Blaine's dark side

I admit, the first time I watched the performance of My Dark Side I wasn't thinking too much about the meaning of the lyrics or how they pertained to Blaine's situation particularly. I was too busy being excited over Blaine singing with the Warblers again (in his blazer!!!) and swooning over Warbler Jeff (who I affectionately refer to as Cutie-Blondie Warbler, and who I realize is far too young for 27 year-old me to be swooning over). The second time I watched it I began listening to lyrics more and decided I didn't think it quite fit. My sister's boyfriend summed it up when he asked, "Why is Blaine asking the Warblers to stay?" And I had to think about that. Why was he asking the Warblers to stay? They're the ones who are always trying to lure him back to Dalton. They're the ones who want him. Did he think they wouldn't like who he'd become during his time at McKinley? Did he think they wouldn't be his friend without his talent? Was he worried they would judge him for what he had done to Kurt? I didn't really get it.

It was until the third time I watched the performance that it clicked. Blaine wasn't singing to the Warblers. And he wasn't singing to New Directions. No, Blaine was singing to himself. The place he knows that isn't so pretty, that hardly anyone ever goes? That's McKinley. And he's asking himself if he's going to stay, even if it hurts. He went there to be with Kurt. That was his only reason for transferring. And so yes, everything McKinley hurts now that Kurt is gone; gone from the halls, gone from his life. Going back to Dalton would be running away. Running to a place where he can go back to LBKPRBW (Life Before Katy Perry Rocked Blaine's World) and pretend this horrible thing that he did never happened. He's not asking if the Warblers really love him or if New Directions ever really accepted him. He's asking himself for forgiveness.

I'm finding Blaine's cheating storyline to be very interestingly handled. Let's be for real, cheating is hardly untouched ground for Glee. If I am remembering correctly Quinn, Puck, Finn, Rachel, Tina, Brittany, Sam, and Mercedes have all cheated on their respective love people. Puck, Finn, Rachel, Mike, Santana, and Sam have all been the "other" in a cheating scenario. Most of these other cheating storylines took place over an episode. Why have we had four episodes in row that have dealt with either the act itself or the aftermath? What makes Blaine's experience any different? In my opinion, I find it interesting that he's the first person to take any kind of ownership or responsibility for what he did. Blaine is devastated and does nothing but blame and berate himself. He's tortured with the guilt of hurting Kurt. In contrast, in season 2 Tina almost gleefully told Artie she had cheated with Mike and was leaving for him, Rachel tried to excuse her behavior by comparing it to Finn's past with Santana, Sam started dating Santana before breaking up with Quinn for revenge, and Brittany (bless her) still probably has no idea she cheated on Artie. To be completely fair, Mercedes also took ownership of actions and told Shane immediately after cheating with Sam, but since her and Shane's relationship was something basically no one was interested in (partially because Shane had no personality whatsoever, not to mention dude couldn't act his way out of a paper bag), it didn't need more than a quick side arc over two episodes.

I'm interested to see where they take Blaine from this. He's had so little character development outside of his relationship with Kurt, that I'd like this to be the beginning of him really finding himself (as he mentions in the song!!) as a person and not part of a couple. Even though I maybe didn't get it right away (again, I'm blaming Cutie Blondie Warbler's adorableness) My Dark Side turned out to be a fairly brilliant song choice for Blaine and sets the stage nicely for things to come. 

In fact, for the first time in a while, I feel like every song this episode was expertly chosen to both fit the theme AND the characters singing. Sure, if I so choose I could read too much into the differences in song choices between the two male duos and the female duet (such as why were both boy songs about being heroes while the girl song was about needing a hero?), but instead I'm choosing to reinterpret Holding Out for a Hero as Marley not choosing between her Mega-Studs, but needing to accept herself, warts and all, and be her own hero (just like Blaine has to accept himself as someone who made a mistake and hurt someone he loved). Because in the end, if they keep going with her bulimia story, she really is the one who'll have to save herself.

And what can you do?

I started watching Alphas solely because I miss Mr. Vincent Nigel-Murray on Bones. He was my favorite squintern, and I seriously wept at his death two seasons ago. The kind of science-fiction of Alphas is not usually too much my thing, but I was scrolling through Netflix options the other day and came across it and decided to give it a try.

