BEYOND What?

Article first published as BEYOND Review on Seat42F.

Freeform has a new supernatural drama this week called BEYOND. A man wakes up from a twelve-year coma in perfect health, no muscle atrophy or anything. So maybe he wasn’t in a coma, as some who seek him out suggest. Also, he now has some crazy powers, and people who seem pretty shady are after him. Essentially, it’s a lot of mystery and chaos wrapped in what feels like a YA series, though this one isn’t based on any book.

The main character is Holden Matthews (Burkely Duffield, House of Anubis). Holden is about to become a high schooler when whatever happens to him happens. Waking up, he remembers nothing of the last twelve years, except for confusing flashes of images that indicate he did more than just sleep. It’s hard for him to piece that together, though, while trying to readjust to his family and getting pulled into something bigger.

The first thing that strikes me about the central family in BEYOND is that they don’t feel real. Mother Diane (Romy Rosemont, Glee) is nurturing and father Tom (Michael McGrady, Ray Donovan) is involved with his kids, and yet, Holden is allowed to go out on a school night, riding a motorcycle and drinking beer. I’m sorry, but if the parents were as good as they seem to be, I don’t think all that would happen, especially not to a boy who seems so interested in science and space, who probably wouldn’t want to do those things at that age anyway. Maybe I’m just sheltered, but the characters don’t seem consistent or well through-thru.

It’s interesting that BEYOND chooses to recast all the central players from its opening to its twelve-years-later story. The kids have grown, sure, especially Holden’s younger brother, Luke (Jonathan Whitesell, The 100), so they should be different actors. But Tom and Diane also change. I can’t think of another show that makes this decision, though I don’t mind it. Given the seemingly low-budget quality of the production, the money is better spent on ‘big’ action sequences rather than trying to convincingly de-age a couple of performers.

Where things really fall apart for me is just the lack of engagement of the plot or characters. Holden is our lead that the audience needs to get behind, but we don’t really see anything in him that makes us like or root for him. Things happen to him, but aside from a few goofy moments with Luke and certain love interest Willa (Dilan Gwyn, Dracula Untold), we get little insight into his personality. Why are we supposed to care about Holden? What is his motivation?

The rest of the cast isn’t much better. There may be something weird going on with the family, given how well they’ve apparently adjusted during Holden’s absence. Willa is definitely into the deeper mythology, and while my instinct is that we can trust her, it’s probably too early to know that for sure. Holden’s childhood best friend, Kevin (Jordan Calloway, Unfabulous), is not an upstanding citizen. I don’t see anything in any of them to hook me.

I guess BEYOND is trying to really bank on its mystery, and that’s fine as long as it has strong characters along for the ride. It doesn’t. The pacing is slow, and the story is more confusing than compelling. I don’t know what’s going on after watching the pilot, and I’m sure I’m not meant to, but the problem with this series is that I don’t care to find out, either.

The entire first season of BEYOND, all ten episodes, will be available streaming on Hulu and the cable network’s app on premiere day, ready for binging, and this may work in its favor. With the next episode readily accessible, some viewers may decide to just keep going or allow auto-play to do its thing. However, I feel no compulsion to continue through the nine episodes made available to press, so I would suspect some who do stick it out will feel like their time has been wasted in the end. I could be wrong, but BEYOND fails to make me want to find out.

BEYOND premieres tomorrow on Freeform, and all episodes will be immediately available streaming as well.

"Bad Luck" For GRIMM Fans

Article originally written for Seat42F.

GRIMM returns on NBC this week with “Bad Luck.” It begins by picking up right where the previous installment left off, with Nick (David Giuntoli) finding out that Juliette (Bitsie Tulloch) is a Hexenbiest. From here, there is some play on the program’s serial arcs, but most of the hour is taken up by yet another case-of-the-week that really doesn’t figure into the large scheme of things.

