“That was perfectly measured.”

Today is Dianna Agron's birthday. Glee continues to be the most loved show which happens to be hated or the most hated show which happens to be love. Either way, a lot a people are watching it. Sure, I wish for the awesomeness of season 1 again (less characters) but it's nice to see that the writers are - for the most part - giving Agron more material to work with. I still, generally, loathe Quinn Fabray but Agron is lovely - perfectly measured, indeed.

Glee Meme, Day 25: Something That Should Not Have Happened

Puck: “Do you think either of us is going to give a damn about Finn in 3 years?”

Honestly, I don’t get this line. It sort of threw me out of the relative goodness of “Journey” for a moment. It’s as if Ryan Murphy and company forgot everything that happened in the show’s first half and decided to sink one of the few friendships on the show that seemed to have legitimate potential. Because, really, television – Glee in particular – needs to have more moments that’s not about angsty, teenage romance. A significant amount of the first few episodes were rooted in the fact that Puck actually had a real friendship with Finn; he reminded us, Finn reminded us, Quinn reminded us – Finn’s his best friend, and from all indications Finn seemed like his only friend. And, really, if he didn’t plan on giving a damn about Finn in three years why didn’t he just reveal the truth about the paternity from the get-go. As wild as Puck is as a character it sounds like a ridiculously insincere line, I mean if that’s how they decided to explain the reason for Quinn and Puck’s liaison that’s just some uninventive writing.

            

There's probably a wealth of stuff on Glee I'd say shouldn't have happened, but this one just doesn't make sense. Generally, Glee's good in making their ridiculousness work for them - which is why I generally love it.

                          

More on the Glee MEME as it begins to wind down.

Glee Meme, Day 24: A Character I Want More Of

The Glee MEME continues.
             
Jessalyn Gilsig does good work despite having a character that seems severely underwritten at times, but I’m not sure where the writers can take her (on the show, at least)

But to be honest, I don’t think I consciously wish for more from any character than Puck – well at least it was him for the most part. And then I started realising how brilliant Naya Rivera is and now I’m hoping that Santana gets more to do. It’s weird, the two characters have the strangest relationship. They’ve dated, they’re both second-in-command (or were) to Quinn and Finn but they rarely interact. Well, that’s not true. Whenever Puck gets a new girlfriend Santana gets freakishly crazy. The only time I remember the two having any significant interaction was at the beginning of “Laryngitis” and they work well together. Of course, that doesn’t say much – everyone on Glee seems to work well with their cast members. I’m not sure I want to see Glee descend into mindless relationship drama (like how One Tree Hill is just a loathsome and vile contraption now) and I’m not sure where Quinn and Puck will go, what with their declarations of love and whatnot – but I’d like to see more scenes with Rivera and Salling (I mean, I’m ultimately given up on that other

pairing getting any love).

Glee Meme, Day 20: Favourite Quote

Glee really knows how to do it with the quotable quotes, here’s a bunch that come to mind immediately.
               
#25: Episode: “Journey”
Puck: “Life’s a bunch of experiences. You don’t get a medal at the end of the finish line for being good, you just get dead.”

#24: Episode: “Pilot”
Mercedes: “Look, I’m not down with this background singing nonsense. I’m Beyonce, I ain’t no Kelly Rowland!”

#23: Episode: “Bad Reputation”

Puck: “I try to be a good guy. I go to school and I say Be nice, Puck. But by second period I’ve got a fire extinguisher in my hand and I’m spraying some dweeb with it and I don’t know how I got there.”

#22: Episode: “Sectionals”
Brittney: “Sex isn’t dating...if it were Santana and I would be dating.”

#21: Episode: “The Power of Madonna”
Sue: “Madonna! Simply saying her name aloud makes me feel powerful, even in voiceover. How I have worshipped her ever since I was a little girl. Sorry Angie Jolie, Katharine the Great – Madonna is THE most powerful woman to have ever walked the face of the earth.”

#20: Episode: “The Rhodes Not Yet Taken”
Puck: “That wheelchair kid’s right. That Rachel chick makes me want to light myself on fire – but she can sing.”

