Glee: "Original Song"

Glee finally decided to drop the social agenda, at least for 95% of the episode, and I think it was better for it. For the first time in a long time, Glee focused on the music with 10, count 'em, 10 songs in this episode. The way I felt watching Glee go back to basics in "Original Song" is kind of like the warm, fuzzy feeling I get when MTV plays a music video. This is how things are supposed to be!

The Good:

• Glee's self-awareness. Sometimes, while I'm eating generic Raisinets and watching Glee, something happens on the show and I think of a snarky comment in my head that I will later use in this blog. Then, almost immediately, a character on the show expresses the same sentiment that I just had in my chocolate-covered haze of a viewing party. Though it can be frustrating for my writing mojo, I appreciate it when Glee has some self-awareness. For instance, when Kurt deemed The Warblers "Blaine & The Pips" or when Rachel said, "I cry every time I sing a solo," I felt like that was Glee giving me a subtle wink and saying, "Don't worry. We know where you're coming from." And who doesn't like to be winked at by one of their favorite shows every so often? Glee really knows how to make a girl feel loved.

• Original songs! The Glee clubbers were way beyond rhyming books with their song-writing capabilities that seem to have appeared out of thin air, but I didn't mind. "Trouty Mouth"? "Big Ass Heart"? "Hell to the No"? More, please! Not only were these songs a welcome change in style from the Top 40 stuff that I normally complain about, but they were hilarious and catchy, too! I'm sure I'll have "guppy fa-a-a-a-ace" stuck in my head for quite some time.

The Bad:

• Quinn. Her voice-over at the beginning of the episode felt strangely out of place, and, more importantly, Quinn seems to be morphing into a Sue Jr., except drastically less entertaining. Her collection of tiaras and her obsession with getting her way remind me a lot of Sue and her vices. The only reason Quinn isn't an Ugly this week is because we didn't see enough of her to push her down into the bowels of bloggery.

• Get It Right. The song itself wasn't that bad, but can The New Directions seriously let Rachel sing an entire number on her own and still win a group competition? That doesn't seem fair. I mean, at least The Warblers make beatboxing noises in the background while Blaine does his thing. Most of the New Directions weren't even on stage for this number. Give Rachel the spotlight some other time and focus on the team at Sectionals (Regionals? What the heck is the difference? What day is it?).

The Ugly:

• Kathy Griffin. I like Kathy. I really do. I've defended her against my husband's criticisms many times. But this cameo was exactly what I don't like about Glee. What was the point of having her come in and do a blatant parody of Sarah Palin? It wasn't even funny (or timely, for that matter). I don't know if it was Kathy's idea or the producers', but I think the opportunity for a great guest role was lost on this one.

Miscellaneous:

• Did Kurt seriously pull out a cassette tape for his tribute to Pavarotti? What child born after 1990 even knows what one of these is? And The Warblers just had a tape player right there in their board room? Unless this is Harry Potter and they were meeting in The Room of Requirement, I have to call B.S.
  

Quotable Quotes:

• "I don't even remember putting that in there." Brittany, re: the dirt Sue put in her locker
• "Guys, just think about it. What's your favorite song of all time?" - Mr. Schue

"My Headband." - Brittany