Glee Squee
Sep. 29th, 2013 10:57 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
I have my favourite show baaaack! I have missed it. My favourite cute little show. *cuddles and squeezes and loves and drags it after her* And it's all pretty candy colours now. *_* Shiny.
Even my lack of any Beatles fanning doesn't make this episode any less awesome. (I don't dislike The Beatles; they've just never grabbed me, is all.) Because I adored it all.
Glee, episode 5x01: Love, Love, Love
This week, on the Ioan Gruffudd Show... oh, wait... I mean, on Glee, it's Week 1 of The Beatles!

But Ioan Gruffudd was also in the episode as Rachel's potential co-star in Funny Girl. That was probably the only surprise of the episode, since I got spoilt for everything else. But the episode still managed to exceed my expectations. I love that people were drinking wine during it, and not in a drinking game way, but in a celebratory way.
The main theme of the episode was youth and being too young for something, which fits the Beatles quite well, considering they weren't much older than Kurt and Rachel when they first hit it big. In this episode Rachel overhears her director comment that she may be too young and inexperienced for the role in Funny Girl, and with Kurt and Blaine the discussion that they may be too young to get married is one from both on screen and off.
Going back to Kurt and Rachel's stated dreams from 3x01, "The Purple Piano Project":
Rachel: "Tony by 25"
Kurt: "Married by 30. Legally!"
I think the show is going to spend the next season or two proving that they aren't too young to achieve their dreams if they want them badly enough.
But let's start at the beginning.

I realise "Yesterday" was a tribute to Cory Monteith, who passed away over the hiatus between seasons, but in the context of the episode it also serves to highlight Rachel's missing her friends. She passes all the places she visited with Finn when they were in New York for Nationals in season 2, and stares at a picture of New Directions on her phone. Most importantly, later in the episode she refers to Lima as "home" (in contrast to early last season). I'm left with the impression that since Rachel's first audition, where she reprised "Don't Stop Believing" (4x19), she's come to respect and value where she's come from and the people who shaped her. It's at once isolation and nostalgia, feeling alone and remembering those who made her feel less alone.

Oh, and I have to mention Sue. I love Sue!
I love that she's principal again (thanks to planting evidence on Figgins), and still getting around in tracksuits! :D She's on a slight power trip now, but she's not an altogether horrible principal as we saw last time she was in the role (season 2). Instead of destroying her nemeses, Schuester and Coach Washington, she tells them to lift their game and bring home the trophies. Or else she'll fire them. She manages to make "winners" sound menacing.

I'm not sure how I feel about Artie and Kitty yet, so I'll come back to them some other week, when I've figured it out. I do know that I like their friendship, so I'm going to talk about the friendships I love in this episode.
I love Marley and Unique's continuing friendship, Tina trying to be Artie's friend (I love that she sees it as her duty to meddle in other people's business in order to help them XD), and how easily the whole Glee Club is there for each other and willing to support each other.

And Rachel and Santana's friendship! I am so charmed to see that back, mainly because who would have thought those two would ever be so close back at the start of the show? And now they support each other, sing together, walk around holding hands, and are actual friends. I love it!
Santana gets Rachel a job as a waitress, working for "Günther" at the Spotlight Diner.
Santana: "Don’t tell him you're Jewish or black."
Fandom had a discussion over hiatus about whether Rachel counted as "black" or "half-black" because one of her dads is. Because Glee likes to make you laugh about something only to turn it serious later (such as Emma's OCD). So maybe Rachel joining the Black Student Union wasn't as ridiculous as everyone thought at the time. So it's an interestingly layered comment in light of that discussion.