Let's be for real, Alphas main premise, people with unusual abilities, has been done before. I mean Heroes, anyone? But there is enough in its universe to make it compelling and not a poor knock-off like it could have become. I really enjoy the tenuous relationship the main Alpha teams has with the government. And I hope they explore more how conflicting it must be for the team to do what they do, seeing as mostly they're finding people just like them for the sole purpose of locking them away. Their own fear of the government turning on them and locking them away too is palpable in many episodes, coming to a head when their handlers incarcerated them all looking for a mole in the group. I hope they delve more into the main team's thought process on what makes them different from those they put away.

I do really enjoy how, unlike say Heroes, the abilities often seem rooted in science. As if a certain bodily mutation could make the ability possible. Bill's ability is triggered by his fight or flight response. Cameron's was compared to someone with perfect pitch. My only complaint about their abilities, at least as pertains to the five main team members, is that they are all cliches that match their character. The autistic boy is a virtual computer. The big black man is super strong. The hot girl can push you to do anything she wants. The all-American white boy has perfect aim. And the shy, overly sensitive girl is literally over sensitive. Wouldn't it have perhaps been more compelling to watch the geeky autistic boy bust out his super strength? To see the shy, socially awkward girl bend people to her will? I think people who are more incongruous, have more layers and conflicting personality traits and abilities are more interesting.

I have only just finished Season One, which ended with quite a reveal (literally: the alphas were revealed to the world on national TV much to the dismay of the government) and am looking forward to where this will take the team.

Emmy Predictions

For the first time in a while I'm not all that invested in tonight's Emmy awards. Too many of the shows are ones I either haven't caught up on yet, or just don't watch at all. And as it's the third year in a row that  Modern Family (a show I attempted, but after three episodes of stereotypes decided I couldn't stand it) dominating all the comedy categories, it's less exciting. Don't get me wrong, I will be watching. And putting all my efforts into rooting for anyone who isn't a cast or crew member of Modern Family.

So here are my hopes and predictions for the night. Like I said, I'm not...super invested, so I'm only doing certain categories.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: COMEDY

After watching the last two telecasts, I'm sensing a pattern with regards to the Modern Family cast, and that is that we're just going to be rotating through them. While we still have two more of the men to go through, both ladies have gotten their trophies. Could we be seeing a repeat for either of them? It's possible, but with Kristin Wiig and Kathryn Joosten in the mix, I think maybe not so much. I have no real hopes for this category, seeing as The Big Bang Theory is the only show represented I consistently watch and Mayim Bialik's Amy Farrah Fowler is my least favorite character on the show. But my slightly cynical prediction is that, seeing as both the Modern Family ladies have already been recognized, Kathryn Joosten is going to get the posthumous award for Desperate Housewives.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: COMEDY

This category makes me crazy. Are the Modern Family guys really better than every other show out there? Better than the hilarious men of Parks and Rec, of Community, or of Raising Hope? I don't think so. And the fact that all of them continually get nominated leaves no room for anyone else with equal talent and keeps the race uninteresting. So while I think it's going to be Ed O'Neill's year (though if we have to go with another Modern Family win, I'd prefer Jesse Tyler Ferguson based solely on his guest judging stint on So You Think You Can Dance), I want it to be Max Greenfield for the upset so badly. I love Schmidt. He's the best part of New Girl, his character is so rich where it could have easily been a one-note douche. I will take Bill Hader, as he's the greatest SNL player in a long time (seriously I would watch and hour long Stefon skit if I could), but I'll be pulling for Greenfield.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: DRAMA

I am slightly more invested in this category, but not much I guess. I don't see Downton Abbey being much of a threat. The second season wasn't loved nearly as much as the first, and some people are a little hesitant about it being in the drama series at all rather than miniseries. I think either Anna Gunn or Christina Hendricks has the most chance (Gunn riding out a high point for Breaking Bad and Hendricks, despite a weak season, had a controversial storyline involving prostitution and climbing the corporate ladder). If I had my druthers, however, the win would go to the constantly stellar Christine Baranski.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: DRAMA

I loved that Peter Dinklage took home the win in this category last year. I don't see it being a repeat, however. Like Downton Abbey, Game of Thrones wasn't nearly as loved its second season, and no other actors have been recognized as nominees. I think the real fight comes down to the Breaking Bad men. While Aaron Paul has brought home the win in the past, I have no doubt this season is going to go to Giancarlo Esposito. His exit was the stuff of legend and I don't even watch Breaking Bad (a story for another time).

