Wednesday, September 22, 2010

What I’m Watching: Glee (Season Premiere)

Glee: Season 2, Episode 1 “Audition” (B+)

Last year’s phenomenon returns for a second season, and the operative question is whether the show can live up to the hype and avoid some of the sillier avenues it went down last year. Fortunately, the answer is more positive than negative thus far. The introductory video from Jacob Ben Israel and the fantastic New York number served as great ways to welcome the show back from the summer while launching the show into its primary second season plotline, the quest to make it to Nationals in New York. Showcasing the two potential new members with fabulous musical numbers in concert with existing glee club members was a great strategy, although it seems it will just be the familiar crew now that Sam has become the football quarterback and Sunshine has been poached by the new coach of Vocal Adrenaline, played by Cheyenne Jackson, also known as the robot from “30 Rock.” It’s fun to see Will and Sue teaming up and working together, even if it’s only for one episode. The presence of the female football coach is a bit of a distraction, and if it would be better, in my opinion, to focus on the glee club members in their existing lives rather than shuffling them all around to new roles, like Finn and Quinn as new and returning cheerleaders, respectively. Rachel’s impossibly selfish attitude is a part of her personality, but it’s important to keep it tempered by giving her the opportunity to sing strong solos so that she doesn’t become a completely deplorable character. What did you think of the premiere?

1 comment:

Andrew K. said...

I was really hoping to get some Puck/Quinn closure (still hate that the friendship between he and Finn was never resolved). Altogether it was good, don't care for the new stars except for Cheyenne. Naya Rivera was kind of awesome, Lea and Jane stood out and I think Lea especially sold a weird plot line.