I don’t know why GRIMM has reverted to all of these stand-alone stories, but it’s becoming quite frustrating. At its best, the show unravels a cool narrative with a deep mythology. But far too often the concentration has been on isolated crimes that are solved at the end of an hour, reigniting a worry I had at the start about the direction the show will take. This worry was alleviated for awhile, but has now returned stronger than ever. This seems especially apparent this season, as in the past there were fewer of these type of hours. There are plenty of formulaic crime shows on television; we don’t need another one, even if Nick is technically a cop. Why is GRIMM wasting our time?

“Bad Luck” is a prime example of my complaint. It teases us with a Nick / Juliette story, then immediately starts following a murderer that is hunting rabbit-like Wesens. He cuts off their left foot, which is supposed to bring good luck in fertility. It’s a brutal, archaic practice, and Nick, Hank (Russell Hornsby), and Wu (Reggie Lee) track him down and stop him. Case closed, and we’ll likely never see these characters again.

What’s the point of that? Besides getting a too-brief glimpse of Romy Rosemont (Glee) playing the matriarch of the hunted clan, what benefit does the central plot of “Bad Luck”provide? Does this story matter in the larger picture of GRIMM? No. While viewers long to get back to the crumbling relationship, with Nick making an effort to accept the new Juliette and Juliette not allowing him to because of her own anger at the situation, instead we waste time with a local murder and kidnapping. Nick isn’t the type to just take Henrietta’s (Garcelle Beauvais) word that Juliette can’t be saved. Why isn’t he devoting more effort into solving the problem?

The episode further messes with fans by dropping a Renard (Sasha Roiz) / Adalind (Claire Coffee) scene in the middle in which Adalind has seemingly switched sides, turning on Viktor.  This is a pretty big development, if true, and shifts the dynamics of the struggle. The threatened revolution against the royal family only gets more intense as a baby’s life hangs in the balance. So why can’t we spend time on that? It certainly rates more than a minute or two in the middle of a full hour.

“Bad Luck” ends with an even more startling revelation: Adalind is pregnant with Nick’s baby! This is huge! We don’t know what a hybrid Hexenbiest / Grimm would look like, or how that could affect the balance of power in GRIMM’s universe. We also don’t know how this will affect Nick and Juliette, who are already on the outs, though I don’t see Nick taking up with Adalind, even if she is bearing his child, because they hate one another. 

Unfortunately, rather than exploring the vast implications of such a development, I’ve lost faith in GRIMM seeing it through. We’ll probably still continue to get a few minutes per episode that deal with the bigger arcs. But when the vast majority of the time is spent on matters that don’t pertain strongly to our leads, keeping us away from the far more interesting stories, it becomes hard to continue to watch. GRIMM was a solid series and could be so again, but right now, if I wasn’t writing about it, I’d seriously consider quitting watching it. A few great bits, such as the tie-in to the lucky rabbit’s foot myth, a character that could be called Peter Rabbit, and the young girl in distress defending herself instead of letting holier-than-thou Nick save her, do not make up for the larger mess.

GRIMM airs Fridays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.

Glee Celebrates "A Wedding"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 Doesn't Fumble With "The Quarterback"

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

Before I begin this review of the Glee’s ”The Quarterback,” I would like to say it was not a perfect episode. A few of the structural elements didn’t quite lineup, some things landed a little too squarely on the nose, cheesiness leaked out occasionally, and Will (Matthew Morrison) stealing the letter jacket and then sternly telling Puck (Mark Salling) to give it back, in a private moment no less, didn’t work.

That being said, those issues were minor, and overall “The Quartback” delivered the emotional punch it needed to do, causing tears throughout, and moving anyone with a soul. It’s hard to criticize too harshly the most emotional episode of the series thus far, and so I’m mentioning those little bits up front to keep the rest of the article free from complaints, which don’t really seem appropriate or entirely deserved in this tribute episode.

Cory Monteith, the actor who played Finn Hudson on Glee died this summer, apparently of a drug overdose. “The Quarterback,” the third episode of Glee‘s fifth season, deals with the aftermath of Finn’s death. Set weeks later, this installment doesn’t reveal why Finn is dead, but instead dwells on the pain of those who loved him, a raw look at actual, authentic feelings express by the co-stars who were so fond of the man, resulting in a melding of reality rarely possible on television.