#19: Episode: “Mash-Up”
Sue: “I will go the animal shelter and get you a kitty-cat. I will let you fall in love with kitty-cat. And then on some dark cold night I will steal a way into your home and punch you in the face!”


#18: Episode “Bad Reputation”
Emma: “Will can I talk to you for a second?”
Will: “Oh, hey Em. Can you give us a sec?”
Emma: “Actually no, I can’t give you a sec. You’re just gonna have to reschedule your heavy petting session with Ms. Carlyle for a later time.”
Will: “Emma!”
Mrs. Carlyle: “I beg your pardon, I was just telling Mr. Schuester about how my husband recently died!”
Emma: “Wow! Getting them fresh off the rebound now, aren’t you? Amazing! Nobody is safe! Nobody is safe!”

#17: Episode: “Funk”

Sue: “And, though I completely loathe you – you’d make a great trophy husband!”

#16: Episode: “Mash-Up”
Puck: “That night I had the strangest dream. I knew it was a dream because there’s no way Rachel could have climbed up the wall outside my window with no shoes on. When I woke up I knew it was more than a dream. It was a message from God. Rachel was a hot Jew, and the good lord wanted me to get into her pants.”

#15: Episode: “Bad Reputation”
Sue: “Will, I may buy a small diaper for your chin because it looks like a baby’s ass.”

#14: Episode: “Funk”
Puck: “Everyone knows this is gonna come down to me – revenge, fear, the merciless infliction of pain – these are MY kingdoms!”

#13: Episode: “Vitamin D”
Rachel: “What America needs right now is sunshine and optimism. And also angels.”

#12: Episode: “Throwdown”
Sue: “Look at me; even in the heat of battle I’m so elegant – regal. I am Ajax, mighty Greek warrior.”

#11: Episode: “Laryngitis”
Sue: “So you like Showtunes. It doesn’t make you gay, it makes you awful.”

#10: Episode: “Funk”
Sue: “That's what they said about a young man in Chicago from 1871 who thought he'd play a harmless prank on the dairy cow of one Mrs. O'Leary. He successfully ignited its flatulence and a city burned, William. That young terrorist went on to become the first gay president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln.”

#9: Episode: “The Power of Madonna”

Santana: “Look Finn, it’s high time you lost the big V. Everything about you screams virgin, you’re a about as sexy as a cabbage patch kid! It’s exhausting to look at you!”

#8: Episode: “Mattresses”
Sue: “All I want is just one day a year where I’m not visually assaulted by uglies and fatties. Seriously, Ohio, these retinas need a day off.”

#7: Episode: “Laryngitis”
Puck: “I feel like that guy that lost all his hair and then lost all his strength.”
Santana: “Sampson?”
Puck: “No, Agassi.”

#6: Episode: Laryngitis”
Rachel: “I’m like Tinkerbell, I need applause to LIVE!”

#5: Episode: “Bad Reputation”
Jesse: “Do me a favour. If we end up next to each other on the barre at ballet club this week, just do your arabesques and piques in silence. Don’t talk to me!”

#4: Episode: “Funk”
Sue: “You know for me, trophies are like herpes. You can try to get rid of them, but they just keep coming back. You know why? Sue Sylvester has hourly flare-ups of itchy, highly contagious talent!”

#3: Episode: “Vitamin D”

Teri: “Oh you may think there’s some sort of competition going on between you and I, but that’s like saying that a nail is in competition with a hammer. Do yourself a favour honey, marry Ken Tanaka. Oh sure, he’s dumb like sand and his fondue pot of nationalities is gonna open your kids up to a host of genetic diseases. But he’s kind, and he’s generous. And he’s available.”

#2: Episode: “Preggers”
Sue: “You know there’s a question I get asked a lot, whether I’m accepting an honorary doctorate or performing a citizen’s arrest. People ask me, Sue, what’s your secret? Well, I’ll tell you my secret Western Ohio. Sue Sylvester’s not afraid to shake things up. You know I’m tired of hearing people complain, I’m riddled with this disease or I was in this Tsunami. To them I say, shake it up a bit, get out of your box. even if that box happens to be where you’re living. I’ll often yell at homeless people, Hey, how’s that homelessness working out for you? Give not being homeless a try. You know something, Ohio? It’s not easy to break out of your comfort zone. People will tear you down, tell you you shouldn’t have bothered in the first place. But let me tell you something, there’s not much of a difference between a stadium full of cheering fans and an angry crowd screaming abuse at you. They’re both just making a lot of noise. How you take it is up to you. Convince yourself they’re cheering for you, you do that and someday they will.”

