Paramount is WACO

Article first published as TV Review: WACO on Seat42F.

You likely haven’t heard of the Paramount Network. After all, that network name has only been on air for about ten days. The channel formerly known as Spike TV, and before that, as TNN, has changed names once again. And with that change comes a new direction for the network, as evidenced by their miniseries WACO, which premiered this past week. I can’t imagine WACO airing under their past network names.

WACO tells the story of the FBI and ATF seizing the Waco, Texas ranch of cult leader David Koresch back in the spring of 1993. The six episodes cover the lead up to the 51-day stand-off, through the event itself. The story as portrayed here is based on two biographies, one from each side of the conflict. The first was penned by David Thibodeau, a survivor who joined the commune about nine months before the famous proceedings. The other is from the perspective of hostage negotiator Gary Noesner. Both play significant roles in the miniseries, and it provides some balance to get the law enforcement and a commune member’s point-of-view.

At the center of the cult is charming, relatable, earnest David Koresh (Taylor Kitsch, Friday Night Lights), a man who claims to have biblical visions. He has surrounded himself by many followers who buy into his words. Some, like Steve Schneider (Paul Sparks, House of Cards), are educated, and some, like Thibodeau (Rory Culkin, Signs) are not. WACO explores some of the mentality of a person who would follow Koresh, and how that can span across different demographics.

Tension within the commune starts well before the feds arrive. David has made everyone swear themselves to celibacy, except himself and the women he chooses to lay with. He calls it a sacrifice, but his best friend Steve doesn’t appreciate it when his wife, Judy (Andrea Riseborough, Bloodline), becomes pregnant. Nor does David’s main squeeze, Rachel (Melissa Benoist, Supergirl), seem all that happy about her man fathering a child by someone else. So it is clear there are issues long before things get violent.

At the same time, Gary (Michael Shannon, Boardwalk Empire) provides a look at how the FBI and ATF don’t exactly have it together, either. There is a culture that demands results and covers up mistakes. Funding is at stake, and not everyone seems determined to do the right thing to keep the money flowing. Gary is seen as the stereotypical hero, a man who will stick to his personal moral compass no matter what. Yet, Gary isn’t the one in charge. With all of the disagreements and political motivation shown, it’s no wonder that things don’t go smoothly when they’re asked to take down the ranch.

WACO is an entertaining and compelling miniseries. A top-notch cast ensures that it flows and the characters are understandably complex. At the same time, the various elements thrown together here provide a pretty detailed, comprehensive picture of the situation. They foreshadow the things that go wrong by showing us how the event didn’t unfold in a vacuum, and neither side was perfect. I don’t seek to excuse a cult leader, and I don’t think WACO does, either. But it does try to be fair in its storytelling, and I think it succeeds pretty well at that.

I liked the first episode of WACO a lot, and hope to catch the other five hours. If this smart, enjoyable, well-made series is the type of thing viewers should expect from the Paramount network, I think it will do its movie namesake proud and Paramount could become a cable player. Though it has awhile to go before we can call that for sure.

WACO airs Wednesday evenings on the Paramount network through February.

SUPERGIRL Returns

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

Supergirl, formerly of CBS, moved to the CW network this past year, joining fellow DC properties Arrow, The Flash, and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. This did result in some changes, though most of the core cast and tone stayed the same. If you haven’t had the change to see what’s different and what’s not, you’ll now have that opportunity, as Supergirl – The Complete Second Season is available on Blu-ray, DVD, and digital.

The biggest change you’ll see in The Complete Second Season over the first is a more serial nature. CBS is known for doing stand-alone procedurals. Supergirl departed from that formula more than most shows on the network, but more often than not, there was a villain-of-the-week for the Girl of Steel to face. Season two was much more ongoing, with plots not resolved for many episodes, and forcing viewers not to miss a chapter or risk being lost.

Another change is that Supergirl was able to participate in crossover events with the other DC shows. This series does take place on a different Earth than the others, but the producers found a way to make it work. In season one, Barry Allen / The Flash (Grant Gustin) made a one-episode appearance in Supergirl, but that’s about as far as things got. Although Supergirl didn’t have a full “Invasion!” installment like the others this year, the hero herself did take part in the other episodes, and she wasn’t the only character that was allowed to come over. There was also a musical hour that combined the casts of Supergirl and The Flash, and Supergirl was given a device to allow her to travel back and forth again in the future, a convenient plot twist. So lots more synergy.

Those are all positives, but there was one big negative to the change in venues. Because Supergirl moved its production to Canada, where the other CW shows film to save on costs, cast member Calista Flockhart departed as a lead. She did appear in the first two episodes of the season, and then returned for the final two. For awhile, the in between was so good that I forgot to miss her. But the moment she returned, it was like a gut punch, as no one replaces her presence, and the series would be better with her more regularly in it.

Which is not to say there weren’t good parts of season; remember, I just said I forgot to miss her. I loved new character Lena Luthor (Katie McGrath, Merlin) as a friend for Kara (Melissa Benoist). Snapper Carr (Ian Gomez, Cougar Town) was a great presence. Desperate Housewives Brenda Strong and Teri Hatcher (the latter also a former Lois Lane) made absolutely wonderful villains, and no one can complain about Lynda Carter (Wonder Woman) as President. And Supergirl greatly expanded its roster of aliens, introducing viewers to many different species and worlds as it presented allegory and metaphors on race relations and the failings of our current president and the hatred he spews (sometimes a tad too heavily, but mostly fine).

There was also a lot more romance in season two of Supergirl, though thankfully it never took over the course of the show and was handled well. J’onn (David Harewood) got into a very complex relationship with fellow Martian M’gann (Sharon Leal, Dreamgirls) in a Nazi-like story (her type of Martian committed genocide against his). Winn (Jeremy Jordan) was played by an alien named Lyra (Tamzin Merchant, Salem), until he wasn’t. Alex (Chyler Leigh) came out of the closet and into the arms of Maggie (Floriana Lima, The Family). In fact, just about everyone but James Olsen (Mehcad Brooks) got some love, which is fine, since he was pretty much the only one getting any in season one.

The one complaint some fans have is that they didn’t like the introduction of Mon-El (Chris Wood, The Vampire Diaries) as a partner for Kara. I actually don’t mind Mon-El himself, finding him an unobtrusive presence, sometimes bordering on sweet. I do think the show used him mainly the same way a female love interest might be used for a male superhero in the past, often staying at home and out of danger. But that’s OK, overdue in 2017.

My only real complaint is that Supergirl did go a little overboard with proving that the title character was better and stronger than Superman (Tyler Hoechlin, Teen Wolf). I think there was a way to do it without making the legendary hero look like an inept buffoon, and unfortunately, this show went too far tearing him down to make her look good. It’s Mon-El’s job to be Kara’s inferior, not Superman’s.
And I’m just going to say it, I didn’t care for James as The Guardian. I found the subplot boring.
But overall, a strong season, well worth the watch, and an improvement over the first year. Now if only they could convince Flockhart to make it up to Vancouver a little more often…

As far as extras, Supergirl – The Complete Second Season does pretty well. There are five featurettes, four of them good. (I hate the obligatory wrestling episode in this genre, and didn’t need a featurette on it.) There was audio commentary on one episode, which I would like more of. There were also some very short bits that I wish we could hit ‘Play All’ on. But again, overall, I found most of the material enjoyable and informative.

Check out Supergirl – The Complete Second Season on blu-ray, DVD, and digital now.

SUPERGIRL Takes Flight

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: 'Supergirl - The Complete First Season' on Blogcritics.

Disclaimer: Warner Bros. Home entertainment provided me with a free copy of the Blu-ray reviewed in this article. The opinions I share are my own.

The first season of CBS’s Supergirl arrives on Blu-ray, DVD, and digital download this week. The 20 episodes set up the titular character just as she becomes a superhero, introducing us to her life both with and without the cape. It’s a rollicking fun time, and while it doesn’t quite hit the quality of some of the other DC Comics shows on the air right now, it is far better than what the comic brand is churning out for the big screen.