Some will complain that Glee doesn’t say how Finn died, but really, what does it matter? The writers could use this hour to get preachy about drugs, Finn was clean, so it doesn’t seem believable to saddle him with the same problem as his portrayer. And to stage a car wreck or other event would feel false and gimmicky, and so I do think the decision to skip over that, and even have a character say it doesn’t matter how he died, is an interesting, brave, and smart one.

“The Quarterback” opens with a tear-inducing performance of “Seasons of Love” from the musical Rent. Evoking themes of death and grief, most of the student characters come together, starting with those less important to Finn, and slowly moving towards his closest friends. Rachel (Lea Michelle) is absent from the number, as is Quinn (Dianna Agron), but everyone else who should be there is there.
One hopes that Agron was invited back and just was not able to make it work, schedule-wise, though some reports have said she was not asked. Quinn was an important character in Finn’s life, vital enough to get mentioned in the hour. Her absence here is regrettable.

Heather Morris, who plays Brittany, sat out, too, but Brittany never had a strong connection with Finn, so it was understandable. Plus, Morris just had a baby. The rest of the cast, though, came back, with Puck, Mercedes (Amber Riley), and even Mike Chang (Harry Shum Jr.) as part of the “Seasons of Love” number.

Rachel appears two-thirds of the way through the episode, returning to McKinley to take part in the memorial. Her “Make You Feel My Love” is powerful. Michele was dating Monteith in real life, and this shows through in the bold performance, clearly channeling her own emotional state, and honoring him in a very real way. There is only pain and grief, no resentment, and it’s such a charged sequence that one can see why it was saved for late in the episode, and why Rachel isn’t used too heavily elsewhere.

Others also get to sing to Finn. Mercedes does “I’ll Stand By You,” a number Finn himself sang in the early days of the show. Artie (Kevin McHale) and Sam (Chord Overstreet) croon “Fire and Rain.” Santana sobs through “If I Die Young.” Puck delivers “No Surrender.” I like that the older characters were used for these pieces, and while music was not the whole focus of the episode, it made sense to continue the themes of Glee in this manner.

Bigger than the songs, though, other than “Make You Feel My Love” and “Seasons of Love,” were the character moments, in which we saw sadness overtake people fans have come to care deeply about. Several sequences played out this way, and gave us not only great, memorable performances, but also a way to remember Finn.

Kurt (Chris Colfer), Burt (Mike O’Malley), and Carole (Romy Rosemont) share a private scene in which they talk about their fallen son and brother, sorting through the things in Finn’s room. Rosemont is startlingly good, even better than she’s ever been before, in making the viewer feel the loss of a child. O’Malley gets some gems in. And while I wondered if Kurt might step forward to offer comfort in that Carole can still have him for a son, I’m glad that didn’t happen, as other relationships did not need to distract from Finn. This family will go on, but not easily.

Will also broke down, with Emma (Jayma Mays) finding him bawling over Finn’s letter-man jacket. Finn and Will went through a rough patch last year, and it’s a relief they had resolved things before Monteith left the series. They were friends as well as anything else, both on screen and off, and Will gives a realistic portrayal of a teacher losing a beloved student, staying strong for those who count on him, but wallowing privately, in a pain he feels he can’t show.

Puck was Finn’s best friend, and with his anger issues, he had to be handled differently. “The Quarterback” finds him stealing Finn’s memorial tree, and wanting to take the jacket. He can’t bring himself to hurt anyone else, though, having learned how to be a good person. It takes Beiste (Dot-Marie Jones) to remind Puck that Finn helped Puck grow, but that Puck can continue to do so on his own.

The most heart-wrenching bit, though, goes to Santana’s confrontation with Sue (Jane Lynch). Longtime viewers know that Sue cares a lot more than she pretends to. Even taking down Finn’s memorial after a week wasn’t done out of spite, though that is what sets Santana off enough to storm in and chew out (and assault) Sue in a way Santana would never have dared to do as a student. Sue isn’t trying to be cruel, and while some of what Santana says rings true, Sue doesn’t deserve to be blasted apart like this.

