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.

A "Throwdown" Erupts on Glee

     This summer, I'll be going back to review the season one episodes of FOX's Glee. These are fresh reviews, not reposts, and I hope you will enjoy reliving the first season with me.

     "Throwdown" is a nice, solid episode of FOX's Glee, with enjoyable musical numbers, and interesting, dramatic plot. Will (Matthew Morrison) and Sue (Jane Lynch) attempt to be co-directors of the New Directions. Sensing some of the students are feeling neglected, Sue splits off all of the minorities into an "elite" glee club. This does not sit well with Will. Quinn (Dianna Agron) faces a tough decision about her pregnancy, while Finn (Cory Monteith) feels frustration that he doesn't have a say. Will understands, and pushes Terri (Jessalyn Gilsig) to let him have a more active role in their own "pregnancy." Rachel (Lea Michele) tries to prevent Jacob Ben Israel (Josh Sussman) from outing Quinn's situation, but when Sue learns the truth, the Cheerios coach feels personally betrayed, and makes sure everyone knows about Quinn's mistake.

     Glee tackles an interesting social issue in "Throwdown," namely the rights and responsibilities of an expectant father. Much is often said about a woman's rights, to choose, over her body, etc. But not nearly as much attention goes to the father. Finn grumbles because he is responsible for the act that makes the baby, and will have to raise the child, or at least provide for it financially, but is not permitted to make any decisions until the baby is born. Quinn is allowed to choose whether to keep the baby or give it up for adoption, and there's little Finn can do about it, unless he wants to take her to court and sue for custody. He certainly can't control anything Quinn eats, what vitamins she takes, etc., even though those actions help shape Finn's child.

     Absolutely, a mother should have rights over her own body, and thus, many of the chores of pregnancy fall to her. But is it right that the father has nothing to do for nine months, and no input if the woman doesn't want it? Even worse, though Glee does not go down this route, a woman can abort the baby without consulting the dad, and there is nothing he can do about it. Yes, she does have to carry a fetus for nine months, but if she engages in the activity that makes the baby and the man wants to keep and raise the child, is it right that she can kill it before he even has a chance to do so?

     The issue is further complicated because Finn and Quinn are still in high school, and are, in fact, only sophomores. Few people would argue that kids with two and a half years of schooling left are fit or ready to raise a child. Glee does little to judge the two for their actions, but instead, treats them as individuals, doing their best to handle a mistake they made. Not that Finn actually makes it, but he thinks he did. The only thing not handled very well is the lack of parental involvement, something surely much more present most times in this scenario, especially in the type of families that these two come from. While they may be hiding the whole thing at present, that won't always be the case, and parents are needed to help.

     Will also struggles with his lack of control, but as a married man, he has a little more say. That's because he is in a committed relationship, and so partners work together more. As Finn is just a teenage boyfriend, he and Quinn have no where near the level of bonding and trust needed to make those sorts of decisions together. True, Terri is faking her pregnancy, and Will is not having a child, unless, as Quinn promises, she hands over hers to Terri. But Will doesn't know that, so at least, in his mind, he can insist on participating far more than Finn is able to.

     As Will and Sue battle over control of the New Directions, both are far more focused on winning leadership over the other than how it affects the kids they claim to care about. Sue is trying to destroy the glee club, but Will is letting ego get in the way of his job. This isn't completely out of character, but it's regrettable. Will even flunks the Cheerios, not because they deserve it, which they do, but because he uses them as pawns in his feud. It's the height of irresponsibility, and not at all becoming of an educator.

     Because of these actions, Sue almost looks better during certain portions of the episode. Many of the minority students are feeling neglected, and she gives them what they want, actually pretending to care about them. As we will later learn that Sue has a disabled sister, and that Sue can show compassion for students, perhaps she does get caught up in Sue's Kids, in spite of herself. Allowing them to do that wonderful rendition of "Hate On Me" is a sweet spot in the episode, as one sees the kids come alive with joy.

     But Sue doesn't end on such a superior note. When learning of Quinn's secret pregnancy, Sue takes it very personally, and reacts with great vengeance. She treats Quinn as a close friend who stabbed her in the back, which demonstrates that perhaps Sue did really care for Quinn deeply. If she did not, why would she react so strongly when being deeply disappointed by the cheerleader captain? Torpedoing Quinn's reputation is a huge overreaction, and likely a fireable offense in the eyes of the school. But it's also a very emotional display, showcasing some very deep feelings. It both humanizes and demonizes Sue at once.

