GLEE #58: On My Way

GrayLinnorm · Feb 21, 2012

It's regionals again (already? We've only had 5 episodes so far this year.) and New Directions take on the Warblers again. Also, Rachel and Finn rush to the altar, and speaking of bad ideas, it looks like they're continuing the Sue wants a baby storyline which I thought (and hoped) wouldn't continue beyond "The Spanish Teacher".

Still speaking of bad ideas, this is the last episode of Glee until April, and for what? Next week, they have American Earsore on Tuesday, and after that it will be preempted for I Hate My Teenage Daughter (there's a show we were waiting for; hopefully Cougar Town will still be on). Which makes Fox's decision to put reruns on only one week after Glee returned all the more infuriating.

The playlist:

Blaine sings "Cough Syrup", originally performed by Young the Giant

The Dalton Academy Warblers sing "Glad You Came", originally performed by The Wanted

The Warblers sing "Stand", originally performed by Lenny Kravitz

New Directions sings "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)", originally performed by Kelly Clarkson

New Directions does a mashup of "Fly", originally performed by Nicki Minaj, and "I Believe I Can Fly", originally performed by R. Kelly

New Directions sings "Here's to Us", originally performed by Halestorm

Wait, shouldn't there be a third group?
Update: The third group is Our Lady of Perpetual Sorrow, who sing "She Walks In Beauty", originally performed by Eric Barnum. The singing was actually done by the University of Redlands' Madrigal Singers.

Crothian · Feb 22, 2012

Wow, this episode went to a dark place I was not expecting!

Jamdin · Feb 22, 2012

Crothian said:
Wow, this episode went to a dark place I was not expecting!

I did not expect that ending either

Thunderfoot · Feb 22, 2012

I did, it got way too happy towards the middle....
BTW, Vegas is now booking odds on whether she is dead or alive.

My personal thought, she's road pizza. Another unfortunate accident that propels the group to stardom. You all know the old showbiz axiom, you MUST suffer for your art.

Crothian · Feb 22, 2012

Jamdin said:
I did not expect that ending either

As soon as it shows her in a car I knew it was going to happen. It is also very Marti Noxon the way it happened.

Kzach · Feb 22, 2012

Crothian said:
As soon as it shows her in a car I knew it was going to happen. It is also very Marti Noxon the way it happened.

Yeah, that was so obvious I was completely pulled out of my little bubble-world lost my suspension of disbelief; very ham-fisted and contrived. Then again, that's not entirely unusual for the show but I really felt it was unnecessary to 'leave it on a cliff-hanger' for the mid-season break.

If it wasn't for that lame ratings grab, it would've been an excellent episode.

Thunderfoot · Feb 22, 2012

I'm not so sure it was strictly a ratings grab thing...
Look at the rest of the episode, full of life lessons for teenagers:

1. Suicide is never the answer regardless of the problem, get help.
2. Always be what you are, not what you aren't.
3. Accept other as they are, not how you want them to be.
4. Forgiveness is always the way to go in the end.
5. Don't text and drive.

While I agree the cliff-hanger was contrived, I'm not entirely convinced it was strictly to grab ratings, but I'm sure it was used to drive home point 5. In the U.S. texting and driving is now the number two cause of teen related driving accidents surpassing underage drinking. (1. is still speeding)

Kzach · Feb 22, 2012

Thunderfoot said:
I'm not so sure it was strictly a ratings grab thing...
Look at the rest of the episode, full of life lessons for teenagers:

1. Suicide is never the answer regardless of the problem, get help.
2. Always be what you are, not what you aren't.
3. Accept other as they are, not how you want them to be.
4. Forgiveness is always the way to go in the end.
5. Don't text and drive.

You kinda kill your own argument with these examples. Number 5 is the odd man out here whereas everything else works in harmony with each other.

I think this was definitely a case of trying to fit way too much into one episode and having the writers go, "Crap, we have to end the mid-season break on a cliff-hanger, what can we shove in at the end to make this happen?"

Thunderfoot said:
While I agree the cliff-hanger was contrived, I'm not entirely convinced it was strictly to grab ratings, but I'm sure it was used to drive home point 5. In the U.S. texting and driving is now the number two cause of teen related driving accidents surpassing underage drinking. (1. is still speeding)

My number 1 real-life pet-peeve is people's selfishness and inconsideration for others as I feel it's the root cause of just about every problem on this planet caused by human-beings. A fantastic example of this manifests as speeding, drink-driving and texting, all of which are inherently selfish and inconsiderate actions that can lead to the deaths of others. I truly believe people who cause such accidents should be charged with manslaughter, since they made a conscious decision to perform these actions knowing the risks inherent in doing so.

But that's a whole other discussion

Thunderfoot · Feb 23, 2012

Kzach said:
You kinda kill your own argument with these examples. Number 5 is the odd man out here whereas everything else works in harmony with each other.

I think this was definitely a case of trying to fit way too much into one episode and having the writers go, "Crap, we have to end the mid-season break on a cliff-hanger, what can we shove in at the end to make this happen?"

Actually, you kind of proved my point, they tried to stuff too much in an episode - ergo 5 didn't jive with the rest. But all of them are teen issues in the States, so since they've already tackled teen pregnancy, gay relationships, bullying, racism, etc, it was kind of like scraping the bottom of the barrel. I still don't think it's a ratings grab, especially since cliffhangers rarely increase viewership unless it's really hyped, and this one really wasn't.
(Though I'll bet that April 10th episode shows a spike.)

I truly believe people who cause such accidents should be charged with manslaughter, since they made a conscious decision to perform these actions knowing the risks inherent in doing so.

But that's a whole other discussion

Depending upon the State, some of them are.

Krug · Feb 23, 2012

Oh great.. what a cliffhanger. Otherwise there were some touching moments, but Finn and Rach have no chemistry and I cringe whenever they're together.