Glee Squee!
Feb. 3rd, 2013 08:10 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
elfinblazeI have no idea what to make of this episode, so I'm just going to comment as I re-watch, and hopefully find out what I think as I write and read what I've written I think.
Glee, season 4, episode 12, "Naked".
I'm surprised they didn't cover "Naked and Sacred", by Chynna Phillips, in this episode. I get the song stuck in my head every time I look at the title.
Anyway, so the Warblers have been disqualified for cheating (and possibly banned from competing for a few years, giving the writers an opening for new schools to compete with New Directions next year), and now New Directions are back to trying to raise money to go to Regionals. Tina's taking charge of the fund raising, with the questionably tasteful idea of selling a topless-boys calendar to the rest of the student body. But it's actually believable. This is the kind of stuff teenagers, when left to themselves, will think of. And I'm glad it's Tina taking charge. I've already heard Sam, Blaine, and Tina called the "golden trio" of the school (all three of them are on the student council, all three of them are doing their bit to run Glee Club, and by extension the rest of the school).
I'm reserving judgement on the way Tina's reacting to her crush on Blaine. He knows about it, they're still friends, he flirts with her too, and with other girls (especially in song). She knows he's gay, and as long as she's not making him uncomfortable (and so far he just seems kind of flattered if confused by it), then it's not going to be a problem.
Contrary to popular interpretation, I actually don't think this episode is about nudity on camera at all. It just uses the idea of nudity, and vulnerability, to explore Rachel's, Sam's, and Jake and Marley's current individual issues.
For Rachel, the issue is her own place as a performer: what she feels capable of doing. I agree with her when she says that there's nothing wrong with female nudity on camera, but she's clearly not in a place where she feels strong enough to carry the weight of cultural baggage associated with it. Wow, I sound like a book again. I just think that everyone needs to be aware of what they feel capable of doing and being associated with (as performers, or as any other profession), and not feel pressured into doing more than that. Lea Michele has done a topless scene on Broadway in Spring Awakening in the past, so she's obviously fine with it, but Rachel hasn't reached that place yet. It's like Finn says to Artie: no one should do something they're not comfortable doing.
Rachel talking to her past self is such a good illustration of where she is now: not her high-school self anymore, but not quite sure who she's growing into.
Sam's issue stems from his poor SAT score, after which he loses faith in everything about himself except for the body he's always been admired for. Remember when he was first introduced? His body image issues where hinted at then. And later he became a stripper to support his family. Now, after his academic failures, he feels like that's all he has left, like the body is all people see, and it's all he has to fall back on.
And Blaine gets to be a good friend to him, the same way Sam was there for him earlier this season. So now they've each helped pick each other back up again. ^_^
Jake and Marley do sound good together. They both have nice voices, and it's a pretty song.
Even if the screencap makes me realise how much this couple is like the typical young adult ficion these days: the plain girl who has to choose between the handsome vampire and the sexy werewolf. Or something along those lines.
"Let Me Love You (Until You Learn to Love Yourself)" is even more beautiful. I love this cover, and Jake's right, the song says it all. "I love you even if you don't love yourself, even if you can't see why I do, it doesn't change the fact that I value you, and you're important to me." That is a very powerful thing to say to give someone. Especially Marley who has all these insecurities and body issues, who thinks of herself as fat, as ugly, and as unattractive. I think every teenage girl could do with hearing that more often. My best friend said essentially the same to me when I was in high school, and I carried that damn letter around with me for months because it meant that much to me. It a powerful message, believe me.
So this is the first time I've somewhat connected with Jake and Marley, even if only a little.
Quinn and Santana are back too! I love that it's those two who talk to Rachel. "Love Song" is a fun song. Three girls singing about not doing things just because someone else says they should, but because they want to? Yes please! *_* Quinn sounds nice in her lower range, and I have missed Santana's voice!
Look at the bottom link. It's ramblr.com! I can only assume that's the Glee-verse version of tumblr. The lesbian blogger community indeed!
Best song of the episode, of course: "This is the New Year". Firstly cause it's a great song, secondly because it's a group number, and thirdly because it's just so much fun. But mostly because it's a great song. So is the original, and I urge everyone to check that out.