Glee‘s Melissa Benoist stars as Kara Danvers, a.k.a. Kara Zor-El, a.k.a. Supergirl, a young woman who has been living on Earth for awhile after her home planet was destroyed. Having had plenty of time to adjust to her new home, Kara is an adult as the series begins, working as an assistant for media mogul Kat Grant (Calista Flockhart, Brothers & Sisters, Ally McBeal) and trying to start a career. This is somewhat derailed when Kara finds she can no longer sit still, creating a costume with the help of her best friend, Winn (Jeremy Jordan, Smash), and saving the day. These actions gets her noticed by the DEO, a military organization devoted to protecting the planet from aliens, and which secretly employs her sister, Alex (Chyler Leigh, Grey’s Anatomy). But even after joining up with DEO leader Hank Henshaw (David Harewood, Homeland) and his crew, Kara manages to balance both lives, a modern woman who can have it all.

The girl vs. woman issue is addressed head-on in episode one. Supergirl is a show to which no feminist should object. Kara is strong, independent, and fierce. She’s also brave and loyal and very capable. The only other character that even comes close to her level of accomplishment is Cat herself, so strong females are well represented on the series, lest anyone think the title is a step backwards for the fairer sex.

Sadly, since production is moving to Canada, Cat will be a less frequent presence in season two, which is a shame because Cat and Kara’s relationship is pretty much a linchpin of the show.

Unlike Superman, her already famous and successful cousin, Kara was old enough to remember their world of Krypton when it was destroyed, which influences the way she sees the world, as well as her hopes and dreams. Due to a flight into the Phantom Zone, Kara’s arrival on Earth (and waking up for her pod to begin aging again) was delayed awhile. Unfortunately, when she arrived, she brought the horrible prisoners of Fort Rozz with her, including her Aunt Astra (Laura Benanti, Go On) and Uncle Non (Chris Vance, Transporter: The Series). This sets the stage for the baddies Kara will face in her new crusade.

There are a lot of fun bits for those already familiar with the world of Superman. While the Man of Steel himself only makes fuzzy and at-a-distance appearances (though he has recently been cast for season two), we see the likes of The Martian Manhunter (no spoilers), Maxwell Lord (Peter Facinelli, Nurse Jackie, Twilight), Lucy Lane (Jenna Dewan Tatum, Witches of East End), and Sam Lane (Glenn Morshower, Bloodline) in this series. Not to mention, Jimmy, sorry, James Olsen (Mehcad Brooks,Necessary Roughness) is a main character and love interest. There are also tributes to previous Superman and Supergirl incarnations, such as casting former Clark Kent, Dean Cain, and former Kara Danvers, Helen Slater, as Kara’s parents. So I appreciate the tributes paid.

But Supergirl is also its own world. It’s very clearly not the same universe as the recent DC films are set in, nor is it on the same Earth as the CW shows take place on. Thanks to a multiple Earths theory, DC has the freedom to portray lots of different versions of the same characters and places at the same time. Which doesn’t prevent a guest appearance from The Flash‘s dimension-hopping Barry Allen (Grant Gustin), nor preclude more crossovers with its small screen peers after Supergirl moves to the CW this fall.

So, while the series starts out as too case-of-the-week, and while it ends with some exaggerated and easy outs, most of this run is pretty good. It’s easy to root for Kara and her friends, and I like the positive approach and outlook the series supports. I look forward to seeing where future seasons go, and can recommend this first season without hesitation.

On The Complete First Season, we get a fair amount of extras. A pair of ten-minute featurettes reveal how the show approached their version of Krypton and The Martian Manhunter, two wonderful elements in the story. We also get a too-short look at the cast attending Comic-Con, a gag reel, and deleted scenes for almost half of the episodes. My complaints are the very outdated menus and the extra padding at the start and end of every deleted scene. But other than that, it’s a decent batch of bonus material.

Supergirl – The Complete First Season is available now.

SUPERGIRL Takes Flight

Article originally published as SUPERGIRL Review on Seat42F.

Joining the already crowded superhero landscape is CBS’ SUPERGIRL, premiering this week. In it, Kara Danvers (Melissa Benoist, Glee), cousin of the more famous Kal-El, comes of age and is ready to take on the bad guys to save the city. To do so, she has a bit of a different approach than Superman (oops, didn’t mean to say the name), and a supportive group around her.

SUPERGIRL dances around the Superman lore, but not as much as past efforts like Smallville have. Viewers will get to see and hear plenty about him; the name just isn’t uttered much, usually spoken about as a mythical ‘him.’

Doing this sets Supergirl apart from Superman. Superman is an alien who is aloof, apart from the human race. Supergirl is someone who is in the fight alongside everyone else. While Superman cares inherently, Supergirl cares because of her adopted sister, Alex (Chyler Leigh, Grey’s Anatomy), and her friend, Winn (Jeremy Jordan, Smash), and others. She’s a part of the population of the Earth far more than he i, and takes what she does very personally.

Right off the bat, it’s clear Supergirl won’t be working alone like Superman does. No less than three people know her secret in the pilot, not including Hank Henshaw (David Harewood, Homeland) and his organization. She does have a secret identity; her boss, Cat Grant (Calista Flockhart, Brothers & Sisters) doesn’t know she has the caped crusader working for her. Yet, it’s not as closely guarded a secret, and it changes the tenure of SUPERGIRL from most Superman incarnations.

Also different, Kara gets in over her head early on. While Superman eases into fighting the baddies, Kara immediately has to fight prison escapees from the Phantom Zone. This isn’t the plot of a single episode, but rather a set up for the series. There are dozens of alien convicts on the Earth and they are focused on her, for good reason, as we’ll find out. So Kara needs these others to be around her.

For fans of Superman who never really got into Supergirl, this program provides plenty of connection to that more established world. As mentioned, Cat Grant, a figure in Clark Kent’s life, is present, as is James Olsen (Mehcad Brooks, Necessary Roughness), albeit a bit older than you might remember him. The production also pays homage to past actors of the franchise, much as The Flash does, by casting Dean Cain (Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman) and Helen Slater (1984’s Supergirl) as Kara’s adoptive parents. Not to mention, the messages of Alura Zor-El (Laura Benanti, Go On) will bring to mind similar communications from Jor-El to Superman.

As society progresses, feminism has taken root. As such, some may argue it’s not right to call Kara Super’girl’ instead of Superwoman. The character of Supergirl has a long history, though, and it’s too late to change it now. Thankfully, SUPERGIRL addresses this disparity head-on in episode one, and I’m satisfied with the explanation. I think most viewers will be, too.

Because SUPERGIRL is on CBS, it’s likely to be largely a procedural. I assume most weeks will find her dealing with a single antagonist, whom she defeats by the ending credits. But there is a lot more personal drama going on than in most shows on the network, a la The Good Wife. Should SUPERGIRL follow The Good Wife’s pattern, concentrating more on the characters than the cases, it’ll do well.

SUPERGIRL is a solid entry on the television landscape. It is enjoyable, with a great cast and interesting premise. It will take more than one episode to see if it deserves to hang with its successful DC brethren, Gotham, Arrow, and The Flash, but I’d say it’s off to a pretty good start.

SUPERGIRL premieres Monday at 8:30 p.m. ET on CBS.

GLEE Lacks in the "City of Angels"

Article first published as TV Review: 'Glee' - 'City of Angels' on Blogcritics.

How can a show that so consistently hits the right notes emotionally and musically be so bad at a cohesive, believable story? This week’s installment of FOX’s Glee, “City of Angels,” delivers when it memorializes Finn (Cory Monteith) and shows how much the kids care, but falls flat on its face when the story takes wrong turn after wrong turn. Will next week’s big 100th episode be any better?

