Glee reaction post
I haven't been motivated to write an episode reaction in a long time, but the one complete sucker punch scene from last night's Glee makes it really hard for me not to. So spoilers within; as always, YMMV, this is just my read on things.
Okay, so here's the thing. I actually really like Max Adler. Aside from some PR miss-steps where he's demonstrated that he's very much a straight white dude with limited perspective on gay social issues (which, hello, straight white chick here, I will never claim to be especially knowledgeable), I think he seems like a really nice guy. I even feel for Karofsky sometimes, and can appreciate that they've tried to give him some depth. They just haven't really succeeded with that -- every time I start to thaw toward Karofsky, he says or does something that completely undermines his character for me. Karofsky doesn't trigger me based on any personal experience, I've just found some of his past actions creepy as fuck, and I fully credit Max for selling me on the creepy factor, to the point that I just haven't been able to get past it.
There hasn't been enough attention paid to Karofsky's so-called 'redemption' for me to care as much as Glee obviously expects me to care. I was perfectly happy to see him moving on to a new school, getting a fresh start, and coming to terms with himself at his own pace, where he could concentrate on himself without: a) being near Kurt, and b) falling back into his old bad habits and people's expectations. Mostly without being near Kurt.
And then they bring him back to creepily seek out Kurt, in a gorilla suit to hide his identity, shower him with gifts in spite of only talking to Kurt ONCE in nearly a year, and profess his 'love' with every expectation of Kurt falling into his arms and abandoning the boyfriend he's been perfectly happy with for the past year. Kurt has no obligation to return Karofsky's 'affections' (air quotes because Karofsky doesn't KNOW Kurt, but he's fixating on him to what I perceive to be an unhealthy degree).
I appreciate that Kurt told him no, and pointed out all the things Karofsky did to him in the past -- forgive, but don't forget. I do NOT appreciate the fact that they went there in the first place. It's not Kurt's job to explain to Karofsky why a relationship between them is just not a good idea; he's already expressed in no uncertain terms that Karofsky isn't his type and Kurt is not attracted to him, I find it hard to believe that Karofsky actually thinks he has a good shot at this. Plus the fact that Karofsky knows Kurt has a boyfriend, and that Kurt's reaction to the last card clearly indicates that he thinks they're from Blaine ("Wait, you think you love me?"), and I just find Karofsky's petulant surprise at Kurt's rejection surprising. There are so many reasons that scene was a bad idea, and if they follow through on the random classmate figuring out Karofsky's secret by having Dave get gay bashed and forget that Blaine's been through that -- yeah, that will piss me off even more. And I don't especially want a Karofsky suicide attempt instead, but at least that wouldn't undermine Blaine in the process, it would just be uncharacteristically dark and heavy for Glee, and very much an issue I don't trust the Glee writers to handle well at all (especially since that would probably even be presented as All Kurt's Fault after this rejection, argh.) No matter where they go with this -- DNW x1000.
Bullet points about the rest of the ep:
• Santana continues to be a BAMF and make me love her again. She got downright mean for a while there, but I'm hoping that was the character hitting rock bottom and she'll continue to use her bitch-powers for good. A+ for pointing out the double-standard at work! (Now if only the writers would make an effort to correct it...)
• Really, Mercedes isn't sure where she stands on gay people? Really? She was the first person Kurt came out to. Nearly three years ago. Before he told his dad. I just -- whatever, Glee, Kurtcedes is obviously not even on your radar as a friendship that actually happened, anymore.
• Despite that moment of characterization fail, Mercedes rocked 'I Will Always Love You'. Knocked it straight out of the park, you go, Amber. I want my Samcedes, but I appreciate that Mercedes regrets hurting Shane and needs to forgive herself first, and that song was pretty epic, even without recent events making it even more relevant.
• I love Rachel's dads. Period. Hiram makes me cover my face and laugh. I want them to interact with Kurt. And Blaine. But mostly Kurt. Also, Sugar continues to be hilariously daffy and spoiled, <3
• I refuse to believe Kurt and Blaine didn't kiss once during or just after 'Love Shack'. It's patently ridiculous to think otherwise. It makes me sad to think that the Brittana kisses (while long overdue) filled the show's quota of gay affection to the point that Klaine were only allowed to dance adorably with each other (even if Chris and Darren sold the hell out of that).
• I have seen recaps/reviews questioning Blaine's ability to sell the 'campy' aspect of 'Love Shack'. ...Yes, because Darren Criss' signature schtick isn't the least bit campy at all*. It's one of the main reasons I adore Blaine so much, that ability to be a complete goofy idiot and still totally adorable -- what were those reviewers watching, I wonder?
• If not for the sucker punch of the Karofsky scene, I think I would have enjoyed this episode quite a lot, more than I actually expected going in. Unfortunately, it's really hard to ignore the awful, horrible taste of that Karofsky scene, and it's tainted my enjoyment of the rest of the episode, which makes me really sad. Last year's 'Silly Love Songs' was marred by Finn's descent into inexplicable douchiness, and this year suffers from Karofsky-rage. Very sad.
