A wise man once said, "Mama-se mama-sa mama ma-cu-sa." That's an ancient Cameroonian saying, meaning, "When in doubt, grab your crotch, pump your hips, change your face, and prepare to get funky." Yes, last night Glee returned from yet another short hiatus with its tribute episode to the music of Michael Jackson. And while not all of the numbers worked, when they hit, they were totally off the wall. And in between, there was some strong dramatic work from Rachel, as she grappled with the dilemma of whether or not to accept Finn's hand in marriage. Leave it to soon-to-be-Yale-freshman Quinn to be the voice of reason; it seems like only a few episodes ago she was setting fire to pianos in the quad.
The episode kicked off with what was arguably the best staged number of the night: Blaine, launching into a fiercely sexy rendition of "Wanna Be Startin' Something," with the New Directions kids providing high-energy backup dance moves, outfitted in a visual glossary of Michael Jackson's bizarre fashion history. And just when you thought the number couldn't get any more electrifying, then bam—smash cut to dead silence and the white Glee logo against a black background. That's how you do it, son.
We've previously discussed Sebastian, the slimy character Gleeks despise, and how we feel he's stirred things up nicely on the Blaine and Kurt front. But the writers upped the Sebastian ante this week, transforming Sebastian from a conniving predator bent on bedding Blaine to an outright bully. It's getting hard to love hating him when he's tossing salt-spiked slushies into the faces of the characters we love. Doesn't that seem almost like it's breaking of the Glee rules? The slushies are a McKinley thing, thrown by jocks into the faces of New Directions members; not by other glee club teams from rival schools. But as a fellow TV.com staffer put it as I drew a complex diagram on a dry-erase board to illustrate this fact, "Sebastian don't play by no rules!" True enough, he don't. He's bad, he's bad, and now we know it.
So Blaine ended up with a scratched cornea and was forced to recover from surgery looking like a hot Bazooka Joe (note to self: eye patches = sex appeal). Mr. Schue advised the club to let the Dalton authorities handle this one. Artie wasn't having it, and fired off an angry speech about how it's not time to take the high road—it's time to get angry. An eye for an eye, literally! Anyone else think Artie has really come into his own in Season 3? Between directing West Side Story, the Christmas TV special, and now this performance in a recreation of the "Scream" video alongside Mike Chang (weird placeholder for Janet, but let's roll with it), I'd say it's definitely been Artie's year. His legs! They can do amazing things in black-and-white fantasy sequences.
But back again to that tough-loving bathroom therapy session between Quinn, who had a "ticket out of here" in a Yale acceptance letter, and Rachel, who was still waiting on her own college news and also fending off Finn, who wanted an answer. (Girl, the answer is NO. Finn's going to be fat and bitter in 20 years, and you're going to be the age-inappropriate headliner of a revival of Black Swan: The Musical on Broadway! Follow your star!) It was a strong scene, rooted in a high-stakes and believable choice for Rachel, and some smartly composed dialogue from Quinn, who saw the big picture. And man, how gorgeous did she look in her performance of "Never Can Say Goodbye?"
Ditto Mercedes as she dueted in the auditorium with Sam on "Human Nature." Mercedes and Sam have real chemistry, flirting through a performance that ended in a satisfying kiss. We want these two together, almost as much as we want to see Kurt get into NYADA. It was a moment so many high school kids go through: opening the letter that can change the course of a life. I thought Kurt's dad was kind of a champ in this scene, hand-delivering the letter to Kurt at school and promising to be there for him no matter what. The "you beat them all" speech after Kurt delivered the happy news really got to me, too. (One question, though: Did Kurt say, "I'm a finalist?" Does that mean he got in, or he has another layer of auditions to go through? Because if so, the NYADA admissions process makes Harvard's seem like that of Greendale Community College.) But no news was bad news for Rachel, who had a meltdown when she heard about Kurt's letter. "All I have is my boyfriend," she sobbed, and I actually felt a little badly for her? (That worried me, actually.) But we all know she's getting in. I mean, come on. She's Rachel Berry.
I'd like to take a moment now to discuss the "Santana vs. Sebastian 'Smooth Criminal' Smackdown," as it's being billed in Vegas, which was completely fun but weird, the two of them stalking each other like jungle cats in a mostly empty room filled with the kind of chairs you usually find in a synagogue reception hall. I say "mostly" empty because in the center of the room were dueling cellist supergroup, 2Cellos. Yes, it was Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser, two cellist rocker hunks from Croatia who are taking the world by storm. Now I know what you're thinking—god, not another act like that—but these guys are the original. Accept no imitators!
In the end, Rachel would get everything she wanted and more. She said yes to Finn in a tearful and touching scene in the rehearsal room surrounded by an eerily silent string section, and she got her NYADA finalist letter. And Sebastian would get his comeuppance, when his be-blazered minions would shift allegiances during a performance of "Black or White," face-morph sequence included. (If you are old enough to remember that 1991 video, you remember how cool the effect was; it was around the same time as Terminator 2: Judgment Day, when the world had gone positively morph-crazy.) We love happy endings.