#1: “Dream On”

Bryan Ryan: “Sue, you’re an impressive woman. I can’t tell you how much you turn me on right now. You ever heard of the term anger sex?”
Sue: “The only kind I know, Bryan.”
Bryan Ryan: “I should tell you, I’m married.”
Sue: “Not a problem for me.”
Bryan Ryan: “And I’m still cutting half your budget…”
Sue: “Ah, you win some you lose some.”
Bryan Ryan: “Should I lock the door?”
Sue: “No I got a secret room upstairs…like Letterman!”
                       
So, Sue and Puck win for quotable actors and “Funk” and “Bad Reputation” win for quotable episodes. Have you ever had any Glee quotes stuck in your head?

Glee Meme, Day 15: A Couple to ‘Ship for

or perhaps not…

This is a pipe dream and it comes about because Mark and Lea are my favourite on the show. Truly, BEFORE “Mash-Up” there was no way I’d imagine them talking to each other, let alone carrying on a relationship – even if it was for all of three days. And yet, it worked brilliantly – it really did make sense. Puck is such an emotional recluse and Rachel is such an officious psycho (in a good way) that they complement each other. I liked their reunion, of sorts, in “Bad Reputation” because it even touched on that. They both have serious issues they need to work, and they’re both regarded (in the Glee world, and the real world) by their faults. Really, I know this is never happening and it doesn’t make me lament or anything, Glee’s highpoint for me is not romanticism. Still, something Glee suffers with at times is continuity and other than when they are together it’s like they REALLY don’t know each other. They have their one episode hook up, touch on it in a semi-reunion eight episodes later and other than that they have no commuincation. I remember one time where they actually spoke other than those episodes and it was one weird line in “Funk”. I’d like to see them go somewhere, perhaps not a romantic ‘ship but friends. I don’t want Puck soiling the reputation of ANOTHER one of Finn’s women. That’s just too pedestrian. Still, I’d like to see them have a friendship of sorts – imagine the duets they could sing (Barbra and Neil Diamond? Jewish Power!) - come on, they're amazing!

            

More on the Glee MEME here. Puck and Rachel? Or No?

Glee Meme, Day 12: A Scene That PISSED Me Off

The Glee MEME continues, and you already know I’m altogether too sympathetic towards Puck. He’s NOT the villain of the Glee Club, or the show for that matter. I hated how allegiances seemed so unfairly made during the BabyGate drama (again, who came up with the name?) He obviously wanted to tell Finn about it, whatever his purposes, but his intentions were curbed by some of the worst advice EVER!

It’s during the “Ballad” episode and Mercedes and company decides everyone’s going to sing for Finn and Quinn, Puck is less than enthused about the state of affairs.

Puck: “Finn gets everything, the sympathy – the girl.”

It’s where we start seeing Puck as a real character, like Santana he’s the second-in-command who craves appreciation – no I’m not over reading this...I don’t think. This leads into his stilted confession of the baby’s paternity leading into Mercedes’ nonsense.

Mercedes: “All right...look! You need to get something through your Mohawk real quick. You’re the baby’s daddy, it takes a hell of a lot more to be a father and that role’s already been cast because Quinn chose Finn. And you need to accept that and move on, ‘cause you have no business messing up that girl’s life anymore than you already have. You need to back off. You owe her at least that much.”

WTF? How on earth is lying to Finn and keeping Quinn’s secret a good thing? Mercedes, Mercedes – you’re an idiot.

Glee Meme, Day 8: Favourite Quinn / Puck Moment

The GLEE MEME continues...

