Golden Globe Nominations 2012: Just Stick to Movies, Guys

Dear members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association:

I respect you.  I do.  In the past you've nominated some of my favorite performances and films, if only because you have more room for them than the more crowded Oscars, for which you also usually set the tone.  And this year you've come through again, giving praise to some films, actors, and actresses who haven't gotten all the credit they deserve for the work they've done this year.  I'm very happy with the film nominations, particularly the heavy presence of The Ides of March, which thus far has my unswerving vote for most well-crafted film of the year.  You've also confirmed my hunches about which movies I must see before awards season really kicks up, including (but certainly not limited to) My Week with Marilyn, J. Edgar, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Descendants, Hugo, and The Iron Lady. 

There are some specific nominations I'm very happy about and/or intrigued by, and most of them are the ones I know will evaporate just in time for the Oscars.  I love that you nominated Joseph Gordon-Levitt and 50/50, which is one of the more underrated movies of the year-- the only icing on the cake would've been if Seth Rogen could have sneaked into the Supporting Actor mix.  I love that Ryan Gosling is nominated twice; I think we can all agree that he just deserves some kind of "Best Human Being" award for everything he's done on and off screen this year.  Putting Rooney Mara in there for Dragon Tattoo is bold, and if I weren't already planning on seeing the film at midnight next week, I'd be even more inclined to watch it now.  Overall, I think you guys pretty much nailed it on the films front, with the only outrageous robbery being of Alexandre Desplat for the Deathly Hallows Part 2 musical score. 

Let's talk about television.  Namely, the burning question of whether we're watching even remotely the same shows.  Have you actually seen New Girl or Glee, or were you merely blindsided by the cuteness of Zooey Deschanel (who you nominated for best actress in a completely incomprehensible move), and the iTunes sales of Glee?  As two of the most overrated and wildly inconsistent shows on TV right now, there is no way either of those shows should be within 18 miles of a nomination for any kind of award, let alone one of the most prestigious in the bunch.  And on top of that, you refused to recognize anything about Parks and Recreation (with the exception of the brilliant Amy Poehler), which is currently in the midst of the television equivalent of a no-hitter.  There is so much wrong with this that I can barely articulate it. 

Therefore I move that the HFPA stop pretending it knows anything about quality television, and just play to its strengths, which is acknowledging movies that deserve recognition.  Just consider it, ladies and gentlemen; it might save you some time in the future, and fans of shows that are actually good a lot of needless frustration.

Sincerely yours,
Andrea

Emmys 2011: Disappointments

The Emmy nominations came out this morning, and after all my hard work predicting the nominees, I confess myself (on the whole) very disappointed.  It feels like the voters were just lazy this year, for the most part, picking familiar shows they've nominated in the past-- such as Glee, which was God-awful this season-- and when in doubt, just nominating everyone from Modern Family (and they're funny, but not rule-out-all-competition funny).  Among the robbed:

Nick Offerman:  It was predicted across the board that he would be getting a nod and possibly even a win for his portrayal of Ron Swanson.  I can't imagine I'm the only one who gasped in shock when his name did not appear on the list.

Community:  Again, no Emmy love for this fantastic little show, which has more wit in one cold-open than Glee had it's entire second season (sorry, I'm just feeling really bitter about all the recognition for Glee, if you couldn't tell).

How I Met Your Mother:  I got excited when I read that it had received 5 nominations... until I saw that not one of those was in the major categories.  A tragedy, considering this season was much stronger than last.

Parks and Recreation:  Yes, they got 3, and I'm thrilled about that.  And maybe I'm being greedy, but I still feel that the best comedy on television (and yes, I will keep saying that forevermore) should probably have received more nods than the one of worst comedies on television (Glee).  Amy and the show had better win come September 18th, or I will have some serious anger to overcome.

And on the whole, way too much love for shows that had mediocre to downright weak seasons:  30 Rock, Glee, and Modern Family (still love it, but it genuinely wasn't as funny this year).  Branch out a little, Emmy voters, the rest of us have.

TV Review: Glee Gets in Touch with Its Roots

(I picked this photo because of how excited they all look.)


My biggest problem with Glee this season (and parts of last season) has never been the show's theatricality.  I started out legitimately interested in a show that frequently referenced Broadway and made off-beat jokes that not everyone would get.  But this season has been spent too largely on trying to increase Glee's "cool factor" by featuring random guest stars, topical plot lines, and way too much unnecessary drama.  What I liked about last night's episode "New York" was that the writers seemed to remember what the initial forces behind this show were, and remind us all why we started caring in the first place.