I guess if I had one criticism for the episode, it's that so little of the essence of the real Michael Jackson, a troubled and fascinating man who sacrificed everything to entertain, made it into the plot. I suppose there was just too much area for controversy, and licensing his music meant steering clear of it so Glee could get down to the business of getting down. And get down it did. Great episode.
QUESTIONS:
– What was your favorite number? Was anyone not featured that you wanted to see sing? Mr. Schue and Brittany both got the shaft this week.
– Do you think Rachel made the right decision to marry Finn?
– Glee is admirably sticking to its plan to cycle out regulars, it seems. Or is it? What do you predict will happen to the principals in Season 4?
That face morphing 'Black&White' video frickin creeps me out.
I really don't like Michael Jackson very much and so I oddly found the Glee versions an improvement. One things I've noticed about Glee, though, is that you can really tell when they add the songs into the story versus when they build the story around the songs. This week's story was definitely fitted around the MJ songs and I didn't like it at all. These themed episodes are cute but story should always come first! This episode wasn't awful but I found it weak compared to some of the very recent better episodes this season ("Yes/No").
Also I liked the extreme cellists, more Shue/Pilsbury, Rachel and Finn need to stop being stupid all the time. I hope the main characters stay, there is a certain dynamic between the cast at this point and I would stop watching if they left.moreless
By the way, it sucked!
I didnt see any disclaimer about no children harmed during the filming of this episode!!!
Ah, if only the world's problems could be solved the way they are on GLEE, with a song! I want satisfaction in the Warbler tradition, a song-off! Let's not get revenge, let's teach them a lesson, with a song! Rachel hasn't given me an answer, I'll get her to marry me, with a song! Not that there's anything wrong with that. :)
This must have been around the time that Darren Criss was going to broadway for a while. He said that the writers worked around his absence. Blaine having the eye surgery at least fits and furthers the storyline a bit.
With the songs used, I honestly had never heard of a majority of them. I would have liked to see "The Way You Make Me Feel" somewhere in the episode also.
At the very least, the theme episode actually felt like it moved the storyline along rather than just being a filler like the Rocky Horror episode was.
Part of me would like the show to just move on from the Rachel and Finn back and forth and just keep them together. But having seen Ryan Murphy's other shows like Nip/Tuck, I know he does not often go for the happy ending.moreless
I thought it was a great episode! I think it was definitely one of the better tributes that they've done, and at least this one was more deserving over the likes of Britney Spears.
-Hard to say what was my favorite. I loved Santana and Sebastian's "Smooth Criminal". I also loved Sam and Mercedes' "Human Nature"..it's a wonder they hadn't sang together sometime before they sounded fantastic together...I really wish they'd mix up the duets a bit more, to give singers like them chances to sing with others. I enjoyed "Wannabe Startin Something" and "Black or White" as well. Oh and "Scream"...it was great seeing Kevin dance and Harry was super hot with the androgenous guyliner thing going on. I think I would have liked to have seen Tina sing more and Mr.Schue get in on the action...I'd find it hard to believe that Matt Morrison didn't want in on some of that action.
- Eh. I'm not really sure. I can never really figure those two out.
- I have not been able to figure that either. What started out as a Kurt, Rachel, Finn thing has branched out to Puck and Quinn and God knows who else too...at one point last season I actually though Blaine was a senior...it's all over the place. I don't know whose supposed to be going or staying. I'm utterly lost on all of that, but I think Ryan Murphy is too.
Can I say, thank you Seth for being a reviewer who isn't negative about the Samcedes action. It's been heavily criticized for various reasons. I like the two of them and I like that we're finally getting to see things we were deprived of after the finale. I actually think they have a nice chemistry and even though I'd love for them to have some more air time and really play up the love triangle aspect, because I know Mercedes especially is often neglected in general with storylines etc...I know they won't do that, so I'm perfectly content with any Samcedes scenes I get. It's nice reading someone who doesn't have a bone to pick with their ship or lack of a ship.