There is a bit of redemption, though, when after Sue allows the memorial to go back up and Santana returns to apologize, Sue admits Finn didn’t know she liked him. Sue is tough because she pushes kids to succeed. Her ways are often misguided and not the best, but she really is trying, something easy to overlook during her more tyrannical exploits. The fact is, though, in Finn’s death, Sue hurts, too. Losing Finn, which she calls a senseless waste, is tough on her, and Lynch does a brilliant job of conveying that without losing her character.

In all, “The Quarterback” is a masterstroke, an installment that Glee had every right to drop the ball on, but instead soared beyond anyone’s expectations. It’s a little voyeuristic to be watching the real sadness, but it’s also cathartic, coming together in tribute. Finn may not have been the best character in the show, but his absence will be felt, and if there was any doubt of that, this installment wipes that way.

Now, we get a little time off for everything to sink in before the story resumes. After all, as Finn said, now memorialized in a plaque in the choir room, “The show must go on… all over the place… or something,” a funny and appropriate quote.

Glee will return in a few weeks on FOX.

WE ARE MEN Pilot Review

Article first published as WE ARE MEN Review on Seat42F.

CBS’s WE ARE MEN is sort of like Sex and the City with guys. Four buddies meet in an apartment complex inhabited by divorced men and wannabe actresses, stick together, and offer emotional support through a tough time. They still act like boys, not girls, but the camaraderie and their various romantic partners certainly evoke the comparison.

As the show begins, Carter (Chris Smith, Paranormal Activity 3) is at the altar with his bride, Sara (Fiona Gubelmann, Wilfred). A man runs in before they say “I do,” and Sara runs off with him, leaving Carter broken and sad. That’s when Carter moves into the apartment and meets the others.

It’s not the most original start. After all, Rachel ran away from her wedding at the start of Friends, and Alex left Dave at the altar in the Happy Endings premiere. But it serves its purpose, putting Carter in the right situation to get the premise rolling, and the way that WE ARE MEN’s “Pilot” comes back around at the end of the half hour makes the whole thing mostly worth it, even if it does seem familiar. Plus, a small guest appearance by Alan Ruck (Spin City) is a great feather in one’s cap in any installment, let alone at the beginning, and as a priest to boot!

Carter soon meets three neighbors who have also not been able to make marriage work for them. There’s Gil (Kal Penn, House), a guy who picked the worst mistress ever, Stuart (Jerry O’Connell, Jerry Maguire), whose first wife is now his second wife’s divorce attorney, and Frank (Tony Shaloub, Monk), whose many brides tend to stay the same age, even as he grows older, and is currently into Asians. They instantly take Carter under their wing, and their little club is born.

Smith may not be well known, but Penn, O’Connell, and Shaloub are. Their names alone are enough to garner at least two episode watches, and the chemistry they have here is fantastic. They really do feel like a bunch of buddies, regular guys, each selfish in their own wants and needs, but willing to offer a helping hand when they aren’t too focused on their next lay. They razz one another, but they care, which is proven by the end of the “Pilot.”

Now, yes, the dynamic comes together a little too fast. Two months pass during the “Pilot,” but it doesn’t feel like that, with everything moving so quickly. Even though the other three guys’ friendship with each other feels authentic, it does seem a little too soon for Carter to be part of the group in any meaningful way.

However, the show is funny, and it has charm. I really enjoyed watching the men hang out and get into trouble, and there’s a certain bit of fantasy in four guys with their own closely-located apartments, doing whatever they want without anyone bringing them down or trying to control them. There’s also a “glad that’s not me” component, sure to add emotion into characters, who clearly are not well-skilled at showing their feelings, especially when negative ones threaten to overwhelm them. It should be a good combination.

