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shadowkatI'm struggling with Glee - this actually isn't all that surprising, had similar issues with Ryan Murphy's Nip/Tuck - which also went way over-board - until I lost interest and stopped watching (somewhere around the fourth season - I hung in there a long time). Murphy does mean and at times sharp satire, often lacking in sublety - and it's at times way over-the-top. This week was admittedly much better than last week's, which bordered on offensive. But - I'm getting tired of the same jokes, the same over-the-top satirical caricature, in which to date the only character that is not being satirized is Kurt. Women are turned into cartoons on this show, which is annoying considering it's possibly the only show on tv that has a wide diversity of women's roles and potentially rich women's roles for multiple ages, body types and ethnicities. I often want to smack the writers upside the heads for how they are writing them. Again this week is a lot better than last week - Sue is admittedly better written than Emma and Holly (not sure how much of that is due to the actress who plays her).
Maybe it's just my imagination? But I don't remember the show being this angry and sharply over the top last year. It seemed to be lighter somehow. Also the musical numbers were better.
I don't care about any of the characters this year, while I did last year. I realized this tonight. And the jokes felt over-sold. And too easy. I was rolling my eyes.
What saved the episode for me? The last two musical numbers - which were better than expected and fit one of Glee's better theme's - "bully me all you want, but I'm not giving up". (I admittedly only watch for the musical numbers, most of the characters grate on my nerves. Lee Michele is an amazing singer and dancer, but her Rachel makes me cringe, and Matthew Morrison is truly hot as a singer and dancer, but Will Shuster creeps me out a bit. ) The musical numbers are usually pretty good (except for last week when Gwenyth Paltrow who can't sing and dance that well was well singing and dancing them. And yes, she will regrettably be back again and again.)
There's something about Ryan Murphy's writing that eventually starts to rub me the wrong way though. It's not that he hates women, so much, as there's an underlining need to expose all the nasty stereotypes ever written in his series. Expose them in neon red letters and leap up and down pointing at them. He reminds me a little of Joss Whedon in this respect - the weird desire to satirize or expose the sexism and misogyny of our society on the screen, show it in bright neon color - so to speak. Which is admittedly the whole point of satire. Except it's not always clear - whether he's trying to expose it, or merely contributing to it. The character of Emma is an excellent example - she's a cartoon. The prissy, chaste, know's nothing of sex, bordering on frigid professional virgin. Pure stereotype. As one dimensional as a piece of card-board. And offensively so in some respects. While Sue Sylvestrie - the less feminine character is not a stereotype at all and actually fairly developed and has dimensions. Santana is also pure stereotype - the angry lesbian in the closet who sleeps with all the guys.
I'm not quite sure what to make of this show sometimes. Am admittedly a bit frustrated with it. Because I do see brilliance here and there. But...it feels very angry to me at times, and in your face. I want to grab the writers and tell them, take it back a step, stop making fun of your characters. Laugh with, not at them. Otherwise they become cartoonish or allegorical.
Maybe it's just my imagination? But I don't remember the show being this angry and sharply over the top last year. It seemed to be lighter somehow. Also the musical numbers were better.
I don't care about any of the characters this year, while I did last year. I realized this tonight. And the jokes felt over-sold. And too easy. I was rolling my eyes.
What saved the episode for me? The last two musical numbers - which were better than expected and fit one of Glee's better theme's - "bully me all you want, but I'm not giving up". (I admittedly only watch for the musical numbers, most of the characters grate on my nerves. Lee Michele is an amazing singer and dancer, but her Rachel makes me cringe, and Matthew Morrison is truly hot as a singer and dancer, but Will Shuster creeps me out a bit. ) The musical numbers are usually pretty good (except for last week when Gwenyth Paltrow who can't sing and dance that well was well singing and dancing them. And yes, she will regrettably be back again and again.)
There's something about Ryan Murphy's writing that eventually starts to rub me the wrong way though. It's not that he hates women, so much, as there's an underlining need to expose all the nasty stereotypes ever written in his series. Expose them in neon red letters and leap up and down pointing at them. He reminds me a little of Joss Whedon in this respect - the weird desire to satirize or expose the sexism and misogyny of our society on the screen, show it in bright neon color - so to speak. Which is admittedly the whole point of satire. Except it's not always clear - whether he's trying to expose it, or merely contributing to it. The character of Emma is an excellent example - she's a cartoon. The prissy, chaste, know's nothing of sex, bordering on frigid professional virgin. Pure stereotype. As one dimensional as a piece of card-board. And offensively so in some respects. While Sue Sylvestrie - the less feminine character is not a stereotype at all and actually fairly developed and has dimensions. Santana is also pure stereotype - the angry lesbian in the closet who sleeps with all the guys.
I'm not quite sure what to make of this show sometimes. Am admittedly a bit frustrated with it. Because I do see brilliance here and there. But...it feels very angry to me at times, and in your face. I want to grab the writers and tell them, take it back a step, stop making fun of your characters. Laugh with, not at them. Otherwise they become cartoonish or allegorical.
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Date: 2011-03-16 02:36 am (UTC)That is why I stopped watching last season. No one was likable after a while.
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Date: 2011-03-16 02:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-16 04:02 am (UTC)so yeah this shows makes me feel all kind of weird stuff; I dislike everyone half of the time, and I don't care that much the rest of the time, but on occasion it's very shiny and pretty and funny.
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Date: 2011-03-16 03:29 pm (UTC)But I get what you mean, I really disliked the first season with the stupid fake pregnancy story line, but the second season had a lot more going for it.... This season doesn't seem as annoying as the first (to me) but isn't as good as last year. But I think there is still enough fun with the music and Sue Sylvester for me to keep watching.
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Date: 2011-03-16 09:29 pm (UTC)The first season - I struggled with, realized how much when I tried to re-watch it. The second season - I liked the best, when they got away from Will Shuster's love life and the whole baby storyline or Finn/Quinn/Puck/Rachel triangel - where the only halfway likable character was oddly Puck. I miss Jesse actually, he had a better voice, could dance better, and was more interesting. Also miss Kristin Chenoworth. (which may explain why I liked the second season.)
The third season is falling too heavily into satire... not sure taking the Cheerios away from Sylvestrie and having her lose worked. Seeing too little of her. The episodes she's in tend to be the best - the Rocky Horror episode, the Madonna episode..
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Date: 2011-03-16 11:35 pm (UTC)I guess most TV shows are disappointing a lot of the time... at least that is the way I've been feeling... I could give up on most of my shows, but I'm willing to hang in there if there is at least a 50/50 chance of my being entertained (I do like to DVR so I can skip it if it gets too annoying or boring).