Artie has come into his own and he totally had me on his side this episode. I loved his outburst. Kurt and Burt moments always pull at the heartstrings. Burt is one of the best tv parents out there,imo. Sebastian is an awesome villain.moreless
Smooth criminal was the best, loved the chemistry between Santana and Sebastian. I really want to see more of those two together in Glee
I have to say, as much I was looking forward to this episode, I was pretty disappointed. I had great expectations after the wonderful Jackson medley during Sectionals (one of Glee's best), but this fell far short of that bar. Most of the numbers were just okay and felt pretty random with what was going on in the plot. I think the disjointed feeling came from trying to cram too many songs in a short time. I get it- Michael Jackson had an amazing career spanning decades and they wanted to do him justice, but there was no time for any real plot in between. I also disagree with the author of this article when he said there was some great drama from Rachel in this episode. I didn't see great drama, I only saw Rachel being the same spoiled brat she always is. I swear she was about to break out into jazz hands during some of the numbers! That girl ruins any number that isn't a show tune or cheesy ballad. So glad she's graduating!!!!moreless
Smooth Criminal was awesome, I love everything Naya Rivera does, she's just amazing. Was so predictable Rachel would get her NYADA letter after accepting Finn's proposal (which she only did because she thought she wasn't getting one - I don't see a happily ever after there.)
I don't know I feel like the plot is so wishy-washy now. Getting married? Honestly? What a joke.
Naya Rivera's number was awesome, although didn't like Grant Gustin's voice it was missing that MJ oomph.
because he's not MJ
Great recap Seth! The highlight was imagining the Tv.com staff room with the dry-erase board. I can only imagine what that board has seen. Anyway this was a very strong episode.
- I think Wanna be Startin' Somethin' and Scream were the strongest numbers.
- The Rachel/Finn situation is not going to end well, one way or the other. Top marks to the Glee writers for making all the decisions they made believable while getting some narrative tension. We know that Rachel will be unhappy about her decision now that she's a finalist.
- Unless they do cutaway to NYADA stories (I don't think they will) it's safe to say that after this year Glee will be much less interesting because they won't be able to match the characters currently in senior year.moreless
Favourite number: Artie and Mike's "Scream" but I gotta say, I almost screamed when I saw the face-morph sequence....I don't know what it is, I just CAN NOT stand that. Ooh and I liked the cellist rockers..wickedd. Overall a great episode.
This was the worst.
As much as I love Kurt and Blaine together and i hate what Sebastian did to Blaine....a small part of me still wants to see Sebastian and Blaine hook up... Does that make me a bad person????
If anyone loves GLEE like I do, you got to watch the Michael Jackson episode. They did an awesome job. Arty and Mike never looked so sexy doing Scream, Blaine and Kurt have some moves in Gotta be started something. Finn did an awesome job singing Ben, it was his best singing. Sam and Mercedes were fantastic doing Human Nature. Quinn and Santana were unbelievable in their songs. Need to see more of the New Irish guy singing. Wish Michael was still alive, I'm sure he would have commended them all for their tribute to him and his songs. The Wobbler jerk needs to be punched out, after beating him at Regionals then send the prick to jail for what he did to Blaine. The best show to date.
What is up with almost all the bullies being the gay characters on Glee?
I've wondered about this myself. What is the message here? Only gay people are bullies? Or, perhaps, the only reason people ever bully one another is that they are frustrated about being in the closet? Young people watching this must be very confused.
Smooth Criminal was amazing! I loved the cellists in the background. They really added another dimension to that scene due to their frantic playing. And Santana once again blew it out of the water. I agree with her, she totally beat the pants off of Sebastian.
"I don't give a damn about sectionals!" - Best line of the show!
i absolutely loved "wanna be startin' something" and "never can say goodbye". close second was naya with "smooth criminal". ultimately my fave character is Quinn for some reason ( her being the voice of reason was great!) Sebastian played a great villain, i know in season one we had Jesse as the competitor/villain but Sebastian plays it some much better! ( has anyone noticed that the villain is always trying to get with someone from new directions?) i have a feeling that Rachel is going to end up with the decision of whether to marry Finn or go to NY (honestly i feel like that was always going to be the case...) i hope that some of the regulars this season will some back and do numbers next season! except it seems if Quinn leaves Ohio she may never come back!moreless
I thought the song that obviously fits at the end of the episode is "the man in the mirror". "Black or white" doesn't fit.
Kurt and Rachel are "finalists" in the admissions process. This happens very frequently in creative arts admissions programs. They usually send an essay and a video tape for their first audition, which may or may not get them into the second round. They will then likely have to travel to New York to do an audition in person.
I have a friend who was accepted into the Theatre Program at NYU. She went through the same thing.
It just dawned on me that maybe Glee is setting up a Rachel vs. Kurt for one spot at NYADA situation.
my earlier comment disappeared, oh well... It was a good episode. I only liked the Smooth Criminal number and I hate they're giving Rachel the fairy tale ending after all.
Amen!
"Smooth Criminal" was clearly the best.
Also how do they not do "Beat It"? Wouldn't that have worked perfectly when Schue was trying to get them not to go all violent on Sebastian?
-Favorite numbers were smooth criminal and wanna be starting something
-Heck no, its way too early for that and Rachel need to follow her dreams first
-Does seem like it. I totally agree with you taht Artie is getting so much more development this season. Same with Mike Chang. And Mercedes and Sam have interesting storylines.. Still nothing for Tina though.