The list of recurring actors already involved is impressive. Besides Gubelmann, whom we’ll surely see again, and Ruck, which I certainly hope for a repeat visit from, Romy Rosemont (Glee) and Dave Foley (The Kids in the Hall) show up as Carter’s parents. If this is the kind of talent that wants to be involved in WE ARE MEN, than it is a promising sitcom indeed.

This “Pilot” does have its issues. The plot seems a little like fluff, there isn’t a clear direction for the story, and Carter’s inevitable romance sometime this season with Frank’s daughter, Abby (Rebecca Breeds, Home and Away), is predictable and groan-inducing. But there are some genuinely funny bits and the central quartet is strong, so it definitely has the potential to be pretty decent. It at least ranks in the middle of the pack of this year’s freshman comedies.

WE ARE MEN premieres Monday, September 30^th at 8:30 p.m. ET on CBS.

"On My Way" to Glee

FOX's Glee ends its winter run in a big way with "On My Way." Karofsky (Max Adler) attempts suicide, rocking both the New Directions and the Warblers. This puts their petty feuding into perspective, leading to a unified front at Regionals in supporting a charity to help others like Karofsky. It also is another contributing factor in Rachel (Lea Michele) and Finn's (Cory Monteith) march to the altar. The pair pushes up the ceremony to just after Regionals, as their parents scramble to prevent it. And on the way to the wedding, Quinn (Dianna Agron) is involved in a horrific car wreck while texting and driving. 

Glee will never be blamed for not doing enough to promote a stop to the bullying of teens, especially gay ones. Karofsky's arc in "On My Way" almost comes to a tragic end, as he feels shamed enough to try to take his own life. It's with great relief that his father (Daniel Roebuck) catches him in time, and saves the lad. The scene is emotional, powerful, and one that no viewer will soon forget, especially with Blaine's (Darren Criss) haunting "Cough Syrup" laid over it. It is an excellent moment for Glee.

It's also a transformational moment for Max Adler. Originally introduced as a stereotypical bully, the character of Karofsky has really grown into a fan favorite, and deservedly so. His arc, which climaxes in "On May Way," not only affects every character on the series, as well as every viewer at home, but surely deserves at least an Emmy nomination for Best Guest Actor. This young man plays Karofsky in such a way that will tug at every heart string. It's no wonder that the characters rally around him, offering their support in their own ways, even after what he has done to them.

Also stand out is the scene where Kurt (Chris Colfer) visits Karofsky in the hospital. Kurt and Karofsky are not meant to be together, but their growing friendship is certainly a Glee highlight. Given the circumstances leading up to the suicide attempt, Kurt should not blame himself for not answering Karofsky's calls. He comes to see him, and that's what Karofsky needs.

The biggest impact comes when Kurt helps Karofsky imagine what might happen in a few years, and how his life could change for the better. One can easily picture hundreds of gay teens glued to their television sets, picturing their own futures, identifying with both guys, and wishing for their own happy ending. Glee delivers the ultimate "It Gets Better" video in this sequence. And it really does get better, and will only get more so as society adjusts away from this latest form of bigotry. If "On My Way" prevents a few real suicides by offering that hope, the series has more than proven its worth.

What is really surprising is how Sebastian (Grant Gustin) changes. He has taken over the villain role on Glee, but that comes to a abrupt halt this week. Sebastian previously insults Karofsky in a bar, and that comes back to jar him in "On My Way." He deals with his own guilty feelings. Will the change be permanent? Probably not, and who would want it to? Television needs bad guys to stay interesting. But it's great to see that Sebastian has some depth to him, and is not wholly two-dimensional.

"On My Way" contains a great moment for the staff, as Principal Figgins (Iqbal Theba) gathers Sue (Jane Lynch), Will (Matthew Morrison), Emma (Jayma Mays), and Bieste (Dot Marie Jones) in his office to discuss how to handle the Karofsky's situation. Each teacher feels somewhat responsible for not seeing it coming, and also compassion for their students. Their reactions are professional, but also show the deep personal connection educators feel to the children that they work with. In fact, it's among the finest behavior shown by their characters. If they were like this every day, they would be ideal teachers, instead of the caricatures they sometimes are reduced to.