BEST ACTRESS: COMEDY
I have yet to understand how Nurse Jackie is considered a comedy, but I guess that's neither here no there. I don't imagine we'll be seeing a repeat of Melissa McCarthy's win. Tina Fey is nominated every year, but 30 Rock is on its way out and is losing momentum on the way. I don't think Veep has had enough viewers or interest to really garner a win for Julia Louis-Dreyfus, despite her comedy legacy. Zoey Deschanel and Lena Dunham are both newcomers, but both shows were well received. Girls won a lot of praise from critics, and had its share of controversy to keep its name in print, and New Girl was a commercial success. Of the two, I see Dunham taking home the win over Deschanel (her brand of cute and quirky is far from everyone's cup of tea), but I'm not counting out Amy Poehler. Her Leslie Knope is one of the best female leads in comedy. She's smart and driven, loving and passionate. She's crazy and dorky and just one of the greatest characters.

BEST ACTOR: COMEDY
This one feels tricky. Like Tina Fey, I think Alec Baldwin's time is over. Jon Cryer's, while a mainstay nominee for sometime, it's been in Supporting Actor not Lead. Larry David may have a shot with the resurgence of Curb Your Enthusiasm (I'm still not 100% sure what happened there...didn't that show end?), but I don't think it's much of one. Louis C.K. is a big name in the stand-up world, and his show gets a good bit of critical attention. But I think it will come down to a repeat by Jim Parsons, whose Dr. Cooper has showcased a new side of himself with his new girlfriend Amy, and Don Cheadle. Voters love a movie star respecting the medium of television by taking on a series.

BEST ACTRESS: DRAMA
I love Kathy Bates. I do. But her nomination here is somewhat laughable. The show has been canceled, critics never liked it, and though Kathy Bate's has taken part in some incredible projects during her career, Harry's Law was not one of them. Glenn Close has won twice for the same role she's nominated for tonight, but I don't think any momentum for the show has come back since the win went to someone else in that third and fourth year. People love Peggy on Mad Men but if Elisabeth Moss didn't win last year for the Suitcase episode, I don't think she's going to be winning this year. As I keep saying, I don't see Downton Abbey's move to drama series really paying off which leaves of with the ladies of The Good Wife and Homeland. While my personal preference is for Julianna Margulies, I have to give the edge to Claire Danes.

BEST ACTOR: DRAMA
John Hamm, Michael C. Hall, and Steve Buscemi are all repeat nominees who haven't won despite being lauded for their shows and performances. This isn't going to change tonight. Of all the acting nominees, Hugh Bonneville is not going to be the one to prove me wrong on my thoughts of Downton Abbey. Bryan Cranston wasn't in the race last year, which allowed Kyle Chandler to sneak in with a win. While it's not quite what happened, with Chandler's win it seems like the invincible Bryan Cranston has been brought down. While I think he's got a good shot at coming back with a fourth win, I think it's likely Damien Lewis will sneak in for the upset.

BEST COMEDY
As much as I hate to say it, I think Modern Family is going to end up taking this again. Curb Your Enthusiasm and 30 Rock  are showing their age and not in a we're sad to see something so excellent go, kind of way. The Big Bang Theory has a lot of commercial love, but most of the critical love goes to Jim Parsons and that's it. Of the two new shows, I feel Girls has the edge over Veep as the one to upset.

BEST DRAMA
As I've been saying all along, I don't feel there's any way Downton Abbey made the right decision in entering into the drama series category. Of the other five, four are repeat nominees. Game of Thrones gets limited love for their actors, but a good amount of critical love for the show itself. However, genre shows never fair well when it comes to awards. Mad Men has been the winner of this category for some time now. Boardwalk Empire had a shot at a dethroning during it's first season, but the hype has long since died down. Mad Men had a rough season this year, with no standout episodes or performances like last season. I think this is the year it'll be taken down and it'll either be Breaking Bad whose lead has been able to keep John Hamm from the prize for so long, or Homeless, the newcomer with nothing but critical praise. My money's on Homeland. Breaking Bad took a year off, and I think it's momentum died with it.

So those are my predictions for the evening. I know it's coming down to wire, and we'll see what happens.

A new direction for New Directions?

Glee is easily one of, if not my number one, favorite show on the air right now. I have no problem looking past its (multiple) flaws and failures and instead throwing myself whole-heartedly into an episode by episode deep over-analysis of its literary merits and cultural significance. I can lose myself in its superficial candy coated shenanery and revel in its excellence when it digs deeper and gets things right.

