What I’m Watching: Glee (Season Finale)

Glee: Season 1, Episode 22 “Journey” (B)

It’s hard to believe that this is only the conclusion of season one since this show has actually been on the air for about thirteen months now and taken two lengthy breaks during its first season. Yet the finale reaches an important turning point, solidifying the glee club as a family unit that has made it this far and is determined to keep on trucking, even if they only have a year left. Sue’s change of heart signals a deserved sense of accomplishment, and while I can’t quite get behind her unabashed compliments of Will’s teaching style, it makes sense that she would want to defend the honor of her school and that she would want Will around to torment in the future. Will’s decision to have the club perform Journey songs at Regionals was very fitting because “Don’t Stop Believing” is really what launched the popularity of this show way back in May 2009 and topped the charts over that summer. I think we, the viewers and Gleeks, are supposed to think that New Directions’ performance was infinitely better than that of Vocal Adrenaline, but perhaps the imbalance in the outcome of Regionals is due to the clear idiocy of the three judges other than Sue. I’m hopeful that the end of the school year will also mean the departure of Jesse, since I’ve grown very tired of Jonathan Groff’s smirk. There will likely be a new love triangle emerging in season two with Emma’s revelation that she’s dating a dentist and has given up on Will, even if he’s not so convinced. Their interaction was great, and I’d love to see much, much more of Emma next season. Less emergency meetings in the auditorium with impromptu performances might be nice, but perhaps other people like that. The birth of Quinn’s baby and her subsequent adoption by Shelby was a nice way of tying up that plotline and freeing up Quinn for all kinds of character development next season. I also liked Will’s performance of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” for the club. What will be helpful next season, in my opinion, is a specific focus on McKinley High School rather than a flood of recurring guest stars playing old friends of Will’s and singers from rival schools. This first season has certainly been a remarkable phenomenon, and as far as quality is concerned, I think it’s been good to occasionally great. My favorite episode is still the second installment, or rather the first of the fall, “Showmance,” which really got me hooked and showed me the pilot wasn’t a fluke. I wasn’t as convinced as the show went on, but I’ll definitely be back in the fall for more fun.

Season grade: B
Season MVP: Lea Michele