Admittedly I'm not a huge Michael Jackson fan. I know his songs and like quite a lot of them but I don't own a single CD of his. And I will not be buying the Glee CD that is bound to come out after this episode. I have every single other Glee CD but I didn't like enough of these tracks to want to purchase this one.
The stand out moments for me in this episode were Sam and Mercedes performing Human Nature and Artie's dance moves. I have always thought it was a shame that someone who moves so well never gets to show it off!
Also I know I am in the minority but I really wanted Rachel to say yes, but for the right reasons not just because she thought she wasn't getting what she wanted out of life. I'm liking Season 3's Finn a lot more than Season 1 or 2's Finn whose character was all over the place.
Have heard that the actor who plays Sebastian is becoming a series regular - seriously!?!?! He's a pathetic Santana wannabe and brings nothing to the story. He can sing ok but his acting is definitely not great! If Chord Overstreet gets overlooked as a series regular AGAIN I will be really unimpressed. He is one very talented young man!!
Overall this episode was just ok for me. I certainly didn't have a stupid grin on my face like I did the whole way through episode 10 (which was my 2nd favourite episode after the one where Finn's mum and Kurt's dad got married). In fact, this episode was a huge let down after the brilliance of episode 10.
Oh well, that seems to be the way with Glee, huge ups and downs both with characters personalities and quality of episodes. Gotta take the highs with the lows and this was one of the lows (though nowhere near the low of the Christmas episode which was probably the worst ever apart from Rory at the end!).moreless
-Smooth Criminal was my favorite number. GENIUS. Never Can Say Goodbye with all of Quinn's scenes were my favorite part of the episode, though. Hated Scream (majorly creeped out), Ben (because it's about a rat) and the Finchel duet (one, because it's a Finchel duet and two, because what followed it).
-NO Rachel was an idiot in this episode. Listen to Quinn. It's at the least the second time that you've asked her for advice, and then go defy what she says to do. And I applaud her for being the only Anti-Finchel shipper on the show. GO QUINN! (But Faberry hug= <3) Finn and Rachel are TOXIC for each other.
-I predict that they will fire Dianna Agron before Season 4. I don't want them too and I will be EXTREMELY UNHAPPY if they do. Like LIMA HEIGHTS on RIB's asses mad. But that episode was like a premature sendoff. It felt like her last episode. And she hasn't been confirmed to be staying while Lea, Chris, Cory, and Naya have.moreless
- Smooth Criminal by FAR!! And I do miss Brittany sometimes, but you just have to be on the lookout for her amazing dancemoves :)
- yaaaaaaaawn... I think the writers made the wrong dicision in making this a storyline...
- First let see how they're gonna bring season 3 to an end in a non-predictable 'Yay, we won'-moment... Then I'm expecting at least half of the cast wil be renewed... I'm scared!
In this episode, Lea Michell (after a long time) once again, showed how good of an actress she is
- Favourite number: Artie & Mike. That was a well done performance, a little crazy and a nice homage to the original video.
- I'm not taking this decision to seriously. I bet they'll break up soon, and if they don't, they'll postpone the marriage and move together to NY.
- I trust Ryan Murphy's word on this one. I understand the logic behind a change of cast. There's no point in keeping them in high school for 8 seasons, especially when Puck and Finn will turn 30 soon. But it won't do good for the ratings. A few months ago there was a similar question about this recycling plan in one of TV.com's articles. And I said it back then already, that changing a cast that the audience has fallen in love with over three years can't be a good move. People are invested in the show through the characters. If they disappear, there is no reason to tune in. If you start watching the new characters it takes some time to get into the show again, and I doubt people have the patience to do it at this point. The quality of the show has gone down, or at least the novelty of it has disappeared. In the beginning Glee was something different. But now if the cast is changed, people have to start following a re-boot version of the show, without even the freshness factor to help it along. Personally, I don't know if I want to invest three more years watching this show with a bunch of new weird kids. I only stuck with this cast because I once began watching it (because the show was interesting), and I wanted to finish the job. What new could the show possibly bring to the table with a different cast? Insanely attractive kids who for some reason are outcasts? Heartache? Bullying? Teenage angst? Been there, done that. And even if the show decides to keep a few faces, it doesn't feel the same. I would actually feel sorry for someone like Mercedes if she would have to play along with a whole new cast until her graduation.moreless
Brittany DID get the shaft but what's new there? She's my favorite because of lines like this:
Santana: Brittany, lock the door.
Brittany: I don't know how to do that.
Brittany always makes me chuckle :)
But she doesn't get shoved ALL the way to the background, though.
Just have to watch her do her thing; DANCE!
Haha I don't remember that line but it's funny.
It was right after the Smooth Criminal performance, and Santana was herding everyone into the rehearsal room. Brittany's the best when her dumbness is subtle and not thrown in your face.