Glee Episode V: The Sylvester Strikes Back

[Sawyer]

All this Disney talk is really making me want to hear Santana singing Reflections and Schue singing I'll Make a Man Out of You.

 

[JP]

As if Shue couldn't get more pervy.

 

[Manic]

Will "If you're ever drunk and vulnerable, call me" Shuester

 

[Sawyer]

As if Shue couldn't get more pervy.

Agreed, but I think his voice would be perfect for it.

 

[Homer J. Fong]

I was really disappointed with "Prom Queen," especially because it followed "Rumors," which I absolutely loved. It boggles my mind that this show can do an episode spotlighting the music of Fleetwood Mac, and specifically their outstanding "Rumors" album, and then feature a cover of "Friday" the next week. On a very weird, skewed level, that's kind of awesome, a mark of how diverse this show's and these character's taste can be, how Glee will embrace any kind of music. And that's great, but the thing that really can't be ignored is that not every song is as good as every other song, and shouldn't be treated as such. "Friday" - or Justin Bieber or Lady Gaga or any other mediocre to lousy artist/song Glee's featured - may be pop culture, but it's not quality pop culture, not even close, and what this is actually a mark of is the way quality just doesn't seem to matter anymore in pop culture. "Friday" is a terrible song, and I wouldn't even be so kind as to call it "so bad it's good" kitsch, but it's huge. It's huge because it's so bad, but it seems to have gone beyond that, to the point where it can be sort of embraced. It does seem like a realistic choice of junior prom song - I'm sure there are a few proms that did just play it - but I can't justify it that way either because I'll take quality music and non-realism every time.

The storylines all seemed to kind of limp away at the end of the episode instead of really concluding. Kurt didn't actually say anything when he returned to that stage, Karofsky didn't come out (again, realistic but not for the better of this episode), Quinn's much-advertised, "You did this to me!" freak-out slap came after a brief fight between Finn and Jesse and then getting pulled away, instead of something bigger, and Puck and Santana's stories seemed fairly half-assed to begin with. I never believed Santana gave a damn about being prom queen in the first place, so I was indifferent there.

I was also surprisingly indifferent to Jesse's return there, because that's a character I'd only ever found hilarious or aggravating, but usually both. This episode was really only setup for his role in the next couple of episodes, and felt like it, and that's fine. Rachel & Jesse's version of "Rolling in the Deep" was excellent - sure, the original is better, but this one is different enough that I didn't immediately want to say "I like ____ better." I love the way it was stripped down and turned into a duet. Artie doing "Isn't She Lovely?" was the other musical highlight of the episode, an episode that was kind of lacking in that area. I liked Sue's list of the worst songs New Directions has performed, even if I wouldn't necessarily have chosen "Run Joey Run" and "Crazy in Love/Hair" to head the list (I'd obviously go for "Baby" and, now, "Friday," to top it). "Run Joey Run" was in the "Bad Reputation" episode, so it's enjoyable for its ridiculousness, of course, but the Glee version is very listenable (Jonathan Groff even kills it in that song - damn him). I wondered if there would be a callback to that list later, after "Friday" was performed, but no; maybe just having the 'worst songs' list and "Friday" in the same show was the joke.

ETA: It's not often that Kurt gets the funniest line in the show, but, "Go with God, Satan" was hilarious.

 

[CaptainCanada]

"Friday" - or Justin Bieber or Lady Gaga or any other mediocre to lousy artist/song Glee's featured - may be pop culture, but it's not quality pop culture, not even close, and what this is actually a mark of is the way quality just doesn't seem to matter anymore in pop culture.

Quality matters to the same extent it ever did; quality is inherently subjective.

"Friday" isn't supposed to be good, anyway; it's enjoyed for how bad it is.

 

[Manic]

We've had this conversation already.

"Friday is the worst thing to ever happen to music and I can't believe it's so popular!"
"But it's only popular because it's bad. It's a stupid song, which makes it funny."
"But it's bad! Why is Glee covering it?!"
"...because it's funny."
"BUT IT'S BAD!"
"But it's funny."