Throughout Seasons 1 and 2, Glee found a pretty solid formula: in each episode, no matter what someone was going through, all problems could be solved with a song. That formula was compounded by a core group of virtually unchangeable misfits. Sure, they swapped out the virtually non-existent Matt for the delightfully doofy Sam. And yes, Lauren (who I just loved with Puck) briefly filled the void left by Kurt until she was unceremoniously dumped from the cast. But the core eleven stayed the same. More than that, they dove deep enough into some of those characters who were originally brought in as little more than background scenery (like Santana, Brittany, and Mike) to the point where almost everyone had enough to make them a character rather than an archetype, a person in their own right that an audience would be invested in.

It wasn't until Season 3 that the problem of making every single character fleshed out and beloved was realized. In that very first episode back in May 2009, Rachel had in no uncertain terms declared herself a sophomore. This was now senior year. This was the last year these kids would all be together. How was the show supposed to continue without these characters we'd become so attached to and still remain true to its original premise? How could the show follow all these beloved characters on to their lives throughout the country without becoming so fractured that it eventually just broke? Season 3 had to recognize that they were quickly coming to a cross-road.

And so Season 3 became one of transition. But...sneakily. Yes, we still had those core 11 and they continued on with the formula that had served them so well for the past two years. But at the same time, Season 3 slowly but surely moved towards new directions beginnings.

First up, the transfer of Blaine. A smart move, he was already an established character and half of a couple with an extremely devoted (and sometimes demonic) fanbase. His addition wasn't much of a shock. He was familiar, he was comfortable. There might have been some controversy over his newly revealed age and grade level, but his presence at McKinley was to be expected. Then we welcomed Sam back from his brief departure. His financial situation was still the same, we were reminded of his relationships with both Quinn and Santana, and his declaration of love for Mercedes was a reprieve for a previously dropped storyline. Again, familiar and comfortable. And another junior.

Throughout the year, we were introduced to Sugar, Rory, and Joe, interspersed enough to make each new addition unique and to not dump too much new on the audience at one time. For me, Sugar and Joe were especially welcome additions as their characters were so vastly different from anyone else in New Directions (whereas I felt Rory was just another Finn or Sam, kind of dorky and clueless). Of the three, Joe was my favorite as he was directly responsible for two of my favorite conversations during Season 3 (the God Squad's discussion of homosexuality was hilarious, and Joe and Sam's heart to heart on how to balance a sexual relationship with Quinn and a relationship with God I found to be a very honest look at that particular struggle without being remotely mocking towards Christians or preachy towards non-Christians).

Another very smart move made in Season 3? "Hold Onto Sixteen" gave us a Sectionals competition that was completely Rachel-free. The New Directions were also missing Santana and Mercedes, their two other power house female voices (though we did see them compete as members of the Troubletones). Instead Tina sang lead, Blaine and Artie had a duet, and basically everyone had a solo somewhere. Take note of who those three featured students were. All juniors. Those three will ease us in to Life After Rachel. And tell the truth, i found it to be one of my favorite competition episodes of the whole series (with my absolute least favorite costumes, both New Directions and Troubletones). Maybe more spotlight sharing will continue into Season 4?

All of these moves during Season 3, not to mention letting the audience cling to Tina and Artie (and a lesser extent, Blaine and Sam) as juniors, and Brittany as a super-senior, eased the shock that could have been Season 4.

I have some thoughts on the first episode back: the new characters and certain people or storylines I'd like to see more fully explored, but that will have to wait until tomorrow...

Is it time to find out who shot JR?

I should know better, but I kind of dismissed the new Dallas as soon as I heard they were making a continuation. To be fair, that was several years ago and the idea was to re-make it not continue it. And names like Jessica Simpson and Jennifer Lopez were being bandied about and it all seemed so cringe-worthy that when it really did happen I didn't give it much of a though.

Now, though, I've been hearing mostly good things about the new Dallas. It's even got some of the original cast to lend some legitimacy to the venture. And I'm almost thinking I should watch.

Being me, however, deciding I want to watch the new Dallas is a bit of an undertaking. Because, you see, I don't like to watch things out of order. I don't like to do anything out of order. And so deciding I'm going to watch the new Dallas really means I'm deciding to watch all 14 seasons of the original Dallas. And then I'll watch the new Dallas.