     Thank goodness Will comes around. Part of that can be credited to Terri, who is still trying to be a loving, supportive wife, even while lying to her husband. There are plenty of moments in "Throwdown" that evidence Terri is not the totally evil person many fans see her as, but that she wants her husband to be happy. The fake sonogram also affects Will, as he sees the "baby growing inside of Terri." It's Will's family that grounds him, and the New Directions are becoming a second family for him.

     The most free flowing, happy song is "Ride wit Me," which the kids sing when secretly meeting all together, unhappy about their forced separation. It's pure joy, and every singer has a huge, genuine smile on their face during it. Many songs in Glee are done with enthusiasm, but this one may be the most fun they are ever shown having on screen. It's such a treat, and it's worth wondering if this was rehearsed much at all, or if the actors were allowed to just play with it. It certainly seems the latter, though that could just be a credit to how good the actors are.

     "No Air," which is sung by Will's half of the club is nice, but not particularly special. Rachel and Finn have outstanding vocals, per usual, despite Will telling them they are going to need to spend crazy hours practicing it. But then, this is a musical show, so viewers don't expect to have to wait for their great performances. Still, "Hate On Me," the song mentioned before as Sue's Kids' number, is better.

     Quinn's "You Keep Me Hangin' On" flows in an acceptable manner. Agron is not nearly the singer many of the other kids are, but she does a serviceable job when called upon. She is a better actor, allowing her grief and jealousy to play very expressively before, during, and after the song. Her tears during the final number are wrenching. This is a girl going through some very heavy, serious stuff that most people her age do not have to deal with. Quinn can be grating and hard to like, but she is also a human being with feelings. These moments remind everyone of that, and stop her from being a two dimensional shrew.

     Then there's the closer, "Keep Holding On," a superb coming together as the groups reunite. It's doesn't have the raw quality that "Ride wit Me" has, but instead, it is a well polished, appropriate ending for the tumultuous episode. Other episode endings are more exciting, but this one fits perfectly in "Throwdown," providing a capper to events, and, as usual, the lyrics actually mean something in relation to the plot. This is important in any musical.

RANDOM BITS:
 
     Quinn is told the sex of her baby, even though she's only ten weeks pregnant. Genital organs do not begin to form until at least fourteen weeks.

     Finn talks about how cool Gwyneth Paltrow's baby name is. Ironic, considering Paltrow has a recurring part in season two. To make matters more coincidental, Finn jumps to Drizzle as a possible moniker, and Paltrow performs a big number in the rain on the show.

     Weird that Finn would angrily tell Will and Sue that if the kids wanted to see mom and dad fight, "those of us with two parents" would watch them on payday. Finn is being raised by a single mother, already established on the show, and the scenario he brings up is specific, as if he has experience. From what? Shouldn't this line go to another student?

     There are only two OB GYNs in town, and they're both Asian? Seriously? This seems vaguely racist, though likely intended to be humorous.

     Will and Terri are extremely worried about money at the beginning of the season. Now, with a baby on the way, which will cost a lot, they eat take-out frequently. How can they afford it? Did they get a windfall that wasn't mentioned on screen?

     Mercedes (Amber Riley) says that her father is a dentist. Why, then, does Brittany (Heather Morris) go to Carl (John Stamos) to get her teeth cleaned in the early season two episode "Britney/Brittany?" Wouldn't Brittany trust a friend's dad more than a guidance counselor's new boyfriend?

     Sue has the piano steam cleaned. This is not a thing, and if she does insist on it, it's probably terrible for the piano.

     Sue calls her group Sue's Kids. This is surely a take off of Jerry's Kids, a charitable organization run by Jerry Lewis that does a telethon every year.


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

Glee introduces the "Acafellas"

      This summer, I'll be going back to review the season one episodes of FOX's Glee. These are fresh reviews, not reposts, and I hope you will enjoy reliving the first season with me.

     FOX's Glee's third episode is "Acafellas." In it, Rachel (Lea Michele) insults Will's (Matthew Morrison) choreography skills, so he turns his attentions to forming a boy band called Acafellas. The New Directions set out to hire a new dance teacher, except Finn (Cory Monteith), who understands that Will just has bruised feelings, and they should fix things with him. Mercedes (Amber Riley) is depressed about being single, and is encouraged to seek out Kurt (Chris Colfer) as a potential boyfriend. Needless to say, this does not end well. At the same time, Sue (Jane Lynch) has her Cheerio spies pulling the strings to divide the glee club, and their actions are related to the unfortunate events above.