“City of Angels” finds the New Directions heading to L.A. for the Show Choir National Championship. The group sings “I Love L.A.” as they transition from the choir room to the streets of the city the show films most of their scenes in, even though it takes place in Ohio. It’s as much a tribute to the town as the glee club did when they arrived in New York, so it seems appropriate, even as viewers understand the actors actually live in L.A. so their enthusiasm, as believable as it does come across as being, is faked.

The missteps begin right away, though. Since the New Directions are three members short to compete, and the show is exhausted with cheeky jokes to bring supporting characters back after long absences, three new faces are stuck into the ensemble just for “City of Angels.” They don’t have names or lines. Never acknowledged, they are complete filler. What a shame.

Other ridiculous stuff follows. Will taps Sam (Chord Overstreet), without warning, to be the group’s leader at the last minute. Upon arriving at the hotel, Will (Matthew Morrison) is told that Sue (Jane Lynch) has messed with their reservations, although this is a throw-away occurrence that never goes anywhere and is quickly forgotten. Mercedes (Amber Riley) shows up with one of the most unrealistic (second) success stories ever. The chaperones for the trip, Burt (Mike O’Malley) and Carole (Romy Rosemont), irresponsibly take off without even informing Will they’re going. And a deaf woman, Marlee Matlin (herself), judges the singing competition.

If you think all of that is terrible, and it absolutely is, things go from bad to worse when Will and the gang bring home a second place trophy. Sue, surprisingly sympathetically, disbands the club. She lists a bunch of organizations staying intact, but declares the New Directions’ status as number two in the entire country not good enough.

Are we expected to believe that the rest of the teams she mentions won at a national level? I mean, Roz (NeNe Leakes) manages to help the Cheerios get there, but they’ve won lots of times before. Surely the rest didn’t hit that mark. That’s simply ludicrous, and while what Glee is trying to do comes across well enough, the plot–which ends with the only New York scene of the night in which Kurt (Chris Colfer) tells Rachel (Lea Michele) and Santana (Naya Rivera) the news–just doesn’t make sense.

Yes, there are some amazing things in “City of Angels.” The tribute to Finn during the club’s performance, interspersed with clips of the character, is beyond touching. Carole’s struggle with keeping her son’s memory alive and facing Finn’s friends again is moving and raw. The four seniors singing solos, ending together, is great. Even the tiny subplot about Jake (Jacob Artist) and Ryder (Blake Jenner) repairing their friendship, then recruiting Mercedes to help restore Marley’s (Melissa Benoist) faith in herself, works. But balanced with all the crap, this week’s entry doesn’t live up to its potential.

Most of the music in “City of Angels” revolves around the competition. As usual, we get one song from a rival, this time an all-girls choir doing a weird yet good “Vacation,” and two from the main antagonists, Throat Explosion. The latter does an inspired “Mr. Roboto” followed by a very good “Counting Stars,” though as we’ve come to expect, the performance lies solely in the hands of a single individual, the guest character representing everyone else, Jean-Baptiste (Skylar Astin, Pitch Perfect, Ground Floor).

Jean-Baptiste is no better or worse than past foes. He isn’t cruel about Finn, cutting the group some slack and returning a stolen plaque. But he also is a bit of a jerk with the smack talk and is full of himself, though admittedly with the talent to back up such an attitude. I wish he or the group had been introduced before “City of Angels,” but since he fills such a familiar role at this point, I guess that isn’t necessary, as Glee fans will immediately understand what he represents and his purpose for being there.

The New Directions’ numbers themselves aren’t that spectacular, making one wonder why they even got second. We’re told that “More Than a Feeling, “America,” and “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” are Finn’s favorite songs (though that has never been established before now), and so the emotion it invokes in the characters and viewers alike lands. But to the judges, it’s puzzling how they would possibly understand or get anything from it, even with Sam’s raised drumsticks at the end.

It’s also worth noting that Carole mentions Finn didn’t have the best rhythm, which makes no sense given that he played the drums. Drummers are notorious for having great rhythm; in fact, it’s impossible to play the instrument if you lack it. So I don’t know why this slips through.

Next week’s 100th episode is sure to elicit a lot of feeling. I just hope it does a better job with the writing than this one, or else it will be just as disappointing. This sloppiness is inexcusable for a show on this level, especially when it wouldn’t take all that much effort to fix it.

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

GLEE Should Have Skipped Christmas

Article first published as TV Review: 'Glee' - 'Previously Unaired Christmas' on Blogcritics.

Seven episodes into season five, Glee is still telling a story set last spring, which makes it difficult to do a Christmas episode. The solution? Have Sue (Jane Lynch) record an introduction in which she says the latest installment, “Previously Unaired Christmas,” was the first holiday special made last year, but considered “too controversial” to air (while putting coal in stockings for Lynch’s award-show competition). Now, though, it’s been edited so it can finally be broadcast.

This does adequately explain how there was still a Christmas special last year and another this year set at roughly the same time. But it also takes us out of the story and reminds us that Glee is just a television show. It would be one thing for a variety series to this; it’s quite another when a serial dramedy does so, interrupting flow and feeling very fake.

Yes, Sue’s statement is a total lie, “Previously Unaired Christmas” being freshly filmed only months ago. The most obvious tell is that Heather Morris and Cory Monteith do not appear as Brittany and Finn, respectively, the former actress no longer being on the show, and the latter having passed away. Their unmentioned absences make the premise impossible to accept. Add a very staged way to get Santana (Naya Rivera) in the New York scenes, as her character had not moved there yet, and no mention of Brody (Dean Geyer), whom Rachel (Lea Michele) is serious with at this point of the story, and it just doesn’t hold up.

Now, Glee has always been a little bit cheesy, and some might say that’s part of its charm. The tongue-in-cheek reference when Rachel tells Santana she should drop out of college and come live with them is a fun little poke. And the matter of having religious displays at a public school is brought up and dropped, acknowledging that ridiculousness of the premise, kind of works. But Glee can do better than this, and it leaves one with a sour taste after viewing.

The story begins in New York when Santana brings gifts for Rachel and Kurt (Chris Colfer). She stays a few days in their apartment, and the three get temp jobs working as elves at the mall for an alcoholic Santa. Santana ends up filling in for the red suit, which is both antastic and a terrible idea. They try to salvage the situation with the help of a new “friend” (Bryce Johnson, Popular, Pretty Little Liars), but he just gets them drunk and robs them, leaving Kurt in a naughty, pretty wrong state.

The songs in this thread are good, if thin. “Here Comes Santa Claus” is a pretty straight-forward take, and “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)” is mostly lip-synched, but at least the staging for both is fun. It’s less thrilling that this trio sings “Away in a Manger” with the McKinley crew, a trope that is already feeling tired, but overall, the NYC plot is enjoyable fluff.

In Ohio, the New Directions compete for the best Christmas tree in the school and to participate in a living nativity scene. The former of those stories just gives the show an excuse to tug the heart strings, as driven winner Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz) finds compassion and hands over the prize to poor Becky (Lauren Potter), who really wanted to win but didn’t understand the assignment of a “green” tree. This also gives us a tame “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.” The latter is where the offensiveness that Sue referenced at the start finally becomes apparent.

See, Unique (Alex Newell), Marley (Melissa Benoist), and Tina all want to play the Virgin Mary. That’s weird, because they choose to audition with a mostly-out-of-character, scandalous, vaguely Jamaican rendition of “Mary’s Boy Child.” Marley wins, but she realizes Kitty (Becca Tobin) holds the role in high regard, and so the girls get even worse with “Love Child,” a hilarious and very wrong number, to force Kitty to step in and save the day.

As far as making one feel the Christmas spirit, “Previously Unaired Christmas” does that in the most basic sense, with the annual softening of Sue and the generous acts by others. But the quality of the musical numbers is definitely down, and the tale feels unnecessary and not quite in keeping with continuity. As such, perhaps it would have been better for Glee to take a year off, as much as the format of the series lends itself to holiday cheer more than most shows on TV.

Glee will return February 25th on FOX.