We'll see if this decision comes to fruit. I've blown through Sports Night pretty quickly (being as it's only two seasons) so maybe Dallas can be my new show when I'm done. Of course, the Emmy nominees are going to be announced in a week or so and I'll have to play some catch-up. Not to mention, the Olympics will take up a lot of time. I'm the most un-athletic person you'll ever meet, yet for some reason I can't get enough of the Olympics. The weirder the event the better. So yeah, Dallas just might have to take a back seat. But we'll see. Sometimes you need a giant and ridiculous undertaking, and 14 seasons of Dallas just might be the thing.

Smash!

I watched the first five or six episodes roughly around the time they aired, but then got distracted and put watching more on hold. I stopped right after The Workshop (which I think is my favorite episode after the finale), though part of the reason came from watching the promo for the next episode. I knew Karen was going to be singing that horrific Touch Me song, and everything I'd read about it said it was just disastrous and revolting and it's sometimes hard for me to watch something that I know is going to make me embarrassed for everyone involved. Like the horrific Touch Me song. Tom and Julia were just so obviously appalled and insulted and screaming at Derek and all Karen could do was sit there wrapped in a ridiculous sheet trapped in the bed/jail contraption. Like I said, hard to watch.

Even without watching, I'd been keeping somewhat abreast of the show. I knew of some of the bigger plot points, like getting rid of Michael as Joe DiMaggio and replacing Ivy with a super annoying and not super talented movie star in the  role of Marilyn, and was keeping up with the music as well (really the only reason to watch some musicals). Finally I decided it was time to wade back into the world of Smash...and promptly devoured it. Once I plowed through what I can only ever refer to as that horrific Touch Me song I was hooked and couldn't stop. I finished Bombshell around 1:15 this morning and am devastated that NBC is keeping season two on hold as a mid-season replacement.

So yes, as you can clearly see, I am definitely a fan of Smash. That's not to say that Smash doesn't have it's fair share of flaws. For me personally, the biggest issue is the constant pitting of Karen vs. Ivy. Clearly Katherine McPhee is talented. She's a lovely singer and a decent enough actress (despite what my sister constantly refers to as her "dead eyes") and a pretty girl, but there's nothing you can do to make me believe that her Karen possesses some kind of elusive "star quality" that Megan Hilty's Ivy lacks. Everything about Ivy's performance of Marilyn was superior: from her singing to her commitment to the overly enunciated breathy voice even down to her body shape. Like I said, Karen's a very pretty girl, but she's tall and slim and willowy. Marilyn was definitely not, and Ivy's more soft, rounded, and fleshy shape is much more the Marilyn ideal. For me, this point of Ivy's superiority was driven home the most in the finale episode during Karen's performance of I Never Met a Wolf Who Didn't Want to Howl. I wish I could find a youtube clip of the number so you could see what I mean. They intercut the number with a few clips of Ivy singing it oh so many episodes ago at Nick Jonas' birthday party (Lyle? Was that his character's name?), and it's clear that Ivy just so much more naturally embodied that combination of sweet innocence, sex bomb, and joy that Marilyn was able to contain. Karen was very much playing a part, whereas Ivy became Marilyn Monroe (which I suppose has a darker significance considering the way Ivy concluded the finale episode). I wish I could put a video of both performances here so you can see the difference I mean, but I can't find either so you'll just have to watch the whole show instead! Ivy sings her version in episode 4 The Cost of Art and Karen hers in the season one finale Bombshell.

Which brings me to something I simply LOVE about the show and that is the music. Sure, every once in a while when they randomly break out into real pop songs it can feel a little forced, but when it comes to the original songs, seriously I would so pay to go see this musical. I can take or leave some of the covers, but I've downloaded every song from Bombshell's playbook. And the fact that it comes and goes, like you'll hear the same song more than once adds an element of reality to the show, the fact that this is a musical that's still being built and rehearsed. You'll hear different people sing the songs and some lyric tweaks, and it's a realistic element that I find adds greatly to my level of enjoyment.

I'm very much looking forward to the next season. I know there's going to be a new show-runner, and with that some obvious changes (such as the exits of certain obnoxious characters that had the potential to be superbly slimy, but instead just became a nuisance), but I think that can only help Smash. There were some brilliant ideas that were entertained this season, but some definite kinks that need to be worked out too.

