by Chris Saccaro
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Many tend to forget that when “Glee” first premiered, it was a slightly dark comedic take on high school. It focused on teachers who desperately clung to their high school glory days, clever satires on high school tropes, and the solace that a group of rejects could find in each other. Since those early days, “Glee” has fallen into a creative rut.
After last season’s graduation, many of the original characters are noticeably absent. Trimming the fat proved to be just what Glee needed. By eliminating a majority of the other characters, the writers now have fresh faces to write for. Over time they will probably run these characters into the ground, as they did with the likes of Kurt, Rachel, and Quinn. But for now it’s nice to see endearing storylines with real emotional resonance.
Now that the New Directions are returning from a win at nationals, they get a taste of celebrity at McKinley High. With this newfound popularity comes great responsibility, such as sitting at the cool table or dealing with an influx of auditions. The latter becomes a staple in this episode, “The New Rachel.” As suggested in the title, the members of the glee club all struggle to find the next Rachel Berry. Despite Artie picking Blaine based on the group performance of “Call Me Maybe,” it’s clear that the real contender for Rachel’s old spotlight is new character Marley, as her audition is synced with Rachel’s own performance.
Marley’s storyline with her mom was a great way to show the harshness of the “new” New Directions. It was endearing and went back to the feelings of the original members of the New Directions (before Finn came in and ruined it with his popularity, ugh).
While the episode focuses on replacing Rachel, many of the other characters are already filling the other spots left by graduated seniors. Jake Puckerman is headed right towards the role filled by his half-brother, Puck, while Kitty is essentially Quinn without the pregnancy and sociopathic tendencies. So while the new characters provide a breath of fresh air and new possibilities, it’s disconcerting how similar they are to old characters.
As for the graduated students, the writers make a smart choice to focus solely on Rachel and Kurt. Rachel’s experience in the city is exactly what one would imagine– awkward and intimidating. But what’s really interesting is Kurt’s life back in Lima, Ohio. The potential for Kurt to become the “next Will Schuester” is jarring. Kurt’s life in Lima is sad and borderline pathetic. And it’s perfect to compare it with Rachel’s experience in New York. By allowing Kurt one last episode in Lima (technically, a full summer), Kurt gets the farewell scene he deserved, except for the G-rated goodbye to Blaine.
Many fans are very upset over the lack of attention the same-sex couples receive, especially with Ryan Murphy touting “Glee” as the best thing to happen to the gay rights movement since the Stonewall Riots. And it’s getting harder and harder to not notice the slights they’ve been receiving. Kurt is leaving Blaine for presumably a year and just says goodbye with a hug?
Overall, “Glee” has the potential to reclaim some of the lost magic it had during its first season. This may be a result of the later time slot allowing it to cover darker story topics, or it may be the new characters providing fresh stories. But regardless, it’s exciting to see where the show will go with new characters, and a new city.
Chris Saccaro is a staff writer. Email him at entertainment@nyunews.com.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
