Glee - "Sexy" Review

“Just remember whenever you have sex with someone, you’re having sex with everyone they’ve ever had sex with. And everybody’s got a random.” -Holly

Sigh. Glee. How you upset me so. Tonight’s episode “Sexy” highlighted everything I don’t like about the show. While there were a few bright spots, they were few and far between and no memorable songs to break up the mess that was tonight’s episode. Tonight we were given a theme episode. I can’t stand these poorly constructed episodes. Apparently every single person at the school, teachers included, is having a similar problem at the exact same time. It’s unrealistic. And then they have to weave songs around their point as opposed to going with songs that are right for the story and seem organic in the moment. Not too mention they decided to blast us with all sorts of visiting stars that we barely got any real time with characters.

Just so you don’t think I’m some ball of hate toward the show, let’s start with the positive. Tonight was an amazing episode for Santana and Brittany. Naya Rivera continues to amaze me. We’ve seen her sing and dance at high levels, but tonight she really flexed her acting skills. Her scene in front of the lockers with Brittany was elegant and understated just enough. It would have been easy to play extremes and it would have seemed disingenuous, but she played hurt and conflicted very well. These types of scenes and relationships are what make the show so great. So it’s baffling when they stray from such honest and real emotions for cheap jokes and forced situations. I’m not saying I need every scene needs to be a heartbreaking emotional experience tonight, but I think the show thrives when see kids in honest situations reacting in honest ways. There was a nice attempt with Kurt and his dad,but the Kurt story line seems so disconnected that it’s hard to muster up the same empathy for his situation.

My lack of interest in Kurt’s story line is a manifestation of a bigger problem on Glee’s hands: there are too many plots. It seems simple enough to fix, but Glee can’t help themselves. Every week there seems to be a new story or a new character that wasn;t there before that takes up large portions of the episode pushing stories we actually care about to the back of the line. This week it was the reintroduction of Holly Holiday. Gwenyth Paltrow is currently trying to reinvent her career as a total performer. While I very much enjoy Gwenyth’s peformances, I just feel like she robbed too much of the episode. High on the list of things I don’t care about is Will Schuster’s love life. At one point, I cared very much. I think he had a real nice thing with Emma, but then Glee decided to take Emma PIllsbury away from us to the point where it’s hard to think about their relationship in the way we once did. I enjoy the adults presence when they are their as guides for the students. Perhaps instead of so much time devoted to Will trying to get his freak on, we could have seen more of Quinn and Finn making their relationship strong again. This was the show’s original power couple! Yet their relationship tonight felt like an aside. And when was the last time anyone heard from Tina, Mike Chang, Brittany or Sam? Heck even the diva herself, Rachel Berry, took a big backseat tonight. The show needs focus and it needs to find it quick.

Themed episodes are also a plague on the show. Just think of certain stories we had to endure tonight that we wouldn’t have had to if the show hadn’t decided that everything had to revolve around “Sexy.” First in line is the Lauren and Puck sex tape story. First of all, gross. Second, how ridiculous is it that that’s even a suggestion. Lauren was originally painted as this sassy smart woman who was leaps and bounds ahead of Puck mentally, but now she thinks just having a sex tape will bring her fame and a fragrance? Ugh. The Dalton Academy’s “sexy” foam party was laughable at best. The show is just constantly trying to make sure we don’t forget about Kurt, but honestly, I wish they’d leave him out until regionals. The “Afternoon Delight” number was a nice and funny gag, but did we really need John Stamos to come back? I realize the show wanted everyone to see that Emma was conflicted with her emotions, but it was just yet another character the show had to share screen time with. My problems with Sue Sylvester have been well documented, but I actually her when she’s used correctly, so when she was used tonight in a realistic way to deliver the “sexy” news to Kurt, I welcomed the change of pace she brought.

So Glee? If you’re listening, will you please focus your show? Please. For those of us who loved what it once was and know that it still can be. Do it for us, because we were here first and we’ve remained loyal. Please, do this for us. Thanks in advance.

Other thoughts:

- Doesn’t it seem like every teenage male Kurt’s dad comes into contact with seems like they all have something he can relate too? Did they really need Blaine to know about cars? And for that matter, isn’t Finn Kurt’s brother? Can we see any of that story? Oh well...

- Kurt and Blaine need their own spinoff series in that coffee shop. It just seems like every scene takes place there. I think I might be able to order Kurt’s coffee for him before too long.

- Something about lead characters on network shows having crushes on girls named Holly. Michael Scott from The Office and now Will Schuster. Remind me not to name my girl Holly because it will lead to many unwanted crushes.

- One adult I do always like, but only in very small doses is Principal Figgins. Coach Bieste has her moments, but did we really need her one moment on camera tonight as just a reminder of another story we weren’t getting too?

- Glee always brings up social issues that I have forgotten existed since I’m no longer in school. Growing up in Texas, we didn’t have a sex-ed class. We had health class where we briefly touched on sex, but only as a means of reproduction. There’s a lot of people wanting to talk about the difference between abstinence only and safe sex practices. But what I thought was interesting was that Blaine brought up that there’s no real information for gay teens in sex-ed classes. Is this a real issue? I’d imagine so. I can’t imagine a gay teen sitting through class listening to everyone else get their questions answered but feeling to afraid or ashamed to ask theirs. Just never really thought about it.

Brittany line of the week: “ I get my information from Woody Woodpecker cartoons.”