There were some great songs on last night's Glee, including the first one sung by Rachel and Will. As I mentioned in my review, this song set the tone for not only the episode, but the storyline of Rachel's crush on Mr. Schuester. But what was funny is that while they were singing it -- "Endless Love" -- everyone else's mind was wandering to their own thoughts of love, butts, Diana Ross, and underwear:
Kurt: "I could totally sing this song with Finn, but screw him if he thinks he's taking the Diana Ross part from me."
Puck: "I love the days when I don't wear underwear. Full commando."
Finn: "I never noticed how nice Rachel's butt is. Oh crap, I think Quinn knows I'm staring at it."
Rachel: "Wow, I've never noticed this before because he's always trying to destroy my career, but Mr. Shu has really pretty eyes."
What's Hot on SlashControl: Endless Love on Glee
Review: Glee - Ballad
(S01E10) "What does a heart attack feel like?" - Finn, in a panicky call to Kurt after facing Quinn's parents at dinner
The subject of this episode of Glee was ballads. It was learned that the club must perform a ballad at sectionals in a few weeks, and the writers managed to weave the soulful songs into every storyline. The first was "Endless Love," sung by Will and Rachel. It set the tone for one of the storylines -- her crush on the teacher. In fact, the episode was filled with odd-couple pairings, thanks to a hat-draw for ballad partners.
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What's Hot on SlashControl: Dancing With Myself from last night's Glee
Yes, I know I posted the "Defying Gravity" video from last night's Glee earlier today. But here's another good one -- "Dancing With Myself" sung by Artie Abrams (Kevin McHale).
I must admit, it's hard to get the Billy Idol version out of my head, but the tune was perfect for the wheelchair-bound Artie as he wheels through the school corridors (quite well, I might add) and looks longingly at Tina (who has a secret of her own).
Here's the video straight from our sister site, SlashControl. Which song is your favorite from last night's Glee -- "Defying Gravity," "Dancing With Myself," or "Proud Mary"? (Tell me in the comments if I've missed any!)
Be sure to read Allison's review of the episode, and if you haven't checked out Joel's post on why Artie isn't played by a real-life disabled actor, be sure to throw in your two cents there.
I must admit, it's hard to get the Billy Idol version out of my head, but the tune was perfect for the wheelchair-bound Artie as he wheels through the school corridors (quite well, I might add) and looks longingly at Tina (who has a secret of her own).
Here's the video straight from our sister site, SlashControl. Which song is your favorite from last night's Glee -- "Defying Gravity," "Dancing With Myself," or "Proud Mary"? (Tell me in the comments if I've missed any!)
Be sure to read Allison's review of the episode, and if you haven't checked out Joel's post on why Artie isn't played by a real-life disabled actor, be sure to throw in your two cents there.
Here's the Defying Gravity video from last night's Glee
As Allison mentioned in her review of last night's Glee, it was an awesome episode. The show featured some great songs, some great lines, and a few surprises about some of the students and faculty. If you haven't watched it yet, I won't give away too much.
My favorite song was "Defying Gravity," the ballad from Wicked, sung in a "diva off" by Rachel (Lea Michele) and Kurt (Chris Colfer), with each performance inter-cut with the other. They both have fantastic voices, and I'm in awe of Colfer's spot-on tone and intonation. Just gorgeous! But I have to agree with Allison that perhaps Rachel has the more Broadway-type voice that jumps off the stage and grabs you.
I don't know, though. It's a tough call as to which has the bigger diva voice. What do you think? If you were a Broadway casting director, who would you choose to sing this song -- Kurt or Rachel?
(Thanks to Rickey.org for posting the video.)
My favorite song was "Defying Gravity," the ballad from Wicked, sung in a "diva off" by Rachel (Lea Michele) and Kurt (Chris Colfer), with each performance inter-cut with the other. They both have fantastic voices, and I'm in awe of Colfer's spot-on tone and intonation. Just gorgeous! But I have to agree with Allison that perhaps Rachel has the more Broadway-type voice that jumps off the stage and grabs you.