GLEE Needs Work to Master Puppets

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

Glee aired a brand new episode on Thanksgiving entitled “Puppet Master.” It’s odd that a series would present fresh programming on a major national holiday, but since that is the case, I guess it’s appropriate that the episode was trippy and surreal. Those tuning in with a full belly of turkey will be forgiven for thinking that the weird story had something to do with their food-induced haze. It did not.

In “Puppet Master,” Kurt (Chris Colfer) is excited to book Pamela Lansbury’s first gig. It’s at a Broadway bar, though, and they are a Madonna cover band, so his band mates aren’t so excited, arguing that this is a bad place to launch themselves. Kurt has other ideas, imagining a packed crowd as he, Rachel (Lea Michele), Santana (Naya Rivera), Starchild (Adam Lambert), and Dani (Demi Lovato) perform a rousing “Into the Groove,” much to audience’s delight.

This is just a dream. In fact, only on person shows up to the actual show. But it’s someone who has a connection, and the performance (which, unlike the dream sequence, we don’t see) is enough to earn them a second booking at much more appropriate venue.

Interestingly, Dani is in the back when the band plays, and is barely in the episode, sitting out more scenes that the other four are in. I wonder if it has to do with Lovato’s availability. Otherwise, it’s annoying to sideline someone who should be a part of the plot, much as the Ohio-based stories so often do.

Kurt is the “Puppet Master” of the group since he’s the one in charge. The others do what he tells them to, and they let him have the final say. This does tie into the title and theme of the overall hour OK, just perhaps not quite as strongly as other subplots.

It’s odd when Glee chooses to show Kurt’s inner vision. It’s not that the show hasn’t done something like this before; in fact, many of the musical numbers seem enhanced by fantasy, not quite realistic. This one just feels different, more out of place.

In fact, this label applies to just about every song in “Puppet Master.” Three of the four McKinley numbers are gas-induced hallucinations. I guess that’s why “Into the Groove” is off. There is no gas leak in New York, so why is a character there experiencing something very similar to what his former classmates are seeing in Ohio?

Even stranger is Blaine’s (Darren Criss) story, in which he suddenly gets bossy, is rejected by his friends, and retreats into the world of puppets. He first sees his classmates in felt form singing “You’re My Best Friend.” Then Blaine builds a Kurt puppet to talk to, and later, constructs versions of the rest of the cast, all exactly matching the ones in his mind.

I really enjoyed the puppet versions of Sam (Chord Overstreet), Will (Matthew Morrison), and the others, and the closing number of the episode, “The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?)” is fun, split between Lima and NYC. However, forcing the connections between the two settings feels just that – forced – and it doesn’t exactly make for the best or most cohesive story.

Blaine has been part of the New Directions’ leadership, but he’s never been one to really try to take over. As such, this “Puppet Master” arc comes out of nowhere. I absolutely get that a kid could be having a rough time and speak up to try to assert some form of control, which is what Blaine seems to be going through. What’s weird is that everyone else acts like this is how Blaine normally is, which just isn’t true. And Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz) quickly forgives him for his creepy interactions with Puppet Tina, who is, for some reason, wearing the exact same clothes as Tina when she finds her.

Perhaps my favorite part of Blaine’s bit is Blaine’s conversation with Brad (Brad Ellis), the piano player. Five seasons in, Brad has appeared in dozens of episodes, but has never had a line of dialogue that I can recall. In “Puppet Master,” he has several. They could be part of Blaine’s imagination, but whether they are or not, the meta feeling one gets seeing Blaine ignore Brad who deserves a little attention, which can be construed as a commentary on Brad’s overall role in Glee, is great.

Jake (Jacob Artist) also has visions. Continuing his recent thread, he wants to get back with Marley (Melissa Benoist), who resits. After a pregnancy scare with Bree (Erinn Westbrook), Jake imagines himself and the two ladies doing a mash up of “Nasty” and “Rhythm Nation,” complete with many female dancers. It’s a pretty enjoyable number, referencing Janet Jackson and her work, which seems a good fit for Jake’s character.

If Jake wants Marley back, he has to get over his pride. I feel like the player persona he gives off is purely a coping mechanism that he reverts to when rejected. But it’s exactly this side of himself that is so unattractive. Now that he’s lost his main plaything, Bree, despite that fact that he claims to be sleeping with the rest of the squad, too, maybe it will be a wake up call for him. He desperately needs one.

Sue (Jane Lynch) has her own rude awakening when Superintendent Harris (Christopher Cousins, Breaking Bad), whom she’s been flirting with, thinks she’s a dude. Sue doesn’t take it well, and tries to find her femininity (with a little help from Unique (Alex Newell)). Her own brush with the poison gas has her dancing with Will to “Cheek to Cheek,” but whether in a dream or reality, she doesn’t quite find herself comfortable or able to pull off a traditional lady look.

Let’s be honest, one would have to be blind to think Sue is a man. Even in her track suits, there is definitely something woman-ish about her. Whether she conforms to stereotypes or not, her gender is not something that anyone has ever questioned, nor could they. The whole thing with Harris is dumb, even if it’s great to get a little bit of vulnerable Sue and a fantastic flashback to her first donning of the current look.

It turns out, the gas leak is a ploy by Figgins (Iqbal Theba) to wrest his office back. This is completely unacceptable. No matter how much Sue deserves to be de-throned, any halfway decent principal would never do anything that poses a danger to the students, and that exactly what Figgins does in “Pupper Master.” He proves himself unfit as principal, and even as a janitor. Sue can’t prove anything, and I assume she doesn’t try because she realizes this. And, admittedly, the episode doesn’t explicitly name Figgins as the cause of the leak, however, it seems to be implied. Because of this, the story is infuriating.

To be honest, in the end, it seems like Glee had the opportunity to have puppets made of most of its key cast members (a trend other shows, such as Angel and Community, have already done better), and decided to come up with, at the last minute, a quick story that made use of them. Perhaps that’s why the installment is sloppy and a bit of a train wreck. Some large plots do get a little screen time, and the musical numbers aren’t all bad. Yet, this episode is not good by almost any general measure. Maybe they’ll do better with Christmas next week?

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

GLEE is "Movin' Out" to the City

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

FOX’s Glee finally gets around to the music of Billy Joel in this week’s episode “Movin’ Out.” With graduation looming, several of the students consider their futures and start planning for what they’re going to do after high school. A couple even travel to New York to pursue their dreams, giving fans a hint at who might soon be joining the Big Apple contingent.

The whole thing starts off as Sue (Jane Lynch) sets up a career fair in the hallway, which Will (Matthew Morrison) is appalled to find out doesn’t include any representation for a career in the arts. Sue replies that that’s not a realistic field to go into, and Will argues that he wants his students to dream. In the end, because one of Will’s students helps out Sue’s favorite girl, Becky (Lauren Potter), Sue relents.

In my opinion, promoting a career as a performer is a terrible message to send to kids, on par with pop song lyrics about not letting anyone ever tell you that you’re less than perfect. I know this makes me sound like a grumpy old man (I’m 30 years old), but it simply is not realistic to hang all one’s hopes on a very slim chance. Encouraging kids to pursue their passions as adults is wonderful, but urging all those who desire to make a living in the arts to give it a shot is stupid and irresponsible. Sue isn’t being cruel, she’s telling the kids what someone needs to tell them if Will keeps filling their heads with this junk.

In fact, this all culminates in Will leading the school, including many non-glee club kids, inexplicably, in “You May Be Right.” As much as I love this number, and it is very entertaining, the message is a slap in the face that Sue doesn’t deserve. Will is crazy if he thinks he is doing his job as a teacher in serving the students this stuff.

The story that softens Sue, though it shouldn’t really be related, is when Artie (Kevin McHale) helps Becky check out colleges. Becky has Down syndrome, and so Sue wants her to stay at McKinley and continue working as an assistant. In this way, Sue is offering Becky a safe life where Sue can watch over her beloved pupil. Artie shows Becky that she has some college options, with programs specially designed to serve her, while singing a decent enough rendition of “Honesty.”