     The main theme of this episode is confidence. Those that have it will achieve their dreams and be happy. Those that do not will fail. Many of the characters face various dilemmas of confidence.

     Quinn (Dianna Agron) perhaps figures it out best, telling Sue that the cheerleading coach teaches her a valuable lesson. If one is confident, they do not need to bring other people down. Does this mean Sue is deeply not at peace with herself? There's not much to indicate that that's true, however Quinn has an excellent point. It's why the Cheerios will soon stop trying to destroy the New Directions. It may also be why Sue will not be happy anytime soon. Luckily, things in the late season two episode "Funeral" hint at another path for Sue to find fulfillment.

     Finn is confident that the New Directions can succeed, while Rachel is not. This leads Rachel, and the others, to seek out legendary choreographer Dakota Stanley (Whit Hertford). But despite all the effort it takes to land Dakota, Rachel eventually realizes Finn is right, after all, and Dakota just wants to change the club. He is an angry, little man, not at all happy. Whereas the New Directions are better off without him trying to change them. Thankfully, Rachel comes to her senses, and fires Dakota, finally listening to Finn.

     Kurt is facing a serious lack of confidence, in that he can't bring himself to come out of the closet. The fact that he has no trouble airing his flamboyant tastes and wearing "fashionable" clothes, but can't bring himself to tell people that he's gay, should help the straight viewers understand just how big a deal it is to admit one is homosexual. Or so I imagine, finding myself in the straight viewer category. This is a boy who shows tremendous courage every day in being himself, but has one big "secret" he cannot find the strength to admit. There's hope, as he does come out to one person, Mercedes, in an incredibly sweet scene. The first of many for breakout star Colfer.

     Mercedes is still struggling with being confident in herself two years later. She is just finding her first boyfriend as season two ends. This is sad, because she is extremely talented, compassionate, and has a lot of offer. She proves her brass with the only solo performance in the episode, "Bust Your Windows," a fantastic demonstration of her sassy attitude. She is confident in her voice, but not with her body. Sadly, this is not an unusual problem. Having confidence in something about yourself does not automatically cover everything

     "Acafellas" is brimming with wonderful guest stars. Among the top talent are Victor Garber (Eli Stone, Alias) and Debra Monk (Damages, Grey's Anatomy) as Will's parents. Both of these two are fabulous singers, yet neither get the chance to croon on Glee. They just show up as supportive parents. While they are great in those roles, it's a little sad they never showcase their singing abilities. Will's father's decision to return to night school to become a lawyer is a decent explanation for why they have never returned, since that would keep him very busy. Yet they are now overdue for a comeback, with a song this time.

     Also appearing is Josh Groban as himself, which he later does again in this first season of Glee. The conceit to get him there in "Acafellas," with him showing up to watch the Acafellas because Sandy (Stephen Tobolowsky) invites him, but he really comes to deliver a restraining order, is thin, at best. Surely, restraining orders are not usually delivered personally. And on that errand, the victim doesn't stick around to watch a musical group perform for the PTA. It's gratuitous. But one hilarious line he utters, "Josh Groban loves a blousy alcoholic," makes it worth it, even though it adds nothing to the plot.

     Musically, this episode doesn't give anything to the New Directions, which is pretty unusual. Mercedes gets the aforementioned number, which strangely enough, she does with Cheerio backing, even though her fellow glee club members are nearby. Granted, the entire thing is in her head, but still... Why would she choose the popular kids that don't like her rather than her supportive friends?

     Vocal Adrenaline also returns with "Mercy," apparently a piece just meant to show that Dakota is a ruthless dictator with his choreography. It looks impressive, but without any characters to care about in the group, that's all it is.

     The rest of the numbers are performed by Acafellas, which originally consists of Will, Ken (Patrick Gallagher), Howard (Kent Avenido), and Henri (Tony Award Winning Broadway star John Lloyd Young). Strangely, and regrettably, Henri is only in this one episode, and does not get to be featured heavily singing. Another missed opportunity, like Garber and Monk. This first group sings "This Is How We Do It" and "Poison," as well as "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" with Sandy.

