Inexplicably popular Salon writer Heather Havrilesky says, Glee falls apart

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 4/14/10 at 9:18pm

What I (and that's Phyllis Rogers Stone in that I) wonder is why everyone is so surprised that the show they LOVED has come back and is the same show. The same EXACT show.

On to Heather's highlights -

Last night's return drew its biggest crowd ever, but why did we bother? Instead of offering us a few new twists and turns, we've got Rachel mooning over Finn (again), Mr. Schuester and his sweetheart separated by the fates (again), and Sue Sylvester doing her same old "I'll get you, my little pretty!" routine...

And speaking of repetition, what was the cliffhanger from the first part of season? Oh yeah, the glee club will disappear if they don't win sectionals. And now? The glee club will disappear if they don't win regionals....

Even Sue Sylvester's parody of Madonna's "Vogue" only had one or two amusing moments to it, the rest wasn't a parody so much as an inferior copy...




Ouch Updated On: 4/14/10 at 09:18 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/14/10 at 9:20pm

What's Glee?

[supportivemom]

Posted: 4/14/10 at 9:22pm

Personally- I don't watch for the storyline- I watch for the musical numbers!

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 4/14/10 at 9:31pm

She nails it. I thought that last night. There were all of these storylines that I hated that they tied up at the end of fall finale. I thought maybe it would be saved. They basically undid everything that they fixed. Will isn't completely over his wife and still not with Emma. Finn is not over Quinn and still playing games with Rachel. Sue is back like nothing happened. Thank goodness I only watch for the music and random guest stars.

[Marquise]

Posted: 4/14/10 at 9:34pm

Personally I don't understand why people who say they don't like this show spent an awful lot of time thinking, analyzing, dissecting and discussing it. Wouldn't it be better to use all that energy and focus your attention on something you truly like and enjoy?

What is there to analyze? It's a harmless television show.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 4/14/10 at 9:37pm

I'm not even watching it anymore, but it's unavoidable.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 4/14/10 at 9:39pm

Well, personally, I keep watching it, hoping that it will get better (which I REALLY want it to) but it keeps disappointing me week after week.

Posted: 4/14/10 at 10:11pm

When Saturday Night Live got it's first flush of success and critics first started reporting it wasn't funny any more, Lorne Michaels said that the show was a puppy and everyone loves a puppy but when ti grows up, not everyone loves the dog it becomes. Well Said, Lorne.

I'd say there are only two stories entertainment writers can tell: 'Why aren't you watching this wonderful show?' and 'How can so many people watch that crappy show?'

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 4/14/10 at 10:20pm

But it's the same show it was a few weeks ago.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 4/14/10 at 10:34pm

And, of course, there's one of the most American of trends that will occur: building something up and then tearing it down.

I think the show needs a miracle to be good and have thought so for months now. But alas people LOVE it.

Updated On: 4/14/10 at 10:34 PM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 4/14/10 at 11:51pm

I'm convinced now that no one REALLY dislikes it. It's impossible to dislike. People just claim to dislike to because they think they can get attention that way, but they secretly love it, like everyone else.

Because if they really disliked it, they would ignore it.

But they don't, so they don't!

[Q]

Posted: 4/14/10 at 11:52pm

Avoiding the show is easy, avoiding the hype is an entirely different thing.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 4/14/10 at 11:57pm

My new rule: Anyone who discusses Glee, de facto loves Glee, despite any protestations to the contrary.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 4/14/10 at 11:59pm

No, that only works for homophobes being homophiles.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 4/15/10 at 12:00am

See? My point proven by analogy!

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 4/15/10 at 12:06am

Anal-olgy!

On a side note, I can't sit idly by and let Heather Havrilesky be declared "inexplicably popular." I never ever read Salon, I forget it even exists until one of you mooks links it every six months and then I promptly forget about it again. But Heather. I have been a fan since Suck.com.

Even Sue Sylvester's parody of Madonna's "Vogue" only had one or two amusing moments to it, the rest wasn't a parody so much as an inferior copy.

Heather and I are in perfect agreement.

Updated On: 4/15/10 at 12:06 AM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 4/15/10 at 12:27am

You love it, admit it!

And I think the thread title was poorly punctuated.

What it really meant to say was:

"Inexplicably popular!" Salon writer Heather Havrilesky says."Glee falls apart [from the rest of the pack!"

See? Heather loves it too! OR SHE WOULD IGNORE IT!

Updated On: 4/15/10 at 12:27 AM

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 4/15/10 at 12:37am

Well, that line of thinking would explain a lot. I think I understand YOU a little better now.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 4/15/10 at 12:38am

You know, I do ignore it. I was watching something on DVR last night and when it ended, the set was on Fox and Glee popped on as it was airing. I saw Lea Michelle say some line of dialogue, looking winsome, and I got a queasy feeling in my stomach and changed the channel.

There aren't THAT many things in the world that give me a such a visceral negative response, but GLEE is definitely one of them (GLAAD is another). Something about the show makes me feel sick. I felt that way when I watched the pilot, I felt that way when I accidentally saw that line of dialogue.

The Vogue recreation also just seemed like such a wasted effort and knowing that woman is the 99.99% hilarious Jane Lynch makes it all the more sickening. The best I can say is, I'm glad she gets a paycheck so she can afford to do the deliriously off-kilter stuff we know and love from her.

If people are entertained by that, that's fine. I'm at a loss to understand why people find it satisfying. But to each her own.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 4/15/10 at 12:58am

I haven't found anything this satisfying since Brokeback Mountain.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 4/15/10 at 1:02am

I watched tonight's Modern Family with my hand over my mouth I was laughing so hard every time Cameron and MItchell were onscreen. Not even the presence of the odious Justin Kirk (another one whose very countenance makes me queasy) could take away from the comedic perfection that is that show. Comedic perfection with a real human heart. I'm glad Modern Family is on TV. I would find it really hard to settle for mediocrity after watching 22 perfect minutes of that for so many months.

[Marquise]

Posted: 4/15/10 at 1:09am

MODERN FAMILY has to be my favorite show on TV now. It' such a "laugh-out-loud-I-almost-pee'd-in-my-pants" show. That is quite an ensemble cast they have there. Sofia Vergara has finally found her vehicle and she has proven to be quite a comedienne.

Posted: 4/15/10 at 1:10am

The reason us "glee haters" keep watching, commenting, posting, is that we really wanted to love this show. It promised to be a show that celebrated the geek/gay/outsider/loser in High School, which was many of us. So we keep watching, hoping, praying that this promise will be kept. But what we keep getting is poorly written meaningless fluff, where characters have no center, no reality. Where plot lines are done, re-done, and then re-done again, and where regulars act with such stupidity that it makes it impossible to root for them, or root against them, or even care at all what the hell happens to them.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 4/15/10 at 1:16am

Shellllllllllllldon...I think you love it!

Posted: 4/15/10 at 1:30am

Ok maybe a little, PJ. But I want it to love me back. And I want it to say to me..."You make me want to be a better show".