Glee! (Is Back and Stuff)

Quick Update: Yeah, that’s right. I missed my Saturday "G" post so I’m doing it now. I realize this is becoming a pattern. BUT AT LEAST I’M TRYING!

Song Stuck In My Head: Hounddog by Elvis Presley. One of my friends in journalism was just going around seeing it. Blame her.

Well, the week is here at last. After ending with the Gleeks, er, New Directions, winning a competition and one member, Quinn, in a head-on car collision, you can see that this wait has been painful for many of this.



This season has been different so far. I’m not saying it’s the best, but there are parts to it that should attract new viewers or even viewers who gave up after the second show tune. While I’m not a fan of most of the songs myself, it’s the realistic teen-ness to it and quirky characters that keep me addicted.

So for fun, here’s my top five Gleeks.

RORY. The actor (Damian McGinty) was chosen from a reality show intent on finding the next Glee star, and got the chance to play an Irish exchange student who’s fascinated with the New Directions and sings tunes like “It’s Not Easy Being Green”.

Not only his smile addictive, but he has some impressive storylines in his few episodes - competing with Artie for the same girl with over-the-top Valentine’s gifts, getting constantly bullied and rejected for being foreign, looking up to the New Directions and especially Finn. Unfortunate he had to go, but he will be remembered.

BRITTANY. You might be asking why I chose the simpleminded poster child for Dumb Blonde, but there’s something about the cheerleader who still believes in Santa. There’s always that one innocent, naïve girl or guy who just doesn’t understand life or hurt. It’s her flaw, her quirk, and her best trait.



But whenever Brittany makes one of her comments on “Oh. I thought this meant that” we can’t help but smile and even revel in her childlike perspective on life. It’s probably why Santana, who is more than a little bruised and weighed down with life, and her work so well together. They balance each other out.

MIKE. At first, everyone’s favorite dancing Asian was just supposed to be the boyfriend-with-hot-abs that Tina dumped Artie for. Over the past season, he’s developed into the boyfriend-with-hot-abs-and-dreams.

Mike always made his strict father happy through grades and academics. So when his passion becomes dancing, well, the dad is not an immediate fan. It takes a while before Mike is able to convince his father how much this means to him, how talented he is. It’s a rocky, if predictable, journey that’s handled very well thanks to Harry Shum Jr.’s charm.

MERCEDES. I used to always like Mercedes because she was sassy and unafraid. But like every other character, that’s changed this season. We start to see a flawed, troubled, and lonely side of Mercedes. But that has only made me love her more.


It takes a lot to be confident in the face of adolescent drama, to ignore it. It takes even more to confront the drama head-on: when Mercedes quit Glee club after losing the spotlight to Rachel one last time, it shows just how brave the girl really is. While Mercedes’s storyline has now been resorted to a cutesy love triangle between Sam and a football player, there’s no way we could ever forget her stand-out moments in the first half of the season.

And my all-time favorite....



KURT!

Ah, Kurt. As in, the reason I even started watching the show after falling in love with his self-deprecating humor. Of course while he is now the poster child for proudly gay, his main issue has never been just having better clothes than the girls at school. It’s been his uncomfortable dad. Confused bully. First real crush on fellow gay teen, Blaine.


But for Kurt, those issues haven’t disappeared or been replaced…they branched out, gotten more complex. Blaine became the official boyfriend, thus sparking the typical jealousy issues and sex talks of any teen TV relationship. Uncomfortable dad has learned his lesson and is now trying to connect with Blaine whilst running for state office, with his gay son as one of his running points. The confused bully turns out to be on the same team as Kurt, and after Kurt helps him through the coming out and Dave Karofsky's suicide, Kurt then has to deal with being the first to break his heart because Karofsky fell in love with him.


Yet, Kurt tries to stay strong and most of all true to himself throughout it. And in the end, even with his multiple plotlines, I still watch Glee to see Kurt make a perfectly placed, snide joke.

And you? Do you have a favorite character?


Happy pretend-Saturday everyone! See you later today!