And so I'll leave you with one of my favorite numbers, where you get to see both Ivy (the blond in green) and Karen (the brunette in blue) in action. Neither of them are Marilyn at this point, only soloists in the chorus, but still super fun.

American Idol: Top 3

Joshua: I'd Rather Go Blind - Joshua is my favorite contestant this season. Let's make no bones about it, I'm hoping he's the winner (despite picking Phillip Phillips in the office pool). But I was kind of bored with this performance. I loved his outfit (though one of his backup singers needed to work out his t-shirt issues) and I LOVE when he busts out the old fashioned mic like he did back during Queen week, but the song itself was just okay.

Jessica: My All - I will be the first to admit that Jessica is not my favorite contestant. I think she's extremely vocally proficient, but majorly lacking in both emotion and stage presence which strongly detracts from most of her performances. So maybe I'm biased because I already don't like her, but am I listening to the same song as the judges? Because this was a hot mess. Did she even sing a single word? For real, girlfriend was straining on some of the high notes and mumbled her way through the low notes and threw so much vibrato into the song that it would be impossible for me to hum the tune back to you. And they praised it as the greatest thing ever? If you're going to be a judge maybe you should actually, you know, judge?

To be fair, whenever she gets off stage and starts talking I find her adorable. Why can't she have that much personality on stage?

Phillip: Beggin' - I really like this song. And I didn't hate Phillip singing it. He's made me crazy the past few weeks, singing stinker after stinker (Time of the Season anyone? Seriously, I was offended on behalf of the Zombies), but this was actually not that bad. Although Steven then did kill any good will I had towards Phillip by saying he could be the next Springsteen. Is he serious? Steven had better be seriously high right now, because attempting to compare Phillip with Bruce is just sacrilege.

Joshua: Imagine - I was slightly worried when I heard this was his song choice, just because David Archuleta had such a moment with song back in Season 7 (I was totally Team Cook, btw). But I didn't need to worry. I loved when he got down on his knee towards the end. I loved seeing JLo crying and singing along (I love it when they cry!). It was simple and beautiful. Though, does Steven know what the phrase "over the top" means? I don't think so...

Jessica: I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing - Really, this is the song you chose? Really? It was just so blah and trying to hard to have a moment and just eh. And she was wearing a pantsuit. A beige pantsuit, no less. Really?

Phillip: Disease - Holy crap. Phillips is wearing a color other than gray! Okay, it's just brown, but still. It's not gray! And...I am again not hating this. Partly because I love the hot blonde girl on sax, but I also just like the slow jam version of this song. I may or may not actually download this. Oh, and Randy's little bait and switch moment was douchey.

Joshua: No More Drama - Oh. Those shoulder pads are sparkly. I'm into it. I only wish his mic was equally sparkly. Oh. Oh! And then he took of the jacket. I LOVE IT WHEN HE TAKES OFF THE JACKET! Okay, he had a little trouble, it wasn't as smooth as When a Man Loves a Woman, but I don't care. Take the jacket off! Take it all off! Okay, or not. Let's remember this is a family show. But still. Woo woo!

I loved all the other contestants in the audience, especially Hollie next to that one giant girl (Shannon?) They were so into it! Too cute.

Jessica: I'll Be There - While it was definitely her best vocal of the night, in my opinion, I was still underwhelmed. It sounded to me like something that would play during the end credits of a movie. Like, I felt like I should have been exiting the theater while she was singing. I did like her outfit, though. Well, other than the super hein boots.

Phillip: We've Got Tonight - The song's only half over. I'm bored. He's in tune, hitting all the notes, but I'm bored. And sleepy.

Okay, I'm such a dork. I love the hometown visits. Though somebody's daddy better cry or it's just not worth it...

Joshua's Hometown Visit: First off, he's just adorable with his fear of flying. And I'm jealous of the crawfish boil. Yum.

Jessica's Hometown Visit: See, she's got so much personality when she's not on stage! Oh, and I loved her little brothers. Too cute.

Also, I used to live in San Diego and work in Chula Vista, so I spent most of her visit looking for places (and people) I recognize.

Phillip's Hometown Visit: Holy crap, and now he's in purple! Damn dude, color it up and I would totes vote for you! I mean, not really because a. I don't vote (except for that one time when I was at Adam Lambert's house, but how can you not vote for him when you're AT HIS HOUSE) and b. if I did I would vote for Joshua (and okay, my sister and I might have once). Oh, daddy's crying. And now Phillip's crying! I LOVE IT WHEN THEY CRY!!!!