At first, Sue, fights back against Artie, as she is wont to do. But I credit her for having the wisdom to back off, and she even supports Becky when the kid wants to try leaving her comfort zone. Sue is often the villain of Glee, and that’s a fun role to cast her in. However, the part is best when it’s layered and viewers get the glimpse the motivations behind Sue’s actions. In this, “Movin’ Out” succeeds beautifully in a touching tale.

The other McKinley plot this week involves the battle for Marley’s (Melissa Benoist) affections. Ryder (Blake Jenner) has begun dating the girl, playing the part of “An Innocent Man” (his version is passable, nothing special), however, Marley is torn, not ready to commit to Ryder. Jake (Jacob Artist) continues to beg Marley to take him back, but when scorned, instead tells of her off with (a better than Ryder’s song) “My Life.”

Look, this love triangle has already been done. We don’t need it again. Marley isn’t into Ryder, and even if he is the right guy for her, she isn’t ready to grow up and see it yet. He’s only going to get hurt if they insist on continuing. And Jake reacts like a hothead teen, proving he’s not mature enough for her, either. However, these reactions are very authentic for the age group, so I’m not really complaining too strongly, even when this arc gets a little boring.

As I’ve said before, the New York segments of the episodes are almost always better, and “Movin’ Out” is no different. Sam (Chord Overstreet) and Blaine (Darren Criss) are sent off to the city with a really great rendition of “Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song).” They are warmly welcomed into Rachel (Lea Michele), Kurt (Chris Colfer), and Santana’s (Naya Rivera) apartment, and then go out to try to get into a good school.

Sam’s college interview is pretty much a joke. He is not at all prepared, and lets the interviewer know he cares more about being in NYC and the boy to girl ratio than the school itself. I don’t know what Sam hoped to accomplish with this, but it’s a ridiculous failure.

Rachel urges him to really think about what he wants, though, and Sam admits to dreaming of being a model. Rachel uses a connection she’s made to get Sam a meeting with Bichette (Tyra Banks, America’s Next Top Model), an agent who is willing to help him if he loses a few pounds. Reluctant to comply, the roomies cheer Sam up with “Just the Way You Are,” giving him questionable advice.

I get that Sam shouldn’t starve himself, but sometimes there are sacrifices to be made for certain industries. If one wants to be a model, one must almost always get used to eating super healthy; that comes with the territory. I’m sorry, I don’t know how Sam’s friends telling him that he’s great as is helps, even if, for the most part, they’re right. But Sam as a model is much more believable than Sam in college, and it could keep him in the cast if the Ohio setting is dropped, so that’s cool.

During “Movin’ Out,” Rachel suddenly seems to develop a bit of a crush on Sam. This comes out of nowhere, since she’s known him for years and there’s never been anything between them. Is this a purely physical attraction, realized when she suddenly sees him in a new light? Because Rachel seems like the type of girl that needs a guy with substance, and as much as I like the character of Sam, he is not intelligent enough to keep up with her. Rachel and Finn were a strange enough pairing for awhile. This would be even more of a stretch, though her being with Finn does at least set some sort of precedent.

Blaine is in New York to audition for NYADA. Despite a terrific “Piano Man” at the restaurant where the roommates work (including Rachel again, who should not have time for such a thing at this point), he gets nervous and starts to consider other options. Kurt talks his boyfriend back from the ledge and convinces Blaine that he’s good enough.

I’m divided on this. Of course Kurt thinks that Blaine can succeed, and to be honest, aside from Rachel, Blaine is the only one in the cast I truly believe has the chops to make it as a performer. Yet, Blaine’s decision to look into other careers is a sound one, and doesn’t necessarily close him off to opportunities in the arts. Thus, he should thank Kurt for his advice, but go with his gut.

Glee really cheats the audience by not showing us Blaine’s audition. Yes, he sings in “Movin’ Out,” but if Blaine should get into NYADA, which seems the route the series will go, we’ve just been robbed of a monumental step on his path. It’s not enough to just tell us he tried out after making Rachel and Kurt’s own attempts so pivotal. Can we get a flashback in the near future to correct this grievous error?

I like “Movin’ Out” because it has a lot of mostly enjoyable versions of great songs. It also uses characters effectively in decent stories. It has enough flaws to not set it apart from the pack as one of the greatest episodes, but there are also elements that keep it out of the group of poor ones, ranking it somewhere just slightly a bit above average, in my estimation.

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

GLEE's "Twerk" is Oh So Right and Oh So Wrong

Article first published as TV Review: 'Glee' - "The End of Twerk" on Blogcritics.

Glee somehow manages to deliver some of its best stuff and its worst in this week’s episode, “The End of Twerk” this week. Much of the hour was a very inane statement about freedom of speech and “twerking,” while the rest was about rebelling in a good way, the best of ways, really, standing up for yourself and fighting back when things aren’t fair.

Since when did a particular obscene dance move count as free speech? And assuming that it does for a moment, as that’s really neither here nor there, when did public schools have to hold freedom of speech over decency standards? Most K-12 institutions would never be considered on the cutting edge of what’s acceptable, taking a much more conservative approach. It feels like a strange battle and an even stranger battleground.

Will (Matthew Morrison) comes out of the gate strong which his argument that the kids should be allowed to twerk, leading what seems like the whole school in a rendition of “Blurred Lines.” The number is highly inappropriate, not to mention, where did all these other students who are joining in the dance come from? It feels staged, false, and is bound to make some, this reviewer included, terribly uncomfortable, based on the setting.

I actually respect Sue (Jane Lynch) for dressing down Schue afterwards. Firing him is going too far, though it’s very strange how the rest of “The End of Twerk” acts like Will still has his job. Even the school board meeting scene is Will fighting against a twerking ban, with nary a mention of his career. So as much as I enjoyed both the point Will makes about different dance styles and his mocking the principal with a Sue-style tantrum, Sue is in the right here, and story is mostly poorly concocted.

I could also complain about the reference to “Western Ohio,” but I feel like I’ve got nothing new to say about how no writer on Glee apparently has heard of Google, and how disappointing it is to see a series get just about everything about the Buckeye state wrong, so I won’t.

The other bit that sucks this week is Marley (Melissa Benoist) finding out from Bree (Erinn Westbrook) that Jake (Jacob Artist) is cheating with the Cheeri-o. As mentioned in last week’s review, this seems out of character and comes from nowhere. Not to mention, it just isn’t entertaining story. We get a decent performance of a terrible song as Marley croons “Wrecking Ball,” but other than that, this plot is irredeemable.

Thank goodness the other major McKinley story, this one involving Wade “Unique” Adams (Alex Newell), is fantastic! Bullied by his classmates, Unique seeks a bathroom he can use in peace, and instead finds himself in the middle of a battle that results in Sue bolting down a purple porta-potty in the choir room. The New Directions come together to support Unique, and by the end of the episode, I dare anyone to not be moved by this student’s story.

I can’t imagine any other series giving viewers as real a portrayal of a transgendered teenager in the modern era. Glee broke new ground a few years back with its depiction of homosexuals, but Unique is even bolder territory. It’s easy to see how and why stupid adolescents would pick on Unique, but the brave way the character is used makes Unique feel fully realized and sympathetic.

The climax of this thread happens when Unique laments “If I Were A Boy.” The most moving number in quite some time, we feel the pain. Newell is very much like Unique in real life, as those who watched The Glee Project will attest, and I think that brings a level of rawness an actor separated from the part would struggle with achieving. Unique’s tears are the tears of many a kid out there, and should be required viewing for all high school students. Who could still pick on a person like Unique after watching this and feeling her frustration and hurt?

Kudos to Glee for standing up for what is right and humanizing an issue that is far too often reduced to political or religious squabbling.

In New York, Rachel (Lea Michele) and Kurt (Chris Colfer) feel stuck in their lives, still lamenting Finn’s (Cory Monteith) passing, and decide they need to make some bold changes in order to feel like they are alive again. To do this, first Rachel fakes a new hair style without checking with her director, Rupert (Peter Facinelli), which doesn’t go over so well until she proves she’s still sexy in a charged performance of “You Are Woman, I Am Man” with Paolo (Ioan Gruffudd). Then, Rachel and Kurt get drunk and get tattoos, which doesn’t quite go how either expects.