It wasn't a perfect episode, of course, but it would have been difficult for anyone to pen perfection in the face of this season's mountain of plot debris.  The kids' excitement about New York felt authentic at times but too over-the-top at others, and I still don't know how I feel about the show basically whoring out a single 10-block radius of Manhattan in order to add color and interest to the show.  I'm also wondering if the people who own Broadway theaters are aware of the apparent break-in epidemic going on in their buildings.

But joking aside, there were some things I really did like about this episode.  Rachel finally did what I've been hoping she'd do all season, which was commit herself to her dream over boys (she got back together with Finn in the end, but it was very clear that the relationship now has an expiration date, and I hope the writers don't conveniently forget that conversation come Season 3).  Rachel's dream of being on Broadway was one of the first really intriguing points of the show, and so I was glad to see the finale revisit that.  I loved (loved, loved) her duet with Kurt, not least because "For Good" is my favorite track from the Wicked soundtrack--they were both phenomenal in that scene.  On that vein, I also loved Kurt serving as Rachel's go-to gal pal/guide in this episode; it gave us another chance to see how well their friendship works. 

I'm glad they didn't draw out the Schuester story too much; we all knew he was going to go back to the kids at some point, and though I predicted they might leave it up in the air over the summer, I think I'm glad he's already sure to be back for another year with the Glee club.  Speaking of people returning for another year, one of the episode's definite highlights was the scene between Santana and Brittany at the episode's end.  I loved Brittany's break down of the New Directions family and the honesty of her feelings toward it and toward Santana.  I liked that we finally got a glimpse of how much she has changed since the show started from the ditzy cheerleader indifferent about who she bullied to someone who actually cares, and not just about herself.  I also got the feeling that only the things she said would have persuaded Santana that she wanted to come back for another year.

Last two things, I promise, both of them praises.  Loved the Blaine and Kurt scene (if you remember, I was hoping, as I'm sure many others were, to have one more glimpse of them before the show went to summer hiatus); the way they said "I love you" was just about perfect, nonchalant and genuine in equal measure.  Another development, and one I was wondering about following the prom episode, was Sam and Mercedes' secret relationship.  I'm legitimately intrigued to see how this one pans out, not to mention excited for the possibility of a duet between the two of them somewhere down the line, because I don't think we've gotten to hear them together before.  Why are my favorite shows choosing right now to write really cute secret couples?  I don't know, but I like it a whole lot.

So Glee is done for the summer, and not much was left hanging.  This episode felt in many ways like both a conclusion and like the show coming full circle back to the beginning of its run, so I will be very interested to see how they intend to proceed for the third season.  My advice:  cut down on the guest stars, etc, and focus on the characters we know and love.  "New York" did exactly that, and I think that's the biggest reason it was a successful episode.

TV Review: Glee Does Death

It's hard to decide exactly how I felt about this episode.  On the plus side, it was pretty free of ridiculous moments (at least, intentionally ridiculous ones), but I'm still not sure it did what it was intended to do.

Death and its impact on relationships were the (sort of) unspoken theme of this episode, and I have to say, I didn't completely hate that.  Sue's development over the course of the hour felt genuine and poignant, my concern as always is whether it will stick (I hope it will, after an entire episode dedicated to it and such a major event serving as its catalyst).  I like the idea that in death Jean really was the only person capable of turning her outlook around, and I really liked that she ultimately decided not to bar Becky from her life. 

Some of the scenes, particularly the lead up to the funeral and the event itself, felt a little manipulative/sad for the sake of being sad, but on the whole I was more pleased with it than I would have expected. 

I liked the fallout from the funeral with Quinn and Finn.  Yes, it felt like a strange moment for Finn to be thinking about his tangled love life instead of, oh I don't know, his dead father or something, but I've been waiting for their breakup since the relationship reignited, so it was a relief to finally see it.  I'm also intrigued to see what Quinn is plotting for Nationals (I don't usually like full-on bitch-mode Quinn, but she's been pretty bland lately so I'm ready for her to pull out the big guns again).