I never expected them to become a real couple, even though in retrospect they’re kind of hot together. "Wheels" is arguably Salling’s best episode in the front 13 episodes (or maybe "Mash-Up") i.e. the episode where he actually gets a salient plotline. To pinpoint a moment in particular it would be cake fight in the Home-Ec Room. The Glee cast are so busy being old for their age that it’s nice seeing them be silly (remember “Jump”). It’s the first time I felt a legitimate connection between the two. And then there’s the moment where he gives her the stolen money. I’d been a moderate fan Quinn of fan before and Dianna works well here. For all his badassedness it’s nice seeing these moments where Puck is not mean and Quinn’s not fickle. 

Glee Meme, Day 4: Favourite Solo

I probably love Glee so much because I’m a major music buff (inherited from my father who’s an actual musician). The MEME continues.

I don’t like Neil Diamond, I appreciate his music but he tends to annoy me – it’s probably years of seeing his Christmas Special more than thrice a year every year for most of my life. Still, Noah Salling singing “Sweet Caroline” was a nice surprise. I don’t even have any significant affection for the song, but it worked in more ways than one – and it’s nice to hear him sing alone, that’s rare. It’s never happened since (go figure). 

Speaking of Jewish greatness, Lea Michele’s “Don’t Rain On My Parade” is pure brilliance. She’s not Barbra, but she’s not supposed to be. The reason the covers on Glee manage to work is because they’re never attempting to copy the original. It’s her “moment” and it works because Lea completely delivers. She sings and she acts at the same time…that’s rare with young performers

[On a side note on the topic of Barbra and Funny Girl though, I’d call Idina’s rendition of Funny Girl better than Barbra (insert offended gasp). I’ve never really felt the song fit the musical – it was written specifically for the film. But Idina sort of rocked it with her “Theatricality” even if it doesn’t make my top 3.]

In the end I turn to another guest for my favourite solo though. There’s something moving about the lyrics for “Home” from The Wiz and though the choir provides back up – it’s a solo and one that impresses on all counts. It’s a moving moment, for April and because Glee loves to get moralistic on us it’s a given that they’re sending us a message. But I really don’t care Living here in this brand new world might be a fantasy….but it’s taught me too love, so it’s real to me.” Damn, those lyrics are incredibly saccharine and NOT badass, but damn if they aren’t still awesome. It works…it really really does.

Glee Meme, Day 2: Favourite Male Character

The Glee MEME continues.

    

Like yesterday, this was a no-brainer for me. Mark Salling’s Puck is my favourite character of the entire show even though he’s woefully ignored oftentimes – which is odd, considering he has a music degree. Of the main twelve (fourteen if you add Santana and Britt) Salling had the toughest task in the front portion of the season, episodes which makes me even more appreciative of what he does with Puck and the thing is – it doesn’t get easier. It doesn’t take much to realise that Glee is deliberately creating pastiches of every high school show or movie (the dumb jock, the loud mouthed diva, the pocket gay, the mean jock), what makes it special is seeing how they deviate from the norm.

Naturally, it was “Preggers” where Puck starting seeming like someone to take note of. The babygate drama (who came up with that name?) had its moments of sheer ludicrousness but I didn’t hate it. Maybe it’s my general tendency to root for the baddies (from Spike in Buffy to Alex in Grey’s Anatomy to Karen in Will & Grace to Ryan in The Office) but I immediately understood Puck’s dilemma. Yes, he was the cheating best friend (a plot point that needed serious closure) but beneath his overt oafishness it’s not difficult to see that he’s not wicked without a purpose. He still has insecurities like the rest of them, which because I’m nepotistic I wish they’d examine more.  His sizeable part in Mash-Up is one of the reasons I love that episode so much. Still, Puck (or Salling) is constantly ready to bring the funny and deliver on the intense broodiness that is the Puckster. Add all that to the fact that he’s so obviously the best male performer on the show (except, maybe, for Morrison) it’s a bit of a no-brainer. Seriously, few things were cooler than his semi-solo on “The Lady & the Tramp”.

The writers seem most confused as to what to do with his character…they have taken the most missteps with…but I’ll examine them later in the MEME.

       

Are you convinced of Puck’s badassedness, or are you a doubter?