Will is not at his finest in "On My Way." He sits the New Directions down to talk to them about suicide. Not only does he not tell his students that they can always call on him, which is what he should be doing, but he also tells a lame story about considering the final act of desperation himself after getting caught cheating on a test. Not even a test that will get him into college or anything, just a standard test for a class. It does not come across as sincere, and doesn't live up to the moment that it should be.

Facing change in "On My Way" is Sue. She is pregnant, somehow, and the father has still not been revealed. This softens her up considerably, allowing logic to easily be forgotten in favor of an engrossing story, and some character development. In the end, she even offers to help the New Directions win at Nationals, and claims there is no catch to her motives. Could she really be sincere? If Sue brings to bear her formidable coaching talents, which have won many a Cheerios national title, and doesn't try to sabotage them in some way, the group should be unstoppable. What an exciting prospect! And also a fitting, satisfying, happy ending to the three year arc of many of the characters. This would truly be a full circle moment for Sue, and one cannot help but wish that this spirit is genuine.

Quinn returns to focus in "On My Way." Looking forward to soon head off to Yale, she tries to leave things good between herself and her classmates. She does this by offering sympathy concerning Karofsky, and being less judgmental about Rachel's wedding. The scene where she asks Rachel if she is still welcome at Rachel's wedding is sweet, and reminds viewers of what these two characters have built over the years. It's not exactly friendship, but there is a special bond between them. Sue allowing her back on the Cheerios is just icing on the cake. Things put in order, Quinn can happily move on.

And then the car wreck happens. Setting aside the anti-texting-while-driving message that Glee is touting, which is probably an important one for teens, though not particularly appealing, how will this change the course of Quinn's life? The challenges she's had to overcome deal with body image and pregnancy. Is Glee really going to ask for more of her when her victory is so near? It seems a little off that Quinn gets into Yale, but now that fans have accepted that twist, would Glee dare to take that accomplishment, a reward for all the work she has done on herself, away? And certainly any chance of her cheerleading again is now gone.

Might Glee kill Quinn off? It seems unlikely, especially coming so soon after Karofsky's close call. It would also extend a depressing tone into at least one more consecutive episode, which doesn't seem like a move that Glee would make. However, the series should definitely consider it. Agron has had a nice run, and her death could really put things into perspective for many characters, even more so than Karofsky's. It would also give a Nationals victory, dedicated to Quinn, of course, even more umph. If the actress is going to depart the show soon anyway, why not leave in such a way that she will be fondly remembered for, and as a deeply powerful motivator?

Besides Quinn's wreck, the other cliffhanger in "On My Way" is whether or not Rachel and Finn will go through with their wedding. As the episode closes, it is time for them to take the plunge. They are at the courthouse, surrounded by family and friends and Sue. Both characters seem ready to go for it, with none of the hesitation or doubts that have plagued the past few episodes. In fact, Glee almost goes to lengths to get fans on board with the matrimony, something that hasn't really been attempted until this episode. So is the deal done? It seems certain, unless news of Quinn reaches them beforehand, which wouldn't be realistic.

The wild cards here are Burt (Mike O'Malley), Carole (Romy Rosemont), Leroy (Brian Stokes Mitchell), and Hiram (Jeff Goldblum). Setting aside that Burt has not been in Finn's life long enough to react so strongly, what plan might these four come up with? Carole is slowly getting on board with the marriage, and possibly Leroy, too, but Burt and Hiram are dead set against it. What will they do to try to stop the wedding? It would be very unlikely that they would come around this late in the game, and keep their mouths shut, barring something happening to change their mind. And there simply isn't time for that. But will whatever they do actually change Rachel and / or Finn's mind?

By the way, are we to assume that Hiram and Leroy have been at all of the New Directions' events, just unseen up til now? For their characters to be absent seems unlikely, and their attendance at Regionals really makes the hole left by them over the past two and a half years really felt. It is a big mistake to wait until now to bring them into the story, though it's too late to fix that. Thank goodness the course correction is happening now, but it feels a little too late.

