‘Glee’ Season Finale: Thank God it’s Done

The much simpler times of Glee

I love Glee. I am a huge fan — but why am I excited that this season is over? Why am I looking forward to having this Glee-free summer?

I could say that it’s “too much a good thing,” but that’s not it. I am suffering from early symptoms of Ugly Betty-itis.

There seems to be a leeching attachment to any story about underdogs. We root for them and we hope they defy the odds and become the “nice guys finish first” poster child. That’s why I cite Betty Suarez from Ugly Betty as an example. We liked her. We cheered for her. She was put in these situations where she was treated like shit and then came out clean — and then we just stopped paying attention. Why? Because she grew stale and, quite frankly, annoying. What was once endearing and quirky became irritating and not-in-a-good-way campy. Her character peaked very early and grew into this disposable sack of emotion. We just got tired of hearing and seeing her complaining about how “different” she is.

When Glee first aired, we were treated with something fresh, new and something that spoke to the masses via the universal language of music. The world loves damaged characters, and Glee was full of them. We felt sorry for them and we wanted nothing more but to help them (much like Betty), but what was more reassuring was that these people coped with their image problems through music. Yeah, it is cheesy, but it worked. Otherwise, the show wouldn’t be such a TVgasm. Songs like “Take a Bow” showed Rachel’s undying heartache for Finn; “Defying Gravity” was the ultimate opus for Kurt’s attempt to defy the odds as a gay teen; the tear-jerking performance of “Keep Holding On” taught a pregnant Quinn not to give up hope and “Don’t Stop Believing” not only served as an anthem for the show but also cemented it into pop culture history.

But ever since the “Power of Madonna” episode, it seems as though it is turning into musical porn; with the gratuitous singing of songs with no rhyme or reason. We sit at the edge of our seats in anticipation for what song these kids will sing next with little or no regard to the story. The show is beginning to lose its panache of propelling a story and character with music. What happened to just suddenly breaking out into song because of what just happened or what is about to happen? A perfect example would be when Mercedes and a crew of scantily clad cheerleaders gyrated to Jazmine Sullivan’s “Bust Your Windows.” The reason for this impromptu performance? She just — well — busted the windows of Kurt’s car out of love-scorned anger. Now that was a great musical number.

Mercedes and her band of cheerleaders bust some windows

In the past couple of episodes we are not quite surprised with the performances. In addition to all the previews, blog spoilers, pre-purchased soundtracks and other overloaded marketing cluster bombs, Mr. Schuester gives an “assignment” for the week and it ruins the musical spontaneity that made us fall in love with the show in the beginning. It’s not organic. It a bit manufactured and formulaic. Although the rendition of “Good Vibrations” by Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch and Sue Sylvester singing “Physical” are entertaining to watch, it’s just not making me get out of my seat and dance. Could it be that they are letting the music do all the work?

A scene from tonight’s finale — it really doesn’t give us much.

I’m not going to stop watching the show (yet) because I bit the bait. The show is stringing me along and I am waiting for it to get back to that acting/story/music equilibrium. The fact that these actors have a genuine rapport, modesty and down-to-Earth quality make it very enjoyable. I have yet to watch the finale and I probably won’t watch it till later tonight (I’m forcing myself to watch a screening of The Karate Kid remake — call it morbid curiosity).

That all said, I have invested my time into these characters and I still care about them — for now.