     Then Howard and Henri quit, and Finn and Puck (Mark Salling) join, as does Sandy, and the group does "I Wanna Sex You Up." All the Acafellas songs sound great, but they are only there to let Will taste a bit of his dream, not for any larger plot point. As such, the music in this episode, while well done, is less moving than in most episodes. After all, none of these pieces even make the Volume One soundtrack, save Mercedes's number.

     In what has become a regular part of these season one reviews, random continuity notes:

     Brittany (Heather Morris) is sometimes shown hanging out with Quinn and Santana (Naya Rivera), but mostly is left out, and it even missing from at least one New Directions group scene. Funnily enough, Morris is paired with Rivera in the opening credits. At least Brittany is featured dancing in "Bust Your Windows."

     Windshields do not bust in the manner in which Kurt's does. They are comprised of two sheets of glass with an adhesive bit in the middle. It takes a lot to put a hole in it, and it would develop long cracks, too. It appears to be tempered glass, which is generally used in the side windows. I actually found usefull, applicable knowledge from my sixteen months of handling auto insurance glass claims!

     Also, how does Kurt's father afford that vehicle? He is a mechanic, and is never shown as rich. It seems extravagant for effect, not realism.

     A school car wash made $8,000? Seriously? Has any school car wash ever made that much? That's a heck of a lot of clean cars. They should just do another one in season two when they need to raise money to get to New York City.

     Emma (Jayma Mays) slams John Stamos (Full House, ER) by saying "It takes more certainity than talent to be a star; look at John Stamos." A joke? Stamos will later play Emma's husband Carl in season two. Surely the people behind the series don't think badly of him, or he would never have been cast.

     This is the first episode Will is seen longing for a performing career. He gives it up because he finds teaching is his true calling. Watching this episode, his decision in the season two finale, "New York," should be predictable.

     Dakota Stanley calls Finn "Frankenteen." This will not be the last time Finn is called that. Actor Cory Monteith must enjoy it, because it's his twitter name.

     Puck says he has a thing for moms. While his attraction is about maturity, it could possibly have something to do with having kids, or Puck wanting to have kids. Perhaps this is foreshadowing, as once Quinn reveals she is pregnant with his baby, he tries to get with her.


     I welcome all of your musings and insights in the comments section below. Join me next week as I review the fourth episode of Glee season one, and also the fifth, if I have time.

     If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Click here for all of my Current Season Reviews.

     To purchase Glee DVDs, streaming episodes, music, and more, please click here.

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

Glee is bringing "Sexy" back

     As expected for an outing that returns Holly Holliday (Gwyneth Paltrow) to the halls of McKinley High, and as a sex ed substitute, no less, last night's episode of Glee was fantastic. The songs were great, the story moved along, relationships developed, and the series finally gave voice to the lesbian feelings of two certain glee clubbers. Other than some highly inappropriate things going on that would never be allowed at a real high school, I have no complaints. And there is more to talk about than most weeks, a good sign in my opinion.

     Paltrow's first appearance last fall was a resounding triumph, so of course Glee wanted her back. Last night, Holly discovers, while teaching health class, that the students at McKinley are very ill-informed about physical pleasure and its consequences, especially members of the New Directions. This is best evidenced by airhead Brittany (Heather Morris) believing she is pregnant because a stork is building a nest outside of her window (there are storks in suburban Ohio?), and Finn (Cory Monteith) and Mercedes (Amber Riley) worrying they can get HIV from salad after Holly shows them how to put a condom on a cucumber. Those aren't exactly realistic happenings, but I sure laughed heartily when Brittany shared why she thought she was with child after panicking her boyfriend, Artie (Kevin McHale).

     To solve the lack of sexual education, Holly asks Will (Matthew Morrison) if she can sing to his kids. He agrees, prompting her to cross oh-so-many lines, gyrating to a sexy number, and tossing in a startling fact at the end. I don't see how that exactly qualifies as teaching. Holly's method seems to be to shock to get the kids' attention, and then sneak in some actual information, almost as an afterthought. But I doubt many will be complaining about Paltrow writhing around in a tight, black, leather outfit belting out "Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah)".

     Holly is likely to return again, as she enters into a relationship with Will before the closing credits. The chemistry between the two is palpable, especially in their duet of "Kiss", though Holly's hesitation for dating the Teach is also warranted. She tends to go for less serious pairings, while his dating experience is limited to his high school girlfriend and a guidance counselor who won't even touch her husband, which we'll get to in a minute. I guess Holly just has to fall for the Schuester charm in the end, though. I don't believe it will last very long, the least of the reasons being Paltrow's continued availability (or lack thereof), but it's nice that Will will get a chance to be with someone so cool before he is roped back into the inevitable drama to come.