* /sarcasm, btw, XD
Okay, so here's the thing. I actually really like Max Adler. Aside from some PR miss-steps where he's demonstrated that he's very much a straight white dude with limited perspective on gay social issues (which, hello, straight white chick here, I will never claim to be especially knowledgeable), I think he seems like a really nice guy. I even feel for Karofsky sometimes, and can appreciate that they've tried to give him some depth. They just haven't really succeeded with that -- every time I start to thaw toward Karofsky, he says or does something that completely undermines his character for me. Karofsky doesn't trigger me based on any personal experience, I've just found some of his past actions creepy as fuck, and I fully credit Max for selling me on the creepy factor, to the point that I just haven't been able to get past it.
There hasn't been enough attention paid to Karofsky's so-called 'redemption' for me to care as much as Glee obviously expects me to care. I was perfectly happy to see him moving on to a new school, getting a fresh start, and coming to terms with himself at his own pace, where he could concentrate on himself without: a) being near Kurt, and b) falling back into his old bad habits and people's expectations. Mostly without being near Kurt.
And then they bring him back to creepily seek out Kurt, in a gorilla suit to hide his identity, shower him with gifts in spite of only talking to Kurt ONCE in nearly a year, and profess his 'love' with every expectation of Kurt falling into his arms and abandoning the boyfriend he's been perfectly happy with for the past year. Kurt has no obligation to return Karofsky's 'affections' (air quotes because Karofsky doesn't KNOW Kurt, but he's fixating on him to what I perceive to be an unhealthy degree).
I appreciate that Kurt told him no, and pointed out all the things Karofsky did to him in the past -- forgive, but don't forget. I do NOT appreciate the fact that they went there in the first place. It's not Kurt's job to explain to Karofsky why a relationship between them is just not a good idea; he's already expressed in no uncertain terms that Karofsky isn't his type and Kurt is not attracted to him, I find it hard to believe that Karofsky actually thinks he has a good shot at this. Plus the fact that Karofsky knows Kurt has a boyfriend, and that Kurt's reaction to the last card clearly indicates that he thinks they're from Blaine ("Wait, you think you love me?"), and I just find Karofsky's petulant surprise at Kurt's rejection surprising. There are so many reasons that scene was a bad idea, and if they follow through on the random classmate figuring out Karofsky's secret by having Dave get gay bashed and forget that Blaine's been through that -- yeah, that will piss me off even more. And I don't especially want a Karofsky suicide attempt instead, but at least that wouldn't undermine Blaine in the process, it would just be uncharacteristically dark and heavy for Glee, and very much an issue I don't trust the Glee writers to handle well at all (especially since that would probably even be presented as All Kurt's Fault after this rejection, argh.) No matter where they go with this -- DNW x1000.
Bullet points about the rest of the ep:
• Santana continues to be a BAMF and make me love her again. She got downright mean for a while there, but I'm hoping that was the character hitting rock bottom and she'll continue to use her bitch-powers for good. A+ for pointing out the double-standard at work! (Now if only the writers would make an effort to correct it...)
• Really, Mercedes isn't sure where she stands on gay people? Really? She was the first person Kurt came out to. Nearly three years ago. Before he told his dad. I just -- whatever, Glee, Kurtcedes is obviously not even on your radar as a friendship that actually happened, anymore.
• Despite that moment of characterization fail, Mercedes rocked 'I Will Always Love You'. Knocked it straight out of the park, you go, Amber. I want my Samcedes, but I appreciate that Mercedes regrets hurting Shane and needs to forgive herself first, and that song was pretty epic, even without recent events making it even more relevant.
• I love Rachel's dads. Period. Hiram makes me cover my face and laugh. I want them to interact with Kurt. And Blaine. But mostly Kurt. Also, Sugar continues to be hilariously daffy and spoiled, <3
• I refuse to believe Kurt and Blaine didn't kiss once during or just after 'Love Shack'. It's patently ridiculous to think otherwise. It makes me sad to think that the Brittana kisses (while long overdue) filled the show's quota of gay affection to the point that Klaine were only allowed to dance adorably with each other (even if Chris and Darren sold the hell out of that).
• I have seen recaps/reviews questioning Blaine's ability to sell the 'campy' aspect of 'Love Shack'. ...Yes, because Darren Criss' signature schtick isn't the least bit campy at all*. It's one of the main reasons I adore Blaine so much, that ability to be a complete goofy idiot and still totally adorable -- what were those reviewers watching, I wonder?
• If not for the sucker punch of the Karofsky scene, I think I would have enjoyed this episode quite a lot, more than I actually expected going in. Unfortunately, it's really hard to ignore the awful, horrible taste of that Karofsky scene, and it's tainted my enjoyment of the rest of the episode, which makes me really sad. Last year's 'Silly Love Songs' was marred by Finn's descent into inexplicable douchiness, and this year suffers from Karofsky-rage. Very sad.
* /sarcasm, btw, XD