 

[Sawyer]

Honestly, it's not really that funny.

But I've moved on anyhow.... to how much of a *****e Finn is and how I'd like to see him gone.

 

[Prison Mike]

Calling it funny is just an excuse. Admit it. You genuinely like the song.

 

[Manic]

Calling it funny is just an excuse. Admit it. You genuinely like the song.

I like the song because it's so stupid and funny. It's the musical equivalent to a 90's Jim Carrey movie.

 

[Sawyer]

HEY! Watch how you talk about The Mask.

 

[Manic]

I want you to sit there and honestly tell me The Mask was a good movie that happened to have lots of jokes in it. It was 99% incredibly stupid jokes, and that's why we all loved it as kids. It was one of those comedies where the plot was completely incidental and the characters were all flat archetypes.

 

[Majik1387]

The Mask was a good movie that happened to have lots of jokes in it.

 

[Sawyer]

You're a flat archetype!

 

[DACrowe]

I watch Skins so im already used to it. Sure it will be painful to see this cast go but if they have the right characters it could be fine.

I dunno. Skins was a British show that needed a smaller audience than network TV (especially a show as expensive to produce as Glee). I'm sure they're going to try, but I kind of expect this to blow over like when they did "Scrubs: The Next Generation" with only Dr. Cox and Turk returning for more than a few episodes. It lasted a season and while it had one character I liked in it (Jo/Denise), I along with the rest of the fanbase was turned off by the concept and most of the new characters. It was quietly canceled after one season.

 

[JP]

Aw, here we go!

 

[DACrowe]

A new cast could work (though I find it absolutely absurd that all the Glee Club members are in the same grade).

You could argue that the characters of Sue Sylvester, Will and Emma are compelling enough to help the show retain its viewers

If this was still Season One I'd agree with you....not so much as of late.

 

[DACrowe]

As if Shue couldn't get more pervy.

Perhaps he'll sing "A Whole New World" with Cheno about going to Broadway?

I actually that. One song I'd love to hear Rachel sing is "Part of Your World." Puck or Sam could sing "Street Rat" and Britanna could sing "Hakuna Matata." Okay, I'm having too much fun with this now.

 

[Manic]

Somebody needs to sing "Poor Unfortunate Souls."

 

[Sawyer]

Speaking of Cheno, ABC picked up her pilot, so I wouldn't hold out too much hope for seeing April in season three.

 

[Majik1387]

Eh, you never know.

 

[DACrowe]

I was really disappointed with "Prom Queen," especially because it followed "Rumors," which I absolutely loved. It boggles my mind that this show can do an episode spotlighting the music of Fleetwood Mac, and specifically their outstanding "Rumors" album, and then feature a cover of "Friday" the next week. On a very weird, skewed level, that's kind of awesome, a mark of how diverse this show's and these character's taste can be, how Glee will embrace any kind of music. And that's great, but the thing that really can't be ignored is that not every song is as good as every other song, and shouldn't be treated as such. "Friday" - or Justin Bieber or Lady Gaga or any other mediocre to lousy artist/song Glee's featured - may be pop culture, but it's not quality pop culture, not even close, and what this is actually a mark of is the way quality just doesn't seem to matter anymore in pop culture. "Friday" is a terrible song, and I wouldn't even be so kind as to call it "so bad it's good" kitsch, but it's huge. It's huge because it's so bad, but it seems to have gone beyond that, to the point where it can be sort of embraced. It does seem like a realistic choice of junior prom song - I'm sure there are a few proms that did just play it - but I can't justify it that way either because I'll take quality music and non-realism every time.

You make a compelling argument against much of Glee. It is so celebratory of pop music that they will cover anything. That means high school kids are listening and celebrating music way before their time (Madonna, Fleetwood or even less culturally relevant today, Britney Spears) or high school guys, particularly jocks, are way too excited to cover music that is so against their characters (again Britney Spears and I"d throw in Justin Bieber and now Rebecca Black, as well).