I don't know, though. It's a tough call as to which has the bigger diva voice. What do you think? If you were a Broadway casting director, who would you choose to sing this song -- Kurt or Rachel?
(Thanks to Rickey.org for posting the video.)
Review: Glee - Wheels
(S01E09) If you're a Glee fan already -- a Gleek -- this episode is going to hit you in the sweet spot. If you're not a Glee fan, do yourself a favor and go online and watch this one (when it's available). It's just that good.
It may be coincidental, but the focus was on the school and the music. And plenty of character development with Puck, Kurt, and especially Sue. There was no football, no Slushees, no Emma and definitely no Teri. It's looking like Glee is best when Mr. Schu's personal life is off camera. I haven't missed the Mrs. one bit. More after the jump.
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Why isn't Artie on Glee played by a disabled actor?
When I saw the kids from Glee sing at the World Series earlier this month, I was surprised to see that Kevin McHale, the actor who plays disabled gleester Artie, wasn't disabled in real life. Not sure why this surprised me; non-disabled actors have been playing disabled characters for decades. Maybe it's because McHale handles his wheelchair so well, or because Glee seems to be pretty proud of its not-calling-attention-to-itself brand of diversity. Maybe I just figured that, in 2009, hiring a disabled actor to play a disabled character wasn't a big deal.
I guess I was wrong. And I'm not the only one who's puzzled and disappointed by the show's decision. Tonight's episode, in which the gleesters rally around Artie so he can travel with them to the regionals, is the jumping-off point for an AP article on how disappointed disabled actors are about the casting of McHale in the role.
Continue reading Why isn't Artie on Glee played by a disabled actor?
Singin' in the rain: Glee cast shines at the World Series
When you're hot, you're hot. Fox's Glee is hot. It's sizzling. The music is all over the charts. Their single, "Don't Stop Believin'" went gold. It seems like everything it going right for this Ryan Murphy show.For the third game of the World Series on the night of Halloween, fate tried to rain on the Glee parade. Literally. It rained.
In Philadelphia where the game was being played, there was a rain delay of over an hour. If you were a Glee fan -- a Gleek -- tuning in just to see the troupe before the game, you had to be disappointed.
Continue reading Singin' in the rain: Glee cast shines at the World Series
Glee's "Don't Stop Believin'" goes gold
If you have any doubt about the power of television in the selling of music and making stars, this story should convince you that there is a definite correlation. Fox's Glee has produced a solid gold successful single. The Glee version of "Don't Stop Believin'" has been certified as Gold in digital sales of half-a-million downloads. That's 500,000 people who've heard the song on the TV show and wanted it on their iPod or cell phone or some music playing apparatus.
"Don't Stop Believin'" was the first big song from the pilot, but it's not the only song that has been popular. Seven songs from Glee now occupy spots in the top 200 of iTunes' Top Songs chart. On November 3, there will be a compilation CD of the best numbers from the show, called Glee: The Music, Volume 1.
Continue reading Glee's "Don't Stop Believin'" goes gold
TV Squad Ten: TV's biggest rule breakers
Rules are meant to be broken... especially for these ten television characters. For them, the rest of the world has one standard to live by and they have another. It makes them interesting and fun to watch... you just wouldn't necessarily want to be the person having to deal with them because they could drive you to distraction. Here's my ten pack of characters who live in a world of their own, according to no rules except their own. From the not-too-bad to the really bad.
10. Patrick Jane, The Mentalist
You would think that as a consultant to the CBI -- California Bureau of Investigation -- Patrick Jane would be compelled to uphold the rules and regulations of the department. However, Jane is a free spirit when it comes to office protocol. He does his own thing. For instance, bugging the office of a CBI higher-up is definitely not kosher. Jane doesn't care; he did it anyway and will probably get away with it.
