What I’m Watching: Glee

Glee: Season 2, Episode 10 “A Very Glee Christmas” (C)

I try very hard not to read other reviews before I write by own, but I happened to catch the beginning of Myles’ review over at Cultural Learnings in my Google Reader before I had the chance to look away, and I think he sums up my main objections with this episode (and the series) succinctly: “every time I imagine someone questioning the various hurried and forced story developments in the episode, the show screams back ‘BECAUSE IT’S CHRISTMAS.’” Without doubt, it’s a storytelling crutch, and if I had found any of the songs compelling, I might have a more positive attitude. What’s most troubling to me is the inconsistent nature of Sue’s character. She abruptly came to Kurt’s defense when he was being bullied, which felt a bit unnatural, and then trashed the rehearsal room and took all the gifts back when she wasn’t going to get to keep them. Afterwards, of course, she decides to invite the entire glee club to Will’s house to help him celebrate Christmas? I don’t buy it at all. She’s damaging her image in front of the glee club, and it’s yet another development that assumes some sort of growth on the part of other characters who aren’t involved. Will and Sue have a bond so the two of them celebrating Christmas privately together would have made sense, but not the whole club. They have their own things to do, and I doubt they care that much about their teacher. The same is true for everyone going along with Artie’s plan to keep Brittany believing. I’d think that most teenagers would be far more interested in bursting her bubble than helping her maintain her childhood beliefs. Ah, the inconsistency. I also kept thinking that Will was going to suggest performing at a nursing home as a way of spreading cheer to those who need it, and I hardly think the faculty is as deserving an audience. See you in February, “Glee.”