     By drama, I mean Emma Pillsbury (Jayma Mays), of course. Like most fans, I was rooting for Will and Emma in season one, despite Will being already married. His wife was terrible, after all. But this week, it is revealed that Emma's marriage to Carl (John Stamos), an event that occured very rapidly, is now also in shambles. Carl pulls Emma in for counseling with Holly, and Holly is easily able to diagnose why Emma has only provided cuddling to her husband four months into their matrimony: Emma is still confused about her feelings for Will. This spurs Holly to date Will, and also causes Carl to move out.

     Emma did get to shine in a number of comedic sequences. Her celibacy club is hilarious, and a great illustration of the blind leading the blind. She also provides great argument that can be held up when parent groups push for abstinence-only education, by negative example. Her methods clearly do not work. I very much like Emma, Quinn (Dianna Agron), Rachel (Lea Michele), Puck (Mark Salling), and Carl's naive rendition of "Afternoon Delight". Goofy, and unintentionally funny, Emma thinks the term refers to dessert. Oh, poor, sweet Emma.

     I can't help but feeling at this point that Will has dodged a bullet. Perhaps Emma will be more open to more mature activities if she is with him, rather than avoiding him in the arms of a dentist, but I'm not so sure. Uber-virginal Emma has shown an interest only in romance, not sex. I can easily imagine Will being trapped in Carl's situation, had Emma not wanted to try dating others before Will. Maybe Will could open Emma up to new experiences, but it certainly wouldn't be easy. He is probably better off without her. Though I'm sure the show will have Emma and Will locking lips soon enough, likely before season's end.

     The one obstacle that could stop Will and Emma, because I see Holly and Carl as diversions, rather than real blocks, is Terri (Jessalyn Gilsig). Will's now ex-wife has been almost completely absent this season, though her name continues to grace the opening credits. I am confused by this, unless there are some big plans for Terri coming up. Why keep her around as a full-time character unless you're going to use her? Two options occur to me: there is a major arc for Terri that has been planned, but not yet revealed or embarked upon, or the writers were going to use her, and just didn't because they liked different choices they made better. I hope it's the former. Either put her to work or set her free! Gilsig deserves better.

     I have been a strong advocate for a serious Santana (Naya Rivera) / Brittany relationship for quite awhile. Though both have slept with plenty of guys, they seem very happy and at ease with each other. It was many months ago when the series revealed they share many a lady kiss in the privacy of a bedroom. I was deeply disappointed when Brittany chose to pursue a relationship with Artie, and Santana got with Sam (Chord Overstreet), because I assumed the writers, while being plenty generous to the gays, were not going to do the same with the lesbians. I am glad to be proven wrong, though just because the girls have 'different plumbing' does not mean they are not cheating on their guys when they get together, no matter what Santana says.

     Last night, Brittany drags Santana in to talk to Holly, pushing her BFF to share her feelings. Santana is only shown to be interested in the physical pleasure up til now. Holly asks if the two are lesbians, and they hedge, admitting to confusion. In true Glee fashion, the girls decide to sum up their emotions in song, and the three sing a soulful, though not fresh, rendition of "Landslide". The music prompts a crying Santana to confess her true feelings for Brittany, and while Brittany says she returns them, she doesn't want to hurt Artie, so she won't break up with him.

     Many of my gay friends have argued that bi-sexuality isn't real, it's just a term used by confused people, or those not ready to come out of the closet. I do not believe that to be true, and so I will take Brittany's claim to love Artie at face value, assuming she is a bi-sexual, and can love both a guy and a girl at the same time. Still, it is incredibly frustrating that once those feelings, long talked about by fans, but never actually explored until now, came out, the girls didn't get together. I know it is a TV show's job to place obstacle after obstacle in a couple's way, but enough already! I think Brittany cares about Artie, but she seems so much more right with Santana.

     Puck and Lauren Zizes (the ohmygodican'tgetoverhowawesomesheis! Ashley Fink) consider putting out a sex tape to boost Zizes's fame (she wants to be the next Kardashian), until Holly points out that that would qualify as child pornography. Later, Puck joins the celebiacy club, and even later than that, Lauren joins him. They are weird, talking sex one moment, and abstinence the next. But Lauren is smart, forcing Puck to like her before he makes love to her. Their growing connection is an absolute joy, and there were plenty of sparks flying between them. Their double high-five and Lauren's query about playing footsie shows things are moving in the right direction. Plus, that kiss! So exciting!