Joshua FTW!

Glee: Props/Nationals

Things I Liked About Last Night's Glee

1. Coach Bieste's continuing storyline with Cooter: Having it take time for her to decide to leave was much more realistic than wrapping it up in one episode. I'm glad that this was something that took several episodes and we got to see her thought process, her justifications for staying and the reasons for her breaking point.

2. Brittany's throw-away line regarding her bisexuality: Bisexuals have not gotten the greatest rap on Glee (see Kurt and Santana's rants against Blaine's and Brittany's sexuality struggles from Season 2), so it's nice to remind everyone that someone actually is bisexual on the show. Yes, she's with Santana now (a couple I'm still not 100% on bored with, but that's a discussion for another time), but she really did love Artie, too.

3. Unique: Girlfriend was bitchin. Seriously, can I be her friend?

4. Coach Bieste and Puck: I think she may give Mr. Schue a run for his money on Teacher of the Year. Schue was way less douchey than he was last year, but he hasn't quite made it back to his Season 1 glory.

5. The redemption of Jesse St. James: And Carmen Thibedeaux remembering his audition from two years ago (I would seriously LOVE to hear Jesse St. James sing Giants in the Sky.)

6. Sue's character development: I really like what Sue has become. She's still ridiculous and destructive and outrageous to the point of being past offensive, but then there are moments when her humanity shines through (like when she hugged Beiste or when she took care of sick Mercedes). Her crazy is still all there, but it's more fun seeing her as an ambiguity rather than a straight villain. I like complexity.

7. Blaine and Kurt's Halloween costumes: I can never un-see Blaine as The Situation. I realize Kurt was in drag, but for me it was Blaine that was just hilarious. He's always so put together! My favorite Blaine moments are always the ones where he's a little weird or flustered.

My only real complaint: I wish the character switch had been a little longer. Everyone was so funny in the background doing their impressions of each other (and Finn and Puck were so sweet as Kurt and Blaine!). It would have been better to see more of it. Plus, I think Tina needed a little more time to see how hard it is to be Rachel, how much effort and work she puts into what she does, hoe much pressure everyone else puts on her, and how effortlessly she makes it look for her. They touched on that a little, but I think they needed to go into just a touch more.

All in all, this was one of the best two episodes of the whole season. Glee has a lot of flaws, but I just love it anyway. Yea Glee!

And so it begins...

I love this time of year when it's winding down into summer. While everyone else is finishing up school, planning their summer vacations, or picking out their new bikinis for beach day, I am eagerly looking forward to scoping out the earliest buzz of next year's TV season. I'm mourning the loss of those show's that went to soon (I'll always remember you Chuck!), breathing a sigh of relief for those that I thought were gone but instead got a reprieve (looking forward to Community's six seasons and a movie), and eagerly devouring all the previews and tidbits about the new pilots. I know, you're jealous of my life and devotion to television. It's cool.

Summer is the time for me to catch up on all the shows that started last season that I never managed t start watching (I'm looking at you Once Upon a Time) so I can be caught up for season two. It's the time for me to scour through all the information about the new pilots and make my lists of what to keep my eye on. Sure, some of those new shows will be canceled within three episodes while others will drag on for years even though I'd rather gouge my eyes out than watch another 5 minutes. Some I'll be so excited about during the summer, but by the time it airs I couldn't care less. But all this is just part of my love of the summer season.

In case it's not already obvious, I'm kind of a tv freak. I love television. Watching it, talking about it, over analyzing it (especially Glee), researching it. Yes, I did in fact write my senior seminar paper for my UW history degree on the part television played in the sexual revolution of the 60s. Ended up watching A LOT of Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, and Petticoat Junction. Good times. I like the history of television, how it began as a means of bringing the country together but has sense become one more way to fracture us all. Most people like to veg out on the couch and consume tv as nothing more than entertainment (which is a perfectly acceptable reason for watching), but I see each episode as a work of literature, as a historical document. I love and appreciate television so much more than most people I know. So I've decided to blog about it. Because I'm pretty much crazy and if you want to find other crazies, especially tv crazies, the interwebs is the place to turn. So come and find me my cray-cray friends and we'll love tv too much together.

Until then, I'm going to go watch two hours of Glee and then over-think on how it's defining America. :)