As far as music goes, "On My Way" delivers pretty well, though most of the episode is lacking song. There is merely one performance outside of the Regionals contest, and that is Blaine's aforementioned number. While powerful in context, one gets the impression that it might not have stood so well on its own. Context does matter, though, so it gets a passing, but not spectacular, grade.

The Warblers are a bit of a let down while performing "Stand" and "Glad You Came" for their Regionals entry. The group is severely lacking strong leadership without Blaine this year. Sebastian is an interesting character, perhaps, but he pales in comparison on fronting the group. Neither song choice is particularly impressive or memorable, and it's a relief that the Warbler's third number is omitted.

The New Directions, of course, are much better. "Fly"/"I Believe I Can Fly" is a cool mash-up that features six different members of the glee club! The second song, "What Doesn't Kill You (Stronger)," is, as promised, for the Troubletones, with each of the three main New Directions girls in the group getting solo time. Though where did the others come from? They haven't been practicing with the New Directions. One would be forgiven for assuming that they had quit choir until they suddenly show up here.

As great as Rachel does in leading the finale, "Here's to Us," it's also really neat that the so many other members of the group get to shine, too, in the first two songs. It's taken three years, but the other characters have been fleshed out enough to finally take a bit of spotlight of their own, without leaving everything on the shoulders of one girl.

So "On My Way" will stand out as a high point of this season. Not musically, perhaps, but definitely in terms of story and character development, as well as societal impact. Great effort for a mid-season finale.


Glee is taking a break, but will return to FOX in April.

MORE GLEE: If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Click here for all of the Glee reviews I've ever written. To purchase Glee DVDs, streaming episodes, music, and more, please click here. Article first published as TV Review: Glee - "On My Way" on Blogcritics.

Glee considers matters of the "Heart"

FOX's Glee this week focuses on "Heart." Rachel's dads, Hiram (Jeff Goldblum, Jurassic Park, Law & Order: Criminal Intent) and Leroy (Tony Award winner Brian Stokes Mitchell) learn of Rachel (Lea Michele) and Finn's (Cory Monteith) plans to marry. They act very supportive, but secretly plot with Burt (Mike O'Malley) and Carole (Romy Rosemont) to derail the ceremony. Unfortunately for them, their machinations backfire, and the young couple decides they will tie the knot this coming May.

Rachel and Finn are too young to marry. They haven't known each other, or been together, long enough to take this step. They are both going into it for the wrong reasons, which have been expounded upon in depth in previous Glee episode reviews. So it's a little disheartening (hehe) that "Heart" chooses to overlook any of these elements, at least in the minds of the central couple, and instead, focuses on how they get along. Which is splendidly, for now. There is a little bit of a rocky start to a night spent together, but they come through it stronger than ever. Unfortunately.

When are parents going to learn that kids will do what they are going to do? Rachel and Finn are making a mistake, true, but it's far too late for their mom and dads to do anything about it. Hiram drops a few passive-aggressive comments, but other than that, both couples seem set on reverse psychology to undo the impending union. This fails, as all such plans do. How will Hiram, Leroy, Carole, and Burt cope with this, and what is their next move? Or will they just get on board, and do what Rachel and Finn want?

"Heart" introduces Hiram and Leroy to Glee viewers (apparently someone forgot that a picture of Rachel's dads was featured in the pilot, though with different actors). It's hard to think of two better men to play these pivotal roles than Goldblum and Stokes Mitchell. Both are fantastically flamboyant, in a way that fits the situation. As they croon "Chapel of Love" and "You're the Top," it's immediately obvious why Rachel is who she is. The two guys also have delightful chemistry, and it feels like a great home setting for Rachel's character.

Love is in the air at school, too. Artie (Kevin McHale) continues to hate being alone, and sets his sights on Sugar (Vanessa Lengies) as his next possible boo, thinking her Valentine's party is the perfect time to hook up. Unfortunately for Artie, Rory (Damian McGinty) has the same idea, and two end up competing over the girl, who doesn't really seem right for either one of them.

