Last night’s winter finale of Glee struck a chord with me. No, it was certainly not a Chord of the Overstreet variety, but rather a chord of the emotional variety. I could lie and say I drank too much wine (which has been my coping mechanism for dealing with this show’s eye-rolling sincerity). I could lie and say that Smash is the greater evil (Anjelica Huston needs to start throwing those martinis into my mouth if she wants me to swallow all those Broadway dreams and tolerate Katharine McPhee‘s robotic performances). I could lie and say that Dave Karofsky is the only character I currently care about (which would not be a lie).
But there was something more here. This was legitimately good television that kept you on the edge of your seat, something Glee has rarely accomplished past their first season few episodes. Sure, there were a few lackluster musical numbers and problematic moments! Yet I’m willing to forgive them, because the show finally got back to being human. The plot actually mattered beyond providing a vehicle for a bunch of caricatures to gyrate in a classroom with Ricky Martin.
I’m trying my best to not spoil any of the details. I, just, I don’t know… This kind of hit close to home in a lot of ways? Though the show probably won’t keep my attention after this season, I’m glad I stuck around long enough to witness this. Bravo, Glee staff. You finally did something right.
– Dewitt
PS: Also, there’s this review, which tends to highlight the episodes more problematic aspects.
Click through to watch a clip and discuss the episode:
His name is Dave not Max
Ryan Murphy is genius! He knows his audience and the show was FULL of incredible messages! I hope MANY people heard them!
Brain fart. His real name is Max.
Held my breath during the big Karofsky scene in his bedroom (keeping it vague for those who haven’t seen it yet). I was like, they’re not really going to go through with this. Are they?? Would they??
Also, not gonna lie, that fantasy scene of Karofsky’s future life with the big office, hot husband, and cute son, where’s he got it all and is finally happy, had me in tears. Damn you, Ryan Murphy!!
Glad it ended up how it did but, maybe they should have gone the other way. in real life it ends up that way almost every day…. sad but true.
It was an amazing show, but I hate that we have wait till April to see what happens now,
I have not watched this show since the middle of season 2, and only really watch it if the Dave Karofsky character (Max Adler) does a guest turn. This was such a great character to kick off the serious issues of bullying and teen suicide. Their message was clear and concise, and probably turned away a huge fan base of people who just wanted “fluff tv.” Season 3 has become that for me, just “fluff.”
But when I saw that Dave was coming back, I was hoping, Glee would take another stab of facing social issues, and this episode did not disappoint. It was powerful. I agree with “TommyTrojan” that the dream sequence of Dave being happy in his office, greeting his partner and son, going off to the kid’s first football game, had me crying, gut wrenching tears. I couldn’t believe, but definitely know, the dark place Dave has been. There doesn’t seem to be any hope; the thought of being truly alone.
I also thought that the portrayal of the “Christian club” in the show was handled with deft. Quinn’s comment about “the Bible also says ‘eating pork and shellfish is a sin (or something to that affect, in last week’s Valentine’s Day episode),” drove home the hypocrisy of some things from the Bible, mostly the Old Testament. They were caring, only because they knew the people who were affected.
Max Adler should receive an Emmy win, if not at least a nomination, for his turn as Dave Karofsky. This character is one of the most fleshed-out people in the show, and has had great impact in just a few episodes. I hope the writing team brings him back for more; and how awesome would it be if he came back to McKinley High.
Bravo Ryan Murphy!
too after-school-special-ish especially with the additional ‘don’t text and drive message’
The writers grew a pair and instead of sticking with a suicide attempt story they hit you with a car crash ending. I’m so proud of them for being good at existence now
I think that one really touched a lot of us. I know a few Dave Karofsky’s in real life – heck, minus the uber-jock-ism, I *was* him. I was definitely tearing up – the writing and foreshadowing was very foreboding, too; halfway through the episode, I was already jittering in my seat because I was afraid of what direction they were going with it.
Those of us who’ve been there can see it coming a mile away. I was glad that it aired the same night as the MTV ‘It Gets Better’ special. I’m 25, and it still makes me feel better to hear stuff like this! Bravo, Glee. Keep it up in Season 4, or we are outta here. 😉
I’m not sure all this “omg this episode is great” the story arc was pretty shallow to be honest.
Who didn’t think that it would end up with a suicide attempt after being outed?
Honestly for someone who has tried to commit suicide (not because of me being a mo), but I think a successful suicide would have been more impacting.
We see and hear all this “it gets better” crap, however it could prevent a death possibly if they show how much a suicide effects people.
The driving and texting thing was something you knew was coming as soo
n as there’s a teen, a car, and a cellphone. That just caused an even bigger scoff. Doubtful they would kill Quinn off.
Mr. Schuester, how the f*ck does your academic dishonesty compare at all to what most of your students have gone through.
Bad story! Bad William!
To be honest, I felt like someone was sitting on my chest the entire episode.
i cried through the whole episode. it hit home in every scene i had a friend kill him self becuse his bf broke up with him, and i was builled all through high school and i kept telling my self it would get better and it hasnt yet but one day my prince will come
If you are lusting after Max (Dave) like I am you have to check this out. What a sexy man
http://welcometomyworld-chubbear426.blogspot.com/2012/02/glees-own-max-adler-dave-karofsky.html
It’s a great show. It’s target audience is tweens and teens, not adults (gay or straight). Sometimes I think folks forget that the audience for this show is kids who are going through the same or similar issues as the kids on the show.
Looking at it from the point-of-view of an adult doesn’t really work.
I think it does an amazing job of incorporating Ryan Murphy’s wacked out fantasy world of high camp characters (gay and otherwise) with heart and real issues but still with a lot of whimsy and fun.
Adults dissect and unpack this show like it’s being presented in a PhD course on Shakespeare.
It’s basically Degrassi USA with Music.
Filtering it through a jaded, real-world adult sensibility makes no sense to me.
Yes, adults can and do enjoy Degrassi or Skins and other shows targeted at teens and tweens.
But I think we enjoy them MORE when we are willing to suspend disbelief and try to remember what it FELT like to be in high school (even though most of our high school experiences probably had very little in common with GLEE)
I think this season has been amazing. A little bit of something for everyone. Still more Rachel and Finn then I need (and not enough homo on-screen romance of either genders) but really good overall.
“Its” not “it’s” LOL