Wednesday, December 9, 2009

I SAW HER TODAY AT THE RECEPTION: Well, if you don't know at the end of your first 13 episode order if you're getting picked up for the back nine, you might as well throw in the kitchen sink in Glee #13 -- the evening's second reference to Miss Effie White, twists and turns and revenges and revelations, new songs, delayed reactions and a whole lot of rescrambling.

Did it all work? No. Here's a hint for folks involved in television's creative process: when you know what you've got is good, you don't need to give the viewers reaction shots confirming it. We don't need to see Mr. Schue crying while listening to the kids, or audience members dancing in the aisles. Trust us to get it.

But I will say this much: Lea Michele's "Don't Rain On My Parade" was show-stoppingly, astonishingly good, even for a performer who has set our expectations so high all season. As manipulative as this episode was (yes, all television manipulates emotion -- that's the point -- but this was excessive), you can't fake moments like that. Glee is ambitious, messy, imperfect and sad at its core, and its April return cannot come soon enough.

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