Glee's biggest WTF Broadway moment is... — Page 3

Johnnycantdecide wrote:Glee's biggest WTF Broadway moment is... "It's All Over" From DREAMGIRLS. I can't even believe this..

This is one of the more bizarre renderings of a showtune in GLEE. I can't imagine a context that would make this credible. It sounds stuck somewhere between reality and fantasy. Why are all the character names GLEE-centric except Effie? Sounds like it might be right up there with "Make 'Em Laugh" on the GLEE list of 'fails'.

hyperbole_and_a_half wrote:For a board that prides itself on hating GLEE so much, we sure do post a thread like every other day about it.

True that. It's all I could think about when I read the posts where a whole bunch of people were hating on BWW for posting GLEE-related news and video clips. The irony of it all amuses me no end.

broadwayjim42 wrote:[Chris Colfer's] "I Want to Hold Your Hand" was spectacular...

That it was. One of the high points of the series in or out of context.

Jordan Catalano wrote: Sorry but [his] "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" was CREEPY!!! Singing that song to your unconscious Dad [is just weird].

Sorry, but it wasn't. It suits your anti-GLEE bitchfest to say so, but it hurts your credibility.

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Updated On: 10/2/11 at 10:58 AM

somethingwicked wrote:I find it quite funny how GLEE claims to be a show about tolerance and breaking stereotypes, and yet all it does is marginalize the characters at every turn - Merecedes is defined by nothing but her ability to be "sassy" and sing well, Kurt is shallow, flamboyant, and bitchy, and Rachel is always in front, no matter how much she whines or how horrible she acts to every other character on the show.

GLEE can barely keep track of its narrative threads and characters, let alone really getting to grips with representation. That's why characters like Mercedes and Tina end up on the sidelines and Rachel ends up front and center. (I don't think shallow bitchiness is all there is to Kurt, so we shall have to agree to disagree on that point.) It's more about a general incompetence around storytelling than a failed attempt at equal representation, although that is certainly the resultant effect. However, I think it is the very duplicitous nature of the show that allows it to start conversations about intolerance and marginalization, which it certainly does going by some of the conversations I've browsed online about the show. Where those conversations go is another story, but if they proceed in the right direction, then the end - to an extent - justifies the means.

Greekmusicalfan wrote:Dear God, this obsessive GLEE hate is getting so tiring on this board! Is anybody forcing anyone to watch the show or listen to its songs???

Indeed. The irony of it all is astounding, isn't it?

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Jordan Catalano wrote:Or better yet, how about a show that focuses on the arts in schools (that make people want to support it), gay teens (that don't make gay people like myself want to actually gay bash the characters), acknowledges Broadway (without turning it into an autotuned nonsensical joke) that's actually DONE WELL.

Where's the evidence that GLEE makes people in general not want to support the arts in schools? (There may be no hard evidence to the contrary either. In fact, I think the only thing people really take away about the arts in schools is an unrealistic picture of how things work. But when was there ever such an accurate representation of this on TV? In HEAD OF THE CLASS?!!) Or the evidence that gay people in general want to gay bash the gay characters on the show. (Your hatred is your hatred, not everyone's. Are we to take it that this is what 'gay people like yourself' would like to do to the gay people upon which the characters are based? Because they are out there.) And how would you qualify the good standard of show aimed at teenagers in general that both acknowledges Broadway and manages to sustain itself over multiple seasons? GLEE may be flawed - even seriously flawed - but it works like gangbusters with its target audience.

Greekmusicalfan wrote:I understand what you're saying Jordan, I really do. And although I admit I love the show I can fully respect the opinion of others who hate it.

As do I, on both counts. I have a love-hate relationship with the show. Sometimes it is absolutely dreadful, but it isn't all absolutely dreadful and sometimes it is damn good TV. It's unfortunate that Ryan Murphy and his team have absolutely no vision for the show and barely more than the most abstract sense of what they wants to say through it.

Greekmusicalfan wrote:And as much as Colfer annoys me too, I hear people who were borderline homophobic, warming up and loving his character. Could it be done better? Sure! But any show that brings forth and center the theme of gay-bullying and actually makes a gay teenage couple one of the most beloved romantic couples in prime-time TV, gets my vote!

