Glee - "Extraordinary Merry Christmas"

Season 3, Episode 9

“Best. Christmas. Ever.”

Early on in tonight’s episode, some of the students began to talk about how last Christmas was a terrible time for the club, and that they should do everything in their power to make this Christmas a happy on. Regular readers of this blog and/or people with great taste in television will have undoubtedly noticed that this plot almost exactly mirrors a similar plot point in last week’s Community. I’m not usually one to compare shows against each other, as I prefer to judge shows based on their own merits. However, Glee kept comparing itself to other shows so much that I couldn’t ignore this fact, especially when Glee started comparing itself to well, itself.

Glee - "Hold on to Sixteen"

Season 3, Episode 8

I would like to start off with an apology for not reviewing last week’s episode. I know that I tweeted like three different times that I was going to have the review ready by such-and-such time, but it never materialized. The episode was so terrible, that even when I finally found a hook for the piece (and it was pretty good, if I do say so myself), I just couldn’t pull myself through the episode’s muck once again, and every time I started trying to write out just why the episode was so horrible, my brain shut down. Now, Glee’s done terrible episodes in the past, and even if that was perhaps the worse one it’s made, I still in theory should have been able to get that review done.

But I think what was so devastating about last week’s episode was that up until that point, I was actually sense a gradual uptick in overall quality in the show. Even though the season had its share of bad episodes, I still felt like the good outweighed the bad. “I Kissed a Girl” destroyed that illusion, and I was forced to accept that Glee had given up on its promise to put story first. This disillusionment only grew with news about Ricky Martin’sguest star turn and the Michael Jackson episode, both of which will happen early next year, and it was solidified with the return of CHORD OVERSTREET tonight. (By the laws of the internet, I am obligated to type his name in all caps.) Tonight’s episode may have been slightly better dramatically, but in the sense that it only seemed to cement the chaos of last week, it actually became even worse.

Glee - "The First Time"/"Mash-Off"

Season 3, Episodes 5 & 6

You know, it’s funny. Given the dust up that the PTC made last week concerning the perceived immorality of “The First Time”, I’m surprised that there wasn’t similar controversy over tonight’s episode, given that it upped the age-inappropriate relationship angle in a big way. Now, there are most certainly reasons for this – PTC probably wasn’t made aware of the plot, and, as the episode took pains to remind us, Puck is 18 – but it’s still ironic that this episode that was much more sexually suggestive that last week’s. In fact, it would be a good Idea to compare “The First Time” and “Mash-Off”, not just because I didn’t post a review last week, but also because the two are of opposing levels of quality, and that says a lot about where the show is now.

Glee - "Pot O' Gold"

Season 3, Episode 4

Can Glee realistically handle a political subplot? Actually, let’s back that line of thinking up just a bit? Can Glee handle any storyline that’s supposed to reflect the current situations of its real world? Now, television as whole requires a healthy suspension of belief, as all shows work in their own little worlds that function differently than real life, to varying degrees. (Well, expect The Wire, but that’s just the exception that proves the rule.) Glee has embraced this element to the extreme, and while it can stretch the limits of believability, it tends to work as long as it stays within its magical la-la land where emotions swing like clock pendulum and there’s always a backup band to score your random musical number.  The problem then comes when the show shatters this illusionary world by bringing in real-life problems, and it’s a problem that “Pot O’ Gold” highlights in a big way.

Glee - "Asian F"

Season 3, Episode 3

I’m loathe to admit it, but I think the show might be turning around

Glee - "I am Unicorn"

Season 3, Episode 2

Things start to make sense

Glee - "The Purple Piano Project"

Season 3, Episode 1

A frustrating, worrisome mixed bag

Glee: "New York"

Season 2, Episode 22

Those New York lights are quite distracting

Glee: "Funeral"

Season 2, Episode 21

A 50/50 episode tries to recapture the season one magic

Glee: "Prom Queen"

Season 2, Episode 20

Glee embraces serialization

Glee: "Rumours"

Season 2, Episode 19

On the risk of over-indulging in themes

Glee: "Born This Way"

Season 2, Episode 18

Were those last 30 minutes really that freakin’ Gleekin’?

Glee: "Night of Neglect"

Season 2, Episode 17

The show returns with a messy, shoehorned vengeance

TV Newsline: Glee to release (yet another) album

Because teenage girls and creepy men who live in their basements just can't get enough of the stuff, Glee is releasing yet another album, this with songs sung by Mckinley High rivals, and all around plot machination, The Warblers.

Even though the albums have been a big financial boost for both the show and the Fox network, at some point it must be asked when this gravy train will stop running. But we call all rest assured that we will still be hearing about these albums long after we have grown irritated at there mere presence.

The complete track list can be found at HitFix.

Glee: "Original Song"

Once I firmly show my support for “Big Ass Heart,” I'll offer up a review of last night's episode, after the jump...

Glee: "Sexy"

Once I celebrate achieving 1000+ page views (woo!), I'll offer up a review of tonight's episode, after the jump...

Glee: "Blame It On The Alcohol"

After I once again gripe about how Glee's song selection is too on-the-nose, I'll offer up a review of last night's episode, after the jump....

Glee: "Comeback"

Only after I have myself inoculated from Bieber Fever will it be safe to offer up a review of last night's Glee, after the jump....

Glee: "Silly Love Songs"

Once I take a poll to determine just how offensive “Fat Bottomed Girls” really is, I'll be able to give you a review of last night's Glee, after the jump....

Glee: "The Sue Sylvester Shuffle"

Once I get a tally of how many Super Bowl reference there were in tonight's episode, I will be able to give you a review, after the jump....