Other notes:  I hope that Rachel resists Jesse's advances, which I can only predict are going to become even more overt next week, but I also hope they don't try to do a cliffhanger of who she'll choose with the finale.  I liked Will and Emma's scenes together; they felt genuine and I really liked the way she encouraged him to go pursue his dream even though she clearly wants him to stick around.  Additionally, what is going on with Terri?  Did anyone else get the vibe that she might be planning to off herself (or is that just my morbid brain in conjunction with the episode's dreary theme)?  I guess we'll find out next season.

Nationals are next week, and I'm interested to see how New Directions fares.  My hopes for the finale include some kind of resolution on the Rachel/Finn front, rather than just pining for each other; preferably an appearance/more than one line from Blaine, Puck, and/or Sam; great songs (I'm nervous about them doing original songs again, I feel like Nationals really needs to be a significant step up from their previous competitions); and maybe another sweet goodbye moment with Schue (since according to the promo the other shoe is going to drop on that one real fast).  I'm fully anticipating none of these will be met as the season rambles to what will likely be an uneven close, but I'll be watching anyway, hoping for something to leave me ready for Season 3.

TV Review: Glee Pulls Out All the Prom Stops

Glee's prom episode had all the cliche staples:  Shocking prom queen reveal?  Check.  Girl fight?  Check.  Fist fight over a girl?  Check.  Awful music?  Cheeeeecccckkk. 

If we're looking at it the way I tend to look at this show, though, it was actually a pretty successful episode.  That is, it showed us the cheesiness of the high school experience in a very authentic way, and I felt like the characters all acted their purported ages for once (I sometimes feel like they forget the New Directions members are only 17, on average).  Rachel was pretty fantastic this episode, from selflessly helping Finn with his corsage dilemma to coordinating Sam going to prom on the cheap (and inadvertently getting Mercedes her "Cinderella" moment), to the look of genuine heartbreak on her face as she watched Kurt go up to accept his Prom Queen crown.  Quinn continued her trend of being whiny and kind of one-dimensional, though I did like the obvious conflict in her feelings during the bathroom confrontation with Rachel.  I like that this season has tried to really drive home the point that Quinn feels as insecure as any other girl (if not more so), but I think now it's been beaten into us just a little too much.  Move on with this character, writers, there's so much more she can be, and Dianna Agron has a lot of potential that you're risking overlooking.  One other disappointment was Puck, who I feel they consistently shortchange on this show.  He started out with that moment of insight (using that term loosely) about his supposed loss of badass-ness due to his relationship with Lauren, and I was hoping that would head to a moment of genuine understanding for him (i.e. that he's willing to sacrifice his reputation because he really likes his girlfriend, or something similar), but instead we just got another petty attempt at coolness, and a manipulation of poor Artie (yes, I know he made a choice, but Puck should know better by now).  In any event, I just want more from Puck that isn't trite or silly, because I think they've dropped a lot of inadvertent hints at his compelling character, and have scarcely delivered on any.

The Kurt storyline was compelling as always (but that might be largely because Chris Colfer has blossomed into such an incredibly watchable performer), and I loved that they added some dimension to Blaine's character (though I am hoping we'll get an actual last name for him some time in the future-- it can't actually be "Warbler", right?).  I loved the two of them uniting against the hardships they've both faced, and for the first time it really felt like an equal partnership (I think there were early concerns, mine among them, about Kurt jumping into a relationship with the first gay "mentor" figure he encountered; but in this episode it really felt like they each had a lot to offer one another, and Blaine seemed a lot less idealized than usual).  I definitely felt sympathy for Kurt, but I also admired his strength, and I think the show actually sent a really great message out to the teen viewers who might find themselves enduring similar struggles; I really appreciated Kurt's coming to understand that the bullying might never fully go away, but that he could be strong in the face of it and realize that the support of his friends is much more powerful.

The song covers this episode were an even split as far as I'm concerned.  Rachel and Jesse's rendition of "Rollin in the Deep" was a showstopper and enjoyable to watch as well as listen to; "Isn't She Lovely?" as performed by Artie was downright precious; and I really liked the use of Blaine on "I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend..." during the climax of the dance.  However, both "Friday" and even "Dancing Queen" seemed too over the top given the context, and as much as I love a good Rachel Berry ballad, the song she sang (basically just to Finn) didn't seem like the best choice for a slow dance tune. 

And since I haven't talked about it, I'll say a little about the return of Jesse St. James.  His arc in this episode seemed pretty boring all things considered, but since he's back for two more I'll be interested to see what happens between him and Rachel.  I just hope they aren't planning to use him exclusively as a Rachel/Finn reunion device; Jonathan Groff is much too talented for that.

