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The Glee-Full Gab
The Purple Piano Project
By Becca
Glee’s first episode of Season 3 wasn’t perfect, but it did a lot of things right. Let’s get what it did wrong out of the way first—Emma’s still afraid of sex? Blaine wore a bowtie with a polo shirt? Quinn thinks Ryan Seacrest is erotic? Okay, now that those are out of our system, let’s take a deep breath and dig into the good parts, which is about 99% of the episode from my perspective.
First of all, isn’t a happy Kurt so, so much more refreshing than an angst-filled one?
The confidence he exuded did wonders for him, and I consider that a vote in favor of steady, consistent relationships on a television show rather than always going for drama. I laughed at the writers’ attempts to make Blaine’s transfer seem less rushed by slipping Kurt a line about how they’d been talking about it over the summer, and Blaine had said he’d make the decision on the first day of school. The couple’s competitive banter was pretty darn adorable—I wish my husband and I were half that witty when we’re gabbing over a cup of coffee. Heck, Kurt’s so joyful, he climbed furniture twice in this episode, just like his boyfriend always does. He practically threw himself on top of a piano when the purple monsters made their first entrance into the choir room, and both he and Blaine were seated on one by the end of “You Can’t Stop the Beat.”
Yes, yes, Kurt still ended up in tears at one point—would it be an episode of Glee if he didn’t? I must say, though, I loved watching Kurt and Rachel get their special snowflake status revoked. They both need wake up calls that they’ve got a lot to work on if they’re to have a chance at achieving their dreams. I really liked Lindsay from the Glee Project’s turn as Harmony, dripping every bit as much of Rachel’s blind ambition with every word she spoke. She and all the Kurt and Rachel clones were hysterical to watch, especially learning that they’d been meeting every month of high school to improve their chances at the New York Academy of the Performing Arts.
Crushed hopes are a great storyline, and if anything, it should make our two Broadway babes more driven than before to succeed.
Quinn’s had a bit of a makeover, huh? Because I sported my own pink do for half of last year, I must give the hair coloring points if only in solidarity.
My cut was way better, though.
Puck’s the only genuine rebel we’ve had on the show before, and seeing Quinn follow that path gives me hope that the two of them might rekindle their connection. What I liked most about Quinn’s new leaf, though, was how Santana, Brittney, and Rachel all reached out to her without judgment (okay, Brittany judged a little). All three extended open invitations to rekindle their friendships and rejoin Glee whenever Quinn’s ready. They didn’t pressure her about it, and I respect that.
However, if Quinn and Santana aren’t friends, then why did she help Santana and the Cheerios torch the piano at the end of “It’s Not Unusual”? That implied some mutual scheming to me. Granted, it could have been a coincidence that Quinn flicked her cigarette in that direction, but that looked like a determined stroll down the steps from my vantage point.
Speaking of the songs, I honestly don’t have much to say about them, except they were all fun. I’d never heard that “Ding Dong the Witch is Dead” version before, and it strengthened my love of cheesy Rachel and Kurt numbers all the more. You all know I’m not getting this image out of my head anytime soon.
What I liked most about “It’s Not Unusual,” however, was the quick flashes of confusion Blaine showed as the Cheerios jumped up to join him and Santana gave him a reassuring pat. The confusion rolled into acceptance of his unexpected backup dancers so fast, I just know Blaine must have thought he found new Pips already.
Sugar Matta gets my approval as a new character. Her “self-diagnosed” Asperger’s is a stroke of genius as an excuse for her to act like an asshole. Her utter faith in her talent reminded me of Lauren Zizes’s confidence in her own bad-assery, though Lauren could back her claims up. That Sugar isn’t at all talented just makes it that much better. Also, I can’t dislike someone who wears the same pants as Blaine, if only a slightly pinker color.
Go ahead, scroll back up and compare them. I’ll wait.
The reigning consensus for Santana choosing Sue and helping sabotage the New Directions’ recruiting efforts is that Sue blackmailed her, threatening to out her if she didn’t place Cheerios first. I have to agree with that interpretation of Sue’s line “Santana, you like playing both sides, isn’t that right? What team are you playing for this year . . . losers or winners?” It even nicely ties into Brittany’s accidental outing of Santana last year, when she really did mean the Cheerios and Glee Club by saying Santana played for the other team. That’s the only motivation for Santana’s betrayal that I can accept, and I really hope that’s what it is.
I’ll end with my favorite one-liner of the episode, which came in the first minute, during Jacob Bin Israel’s postvacation interviews. After Jacob had a hard time believing Artie’s a junior, I cracked up at Artie’s explanation, “Optical illusion–the chair adds a year.”
What were your favorite lines? Did you love the episode? Hate it? I want to know!
See you next Wednesday for the next Glee-Full Gab when we can discuss “I Am Unicorn.”
The Gourmez
Follow me on Twitter @thegourmez or on Facebook at my author page!
Pictures courtesy of TV-Caps.
Tell me Quinn doesn’t look like Material Girl days Madonna?
I love that she has chosen to find some originality and it will be fun to watch who it is that finally reaches her.
Favorite line? Emma: So that’s what getting turned on feels like.
The songs were fun like you said but hardly memorable. Except Ding Dong the Witch is Dead. Best ever. Plus I am a huge Wicked, Wizard of Oz and witch fan to begin with.
Puck needs some action this year.
I found that I felt the season stated more like a whimper than a big bang.
