Glee Review: When It's Over, Is It Really Over?

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One thing is certain after tonight's episode of Glee: Things are officially done for Kurt and Blaine and Rachel and Finn. Our dynamic duos won't be reconciling any time soon. Mega bummer.

But in other McKinley news, "Glease" rocked the house, and proved to me, once again, life is better on Glee when the drama stays in high school.

Blaine and Sugar

I'm a fan of Grease. I grew up watching it and singing along and found myself doing the same tonight, which is always a good sign. While "Greased Lightning" was a bit slow and forced, the slumber party scene, aside from the hideous costuming, felt like something that Kitty would do: invite the girls over for the purpose of humiliating one (or more) of them.

Overall, the McKinley production of Grease was pretty great. Perhaps not as good as Rocky Horror, but it definitely wasn't terrible. And did anyone else who's a fan of the film besides me marvel at just how much Sugar looked like the original Frenchy? The similarity was downright freaky!

But the ultimate purpose of tonight's episode wasn't about the musical at all. That was simply a means to an end. Or two ends, to be more specific.

Rachel and Finn are now so broken up they don't even want to have contact with one another, even in song. And Kurt refused to speak to Blaine after borrowing Rachel's courage and bravado. I can't say that I saw reconciliation coming for either couple, but at least there's closure now. Their final words, or some of them, are chronicled on the Glee quotes page and were actually heartbreaking to listen to.

The doors are still open for Santana and Brittany and Mike and Tina, though, so fans of those couples should be excited.

I truly can't even begin to think about how clunky the story with Brody is right now. Did he really just sleep with a dance teacher? That whole thing is a hot mess and it makes me kind of cranky to think about being asked to care what happens to him.

I know that Cassandra is bitchy and has it out for Rachel, but Brody sleeping with her, even in the context of Cassandra's conversation with Rachel about Rachel going back to Ohio, makes no sense. While we haven't exactly gotten a lot of characterization for Brody, tonight didn't fit and was, in my opinion, simply an opportunity to have him take his shirt off again.

When this season debuted, I thought the New York scenes were fantastic and fresh and kept the show alive. I was disinterested in the stories of the new high school students. After the past two weeks, I wish more than ever that Rachel and Kurt Take New York had been an actual spin-off instead of what's beginning to feel like baggage.

We all lamented the noticeable absences of Mike, Mercedes, Santana, Puck and Finn in the first several episodes of Glee Season 4. After tonight, aside from the whole Santana-as-Rizzo lunacy, I'm convinced that writing their whereabouts into the dialogue without writing them into the physical scenes was the way to go. 

The same needs to be done with Rachel and Kurt no matter how much I love them.

Here's the thing: Rachel and Kurt are Glee. They are and always will be. But they're not in glee club anymore. And neither are any of the other graduates who've gone off to do their own post-high school things.

While watching Marley and Kitty tonight, and seeing the way Kitty manipulated Marley, and then watching Marley and Ryder, I found myself asking "What if these characters had come first?" If we'd gotten Ryder and Marley and Jake and Kitty first, chances are good we'd feel about them the way we feel about Rachel and Kurt and the other graduates now. In short, our new McKinley High School students need their fair shake, and they won't get that with the dueling story of Rachel and Kurt in New York always diverting our attention.

Those are my musings on things so far, anyway. No doubt there are those who'll disagree with me. I'm okay with that.

What did you think of "Glease"? Are you more or less invested in McKinley after the past two weeks?

Glease Review

Editor Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
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User Rating:

Rating: 4.2 / 5.0 (133 Votes)

Miranda Wicker was a Staff Writer for TV Fanatic. She retired in 2017. Follow her on Twitter.

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Glee Season 4 Episode 6 Quotes

I've seen your true colors, Finn Hudson. You've got hate in that heart, Double Stuff. And probably also frosting.

Sue

Will: I'll be taking a short sabbatical which means I'm leaving McKinley at the end of the week.
Tina: Wait, this is crazy.
Artie: Glee club is your life.

Glee Season 4 Episode 6 Music

  Song Artist
Greased Lightning Glee Cast iTunes
Look At Me, I'm Sandra Dee Glee Cast iTunes
Beauty School Drop Out Glee Cast iTunes