TV Review: Glee Actually Steps It Up

Was it just me, or was last night's episode of Glee kind of....good?  I have to admit, it accomplished things I didn't think were possible-- character development (Sam) that actually seemed genuine and compelling, humanizing Quinn a little more in the face of her recent behavior, utilizing Rachel in a way that wasn't as grating as it could have been, wonderful performances from the actors portraying Artie, Brittany, and Santana, and of course what most impressed me, an episode featuring April Rhodes that didn't make me want to throttle something.

Last night was like a throwback to season one-- lots of different things were happening, but none of them really felt forced like they have lately.  I think they did a great job of not beating us over the head with the Fleetwood Mac theme (the real theme was rumors and the damage they can cause, another subtle nod to the infinitely better composition of early season one), and I genuinely enjoyed the use of the school newspaper and Brittany's internet talk show (which I would totally, totally watch) as a medium to forward this plot.

Brittany and Artie's bust-up was genuinely heartbreaking (him calling her stupid was mean, but her reaction made me even sadder); Santana is somehow still compelling with her refusal to acknowledge her sexuality; Rachel's comment about "forgiving your first love anything" actually made sense in the context of Quinn and Finn (though I'm wondering how long they'll stay together while seemingly wanting to punch each other in the face); Schuester's plot was actually interesting-- he quit the boy band (which we were supposed to believe could have been his "big break") out of obligation to his impending family, but he doesn't have that commitment now, and I'm interested to see if maybe when they're in New York for Nationals he gets the Broadway bug and decides to ditch the New Directions for a bit; and of course, Sam.  Sam just broke my heart this episode, not only because who knew Chord Overstreet could act, but because the whole story line was just so real and so true to many families.  I thought they made it really moving and accessible without being over the top in the usual Glee fashion.

Overall, Glee answered the May sweeps call better than I ever expected.  I hope that this carries over into the three remaining episodes, because if it does I may be able to forgive some of season two's more spectacularly stupid moments.

May Sweeps: Where Do We Go From Here? Part One

The first week of May is almost upon us (believe me, I'm as shocked as you are), and for the obsessive TV-watching world, this means Sweeps.  This is the time of year when our favorite shows will pull out all the stops to make us keep them as our favorites.  They'll try to shock us, make us laugh, and tug at our heartstrings (sometimes all three at once!).  As someone who's been tracking the progress of some of this shows all season long, I thought it fitting to have a little bit of a pre-Sweeps debrief to look at where we are and where we're going.

 
How I Met Your Mother:  This show has been notoriously difficult to really make predictions on, because of the writers' tendency to somewhat abruptly re-visit plot lines that most of us assume have long been forgotten.  However, I think this season has had a pretty clear narrative line, and of course there is the helpful addition of some revealing interviews with the two creators of the show, Craig Armstrong and Carter Bays.  According to the two of them, we will know by season's end whose wedding Ted is at during the premiere's flash-forward footage.  I have already discussed my heavy suspicion that the groom is Barney, but in case you remain unconvinced, here is my evidence:

*Ted is best man at the wedding, which would make sense given the obsession Barney has always had about the two of them being "best friends"
*The title of the episode is "Challenge Accepted."  This seems only fitting for a Barney wedding
*This entire season has shown us a different side of Barney, and we've gotten many indications that he wants to mature, but it unsure if he can.  Apart from him basically confessing as much in the most recent episode, we've also seen his brief relationship with Nora, in which he chickened out of trying to make it work, but for the first time seemed to genuinely want to.  There is also his eagerness to see Marshal and Lily start a family, and his ongoing issues surrounding his father.

Hence, even if the bride isn't Robin (despite how much I'd like that), I think we are definitely seeing Barney's wedding, and I'm going to guess it's taking place roughly 5 years down the road from the current episodes.  I think the wedding will be the major development of the finale, although I think there will be some drama surrounding Marshal, Lily and the baby situation-- I'm still predicting a surprise pregnancy, but the evidence for that is much more lacking.

 Glee:  Oh, geez.  This show is pretty impossible to predict lately, because of the sheer absurdity of many of the plot lines.  In fairness, there also hasn't been a very strong narrative line tying this season together, which does give the writers a little more freedom to do whatever pops into their heads (not advisable).  Given this knowledge, I'm going to make a bunch of predictions for what we'll see in the last leg of the season, some of them likely and some of them ludicrous, and we'll all have a good laugh after the finale when those in the latter group are much closer to what Ryan Murphy and company have dreamed up.