     Oh, and to no one's surprise, Quinn and Finn are engaging in hot and heavy make out sessions, though they are still sneaking around. They are fooling no one.

          Sue's (Jane Lynch) brief contribution to this week's episode came in a meeting between her and two members of the Dalton Warblers, Kurt (Chris Colfer) and Blaine (Darren Criss). I guess Sue doesn't understand that not everyone not currently in the New Directions is trying to bring them down, as she actually tries to enlist the boys' help in scheming against McKinley's glee club. Sue is obviously oblivious, as Kurt shoots her down before she even gets started. But it was still a fun little Sue scene, and I miss her interaction with Kurt since his transfer, so I won't begrudge them it.

     Far more interesting was Kurt's own virginal self, almost on the level of Emma's, except he is still young enough to be forgiven for it. I never noticed, until Blaine points it out to Kurt this week, but Kurt has no concept of sexiness. Sure, he is into romance of the Broadway-musical variety, but he doesn't know how to show lust. His faces in "Animal" are beyond bizarre. No wonder Blaine is shooting him confused looks the entire time.

     I am sad that Blaine is not able to get through to Kurt, though he certainly tries. Their friendship is bound to develop into more, as Kurt wants it to, but this is a hurdle that Kurt must overcome first. Blaine is going to want some physical stuff, and Kurt shows just how immature he truly is when he won't even allow Blaine to talk to him. Blaine, by contrast, is not only mature enough to bring the subject up, but also to have a man-to-man chat with Kurt's father, Burt (Mike O'Malley), ensuring Kurt will get his information from somewhere.

     Burt and Kurt continue to be the best father-son pairing currently on television. Burt talking to Kurt about gay sex is awkward, but as a father should, he pushes through. Burt is supportive, but not overbearing. He is realistic in his son's sexual outlook; the '30th birthday present' joke is just a joke to break the tension. Burt is the father every boy, gay or straight, wants and should have. He somehow manages to successfully stradle the divide between friend and parent, mentor and confidant. While I was close to getting Kurt-fatigue this fall, as were most fans after so many Kurt-heavy episodes, I have now recovered and am ready for some more. And notice I said 'close to'. I never actually reached that point.
  

     And so ends another week of Glee. Next week the kids go to Regionals! Don't miss Glee Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. ET on FOX.

Article first published as TV Review: Glee Bringing "Sexy" Back on Blogcritics.

Click here for an alphabetical list of all of Jerome's Current Season Reviews.

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Glee Season 2 Volume 1

     You all know I am a huge fan of FOX's Glee. It's the only show I currently review every episode of. I was super excited to get the DVD for the first half of the current season. Sadly, I find myself a bit disappointed. Not with the episodes, which I have written repeatedly were better than season one, on the whole, but with the special features, or lack thereof.

    The best extras included on the set are just clips of the episodes, reorganized. "Glee Music Jukebox" has returned, where you can scroll through the song list from every episode on the disc and just watch the actual song. Or hit shuffle and the DVD picks one for you. I also enjoyed "The Wit of Brittany," which is about two minutes of some of Brittany's (Heather Morris) best one-liners.


     I also liked "Getting Waxed with Jane Lynch," in which we get to see some of the process it took Madame Tussauds's to make a Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) wax figure. There are 15 minutes from the Glee panel at the San Diego Comic-Con from last summer. Also included is a seven-minute look behind the scenes of episode five, "The Rocky Horror Glee Show."

     All of these features are great, but I felt like I wanted more. Perhaps it's not a bad lineup, considering this is less than half a season of Glee, but I wish there were some episode commentaries or further discussion with the cast and crew.

     The one feature I was truly disappointed in was the exclusive bonus song from "The Rocky Horror Glee Show." Called "Planet, Schmanet, Janet," it is about a minute long. There wasn't anything new filmed, just the old red-lips-mouthing-the-words trick used for the opening. I enjoyed the music, but longed for something more substantial.

