Greetings Jesus gleeks! I'm here and ready to talk about last night's tear-soaked episode of Glee. But first, news that will surely please Mr. Steve Humphrey: as of this week the cast of Glee has broken the Beatles' record as the non-solo act with the most appearances on the Billboard Top 100 (the Beatles have 71, Glee has 75). Now only Elvis Presley and James Brown stand in Glee's way with 108 and 91 respectively. Those Beatles better get their act together and put out some more hits soon or they risk being forgotten!
OK, let's talk last night.
Though not everyone agreed with me that last week's "Britney/Brittany" was the best Glee episode ever I think it's safe to say that Glee has returned for season two as a more confident, self-assured show. So confident that the third episode of the season centers around two heavy topics - crises of faith and losing both parents as a teenager - and basically pulls it off. It's probably clear from my extensive praise last week that I prefer my Glee eps with an undertone of sadness, an overtone of silliness and snark and some serious dancing chops. "Grilled Cheesus" had very little silliness, a whole shitload of sadness and the only one dancing was Puck during his stupid Billy Joel cover.
But! I think it's clear that everyone tunes into Glee for different reasons. In fact, most the show's problems with coherency come from its creators trying to please everybody. Glee is far, far, faaaar from perfect, but - and I really believe this - the unflinching sincerity at the heart of the show and its performances give it the power to be funnier, more touching and subversive to a wider audience than most shows on television. It's that sincerity that propels a moment like the cast singing an song like "One of Us" from unwatchable and embarrassing to poignant and embarrassing.
Yes, there was little silliness in this episode, but that which was there was pretty great. What could've been totally tired and cliche in Finn's Grilled Cheesus storyline was carried by his vacant, schoolboy stare. I loved him thanking Grilled Cheesus after touching Rachel's boob and confessing to Emma the terrible power the sandwich granted him.
That was about it for the fun. The chain of Kurt's dad going into a coma, Kurt's rendition of "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" and his Burt's fingers wrapping around his (another cliche moment that the show pulled off gracefully) made me teary-eyed. Of all the relationships in the show the emotional groundwork the writers have done between Burt and Kurt has been the most successful. That paid off in an episode like this where any other similar relationship being potentially severed - Finn and his mom, Rachel and one of her dads - would not have packed the emotional wallop. It was genuinely sad stuff that I'm afraid the show will treat dismissively next episode as it focuses on something different.
The other big thing theme last night was religion. I got excited at Finn's initial revelation that this episode would highlight contemporary Christian pop or something but instead it just led to some awkward debate. I appreciate that Glee is tackling the issue of faith and the fact that all the kids were cool with being from different faiths was nice to see. That said, was anyone else surprised at the way Kurt and Sue's atheism/agnosticism was treated? I, like Kurt, would have been pissed if everyone was trying to push me toward the church in my time of need. It felt dismissive of his point of view as if finding strength outside of the Church was naive. A rousing rendition of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" would not melt my cold, Godless heart, nor would someone singing songs from Yentl over my father's hospital bed. I also took issue with the fact that Sue's atheism was seen as mere bitterness waiting to be cured. Not like Glee has a responsibility to be a message-show where all faiths are included and respected by proxy but I was a little put off.
That said, I thought this was another solid episode. More fun, singing and dancing would be nice, but the fact that Glee went for the heartstrings without resorting to sheer melodrama or histrionics proves to me that the show is growing. What was your guys' take on the sad Glee and the whole religion thing?
Stray notes and quotes
Finn uses a George Forman grill to dry his shoes.
Kurt dressed like Pee Wee Herman as a child.
Not feeling the music selections this time out. "Losing My Religion"? "One of Us"? "Bridge Over Troubled Water?" It was like they used whatever songs came to mind first. I like it when Glee refrains from picking thuddingly obvious selections and digs into the back catalogs a bit. I don't need to see these kids singing "Jesus is Just Alright" or "Spirit in the Sky" or whatever.
Does conservative America see advocates for the separation of Church and State the way Sue came across during her speech?
Where'd the casting director find little Kurt for the flashback sequence? That kid was perfect!
"Dear Grilled Cheesus, first of all you're super delicious..."
"Thanks for what? That it didn't come out a lizard baby?"