And then there's Tina's serenade, the first time she's been serenaded by anyone.
I love that Blaine notices how not-okay she is and tries to do something about it, both as leader of the Glee Club and as her friend. There's a discussion about her break-up with Mike here, which makes a lot of sense to me. I've always thought she was more affected by it than was obvious, leading to her displaced feelings by crushing on Blaine, and adding to her disillusionment of the year in general. She always struck me as hurt pretty badly after the breakdown of such a long term relationship.
The whole "Sam is the least Asian and the least gay of all of you" is interesting too. I know that's in reference to Mike and Blaine, but Sam is also the only white guy there (Blaine's actor being half-Filipino, and Ryder's actor being half-Cuban).
Anyway, Sam gets more geeky and hyper - and less cool - every season. So does Ryder. I do prefer them as less cool. :) It's more fun.
I want more Blaine, Sam, and Tina friendship. I love that trio.
Now, the biggest story of the episode:

Kurt and Blaine enter the season via picnic in the school courtyard, which is so utterly charming. They're talking about their relationship, flirting a bit, dancing around each other. Kurt dismisses Adam, the guy he was sort of dating in New York, as someone nice but it never got serious between them (note the past tense). It's clear this isn't the first time Kurt and Blaine have talked about their relationship, what happened, and a possibility of making up and trying again in the future, and they're both comfortable here discussing the elephant in theroom courtyard.
Blaine is serious and honest when he promises never to cheat on Kurt again, which I don't think anyone doubts. At the time he let his fears and insecurities get the better of him, but like he told Sam (4x07), he knew the moment he made the mistake that he'd been wrong, and since then he's had no more doubts about how important Kurt was in his life.
Kurt is playful and no longer hurt by the discussion, parrying back, "I'm going to need you to sign one of those non-cheating contracts. You can get them on Oprah's website."
Blaine replies, "I will sign anything you want," at which point my brain cheerfully piped up with, "including a marriage contract," which is how I've been thinking about the whole engagement story line: it's a promise of faith and fidelity on Blaine's part.
Throughout the scene, Kurt is coy and playful, pretending at hesitance and stringing Blaine along. It's friendly and very them, and they're both clearly aware of just how flirty they're being.
Finally Kurt concedes, "Okay, I can't believe we're going to do this again."
Blaine jumps up, ready to sing his joy to the world, but Kurt's not done playing with him and stops him. "Uh no. No, no, that's not going to happen, okay? I'm not sitting down and listening you sing to me anymore."
Blaine sits down, confused.
Kurt: "Which is I prepared something."
Kurt's arranged a marching band to play "Got To Get You Into My Life." Which leads to a duet, and Kurt and Blaine literally dancing around each other and the courtyard.

It ends with Kurt and Blaine in a very public kiss, like those they were afraid to show at school before now (3x03).
I love that Kurt had a reunion all decided and prepared for; he just wanted to make Blaine sweat a little, make him work for it.
I told a friend in an e-mail recently that it was pretty obvious that Kurt was going to give Blaine another chance as soon as the hurt had faded sufficiently, because Kurt Hummel always knows what he wants, and he never plays things safe. Of course he's going to take the chance again.
Blaine, meanwhile, still plans to propose, because that's what he's been plotting over the past two episodes. Via the song "Help" (what else?), he enlists the help of New Directions, The Warblers, Vocal Adrenalin, and the Haverbrook School for the Deaf to lend him a hand.

And it looks like the Warblers have a council again, not just one captain, which seems to work better for them. They've kicked out Hunter and now Sebastian leads them by calling for a vote. Proof that Sebastian has turned over a new leaf, finally! It's not just his words anymore. Blaine even hugs him in thanks.
Next time we see Kurt, he's in the car with his dad on the way to "the airport" to fly back to New York, except Burt is using the back roads, which happen to lead them past Dalton Academy.
I'm charmed that Kurt has guessed and knows all about the proposal coming up. So he knows where he's going, what's going to happen, and despite being sick with nerves and worries, he goes along with it.
I was wondering how Blaine managed to keep the whole thing quiet considering half the world knew. Turns out he didn't. Or maybe Kurt really does know him that well.