I’d agree with you on Emma’s line if only it were possible to believe that a woman married to John Stamos didn’t know how it felt to be turned on! Quinn totally looks like Material Girl Madonna. I think it was intentional. Are you a bigger fan of the Broadway performances than the pop ones in general? I think I’m pretty 50/50 on them.
I so agree about the John Stamos comment. Emma get’s turned on by Will going off on Sue (which he has done a million times) but not by John Stamos combing his hair, walking or even cleaning teeth? Doesn’t make sense. Sick of the Rachel show. I don’t mind Kurt when he isn’t crying. So glad Blaine did the “Carlton Dance” while performing. I have never been more upset than when I saw Merecedes with her new boyfriend. So only big people can be together? Yeah just put the big fat Black girl with the Big fat Black boy. I am happy to see a Friday Night Lights actor get a job but this just made me so angry. Whatever happen to the Quinn/Merecedes friendship? Do they even talk? Quinn lived with Merecedes for months. Quinn asked for her to be with her while she gave birth yet it’s like those two don’t even know each other. Instead of Rachel going to Quinn asking her to come back to Glee (I was hoping Quinn gave that girl permission to punch Rachel) it should have been Merecedes. Quinn misses Merecedes so much she went and got that Merecedes look-a-like from Good Luck Charlie to be her friend.
That song can NEVER be sung now without the Carlton dance – and I’m glad of it!
I am too old to crush on Blaine (I tell myself), but I look forward to him performing a solo every week… I hope he will!
I was puzzled as well by Quinn helping the Cheerios sabotage the piano. Maybe it will all become clear later.
So glad to see Lindsey – “Harmony” – doing her number. I thought she was great. I didn’t much like her during the “Glee Project,” but I found myself cheering for her!
My middle school son was puzzled by the cafeteria scene – “We’ve Got the Beat” – he can’t imagine why all the kids weren’t dancing and joining in the with the Glee Club members. He says that if it were his school, he would love it! I guess we’re supposed to think that every kid not in the Glee Club has cement between the ears and no sense of music and fun.
I look forward to more of Finn and Puck and Artie and Brittany! I also read that Damian from “Glee Project” will have a story arc soon as an Irish exchange student.
I don’t mean to be too negative, but I found the episode a little, well, meh. Kurt and Rachel killed their song, yes, but besides Blaine, no one else really got to shine. And, I am sorry to say that I completely disagree about Lindsay/Harmony. Her performance made it clear that she is no where near as talented as the rest of the glee cast, either that, or she just did not fit. Maybe it was just mean to give her “Anything Goes” but she did not sing it especially well, and then, having to dance next to all of those pros, well it made me kind of sad for her. I watched her on the glee project, and did not think she was all that great (she was fine, but others were better). I figured that her 2 episode arc, after working with the pros full time on glee would help her out a little. I will say, though, that when she was speaking she was funny, and played the role well. Please don’t hate. I am not hating on Lindsay. I just don’t think she belongs on glee. Maybe some other show…
Sina, if it helps, Mercedes’ boyfriend is her 4th potential romantic interest on the show, and he’s the first to be a big black guy. Crush on Kurt? Skinny white boy. Kurt tries to set her up? Fit black boy. Secret boyfriend? Very fit white boy. Boyfriend? Big black boy. I don’t think they are trying to make a statement about who she should end up with based on that lineup, but feel free to disagree! I totally agree with you that Mercedes doing that scene with Quinn rather than Rachel would have been a million times better. The Quinn/Mercedes friendship is one I’d love to see come back.
Lisa, I try to console myself over my Darren Criss crush all the time by repeating over and over that I’m only 6 years older–that’s not that skeevy, right? Then I realize he’s a celebrity, so it doesn’t matter anyway, and I get over my shame. =)I’m with your son; I’d have a huge grin if anybody pulled out a song and dance number like the new Directions do randomly in front of me. However, I’ve read a bunch of other people say they’d be pissed if someone interrupted their lunch break like that. Different strokes for different folks, I guess!
Barbara, never fear over posting negative comments! All perspectives are welcome. I tend to be pretty positive because it just doesn’t take that much to please me when a show has any aspects I enjoy. For proof, just consider that I’m still watching General Hospital. ,) I agree that there was a lot of focus on Kurt, Rachel, and Blaine, though. I’ll be surprised if the others don’t get more focus in the next couple episodes. I’d really like to know what Puck’s plans are, and if Brittany has any after high school aspirations.
I thought it was a decent premiere. I was happy they’re finally addressing Quinn’s baby issue, and I can’t possibly understand why Blaine would transfer to a school whe people harrass people who are different, when he was happy at a school where they accepted everyone…
Oh (and I only know this because I use closed captioning), Quinn said her tattoo was IRONIC
Yeah Merecedes has had other love interest. We only saw a glimpse of her being happy with Sam but for the first time she is happy with Tink. I just wish it was with Michael B. Jordon!
Is Michael B. Jordan the hot black guy Kurt tried to set her up with? Because yeah, he was hot. That’s reason enough for me to prefer Mercedes with him. ,)We’ll see how their relationship shapes out in the next few episodes. So far, it was almost cheesier than Kurt and Blaine in love, and I don’t know if I can handle that.
Jennie, I’m stoked the baby storyline is coming back. Quinn was my favorite in Season 1, and completely ignoring the baby last season was so WTF, you know? I can’t wait to see how the more sappy Puck we got this past season reacts too.