     That being said, these ten episodes were mostly fantastic. At the bottom of this article, I will include a list with links to my reviews of each one, in case you'd like to check them out individually, but in summary, it featured tighter writing and better acting than season one. Kurt (Chris Colfer) was given lots of development and a potential love interest (Darren Criss). We met a fun substitute teacher (Gwyneth Paltrow), and the football team got a new coach, Beiste (Dot Jones). Puck (Mark Salling) met a girl named Lauren (Ashley Fink) who rocked his world, while Emma (Jayma Mays) married her dentist, Carl (John Stamos). Plus, so many great musical numbers, including Christmas and Britney Spears songs.

     Glee returns from hiatus after the Super Bowl tonight, and we'll get a second episode on Tuesday at 8 p.m., in the show's normal time slot. Two sure-to-be-great episodes in three days!  What could be better than that?

Season Two Episodes (So Far):
#2.01 "Audition"
#2.02 "Britney/Brittany"
#2.03 "Grilled Cheesus"
#2.04 "Duets"
#2.05 "The Rocky Horror Glee Show"
#2.06 "Never Been Kissed"
#2.07 "The Substitute"
#2.08 "Furt"
#2.09 "Special Education"
#2.10 "A Very Glee Christmas"

Article first published as DVD Review: Glee Season 2 Volume 1 on Blogcritics.

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Glee - "The Rocky Horror Glee Show"

     If you're like me, you love FOX's Glee, adore the movie The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and were frequently uncomfortable when the two combined.  My first thought on hearing that Glee was staging such a production was, "You can't do that with high school kids!" This controversy was acknowledged repeatedly by characters, but still Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison) pushed on with his plans to bring the risque, campy pop culture icon onto a drama stage.

     The people trying to stop him did not go far enough. Principal Figgins (Iqbal Theba) was worse than incompetent, telling Will he could go through with his plans, but any responsibility that came of it would fall on Will and his club. That isn't the slightest bit realistic. Sure, a teacher who went through with it would be fired, at the very least. But the principal would take a lot of the blame as well.  You can't stage a musical at a high school without the office's approval.

     Only Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) saw what was really going on, and she still enabled it. Sure, she actually debated logically, and created a very sane, reasonable news piece against it. But while wanting it to forward for her own personal gains (so she could win the local Emmy for her news bit), she participated in the show.  What she told Will about getting involved in the show for personal reasons, not to benefit the kids, applies to her as well.

     Body issues are a big worry on many high schoolers' minds. Usually this is thought of as a female problem, but Glee went in the other direction.  Finn (Cory Monteith), a popular football player, was extremely self-conscious about parading around in his underwear. Though, I admit, he made a wonderful Brad. New guy Sam (Chord Overstreet) was even more toned than Finn, with finely developed abs, but he worried about a bit of flab spilling over his Creature costume (if you can call a small piece of gold fabric a costume), and later commented that a slightly pinch of skin was due to eating Doritos.  This is a serious issue, as many teenagers have easting disorders.  I'd like to see Glee pursue this plot with Sam, instead of dismissing it so trivially.

     I was uncomfortable with many of the performances and costumes, because although Glee does address sexuality, it should be done sparingly in a school setting. A teacher by profession, that may lend to my prudeness on the subject. I was, though, disappointed at how several of the songs were cut short, as I do love the music from Rocky Horror.

     My complaints aside, there was a lot to compliment as well. I wasn't overly impressed with the soundtrack I bought last week. However, when staged, Glee really rocked the songs it chose, and it chose the best songs from the show. In particular, I was very impressed with Mercedes (Amber Riley) belting out "Sweet Transvestite", though she changed "transexual" to "sensational", which was kind of an obvious tone-down ploy. The show left many potentially offense parts intact, but changed a word in a signature song? Still, kudos to her.

     A close second favorite was "Touch A Touch A Touch A Touch Me", done by Will and Emma Pillsbury (Jayma Mays). I have been thinking that she better fits with Carl (John Stamos, who rocked "Whatever Happened to Saturday Night?" in his own right). Her scandalous song and dance with Will was hot, and opened the door for the Glee Club Director and her again. It was definitely taken to another level by the voyeuristic exploits of Santana (Naya Rivera) and Brittany (Heather Morris), mirroring the spying antics of Columbia and Magenta in the movie.

     Santana also did a fair job on "Science Fiction Double Feauture", though I miss the less polished voice from the movie. I'm not sure it should have sounded so good. Although barely featured in any songs, I also have to mention that Kurt (Chris Colfer) made a divine Riff Raff. He had the motions and facial expressions down perfectly, and looked the part.