*Prom Queen?  Not Zizes, not Quinn, but Kurt.  Not only has Ryan Murphy said in multiple interviews that having a gay couple with the crown at prom is one of his dreams for the show, I don't think that Kurt is back at McKinley as any more than a plot convenience, and this could be where that becomes clear. 

*OR...Quinn will win Prom Queen, but Finn will break up with her that night.  Maybe I'm just cynical about proms, but I feel like she's not getting a happy ending in any event.

*Rachel and Sam.  I can't get this suspicion out of my head ever since reading an Ausiello blind item about two characters on one of his favorite shows hooking up, who've never had any romance/longing glances/tension, and the person they least want to see finds them doing the walk of shame, so to speak.  Rachel and Sam popped into my head right away, and I think it'll be Finn who finds them (cliche, but it's Glee).  However, an interesting alternative would be Quinn, and the tables would be turned from when Rachel knew her very big secret back in Season 1.

*Blaine transferring to McKinley.  At the very least, it will be suggested/Kurt will ask him before season's end.  I feel pretty confident about this one.

*New Directions makes the trek to Nationals...and wins?  I would have put my money on them to lose, however I'm wondering if they're going to add/subtract people again next season, and if that would make them want to give this version of New Directions a victory.  Though how they'll beat Vocal Adrenaline and their crazy-pipes vocalist, I still don't understand.

*Santana's secret will get out, probably to the whole Glee club.  I'll be interested to see how they react/support her.

*Schuester and Emma will, predictably, have a moment, probably in the finale.  And Schuester will probably screw it up.

*Sue will either become even more unbearably obnoxious, or more unrealistically redeemable.

*There's also going to be a death on Glee in one of the next few episodes, confirmed by various sources. 

TV Review: Glee- Even Gaga Can't Save You Now

Do you hear that sound?  It's crickets, chirping in the background of my brain, because I'm having trouble coming to terms with the fact that this is the episode we got in the lead-up to sweeps.  Now, Glee is rarely logical. The plot lines are very very rarely things that might actually happen in real life.  But this week felt like an excess.

Please, Glee writers, show me the schools in small town Ohio that allow students to just transfer in and out with no repercussions to speak of.  And while you're at it, show me the qualified physician who advises-- nay, pressures-- a seventeen year old to get a nose job.

Let's talk about the Quinn-used-to-be-ugly plot.  Is this real life?  Is this seriously what they're going to use to explain her character?  Weak, Glee, even for you.  Not only is this a staple of almost every lame ugly duckling rom-com ever made, it's down right unrealistic.  One of the things that sucks most about high school (and college, if we're being honest) is that there are girls who are just more absurdly beautiful than everyone else without even trying.  They were, in fact, born that way (see what I did there?).  And silly me, but I thought this show was about showing something real about the high school experience.

One high point:  [about Barbara Streisand]  "Is she here?!" "No, it's a mall in Ohio."

Was that another mall flash-mob?  Where have I seen that before...?  Oh yeah, last season on this show.  Also, that "Barbara Streisand" song is the worst.  It is also pointless.  Seriously.

The Lauren vs. Quinn rivalry might actually have had potential way back when, because it would have genuinely been interesting to see who the students voted for, just as they were presented.  I know a lot of schools, my former high school included, where "alternative" looking candidates for homecoming queen won by a landslide, without things having to get ugly.  I have to say I was happy at the end when they admitted a kind of grudging respect/affection for each other.

And Emma with her OCD?  First, it must be said that I read something about their being "Emmy buzz" about this performance.  Uhm, I'm sorry, what performance?  Jayma Mays did exactly what she always does, and despite the hype they gave her barely anything to work with.  I was expecting this episode to have a lot more with her (but there's my lesson learned, isn't it?  Never expect things from this show.)  Also, this is a comedy, and while she wasn't funny in this episode, she also wouldn't be able to qualify for a Drama award.  Just sayin'.

I did get my wish for more Rachel/Puck time, and I'm glad that it came in the form of him trying to keep her from changing her appearance.  Puck is the one guy on the show who has consistently been up front with Rachel about thinking she's attractive, so I'm happy they tied him in to this story.

I also liked that we got a renewed, albeit brief, look at nice-guy Finn again this week.  Personally, I think he's at his best when he's capable of being sweet to both Quinn and Rachel regardless of which one he's dating, it just makes him seem more genuine overall.