Burt might not be thrilled by the idea of Kurt and Blaine getting engaged just yet, according to 4x21, but he knows Kurt; he knows exactly how Kurt feels about Blaine, and he wouldn't dream of ever standing in Kurt's way.
Kurt: "I really love Blaine. He makes me feel so connected, and safe, and... loved. I don't think I'm ever going to find someone else who's going to make me feel like that."
It's good to hear in Kurt's own words how he feels: worried that they're too young to get married, but also sure about his heart and how he feels.
So Burt is supportive, because it's Kurt's choice to make, the same way Burt did with Kurt's mother. He helps settle Kurt's nerves by telling him to relax, listen to what Blaine has to say, and to not be afraid of making that choice. The words are full of faith in Kurt, and support for whatever his decision is going to be.
As soon as Kurt approaches Dalton, "All You Need Is Love" starts playing, and Kurt gets serenaded by Blaine after all.

Meanwhile, the Warblers are singing backup and dancing a version of the choreography they used in "Teenage Dream" (gifs of the choreography). New Directions join in, along with Rachel, Santana, and Mercedes, while Vocal Adrenalin dance, and Haverbrook sign along. It's pretty spectacular. Every bit as theatrical and flashy as appeals to Kurt, and he's led through the school open mouthed.
They end up on the stairs where Kurt first stopped Blaine to ask a question, way back when Kurt first went to spy on the Warblers (2x06), and now it's Blaine's turn to ask a question.
Blaine: We met right here. I took this man's hand and we ran down that hallway. And for those that know me, I'm not in the habit of taking people's hands I've never met before but I think that my soul knew something that my mind and body didn't know yet. It knew that our hands were meant to hold each other, fearlessly and forever.
He steps closer to Kurt as he speaks.
Which is why it's never really felt like I've been getting to know you. It's always felt like I was remembering you from something, as if every lifetime you and I have lived, we've chosen to come back and find each other and fall in love all over again, over and over for all eternity. And I just feel so lucky that I found you so soon in this lifetime because all I want to do - all I've ever wanted to do - is spend my life loving you.
So, Kurt Hummel, my amazing friend, my one true love, will you marry me?

Kurt: Yes.

Half the world cheers, including me.
And that was exactly what I needed.
Even my lack of any Beatles fanning doesn't make this episode any less awesome. (I don't dislike The Beatles; they've just never grabbed me, is all.) Because I adored it all.
Glee, episode 5x01: Love, Love, Love
This week, on the Ioan Gruffudd Show... oh, wait... I mean, on Glee, it's Week 1 of The Beatles!

But Ioan Gruffudd was also in the episode as Rachel's potential co-star in Funny Girl. That was probably the only surprise of the episode, since I got spoilt for everything else. But the episode still managed to exceed my expectations. I love that people were drinking wine during it, and not in a drinking game way, but in a celebratory way.
The main theme of the episode was youth and being too young for something, which fits the Beatles quite well, considering they weren't much older than Kurt and Rachel when they first hit it big. In this episode Rachel overhears her director comment that she may be too young and inexperienced for the role in Funny Girl, and with Kurt and Blaine the discussion that they may be too young to get married is one from both on screen and off.
Going back to Kurt and Rachel's stated dreams from 3x01, "The Purple Piano Project":
Rachel: "Tony by 25"
Kurt: "Married by 30. Legally!"
I think the show is going to spend the next season or two proving that they aren't too young to achieve their dreams if they want them badly enough.
But let's start at the beginning.

I realise "Yesterday" was a tribute to Cory Monteith, who passed away over the hiatus between seasons, but in the context of the episode it also serves to highlight Rachel's missing her friends. She passes all the places she visited with Finn when they were in New York for Nationals in season 2, and stares at a picture of New Directions on her phone. Most importantly, later in the episode she refers to Lima as "home" (in contrast to early last season). I'm left with the impression that since Rachel's first audition, where she reprised "Don't Stop Believing" (4x19), she's come to respect and value where she's come from and the people who shaped her. It's at once isolation and nostalgia, feeling alone and remembering those who made her feel less alone.