Continue reading TV Squad Ten: TV's biggest rule breakers
Kristin Chenoweth to return to Glee
I didn't think we'd seen the last of boozy old gleester April Rhodes, and now it's official. Kristin Chenoweth is reprising her role on Glee for at least one more episode, to air in early 2010. Creator Ryan Murphy didn't divulge any more info about her role, so there's no telling if she'll spend her time getting Kurt drunk again, or if she actually learned a lesson from her last visit and found happiness in Branson.
What's interesting is that Chenoweth has made no secret about her desire to return to Glee, perhaps in a permanent capacity, so could this second visit be paving the way for a place in the cast? Again, Murphy is keeping mum, but what if it is true? Where would they put April Rhodes? Do you really want her to be a member of glee club? Would she help Will coach? Will she form a love square between Will, Terri and Emma? After all, he did have a monster crush on her in high school.
Continue reading Kristin Chenoweth to return to Glee
Why are you watching Glee?
So, tell me why you're watching Glee. Entertainment Weekly put the Fox musical/drama/comedy on it's cover this week, calling it "TV's Happiest Hour." With around 8 million people tuning in each week and iTunes sales of songs featured on the show going through the roof, there's no denying that Glee has turned into a barely contained phenomenon.EW says it's "snarky, theatrical and totally addictive." All very true, but I watch for one reason: this show makes me happy. Nothing I've seen on TV in the past few years, much less this season, puts a grin on my face like these high school kids earnestly singing and dancing. I mean, come on. Did you see Puck's rendition of "Sweet Caroline"?
Continue reading Why are you watching Glee?
The next episode of Glee will be explosive!
Last night's Glee -- "Mash-Up" -- was one of the best of the season, but it may be that it was merely an appetizer and that next week's show is going to be the big enchilada (hmm... I must be hungry). Anyway, the show won't be back until November -- after the World Series --- and based on Fox's previews, it looks like a lot is going to happen.
Continue reading The next episode of Glee will be explosive!
Review: Glee - Mash-Up
(S01E08) In what might be one of the best episodes of Glee since the premiere, Matthew Morrison was given a true showcase. There was also no Will family drama. Hmm ... is that a coincidence? I don't think so. I clearly have more interest in what Will's doing at McKinley High with the singing and dancing then his marriage.
Mash-ups were on the top of the to-do list. Emma and Ken asked Will for a wedding song mash-up, which was easier said than done when the two songs they wanted were "I Could Have Danced All Night" from My Fair Lady and Sisqo's "The Thong Song." Fortunately, Will didn't sing the former, just the latter.
Continue reading Review: Glee - Mash-Up
Joss Whedon is directing an episode of Glee!
It's one of those things that you think would be cool if it happened, and then it actually happens. Joss Whedon is reporting that he'll be directing an upcoming episode of Glee.We know he has on occasion stepped outside his usual genre of sci-fi and fantasy based on his directorial work on The Office. We know he's into musical theater based on his creation of the musical episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Doctor Horrible's Sing-A-Long Blog. Now, he's merging all that he's done before. Or at least he would be if the episode of Glee ends up involving evil scientists and vampires.
Despite my own history in musical theater, I haven't been watching Glee. Whedon's involvement in an episode would certainly pique my interest enough to catch it. Perhaps he could get together with his brother Jed and write the music for the episode, as well, turning it into a 42-minute operetta. They've done it before.
Does loving Glee make me a bad feminist?
There are plenty of ill-conceived female characters all over prime-time TV (just pick any show on the CW for starters) but is it fair to dump Glee into that category? While Glee undoubtedly has some of the most egregious, misshapen teen girls around, I don't think it's this fall's worst offender. Sadie over at Jezebel makes some very salient points in her gender-critique of Glee, but she misses the mark when she calls the show "cheap and disingenuous." Yes, stock portrayals of female characters can reinforce harmful stereotypes, but I don't think that's what's happening on Glee.
As an avid fan, I think you can appreciate the show without dismissing it because it doesn't portray women in a positive light. This is a Ryan Murphy show. And no one comes out looking good in a Ryan Murphy show.
The TV Squad Podcast: The Prisoner, '80s TV, soap news and more
Let's talk about spoilers ...
The Prisoner -- An early look