Rory wins Sugar, for now, but does so by lying about his upcoming deportation. Rory has had little to no plot all season, and so it's nice to finally get a little story for him, as well as a song when he uses "Home" to woo Sugar. But this plot seems to come out of nowhere, and his sneakiness doesn't exactly gel with the Rory first introduced all those months ago. While, perhaps, his character has changed from the time spent in Ohio, viewers not having been privy to such a change, or the reason for it, are left confused. This is a very weird plot.

The second Glee Project winner finally makes his debut in "Heart." Joe Hart (hehe again) is played by Samuel Larsen. Joe is an odd character, introduced as uber-religious, but also a bit of a live-and-let-live hippy. It's fun to hear him perform "Stereo Hearts" and a mash up of two songs, both titled "Cherish." Yet, it's totally bizarre when he decides not to judge Santana (Naya Rivera) and Brittany's (Heather Morris) relationship, given his character's introduction. Not only does Joe come out of nowhere, but his odd behavior makes him hard to pinpoint. Sadly, it's not in a complicated, deep manner, but rather, it feels like the writer's just aren't sure what to do with him.

Santana is hauled into Figgins's (Iqbal Theba) office for kissing Brittany in the hall. The broken rule isn't a PDA issue, which would be understandable, but rather, because the girls are lesbians. This kind of bigotry is completely intolerable, and thankfully Glee continues to highlight that. In 2012, homophobia is the new racism, and it's pretty darn ugly. Given what happened in New Jersey this week, this is incredibly relevant to the current news cycle.

Kurt (Chris Colfer) gets a surprise secret admirer in "Heart" when Karofsky (Max Adler) returns. Dressed as a gorilla at first, Karofsky makes a play for his former tormentee. Kurt is flattered, but gently lets him down. It's not surprising that Dave latches onto Kurt, given that Kurt is the only out gay teen Karosky knows while dealing with his internal conflict. It's only surprising that it's taken this long for Dave to act on those feelings. But Kurt is very happy with Blaine (Darren Criss), and Kurt and Karofsky just don't seem like a matching pair, anyway. However, hopefully Karosky will find a reason to return to Glee again soon, because his character arc has been neat, and any screen time for him is welcome.

The assignment Will (Matthew Morrison) gives his kids this week is to study the best love songs of all time. Yet, only two are featured in "Heart," which is pretty disappointing. Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz) and Mike Chang (Harry Shum Jr.) kick things off with "L-O-V-E," a great number, if not really being relevant to any of the episode's stories. Then it's not until Mercedes (Amber Riley) delivers a coincidentally timely (given Whitney Houston's recent passing) rendition of "I Will Always Love You" while pining over Sam (Chord Overstreet), that another example of this theme comes along. This is a truly powerful performance, and well appreciated. But that's it. Other songs, such as the guys' "Let Me Love You," are fun, but nothing deserves the "best" title other than those two numbers.

"Love Shack" is a strong ending for the episode, with Blaine returning in top form, to lead the group in a remarkably enjoyable version of the old pop hit. It surely shouldn't be on a "best love songs" list, but Glee turns it into something really fun with great choreography and tongue-in-cheek jokes. The best moment may be Finn's face as he cheesily pops up into frame near the end. The performance is an appropriate ending, even if it's mainly fluff.

Which is kind of what "Heart" is: fluff. The plots glosses over anything serious or real. The episode is amusing and entertaining. It's not bad, but there is so much missed opportunity here for it to be better.
With the impending end of many characters' runs on Glee, things will probably take a more dramatic turn soon. Maybe even next week, which is the winter finale, and features Regionals. Until then, this is a serviceable, if not overly impressive, entry.

Glee airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on FOX.

MORE GLEE: If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Click here for all of the Glee reviews I've ever written. To purchase Glee DVDs, streaming episodes, music, and more, please click here. Article first published as TV Review: Glee - "Heart" on Blogcritics.