But the real reason for this is simply that Glee is in itself a marketing tool for the dying music industry. Like a Vietnamese prostitute trying to jump on the chopper before the army leaves in hopes of salvation, the record companies have latched onto this show. That is why they'll play anything whether it fits the characters or not. It is synergy at its finest in trying to get young people to buy more albums (or at least download singles on iTunes) from back catalogues.

Also, I would throw in pop(ular) music has never been about quality. Ever. Every decade is filled with hundreds of popular songs and artists that people would be embarrassed to ever admit listening to. Whether it is Justin Bieber, the Black Eyed Peas, Kes$ha and Rebecca Black this year, Britney Spears, the Spice Girls, N'Sync and the Backstreet Boys ten years ago, or The Bee Gees, KC and the Sunshine Band and ABBA thirty years before that (90 percent of '80s music is an embarrassment today ) it is all about selling a product and image. That is why so much of pop music becomes post-modern to poke fun of and you get movies like Hot Tub Time Machine playing on pop culture stereotypes of the previous generation. That is what the concept of Back to the Future started as, a satire of 1980s kids' parents' generation and their pop culture.

With that said, I take umbrage with you lumping Gaga in with Bieber and Rebecca Black.

The storylines all seemed to kind of limp away at the end of the episode instead of really concluding. Kurt didn't actually say anything when he returned to that stage, Karofsky didn't come out (again, realistic but not for the better of this episode), Quinn's much-advertised, "You did this to me!" freak-out slap came after a brief fight between Finn and Jesse and then getting pulled away, instead of something bigger, and Puck and Santana's stories seemed fairly half-assed to begin with. I never believed Santana gave a damn about being prom queen in the first place, so I was indifferent there.

I was also surprisingly indifferent to Jesse's return there, because that's a character I'd only ever found hilarious or aggravating, but usually both. This episode was really only setup for his role in the next couple of episodes, and felt like it, and that's fine. Rachel & Jesse's version of "Rolling in the Deep" was excellent - sure, the original is better, but this one is different enough that I didn't immediately want to say "I like ____ better." I love the way it was stripped down and turned into a duet. Artie doing "Isn't She Lovely?" was the other musical highlight of the episode, an episode that was kind of lacking in that area. I liked Sue's list of the worst songs New Directions has performed, even if I wouldn't necessarily have chosen "Run Joey Run" and "Crazy in Love/Hair" to head the list (I'd obviously go for "Baby" and, now, "Friday," to top it). "Run Joey Run" was in the "Bad Reputation" episode, so it's enjoyable for its ridiculousness, of course, but the Glee version is very listenable (Jonathan Groff even kills it in that song - damn him). I wondered if there would be a callback to that list later, after "Friday" was performed, but no; maybe just having the 'worst songs' list and "Friday" in the same show was the joke.

I only disagree with the bolded part. I thought Kurt's storyline can be so heavy handed in some episodes, but they did it well here. He thought the school was progressive and open because they didn't make fun of him. They tried to humiliate him at Prom and he came back with a smirk and a joke. That is the best way to confront that sort of thing. He didn't need a heavy-handed speech about tolerance that would not have felt authentic. He just laughed at them for laughing at him and took away their power. Also, Kurt trying to make Karofsky come out at prom was too much pressure and his response was believable as opposed to, again, a heavy handed scene about expressing tolerance. He'll come out, but it didn't need to be at that moment.

 

[Pink Ranger]

Speaking of Cheno, ABC picked up her pilot, so I wouldn't hold out too much hope for seeing April in season three.

Hmmm, Kristin, Pushing Daisies, then Sit Down and Shut Up; I'd take that bet that Cheno will be available for more guest appearances in the near future. I love her, but she has mixed luck with starring TV roles (despite a well deserved Emmy).

 

[Sawyer]

Dear God.... she had a self-titled sitcom?

 

[Pink Ranger]

Dear God.... she had a self-titled sitcom?

Yuppers.

I think you can find it on youtube. I dare not watch it, lest it ruin the perception of her in my eyes.