Glee: Season 3 Premiere

Glee hit its sophomore slump during the second half of its first season. Having years to work out the first 13 episodes but only a matter of months to work out the second half of a season can certainly throw a show (choir) off its game. The show never managed to recover in the second season. It became bogged down with guest stars, theme nights (the unfortunate Lady Gaga episode chief among these), and pop hits shoved down its throat from the top.

Refreshingly, last night’s episode contained no overwrought pop numbers, incomprehensible subplots about secondary characters (Is Santana not a lesbian anymore? Do I even care? …No), or useless whining and/or doe eyes. Certainly, Finn (Cory Monteith) and Rachel (Lea Michele) looked lovingly at each other, but finally they were a couple not bent on making each other’s lives absolutely miserable. The focus of the show was back to the core characters, and all of the characters finally seemed to grow a pair over the summer. It might be because the writers finally grew a pair and started saying no to ridiculous requests.           

However, the show could still suffer if they begin to shrink back from some of the amazing possibilities they’ve put out there. For example, on the first night that “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was repealed, it seemed as though there was going to actually be a real love song between two men on network TV (i.e. Blaine’s, aka Darren Chriss’, “It’s Not Unusual.”) What could have been a fitting, although entirely unplanned, tribute to our gay and lesbian service member who became free to serve, turned into somewhat of a dud in that arena.

Though the song certainly implied that Blaine was singing to Kurt (Chris Coulfer), Kurt never actually appeared in the number. Save the first shot in the number, Kurt barely makes an appearance in the number. To be honest, they’re really going to have to step this plot line up to make any progress. There are two key problems holding this plot-line back. First, Blaine seems to put himself behind Kurt. This is a road to resentment which Kurt even lampshades in the episode, but more importantly, it makes Blaine seem weak and unappealing. Second, if this is going to be believable, they’re going to have to kiss and possibly broach the unbroachable subject: teenage sexuality.

Granted, the show hasn’t shied away from teenage sexuality so far, but this is a whole new ball game for network TV. It would be cowardly to have such a committed relationship and never see them kiss or touch the subject of sex. They are, after all, two teenaged boys, and the show has already discussed the insatiable teenaged male libido (see Mark Salling’s “Puck” character.) How two young men who are in such a committed relationship could not even think about sex is beyond me.

Aside from this major issue, they need to tackle this sex stuff full force for the show to have a chance of breaking out of it’s sophomore slump, not to mention other issues which will require manly fortitude from the writers. These include the plot involving the musical. Last year’s “Rocky Horror” episode was quite a disappointment. So was the school’s production of “Cabaret” getting shut down the year before. The show really needs to break out of the musical rut it’s been in.

Viewer’s don’t want to see rehearsals. The whole show is a rehearsal. Give us, in real time (or close to real time), the backstage action of the play intercut with the performances on stage. Everything backstage comes to head during opening night. It’s a format the show has never tried, but being backstage is already a pressure cooker. We also need to see unlikely characters singing the BIG numbers from the show (how about neither Rachel or Mercedes getting the lead, but Quinn, Diana Aragon.) However, we’re likely to get another bland rehearsal build up while Sue tries some whacky plan to stop it. (Please no.)        

We also need to see Rachel (Lea Michelle) fail at the end of the season. She and Kurt’s story about getting to New York was one of the pleasant surprises that makes it seem possible for the show to redeem itself. However, Rachel seems likely to “make her dreams come true.” While poor Kurt stands and watches from the background. The more interesting choice is to show Kurt’s growth while she has to watch. Then the fall out when he gets into school and she doesn’t.   

There were a few more surprises, like Will (Matthew Morrison) seeming to have finally grown a backbone. Not to mention the lovely appearance of one of the first finalists from “The Glee Project.” It remains to be seen if the show will climax at this point in the season, or if it’s just building steam.