But basically, I loved all the songs this episode.
Glee, season 4, episode 12, "Naked".
I'm surprised they didn't cover "Naked and Sacred", by Chynna Phillips, in this episode. I get the song stuck in my head every time I look at the title.
Anyway, so the Warblers have been disqualified for cheating (and possibly banned from competing for a few years, giving the writers an opening for new schools to compete with New Directions next year), and now New Directions are back to trying to raise money to go to Regionals. Tina's taking charge of the fund raising, with the questionably tasteful idea of selling a topless-boys calendar to the rest of the student body. But it's actually believable. This is the kind of stuff teenagers, when left to themselves, will think of. And I'm glad it's Tina taking charge. I've already heard Sam, Blaine, and Tina called the "golden trio" of the school (all three of them are on the student council, all three of them are doing their bit to run Glee Club, and by extension the rest of the school).
I'm reserving judgement on the way Tina's reacting to her crush on Blaine. He knows about it, they're still friends, he flirts with her too, and with other girls (especially in song). She knows he's gay, and as long as she's not making him uncomfortable (and so far he just seems kind of flattered if confused by it), then it's not going to be a problem.
Contrary to popular interpretation, I actually don't think this episode is about nudity on camera at all. It just uses the idea of nudity, and vulnerability, to explore Rachel's, Sam's, and Jake and Marley's current individual issues.
For Rachel, the issue is her own place as a performer: what she feels capable of doing. I agree with her when she says that there's nothing wrong with female nudity on camera, but she's clearly not in a place where she feels strong enough to carry the weight of cultural baggage associated with it. Wow, I sound like a book again. I just think that everyone needs to be aware of what they feel capable of doing and being associated with (as performers, or as any other profession), and not feel pressured into doing more than that. Lea Michele has done a topless scene on Broadway in Spring Awakening in the past, so she's obviously fine with it, but Rachel hasn't reached that place yet. It's like Finn says to Artie: no one should do something they're not comfortable doing.
Rachel talking to her past self is such a good illustration of where she is now: not her high-school self anymore, but not quite sure who she's growing into.
Sam's issue stems from his poor SAT score, after which he loses faith in everything about himself except for the body he's always been admired for. Remember when he was first introduced? His body image issues where hinted at then. And later he became a stripper to support his family. Now, after his academic failures, he feels like that's all he has left, like the body is all people see, and it's all he has to fall back on.
And Blaine gets to be a good friend to him, the same way Sam was there for him earlier this season. So now they've each helped pick each other back up again. ^_^
Jake and Marley do sound good together. They both have nice voices, and it's a pretty song.
Even if the screencap makes me realise how much this couple is like the typical young adult ficion these days: the plain girl who has to choose between the handsome vampire and the sexy werewolf. Or something along those lines.
"Let Me Love You (Until You Learn to Love Yourself)" is even more beautiful. I love this cover, and Jake's right, the song says it all. "I love you even if you don't love yourself, even if you can't see why I do, it doesn't change the fact that I value you, and you're important to me." That is a very powerful thing to say to give someone. Especially Marley who has all these insecurities and body issues, who thinks of herself as fat, as ugly, and as unattractive. I think every teenage girl could do with hearing that more often. My best friend said essentially the same to me when I was in high school, and I carried that damn letter around with me for months because it meant that much to me. It a powerful message, believe me.
So this is the first time I've somewhat connected with Jake and Marley, even if only a little.
Quinn and Santana are back too! I love that it's those two who talk to Rachel. "Love Song" is a fun song. Three girls singing about not doing things just because someone else says they should, but because they want to? Yes please! *_* Quinn sounds nice in her lower range, and I have missed Santana's voice!
Look at the bottom link. It's ramblr.com! I can only assume that's the Glee-verse version of tumblr. The lesbian blogger community indeed!
Best song of the episode, of course: "This is the New Year". Firstly cause it's a great song, secondly because it's a group number, and thirdly because it's just so much fun. But mostly because it's a great song. So is the original, and I urge everyone to check that out.
But basically, I loved all the songs this episode.
