed, revealing true character, the ladies audition for the reality show Cupcake Wars, they get a credit card and overuse it, and Carolina begins dating Candy Andy (Ryan Hansen, Veronica Mars), the owner of a candy shop across from their cupcake shop. Then they meet some Amish boys on Rumspringa, develop a pot-based cupcake, vacation in a cabin in the woods, talk to a psychic, ride on a jet with 2 Chainz (himself), fight with a puppeteer (Andy Dick), try out temp work, beg Sophie and Caroline’s Aunt Charity (Missi Pyle) for money, worry about STDs, become extras in Law & Order: SVU, and clean both Oleg’s apartment and the diner.

Yes, that sounds like a lot, and not all of it is realistic for people in their position, especially flying with a famous rapper, being on TV, caring for the horse, and competing on a reality show. It’s these type of touches that makes some viewers and critics scoff and dismiss the series. Well, that and the absolutely filthy language and vagina jokes. Yet, there’s something magnetic about the humor, which is edgier than the typical broadcast network fare, and it is amusing in a cartoonish, classic-sitcom-style-updated-to-modern-sensibilities, kind of way.

There are quite a few extras, spread across all three discs. The deleted scenes are paired with the episodes they belong to, a move more shows ought to do. There are highlights from their PaleyFest 2013 panel, and I really enjoyed the half hour featurette “Max’s Homemade Cupcakes: Go Big or Go Broke!” in which the various actors are interviewed about the show and discuss character development. A gag reel and a light, fluff piece on Sophie are also included.

My biggest complaint about 2 Broke Girls – The Complete Second Season is actually the DVD menus. They look incredibly simple, like they were developed back in 2000, in the early days of the DVD. Some series have gotten too fancy with their releases, but 2 Broke Girls does the opposite, with apparently little effort put into a decent release. It doesn’t affect the content, but presentation matters, and this one sucks. I hope they improve it before next year’s set.

2 Broke Girls – The Complete Second Season is available now.

2 Broke Girls not exactly a hiding a stash

CBS's 2 Broke Girls kicks off year two with "And the Hidden Stash." Caroline's (Beth Behrs) family possessions are up for auction. Her father, Martin (Steven Weber, Wilfred, Wings), insists that she attend the event and buy back her horse riding trophy. Max (Kat Dennings) assumes ulterior motives, convincing Caroline that there might be money inside the base of the cup. But in the end, it is only a message of perseverance that Martin is trying to get across.

The "twist" in "And the Hidden Stash" is seen coming from a mile away. It's one thing to speculate that Martin may have a trick up his sleeve. It's quite another for the girls to buy into it whole-heartedly, even figuring out how much money might fit in there, and getting upset when they're wrong. This is all guess work. There is never any guarantee. It's frustrating that they can't tamper their excitement for something they cooked up in their own heads.

Just as bad is how they openly discuss hidden caches of money in the prison visiting room. Guards are present, listening to their every word! Martin is in jail for stealing money. If an employee hears Martin talking to his daughter about secret stashes, and Max isn't subtle about the conversation, that will get reported. It just defies realism.

2 Broke Girls starts as a charming tale of two down-on-their-luck waitresses who are going to work their way into a cupcake empire. If the story had continued on that path, it would have been a very cool show. Instead, it has devolved into status quo, with the amount of money saved barely going up from week to week, and their station not improving at all. No one expects Max and Caroline to have left the diner behind by the start of season two, but there should be progress, and none is apparent.

It's not that the show isn't funny. The ensemble cast, which includes Matthew Moy, Jonathan Kite, Garrett Morris, and Jennifer Collidge, knows how to deliver a joke. The two leads can be very humorous, and it's not hard to root for them. Their bit bidding against Hamish McDonough (Robert Michael Morris, Running Wilde) is great, as is the rip on their sitcom competition, Zooey Deschanel! But it's this insistence on sticking with the world the way it starts, and the sacrifice of realism for the cheap gag (see the start of this review) that is frustrating. There is so much potential here that is being squandered.