     Lastly, it was a thrill to see two of the original Rocky Horror movie cast members do a scene. Barry Bostwick (Spin City), who played Brad, and Meat Loaf, who was Eddie, were two cable news executives who asked Sue to do her expose. It was a nice little homage to the movie this episode was based on, and always a pleasure to see those two again. I just wish there had been more Rocky actors involved.

     Even though Glee took last week off, this was just a special Halloween episode, and the show will also take a break next week.  Then I assume it will be back all through November sweeps; a Christmas episode is also in the works.  Glee airs on FOX Tuesdays at 8pm.

For frequent mini-reviews and occasional tv news, follow Jerome on Twitter.

Article first published as TV Review: Glee "The Rocky Horror Glee Show" on Blogcritics.

Glee - "Britney/Brittany"

      FOX's Glee went two for two this season with this week's installment, "Britney/Brittany." The lesson plan was adult contemporary, but the kids has something different in mind: Britney Spears. They had a point, saying that they had grown up with the pop star, and that had influenced their lives. Too often Britney Spears is thought of as a joke, and she has become that. But don't forget the impact she made when she was at her zenith, and the crop of young female stars she inspired to follow in her footsteps. The Glee kids are not immune to Spears's history.

     The singer herself appeared in cameos, as several of the musical numbers were done as fantasy sequences. Britney was only there in the dream, and never actually joined the plot. Still, it was nice that she showed up.

     The second part of the title refers to the character of Brittany (Heather Morris), airhead cheerleader, newly minted as a full-time cast member, and now revealed to possess the full name Brittany S. Pierce. Because of the similarities between her moniker and the famous pop star's, Brittany has always felt like she was in Britney's shadow, and so at first resisted the other kids' urging to do Spears music. Then a trip to the dentist, involving being put under by hallucinogenic gas, changed that. She soon was performing "I'm a Slave 4 U." And Morris proved that she could handle some very tough singing and dancing, more than justifying her place in the cast.

     In fact, all of the Britney dance numbers seemed more complicated than the usual Glee fare. I assume that is why there were many backup dancers we have never seen before and probably won't soon see again, instead of just using the rest of the cast. The production value of several numbers matched Ms. Spears's own, with copies of her costumes and dance steps.

     Among the songs hit were Rachel (Lea Michele) doing "...Baby One More Time" as she lamented about her boyfriend, Finn (Cory Monteith), and the entire cast performing a version of "Toxic" that had the school up in arms. So much so that Coach Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) declared it a sex riot and pulled the fire alarm. Artie (Kevin McHale) also turned "Stronger" into a buff number for the football team, and somehow the masculine performance succeeded. I'm not sure how, as I didn't expect it to, but it just worked.

     The entire episode wasn't concerned with the theme of the week, however. There was plenty of time for emotional development. Rachel and Finn worked out a balance in their relationship, though Rachel resorted to trickery to test their bond. Finn passed, but I worry about ramifications if he finds out what she did. With all the trouble they had getting to where they are, basically all of last season, I'd hate to see it crumble so quickly. Finn, along with Artie, also got to join the football team, as Coach Beiste (Dot-Marie Jones) realized that their pleas last week were genuine.

     Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison), along with the viewers, met Emma's (Jayma Mays) boyfriend, Carl (John Stamos). Carl was worked into the plot, as several of the Glee Club members sought his medical treatment. Will and Carl faced off for Emma's affections, though I believe this was just the start of their competition. Stamos appeared in at least one fantasy, but was not given the opportunity to sing and dance. With his Broadway resume, I'm sure it's just a matter of time until he does, and I look forward to it. We also got our first glimpse this season of the former Mrs. Schuester (Jessalyn Gilsig), who is insanely jealous of Emma and will certainly use her own brand of crazy to try to win Will back.

     So far, so good. This second episode continued the improvements over season one exhibited last week. I hope the show continues to move forward. The only way it will stay a phenomenon is if it keeps growing. The first year was great, but had plenty of weaknesses, as I addressed in my review of last week's season premiere, and which have mostly disappeared. The only problem I can pinpoint in this episode was that Britney Spears was featured, but Kurt (Chris Colfer) didn't get a solo. This was right in his wheelhouse! But the rest was fantastic. Keep it up, guys!

     Tune into Glee Tuesday nights at 8pm on FOX.

Article first published as TV Review: Glee - "Britney/Brittany" on Blogcritics.