And then we finally got to Gaga, the very hyped headlining number.  I have to admit, I was highly distracted by trying to read all of their specialized t-shirts while they danced around (I'm still trying to figure out the meaning of Puck's...was it just me or could that actually be construed as kind of sweet?), but Tina/Mercedes/Kurt on vocals was a-okay in my book.  Feel free to repeat that collaboration any time, guys.

It's a sad sad episode when Santana and Karofsky's plan to serve as one another's "beards" is the most realistic part.  Although that scene with her and Brittany was slightly redeeming as well.  I'm not gonna lie, I'd probably watch a Santana spin off at this point-- she just has so much potential that Glee has kind of been refusing to tap.

TV Review: Glee's Night of [Writerly?] Neglect

Well.  One of Glee's greatest weaknesses in the past has been their inability to have more than one awesome episode in a row.  Thus, my hopes were not high going into "Night of Neglect," particularly given that it seemed, based on the promos, to be a Sue-heavy episode.

My expectations were accurate.  This episode was decent, not fantastic and not appalling, so for Glee it's pretty much a win.  I liked the storyline with Mercedes for the most part, and I thought the Will and Holly thing was a great example of the writers realizing when a relationship has run its course.

Other pluses:  Blaine and Kurt are super adorable.  Rachel was less shrill than usual, though not as fantastic as in "Original Song".  Mike Chang and Brittany respectively popped up and reminded me that they exist, in a good way.

Minuses:  Not enough Puck or Sam, or Santana (though that scene with Karofsky was priceless).  Also, it didn't feel like enough happened to merit an hour of show, which of course is a not infrequent complaint with Glee.

Thoughts on next week:  "Born This Way" hasn't even been released on the album of the same name yet, but trust Glee to already have a tribute episode.  It's supposed to be a 90-minute epic, so we'll see if any good comes of that.  The last episode that was advertised as being this big was the post-Super Bowl installment, which was a disaster.  So I guess it's only upward from here.

TV Discussion: Can Glee End on a High Note?

(I can't stop giggling at how adorable these two are together.)

If the Glee writers are willing to follow my advice, they can launch into May sweeps and give us a finale for the ages.  The show isn't back until next Tuesday, so I decided to write a post about the things I'd like to happen the rest of the season.  Asterisks are next to the ones that I think are actually realistic possibilities and not just my own wishful thinking (prediction:  there won't be a lot of them).  Here we go.

*Blaine and Kurt being the most adorable couple ever (this one has already been pretty much confirmed by Ryan Murphy, so it's kind of a gimme)

Rachel and Puck giving it a real shot.  Pretty please?  I think that would be the perfect detour for her from Finn, and it would be a great way to get him back on track after he inevitably screws things up with Lauren.  I think I feel so strongly about this because the Finn/Rachel/Puck triangle reminds me of LOST; Rachel's Kate, Finn is Jack, so she obviously needs Puck to be her Sawyer for a little while. I'm only okay with her going back to Finn if she dates someone else in between-- Rachel's at the point where she needs to either be alone (which the writers seem incapable of allowing) or with someone who doesn't crush her confidence.  Whoa, that was a long assessment of something that probably won't happen.


*Santana and Brittany.  I don't feel too strongly about whether they get together or not, but especially for Santana this plot line needs to not fall by the way side.  She's clearly going through some serious shit, and I need Glee to let it happen.

Bring Sam back.  I know he's still there, but he's gotten so boring since breaking up with Quinn.  I miss him being a nerd all the time.

No more Schuester episodes.  He's with Gwyneth, awesome.  I don't need to hear anymore about it until you have a plot line that isn't solely devoted to whining.

Nationals.  They're going, but I have serious doubts that the event will be as epic as I'm hoping.  Also, I realize now I don't actually know whether they're actually going before the end of the season.

Some kind of cliff-hanger or intrigue.  For a show that inserts so much gratuitous drama, it seems silly to not have at least some questions unanswered by season's end.  In my opinion, this was the only thing wrong with the "Journey" episode, which of course was otherwise pretty much flawless.

A promise that Cheno will not be making her umpteenth appearance next season.  This is not the show for her, and if we look deep into our hearts we all know it.  Hear us, Ryan Murphy, I don't want to endure another April Rhodes variety hour, and I know I'm not the only one who feels that way.

Mercedes doing something other than hanging out in the background.  Ditto for Artie. 