Agreed. And what is super-encouraging from my perspective is that even people I know who don't like Kurt at all still take away a consciousness around gay bullying and an openness around challenging what they see in regard to the gay people in their lives. So, my vote is offered up along with yours, even though, yes, it could be done better.

Greekmusicalfan wrote:It's just that I don't understand why every other day, we must have a Glee-bashing thread on the MAIN board!

It's all in the irony. I just shrug it off for the most part and find something else to read. After all, there are plenty of alternatives.

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To be fair, the show DID address it later. But I agree, Kurt acts really terrible a lot but the show insists that he's a saint. It's cool if you want to make a flawed character, but at least acknowledge those flaws. Like how we were supposed to feel sorry for him not getting the role of Tony when his audition was the least appropriate thing he could have chosen. Let's face it: he's Ryan Murphy's Gary Stu.

Btw, as you can probably see, I watch Glee every week. And I complain about it every week. It's a cycle from which I cannot escape! I mean, the show has the worst continuity that I have EVER seen. And I am a continuity stickler.

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...and then in subsequent episodes Kurt ignores Finn and gives him dirty looks when Finn tries to apologize.

So, yeah.... Kurt realized he was wrong. :-/

And I don't blame Colfer at all, I blame Ryan Murphy.

I don't hate Glee. I watched the entire season 1 on dvd recently.

My thoughts are simply that it's a musical, and like most musicals the reality is heightened. I'm not looking for verisimilitude in the show, I totally accept its nonsensical plot contrivances and paper thin characters as tools to set up musical numbers.


For the record, the best song on the show (that I've seen) was Cheno's version of A House Is Not A Home. I hope they bring her back for more guest spots.

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I reluctantly watched about 20 mins of an episode last night. It was worse than I remembered. Far, far worse. I am not even going to listen to this recording.

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Thank you, tazber and SorkGoddess for refreshing my memory. Obviously, I conflated events from several episodes into one. I, too, was bothered by the family's lack of concern for Finn having to share a room with his someone who was interested in him romantically/sexually, and was relieved that the show itself dealt with the issue--even if it took a few episodes to get to it.

It isn't my impression now that Kurt and Finn are enemies, are they? And Kurt stopped leering at Finn, so I took that as some sort of recognition that the issue was resolved.

tazbar, I agree with you about the heightened reality of musical comedy, but after two seasons the plots have come to seem random to me. Maybe that's an inherent problem with doing a one-hour musical every week with the same characters.

Of course, another solution would be to explore the out-of-class lives of Tina, Mercedes and any number of other characters, most of whom the writers ignore except when they are interacting with Rachel.

And I totally agree about Chenowith.

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Jordan, I assumed you were probably snarking and not actually intending to gay bash anyone. Is that too much psychoanalysis?

Oh dear, indeed!

I had no idea there was a Patti doll... where can I buy it?

The writers need to friggin' Google West Side Story before their pure lack of knowledge makes my head explode!

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That said, it was not what I will remember in the episode, not in the slightest. Harry Shum Jr. was awesome in this episode.

He was. I'm so glad we got to hear him actually sing after the whole "I can't sing" build up. And the bit with his mom was so sweet.

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Acording to Kristin on E! Online, last night episode was "arguably the best episode of Glee, not just this season but in the history of the series".

"It isn't my impression now that Kurt and Finn are enemies, are they? And Kurt stopped leering at Finn, so I took that as some sort of recognition that the issue was resolved."

Didn't Finn sang to Kurt at the wedding, or they sang together, or something? I think that was the conclusion of all that drama, if I remember correctly.

last night's episode was one of the best in my opinion in almost 2 years...the DREAMGIRL squence was so amazing i was applauding at the end...and the WEST SIDE STORY dance number was almost as exciting to watch as the real thing...what you haters dont get is that this show brings Broadway to millions who have never set foot in a Broadway theatre and for better or worse introduces
millions to musical numbers, other than what the listen to on their ipods...it just might spark more interest in the arts in high school and who knows what talent is out there waiting to be inspired...how can anyone complain about that...

Updated On: 10/5/11 at 12:31 PM