Oh, and I have to mention Sue. I love Sue!
I love that she's principal again (thanks to planting evidence on Figgins), and still getting around in tracksuits! :D She's on a slight power trip now, but she's not an altogether horrible principal as we saw last time she was in the role (season 2). Instead of destroying her nemeses, Schuester and Coach Washington, she tells them to lift their game and bring home the trophies. Or else she'll fire them. She manages to make "winners" sound menacing.

I'm not sure how I feel about Artie and Kitty yet, so I'll come back to them some other week, when I've figured it out. I do know that I like their friendship, so I'm going to talk about the friendships I love in this episode.
I love Marley and Unique's continuing friendship, Tina trying to be Artie's friend (I love that she sees it as her duty to meddle in other people's business in order to help them XD), and how easily the whole Glee Club is there for each other and willing to support each other.

And Rachel and Santana's friendship! I am so charmed to see that back, mainly because who would have thought those two would ever be so close back at the start of the show? And now they support each other, sing together, walk around holding hands, and are actual friends. I love it!
Santana gets Rachel a job as a waitress, working for "Günther" at the Spotlight Diner.
Santana: "Don’t tell him you're Jewish or black."
Fandom had a discussion over hiatus about whether Rachel counted as "black" or "half-black" because one of her dads is. Because Glee likes to make you laugh about something only to turn it serious later (such as Emma's OCD). So maybe Rachel joining the Black Student Union wasn't as ridiculous as everyone thought at the time. So it's an interestingly layered comment in light of that discussion.

And then there's Tina's serenade, the first time she's been serenaded by anyone.
I love that Blaine notices how not-okay she is and tries to do something about it, both as leader of the Glee Club and as her friend. There's a discussion about her break-up with Mike here, which makes a lot of sense to me. I've always thought she was more affected by it than was obvious, leading to her displaced feelings by crushing on Blaine, and adding to her disillusionment of the year in general. She always struck me as hurt pretty badly after the breakdown of such a long term relationship.
The whole "Sam is the least Asian and the least gay of all of you" is interesting too. I know that's in reference to Mike and Blaine, but Sam is also the only white guy there (Blaine's actor being half-Filipino, and Ryder's actor being half-Cuban).
Anyway, Sam gets more geeky and hyper - and less cool - every season. So does Ryder. I do prefer them as less cool. :) It's more fun.
I want more Blaine, Sam, and Tina friendship. I love that trio.
Now, the biggest story of the episode:

Kurt and Blaine enter the season via picnic in the school courtyard, which is so utterly charming. They're talking about their relationship, flirting a bit, dancing around each other. Kurt dismisses Adam, the guy he was sort of dating in New York, as someone nice but it never got serious between them (note the past tense). It's clear this isn't the first time Kurt and Blaine have talked about their relationship, what happened, and a possibility of making up and trying again in the future, and they're both comfortable here discussing the elephant in the
Blaine is serious and honest when he promises never to cheat on Kurt again, which I don't think anyone doubts. At the time he let his fears and insecurities get the better of him, but like he told Sam (4x07), he knew the moment he made the mistake that he'd been wrong, and since then he's had no more doubts about how important Kurt was in his life.
Kurt is playful and no longer hurt by the discussion, parrying back, "I'm going to need you to sign one of those non-cheating contracts. You can get them on Oprah's website."
Blaine replies, "I will sign anything you want," at which point my brain cheerfully piped up with, "including a marriage contract," which is how I've been thinking about the whole engagement story line: it's a promise of faith and fidelity on Blaine's part.
Throughout the scene, Kurt is coy and playful, pretending at hesitance and stringing Blaine along. It's friendly and very them, and they're both clearly aware of just how flirty they're being.
Finally Kurt concedes, "Okay, I can't believe we're going to do this again."
Blaine jumps up, ready to sing his joy to the world, but Kurt's not done playing with him and stops him. "Uh no. No, no, that's not going to happen, okay? I'm not sitting down and listening you sing to me anymore."
Blaine sits down, confused.
Kurt: "Which is I prepared something."
Kurt's arranged a marching band to play "Got To Get You Into My Life." Which leads to a duet, and Kurt and Blaine literally dancing around each other and the courtyard.