I like both that Rachel’s “haircut,” which actually fits the part she’s playing very well, causes a problem, but also that it does not become a big, lasting thing. Her attitude that she is untouchable is a little too diva-ish for a young actress getting her first break, but I can see what she is going for, and by donning a wig, not actually trimming the locks, she shows she is smart enough to leave an escape hatch. Rupert has every right to be mad at her, but when he decides he likes the change, that’s a satisfying pay-off, too.

Also, while not a big fan of the side tattoo, Rachel having the name Finn scrolled on her is a sweet tribute. It’s not like she got the tattoo of a boyfriend while he was still alive; it’s a memorial to a loved one who died too soon, making it all right, even as she will eventually move on with someone else. Keeping it a secret may seem a little strange. but it’s really no one else’s business, anyway, a mark done truly only for her own benefit. Very nice.

Kurt’s tale with the tattoo place is actually even more unexpected and cool. At first, Kurt lashes out at the artist (Bradford Tatum, Magic City) for a misspelling that is actually Kurt’s own fault. While some tough guys would kick Kurt’s butt, this particular man sympathizes, offers wise advice, and even helps Kurt out. It’s a surprising pairing, surely a single episode guest stint, but it’s also a really neat one that gives Kurt just what he needs. Well done.
Oh, and then there’s the big finish number of “On Our Way.” Not particularly stand-out, but a feel-good ending in the series’ own style, so it works.

When Glee sticks with its more mature stories, the ones in New York, it does right by its fans. When it continues the original mission of promoting tolerance, diversity, and acceptance of others, as it does in a fresh way with Unique, it soars. There are some things Glee does wrong, and much of the criticism it gets is justified. But there are also things it does exceedingly well, and those should be acknowledged, too. “The End of Twerk” has both, and as much as I might wish for more of the latter, at least it’s true to form.

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

TV Review: ‘Glee’ – ‘A Katy or a Gaga’

Article first published as TV Review: ‘Glee’ – ‘A Katy or a Gaga’ on Blogcritics.

This week’s installment of Glee, the first episode to air in several weeks (and only the fourth of the year) stunk. Glee is all about embracing yourself for who you are, not changing for others or allowing yourself to be pigeonholed. The episode, titled “A Katy of a Gaga,” insisted that each of the students was one or the other, and when one didn’t want to change for an assignment, she was punished.

First of all, I didn’t know there was a rivalry between Lady Gaga and Katy Perry fans. The performers don’t seem that different. Yes, Gaga is definitely more over the top and out of the box, but Katy is no girl next door, letting whip cream shoot out of her boobs. Glee tries to draw a clear distinction between the two, but the comparisons falls flat, and the entire premise doesn’t make sense.

Not to mention, for an episode focused on the music and style of two major artists, there are a scant four songs involved, only two for each, which doesn’t feel right, either.

At the beginning of the hour, the New Directions are concerned with a never-before-heard-of super group who somehow is going to crush them at Nationals. Since this group is all Gaga, Will (Matthew Morrison) divides his club in two and demands that each play to the opposite of their strengths, expanding their range and mastering all genres. There are some funny jabs that Will makes up assignments on the spot, a tongue-in-cheek comment that rings true, and despite this new group stupidly coming out of nowhere, the set up is solid enough, with a sound idea.

Unique (Alex Newell), Kitty (Becca Tobin), Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz), and Jake (Jacob Artist) identify themselves as Gaga. Of course Unique is on this list, and Kitty, sure. But while Tina does act that way now, it makes me groan and roll my eyes at the inauthencity, and I really don’t understand why Jake is included.

The four spend the whole hour trying to come up with a Katy number to showcase how “toned down” they can be, and yet all of their brainstorming sessions reveal only outrageous thoughts. These are not stupid kids; surely they understand the assignment enough to not be so ridiculous.

In the end, the four settle on performing “Wide Awake” while sitting atop stools. It’s a pleasant, sweet song that they do really well. Too bad it comes at the end of a convoluted mess of a story.

The Katy side is even worse. Artie (Kevin McHale), Blaine (Darren Criss), Sam (Chord Overstreet), and Ryder (Blake Jenner) have no trouble going all Gaga in their over-the-top, well-outside-of-school-budget  production of “Applause.” This is all well and good.

But Marley (Melissa Benoist), feeling pressured to have sex with Jake, refuses to let her inner wild child out. First of all, when did Marley become so goody two-shoes? Secondly, when did Jake stop appreciating Marley for who she is, so much so that he runs off and cheats on her with Bree (Erinn Westbrook)? Third, when did Will become so cruel that he would suspend Marley for a week for staying true to herself, or at least the version of herself in “A Katy of a Gaga?” Fourth, when did not participating in a single school assignment qualify as suspension-worthy?

While this plays out, Sam is still attempting to win over Nurse Penny (Phoebe Strole), whom I thought he had already won over. Inexplicably, she shuns his good guy image early in the hour, then shuns his bad boy persona later. This episode doesn’t know who Penny is or what she wants, which ruins the entire subplot.

Then, after all this, Sue (Jane Lynch) storms into the choir room and re-declares war on Will, suspending the kids, who defiantly fight back with “Roar.” I missed the villain Sue, and she makes a good obstacle for Mr. Schue and the students. And she’s right, the glee club’s costumes, besides being completely unrealistic in how good they are, are totally not school appropriate. One week’s suspension seems far too harsh, again, going outside the realm of believability as much as Artie swinging in a vine from his wheelchair does, but the emotional cues in this sequence are nailed. Too bad it’s too little, too late for the episode.

The only thing that slightly bothers me about Sue lashing out is that she does need the New Directions to succeed to make her look good as principal. However, we’ve seen her tough-love approach before, and she may think they’re floundering and need this kick in the pants to rise to the occasion of Nationals. If she wants them to win, she might want to start with making the rest of the glee club, mostly MIA for half a season, actually show up to practice.

As usual, the New York City part of the episode is much, much better. Kurt (Chris Colfer) starts a band, which Dani (Demi Lovato) and, to a lesser extent, Santana (Naya Rivera), eagerly agree to participate in. Rachel (Lea Michele) tries to beg off, citing how busy she is, but can’t resist offering suggestions, and eventually comes around.

Rounding out the group is Elliott ‘Starchild’ Gilbert (Adam Lambert, American Idol), who kills in his audition of “Marry the Night,” but whom Kurt is reluctant to let in for being too flamboyant. It’s Rachel, the best friend, who drags out of Kurt what is really bothering him: he wants success, and thinks mainstreaming it is the only way to get some. Rachel talks him down from his ledge, and they gleefully welcome Starchild into their midst.

The five participate in “Roar,” too, and it is icing on the cake for their tale. As bad as the McKinley stuff is, the New York thread is solid. Kurt’s crisis of confidence is completely understandable and in character, and Rachel plays the perfect adviser. I don’t hate Lovato as much as I expected to, and anyone who listens to her has to admit that she can sing! Add the incredibly talented Lambert to the mix, and this is a story I want to see more of.

Rumor is, Glee may soon drop the high school setting all together and focus exclusively on the Big Apple. For the sake of the quality of the series, let’s hope this comes in the very near future. The show has outgrown its roots, and it’s time to move on.

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

Blu-ray Review: ‘Glee – The Complete Fourth Season’

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: ‘Glee – The Complete Fourth Season’ on Blogcritics.

Season four is when everything changes for Glee. Post-graduation for many of the students, the story became split between McKinley High School and New York City, with practically none of the alumni leaving the cast, and a bunch of newbies added in. It was a busy, full year, with many great installments, as well as some pretty weak ones, especially in the spring. Now, all twenty-two episodes are available in the four-disc Glee: The Complete Fourth Season.