Will it improve? It kind of has to. If it were to maintain what it is now, it would be stale and not worth watching by the middle of this year. Right now, it's risking losing those viewers drawn in by the initial promises. Although the rote scripts might appeal to a larger base, and are mildly entertaining, it hurts the quality in way that it soon would be nearly impossible to recover from. Please fix this show. The crucial ingredients are already present, they just need to be allowed to rise.

2 Broke Girls airs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Check out my website, JeromeWetzel.com! First posted on TheTVKing

2 Broke Girls meet Martha Stewart

It's been quite awhile since I've reviewed CBS's 2 Broke Girls. Then again, it's been awhile since 2 Broke Girls was worth reviewing. What started as a promising new sitcom in the fall quickly grew stale. As winter turned to spring, Chestnut did not reappear, Max (Kat Dennings) was fired from the babysitting job viewers never saw her at anyway, and the total the girls are saving, displayed at the end of every episode, barely grew, even though they were working their butts off, and it should be going up week after week. Why wasn't Caroline (Beth Behrs) throwing a fit about that, at least?

The one hour season finale, "And Martha Stewart Have a Ball," which premiered last night,was better. Part of this could be because the cupcake fund did increase, even if only slightly. Part of it may be because Chestnut comes home. Part of it could even be the jumbo-sized, hour-long story, giving the characters and plots a little more time to breathe. But a large reason "And Martha Stewart Have a Ball" is better is because it gets back to what the series is about.

At the beginning of "And Martha Stewart Have a Ball," the girls go to an important meeting, but are blown off because of who Caroline's father is. It's the finale straw for Caroline, who retreats into bed. Max pulls out all the stops to rouse her spirits, including getting Caroline's beloved horse back. This gets Caroline out of her funk enough to go along with a daring plan: smuggle a cupcake into a fancy gala and present it to Martha Stewart (herself)!

All sorts of obstacles crop off, of course, but eventually, it's mission accomplished. Martha likes their baked goods! Though, surely Martha wouldn't raise them up out of poverty, as that would defeat the purpose of the show's struggle. But it's a step in the right direction, and enough to keep them going. What's more, it refocuses Max and Caroline on the cupcake business, and hopefully will make them think twice before slacking off as much as they do in season one, which is actually what drags down the series.

Not that 2 Broke Girls needs to stick completely to realism and lack of fun. Sophie's (Jennifer Coolidge) fairy godmother shopping spree is a true delight! As is flirting with some cops so that they will watch Chestnut as the girls break into a party. Just don't spend so many weeks on other, non-cupcake related stories!

One ongoing issue with 2 Broke Girls is that they need to get out of that damn diner. Max's ex-love, Johnny (Nick Zano), resurfaces in "And Martha Stewart Have a Ball," and he tells Max that every time he pictures her, it's in her diner uniform. And it's true! The leads spend far too much of their time there. While the supporting cast has continued to develop, and actually finally finds its place in this episode, it should soon be time for a new group of characters. This is necessary for the growth of Max and Caroline, but it would be such a bold move to dump main characters every season or two, it's doubtful that CBS has the guts to do it.

Now, major changes could be made without dropping half the cast. Some highly creative writing could solve that problem. Sophie is their neighbor and best (non-paying) customer, so she can stick around easily enough. Step up her relationship with Oleg (Jonathan Kite), and he'd be good to go, too. Perhaps, after a suitable absence of a season of two, as the girls struggle to make it on their own, Han (Matthew Moy) could return to work for Caroline and Max in their bakery, when they finally make enough to hire staff. And maybe Earl (Garrett Morris) could retire and just hang around their place.

"And Martha Stewart Have a Ball" works because it exhibits growth. 2 Broke Girls need to embrace this more in their already-ordered second season, even if that means restructuring parts of the series, and building some new sets. Otherwise, what is the point of even pursuing this dream, if they don't make any progress towards it?

2 Broke Girls will return to CBS this fall.

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