It ends with Kurt and Blaine in a very public kiss, like those they were afraid to show at school before now (3x03).
I love that Kurt had a reunion all decided and prepared for; he just wanted to make Blaine sweat a little, make him work for it.
I told a friend in an e-mail recently that it was pretty obvious that Kurt was going to give Blaine another chance as soon as the hurt had faded sufficiently, because Kurt Hummel always knows what he wants, and he never plays things safe. Of course he's going to take the chance again.
Blaine, meanwhile, still plans to propose, because that's what he's been plotting over the past two episodes. Via the song "Help" (what else?), he enlists the help of New Directions, The Warblers, Vocal Adrenalin, and the Haverbrook School for the Deaf to lend him a hand.

And it looks like the Warblers have a council again, not just one captain, which seems to work better for them. They've kicked out Hunter and now Sebastian leads them by calling for a vote. Proof that Sebastian has turned over a new leaf, finally! It's not just his words anymore. Blaine even hugs him in thanks.
Next time we see Kurt, he's in the car with his dad on the way to "the airport" to fly back to New York, except Burt is using the back roads, which happen to lead them past Dalton Academy.
I'm charmed that Kurt has guessed and knows all about the proposal coming up. So he knows where he's going, what's going to happen, and despite being sick with nerves and worries, he goes along with it.
I was wondering how Blaine managed to keep the whole thing quiet considering half the world knew. Turns out he didn't. Or maybe Kurt really does know him that well.

Burt might not be thrilled by the idea of Kurt and Blaine getting engaged just yet, according to 4x21, but he knows Kurt; he knows exactly how Kurt feels about Blaine, and he wouldn't dream of ever standing in Kurt's way.
Kurt: "I really love Blaine. He makes me feel so connected, and safe, and... loved. I don't think I'm ever going to find someone else who's going to make me feel like that."
It's good to hear in Kurt's own words how he feels: worried that they're too young to get married, but also sure about his heart and how he feels.
So Burt is supportive, because it's Kurt's choice to make, the same way Burt did with Kurt's mother. He helps settle Kurt's nerves by telling him to relax, listen to what Blaine has to say, and to not be afraid of making that choice. The words are full of faith in Kurt, and support for whatever his decision is going to be.
As soon as Kurt approaches Dalton, "All You Need Is Love" starts playing, and Kurt gets serenaded by Blaine after all.

Meanwhile, the Warblers are singing backup and dancing a version of the choreography they used in "Teenage Dream" (gifs of the choreography). New Directions join in, along with Rachel, Santana, and Mercedes, while Vocal Adrenalin dance, and Haverbrook sign along. It's pretty spectacular. Every bit as theatrical and flashy as appeals to Kurt, and he's led through the school open mouthed.
They end up on the stairs where Kurt first stopped Blaine to ask a question, way back when Kurt first went to spy on the Warblers (2x06), and now it's Blaine's turn to ask a question.
Blaine: We met right here. I took this man's hand and we ran down that hallway. And for those that know me, I'm not in the habit of taking people's hands I've never met before but I think that my soul knew something that my mind and body didn't know yet. It knew that our hands were meant to hold each other, fearlessly and forever.
He steps closer to Kurt as he speaks.
Which is why it's never really felt like I've been getting to know you. It's always felt like I was remembering you from something, as if every lifetime you and I have lived, we've chosen to come back and find each other and fall in love all over again, over and over for all eternity. And I just feel so lucky that I found you so soon in this lifetime because all I want to do - all I've ever wanted to do - is spend my life loving you.
So, Kurt Hummel, my amazing friend, my one true love, will you marry me?

Kurt: Yes.

Half the world cheers, including me.
And that was exactly what I needed.