The move to New York was a breath of fresh air for the show. Rachel (Lea Michelle) was always meant for bigger things than Ohio could offer her, and as she embarked upon a college career at NYADA, the series grew along with her. Following arguably the lead character of the ensemble show was great, and it provided the opportunity to bring in actresses like Sarah Jessica Parker and Kate Hudson, who added a terrific new element. The fact that Kurt (Chris Colfer), and later Santana (Naya Rivera), joined Rachel in the Big Apple was even better.

At McKinley, it was a little confounding at first that Artie (Kevin McHale), Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz), and Sam (Chord Overstreet) were only now getting to their senior year, since I swear they had been established as being older before, but combined with Brittany (Heather Morris) having to complete a fifth year of high school and Blaine (Darren Criss) sticking around, they provided cohesion, allowing some of the setting to stay the same. And, of course, Will (Matthew Morrison) and Sue (Jane Lynch) remained on staff.

They were soon joined by new cast members Marley (Melissa Benoist), Jake (Jacob Artist), Kitty (Becca Tobin), Ryder (Blake Jenner), and Unique (Alex Newell). Despite these fresh faces seeming a lot like the not-so-fresh faces, repeating stories and dynamics from earlier seasons, the quintet did resonate, eventually each earning promotions to series regulars for season five.

Pretty much all of the graduated seniors remained in the cast, even those who were not followed to New York. Finn (Cory Monteith) ended up working at McKinley, a twist that made no sense and wasn’t at all realistic, but allowed him to have a journey viewers wanted to see. Others, like Puck (Mark Salling), Mercedes (Amber Riley), and Mike Chang (Harry Shum Jr.), only briefly dropped in from time to time, which is why it came as no surprise that this would be their final year as full-time characters.

The season started pretty strong, but it soon became clear that Glee was now two shows, and the New York part was stronger. It didn’t help when some members of the New Directions would disappear for weeks at a time, and a Will / Emma (Jayma Mays) walk down the aisle kept being delayed artificially, including a terrible plot in which Finn kissed Emma. The worst, though, was when Finn disappeared, the actor entering rehab, and the writing never taking the time to explain his obvious absence. Sadly, Monteith passed away over the summer, and this will never fully be resolved.

The most polarizing episode of this season, and of Glee ever, was the spring installment “Shooting Star.” It begins as any normal episode would, but then gunshots rings out in the halls of McKinley High School, scaring the crap our of students and viewers alike. For a large chunk of the episode, the show becomes a super-intense, on-edge story that hits very close to home at a time when school shootings happen on a semi-regular basis. While it is arguable whether something like this belongs in a series like Glee or not, the hour is finely produced and not to be missed.

There are lots of special features in this release, including multiple extras dealing with the New York addition to the show. We get the Jukebox, deleted scenes, and more. Basically, no one should be disappointed here.

I’m a fan of Blu-ray, and always want to watch programming in high definition. Glee isn’t particularly visually stimulating in the way that it must be seen in HD. There are great costumes and choreography from time to time, but those can be enjoyed in a standard definition picture, too. The songs will obviously sound better with a sharper soundtrack, and Glee does have a lot of music, so for those who care more about audio, the argument is there. But for viewers who are only concerned about picture, I guess it’s up to personal preference whether you go DVD or Blu-ray, without a huge difference between the two. I still prefer the latter.

Glee: The Complete Fourth Season is available now.

Glee Not So "Wonder-ful"

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

Regionals are fast approaching, so in this week's installment of FOX's Glee, titled "Wonder-ful," Will (Matthew Morrison), still inexplicably sans Finn (Cory Monteith), has the New Directions sing the music of Stevie Wonder. Which also carries over to characters not at McKinley, for some reason, and no one gripes about it, even though a frequent concern among the students is that the music Will likes is too old.

"Wonder-ful" provides a lot to complain about. From giant plot holes, to confusing character developments, to a pretty boring soundtrack, there is little about this episode I liked. "Wonder-ful" is great in small doses, but the further into the hour we go, the less interesting the songs, which include "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours," "I Wish," "Higher Ground," and "For Once in My Life," become. Also, theme weeks worked when the character were all together, but now that series has multiple settings, it's time to stop them.

Also, I know Finn's absence is out of the control of the show's creators, Monteith having been in rehab, but can't we get a line of dialogue that establishes why he's no longer around? It doesn't make sense for the story that he's just gone.


That's not the only thing that doesn't add up in "Wonder-ful." Kitty (Becca Tobin) suddenly takes an interest in Artie (Kevin McHale), getting Artie's mother (Katey Sagal, Sons of Anarchy) involved in helping him choose a college. Why is Kitty doing this? Isn't she with Puck (Mark Salling)? And there is no chemistry between her and Artie, so it's hard to believe that she might be interested in him.

Artie has been accepted into a film school in Brooklyn, which all but guarantees he'll be joining the New York crew next year. This is very disappointing because Artie is one of those characters who I am anxious to see depart the series. It was bad enough he seemed to do senior year twice, now he's sticking around after high school? He has never had an interesting story, and he tends to drag down the episodes that focus on him. Glee would be better served letting him wheel off into the sunset, rarely, if ever, to be seen again.

Speaking of those who should move on, Mercedes (Amber Riley) comes back to Ohio to film a music video, intending to use Mike Chang (Harry Shum Jr.) and Jake (Jacob Artist) as her back-up dancers. As much as I miss and love Mercedes, are we really supposed to believe she already has a record deal, and enough influence to move production of said album to a small town in Ohio, as well as pick her dancers? She must be the most sought-after artist of her generation!


Except she's not, as we quickly find out, when she loses her deal because she refuses to act sexy in the album's cover shoot. I understand holding onto one's morals, and it's a good message for Glee to promote, but it's not realistic. It's not like Mercedes is asked to go nude. What's wrong with showing off a little shoulder or cleavage to get a career off the ground? She makes a big mistake walking away over something so minor. If they aren't going to be used properly, it's time for Mercedes, and Mike, to move on.

The one good thing Mercedes does during her visit is to encourage Marley (Melissa Benoist) to find her inner diva, as we see happen when they perform "Superstition" together. I hope this is something that sticks because Marley has slowly been coming out of her shell, and she's very good. I'd like to see her take over as leader of the group next year. She can handle it. Combined with Jake's dancing, they are our new power couple.

Kurt (Chris Colfer) also returns to Ohio, but he has a valid reason to visit, as his dad, Burt (Mike O'Malley), has an appointment to learn if his cancer treatment has been working. It has, thankfully, and Burt's disease is in remission.


I love Kurt / Burt stuff, but as far as father / son moments go, Kurt singing "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" just fails to deliver. It's not the right forum to be sweet; most of the group isn't involved, so it doesn't feel right in the choir room in front of everyone, and Burt's enthusiasm for it is just a little too over the top.

Also, why does Kurt exhibit bad OCD when he is worried, but this is almost immediately dropped, without Blaine (Darren Criss) even getting a chance to bring it up? Blaine clearly notices the odd behavior at the coffee shop. Why doesn't this go anywhere? It doesn't seem like the type of thing that will be addressed next week in the season finale, and with so little time left this year, it likely will not be mentioned again.

Something that may or may not make it into the finale is Blaine's desire to propose to Kurt. Blaine has a terrific scene with Burt, asking for Burt's blessing. Burt shoots him down, but not unkindly, basically telling Blaine that the boys are too young. Blaine later chickens out asking Kurt, but that doesn't mean he won't screw up the courage later.

I applaud Glee for allowing Burt to view Blaine's request merely as an age issue, rather than a legal one, with Burt establishing he vocally supports gay marriage. This is the mindset we need to have, as a society, in order for equality to take root.

But Burt's right, Blaine and Kurt are too young. Not to mention, they haven't been dating since early fall. Going from barely being in each other's lives to getting married, skipping the romance steps in between, is a horrible idea.