Minimize the Sue.  Seriously.  I've said it before, and I'm sure my next review will find me saying it again.

TV Round-Up: Transitions

Well, finals are over and that means I’m back.  I’ll be honest, even if I had been able to find the time for this, nobody was really bringing it hard enough for me to take interest.  Up until this past week (I’m talking about 3/14 to today), Glee was mediocre at the best of times, and the other shows I care about were in post-sweeps hibernation.  But my reward for all the studying, interview prep, and other miscellaneous nonsense was a week of television at its finest, everything a distraction ought to be.  Here we go:
Glee:  There are so many wonderful things to say about this episode, most of which have already made it to the Internet, and more specifically to Tumblr.  I’ll start with what I’m fairly certain was everyone’s favorite part of “Original Song”— the realization of Kurt and Blaine’s adorable romance (not to mention, one of the best TV kisses I’ve seen in quite a while).  It’s been a rarity this season for me to watch any one clip multiple times, but the adorable factor is just too much, not to mention the way Blaine’s sincerity just squeezes my little heart.
My close-second favorite scene, though, is one not everyone was crazy about:  the Quinn/Rachel confrontation in the auditorium.  Not only was the acting above and beyond my expectations for this show (especially Dianna Agron’s), but the content of the scene was something that I was not expecting, but was a pleasant surprise all the same.  Quinn may come off as a bitch to most people who aren’t reading into it like I was (and she definitely could have approached the topic better), but what she ended up expressing was so meaningful that I would hate to think that Rachel took it the wrong way.  Quinn is not the naive small-town gal we’ve all underestimated her to be; she knows she’ll never escape Lima, and she’s accepted that her life will amount to a whole lot of settling.  What she won’t stand for is seeing someone who has the ability and the drive to go so much farther (that is, Rachel), limit herself all for some guy (and especially given how much of a jerk Finn’s been lately, I have to agree with Quinn).  I like to think that Rachel understood this, at the very least after penning her song (which, yes, I’ve listened to an embarrassing number of times since), but my worry is that the writers will mash her back together with Finn and forget that either girl had a moment of revelation during this episode.
Overall, this may just be one of my favorite episodes yet.  It definitely makes me feel a little more justified for all the nonsense I’ve endured (especially the past few weeks), knowing that Ryan Murphy and Co. are capable of this level of television.  Please, oh please, let them follow through on the promise they’ve shown for the remaining six episodes.
Community:  To be honest, a fairly forgettable episode (though my standards have been stuck at “high” since the Dungeons and Dragons installment).  I have higher expectations for the end of the season (I recall last year at this point being where they struggled, too), so we will have to wait it out and hope that Jeff and the gang find a new way to wow us in the lead up to finale season.
Parks and Recreation:  Harvest Festival day finally arrived, and I, like Leslie, could not have been more psyched.  This episode had all the ingredients for a first-rate laughfest, accented nicely with relationship developments all around.  The April and Andy conflict was a typical sitcom staple (one says those three words and the other can’t return them), but I did like the fresh color of Ron being the one to forcibly resolve it.  What I liked best, though, was of course the continuation of the slow build between Ben and Leslie.  I’m just going to say right now that if for some reason this doesn’t pan out, the writers are going to have at least one highly disappointed viewer on their hands.
The supporting characters were charming and quirky as always, and I must say, I think I kind of like Ann being single and pathetic; it suits her.  I am intrigued to see what this show has in store now that the Harvest Festival (an event I thought would surely be withheld until the finale) has concluded.  Perhaps the fall-out will bring some kind of development we aren’t expecting.  As long as the show keeps chugging along at this tidy little pace, though, I have no complaints.
How I Met Your Mother:  An impeccable comeback, to be sure; funny and heartwarming in equal measure, and of course, filled with wonderful acting.  John Lithgow made an appearance in this week’s episode, because why wouldn’t the Trinity killer be Barney’s father?  He and Neil Patrick Harris pushed each other to truly fantastic performances, and I really felt like everything in this episode resolved itself exactly the way I would have wanted.  I’m interested to see where the tail end of this season is going— this episode seemed to indicate that we’ll be leaving both the Barney/father and Marshall/grieving subplots behind, and the only things we know for sure are coming are the impending bust-up between Ted and Zoey, and that mystery wedding from the premiere (which we still don’t have a confirmation is even happening in Season 6).  So as to what’s next, it’s anyone’s guess at this point, but I for one can’t wait to find out.