In New York, Rachel (Lea Michele) must ask Cassandra July (Kate Hudson) to move a midterm for her so that she can attend a 2nd callback for Funny Girl on Broadway. To her surprise, Cassandra not only agrees, but leads the class in singing and dancing "Uptight (Everything's Alright)" with Rachel, telling the student that she will succeed.


I'm sorry, but I don't buy Cassandra's about-face. It comes out of nowhere, and is in stark contrast to the way she has treated Rachel all year. There has never been a hint that Cassandra's sternness might be covering up a soft heart, as the film trope goes, and Cassandra has been downright petty. She has to be up to something, hoping to sabotage Rachel. If not, this is a pretty poor turn of events.

Other complaints about this episode include Will's sudden re-engagement to Emma (Jayma Mays), with no explanation or reconciliation shown, and the continued absence of Joe (Samuel Larsen) and Sugar (Vanessa Lengies). At least where Brittany (Heather Morris) is this week is explained, but the other two are just gone, and have been for far too long.

So what can we expect from next week's season finale? There's a lot to get through! Sue (Jane Lynch) must be re-instated and Becky's (Lauren Potter) story resolved, the New Directions have to go to Regionals, Will will marry Emma, and Rachel has her audition. If we're lucky, Glee will have time to jump forward and show the graduation of the seniors, but that seems to be stretching things at this point, especially as I haven't heard anything about a two-hour finale, which feels necessary. Maybe they could wrap up this school year next fall? Doubtful, but it seems like they sort of need to.

Glee, which has already been renewed for two more reasons, concludes its fourth year next Thursday at 9 p.m. ET on FOX.

Sweet Dreams for Glee

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

FOX's Glee is all about sweet dreams this week, as Rachel (Lea Michele), Finn (Cory Monteith), and Marley (Melissa Benoist) each realize a long-held desire. Mixed with mostly great music, "Sweet Dreams" manages to be a decent installment, even if there are some pretty big plot holes in one of the threads.

First up, we'll go with the best story in "Sweet Dreams," and that belongs to Rachel. Rachel's Funny Girl audition is coming up, and she searches for the perfect song to sing. She considers doing Babs, of course, but her mother, Shelby (Idina Menzel), returns to give her some advice. Shelby thinks Rachel needs to do something different and stand out. Finn agrees, telling Rachel to perform a song that means some thing to her.

This is the best use of Shelby in quite some time. Shelby's stories have always been very uneven, but "Sweet Dreams" drops her in to play the loving mother and wise mentor. She isn't bossy, doesn't get in the way, and ends up being very supportive of Rachel. Plus, the gals get to duet a touching rendition of "Next to Me."

I hope Shelby starts to show up on a recurring basis in a similar capacity as to the one she provides this week. She could finally be a good addition to the series, unlike in her last arc, in which she slept with a student, and which got pretty ridiculous.

Rachel's audition song is "Don't Stop Believin,'" and for it she imagines Finn, Kurt (Chris Colfer), Mercedes (Amber Riley), Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz), and Artie (Kevin McHale)--the original glee club--providing backup. Obviously, Rachel has to sing all of the words herself, since the others are only in her head, and she changes the melody enough just to give it extra oomph. But it's awesome to see her go back to her roots, and the nostalgic-filled sequence, complete with the original costumes, hair styles, and camera shots, is a memorable moment for the series.

Will Rachel get the part? I don't know. She is very young, and it could interfere with her studies. On the other hand, there are other young people performing on Broadway, and it might make a nice summer filler for her. I could see this story going either way, though I think she'll get it. Hopefully, should I be wrong, getting the callback will be enough of a triumph for her.

It is nice to see Rachel and Finn getting along again. They will probably be back together eventually, but Glee is in no hurry to make that happen, nor should it be. Rachel and Finn are still immature; they haven't yet charted their own courses. Once they get their lives on track, then there will be time enough for a rekindling of romance.

Finn is dealing with his dream by enrolling in college. Mysteriously, Lima suddenly has quite a nice looking institution that accepts Finn mid-year. And Puck (Mark Salling) just happens to be Finn's roommate. Also, the college is a heavy party school, complete with multiple Harlem Shakes, and not only do the guys live it up, they sing a rockin' "(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party!)" that gets them instant membership in a fraternity.

I don't see Finn allowing himself to get distracted so easily, even with Puck around. I also don't like the television trope of a local university all of the sudden showing up, especially one that looks like a respectable school, not a low-rent community college. The frat stuff is just plain dumb.

Puck suddenly has a change of heart late in "Sweet Dreams." After encouraging Finn to have a good time, he tells his best friend to get on track and concentrate on his studies. This comes out of nowhere, and is the opposite attitude displayed earlier in the hour. It is cool to see Puck supporting Finn, and I like to see the two of them together, but since it is out of sync with earlier events, the moment doesn't work.

While Finn is adjusting to school, Will (Matthew Morrison) approaches him to make things right between them. Finn reacts with anger towards Will, which makes no sense. Finn is the one who did wrong, and should just be happy that Will is finally able to accept his apology and move on. What right does Finn have to be mad?

Eventually, Finn and Will make up, after a very unprofessional and out of character rant towards the New Directions from Will, and they return to coach the club together, as partners. Finn hasn't earned the right to be a partner yet, and I'm surprised the college is allowing a student who is blowing off tests to take on an outside project. But that's how the story goes, apparently. The resolution is somewhat good, but everything leading up to it stinks, lacking any sense of logic.

Also, since when did Regionals happen so late in the school year? In the past, it's been shortly after Valentine's Day. Story-wise, we're quite a bit past that point. This also makes no sense, and likely means that the New Directions won't reach Nationals this year, there being not enough time left to have one lead into the other.

My biggest question though is how they're going to deal with graduation. Are they going to skip a couple of months ahead, or just pretending Regionals happens right around commencement time?

The New Directions are in good shape for Regionals because Marley is finally ready to bring out the original songs she has been penning. I like this plot twist for her, and it feels a lot more natural than Glee's earlier attempt at original music, written by the group hours before taking the stage, and still sounding OK. This development just fits her part so well.

Marley is a soulful individual, and it doesn't really come as a surprise when she admits to being a budding song writer. Although some of her classmates' strange behavior post-shooting, such as Sam's (Chord Overstreet) invention of a "twin" brother Evan Evans, doesn't make sense, Marley's story does. Plus, it's a catalyst for the story to move forward.

Even better, the music is pretty decent. We hear two of her compositions in "Sweet Dreams, "You Have More Friends Than You Know" and "Outcast." Neither are super memorable on their own, but they sound totally in synch with contemporary music and the stuff the New Directions routinely performs. I don't think Glee albums will suddenly get much radio play, but at least it feels tonally in keeping with the rest of the series.

Lastly, new Cheerios coach Roz Washington (NeNe Leakes, returning now that she's done with The New Normal for the season) gets suspicious of Sue's (Jane Lynch) departure from the school. She thinks Blaine (Darren Criss) has something to do with it, which is way off base, but it does cause Becky (Lauren Potter) to slip enough for Blaine to get an uneasy feeling, too.

I don't think that Roz will be the one to solve the Sue mystery, but that's okay. Her presence and character are a fitting placeholder during Sue's absence. I didn't realize I missed her until she appears again in "Sweet Dreams," but it will be interesting to see if she's allowed to do anything in her new role, or just warm Sue's seat.

Blaine, on the other hand, will likely be the tool that fixes the Sue problem. As stated in last week's review, I hate to see Becky take the fall, but Sue's name needs to be cleared. Blaine acting as the detective is consistent with other plots he has had this season, and allows main characters to be the agents of change, rather than a guest star. I think this is definitely the right way to go for this arc.

So, despite some major missteps in the Finn/Will story, "Sweet Dreams" manages to be a solid installment of Glee. We have movement on several fronts, at least four of the five songs are enjoyable, and the characters are finally growing pretty defined this season after years of strange twists that didn't make sense. Four years in, with only the February sweeps episodes this year being terrible, Glee may be finding its footing and charting a great path for the next two seasons (at least), for which it has already been renewed.

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