Why I Gave Up on "Glee"

Jana I couldn't agree w/you more. It's true that they get on their soapbox when it comes to bullying and homosexuality, but then turn around and make the female characters on the show shallow and totally dependent on male approval.

And your comment about Will's NKOTB haircut made me totally laugh!

Hi All,

It perplexes me how a show with such hope, talent and promise in its first season could take such a HUGE fall from grace in only its second season! Proof positive that you can do as much song and dance as you want, put as many cute people in front of me as you can, it still doesn't make up for good character development and some damn strong writing. WORD!

Case in point, CNN has noticed that Glee has jumped the shark, too... http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/16/showbiz-to... ( http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/16/showbiz-to... )

I really enjoyed the first season of Glee. At least most of the first season. And while I love the initial quirkiness of the show, it just started bordering on lame. The writers seemed to take unnecessary detours, cheap ones. (Sorry, it was too long ago for me to name any of them now.) The show has so much potential, and I did watch the one recently about sex education that had a lot of great moments. But to be honest? To like Glee, you have to like musicals. And unless it's Bob Fosse, I just can't manage the very serious issues the show tries to tackle, the social commentary, with people breaking out into song.

I am also not happy that while the show tries to stick up for the "other" in high schools, it also perpetuates the objectification of women. But maybe I'm just a prude.

And Will Schuester's New Kids on the Block haircut has gotten to be too much.

Jana Llewellyn tries to make the best of modern motherhood on her blog, An Attitude Adjustment. ( http://anattitudeadjustment.com ) She also teaches English part-time at her local community college.

I adore Glee. I think it is fun, occasionally touching, often ridiculous, but always amusing. I think that giving it this much thought is maybe the biggest problem. Any TV show that's given this level of scrutiny will have gaping holes in logic and writing.

I think the writers do a good job of trying to keep the story going down the path they've chosen, but they make different each week and I don't love all the music, but man, when they get it right, they get it really right.

I guess for me, I just can't bring myself to care that much. A TV show about a high school Glee club doesn't need to make total sense for me to enjoy it, same with comedies about an Office, and a drama show about a writer who somehow gets to be involved in ever murder investigation in his city. Glee is meant to be entertainment and each week I sit back, suspend my disbelief and just enjoy it.

Though to be fair, even as a suspend your disbelief-er, I did think the Sue marrying herself story line was idiotic, at best. I'm not above noticing a bad concept or storyline, I think I'd just rather have fun with it than care too much.

http://overflowingbrain.com

Glad to hear I'm not the only one disenchanted with the show. Here's my rant:

1) The Sue Sylvester storyline jumped the shark in that ridiculous episode when she married herself. The. Stupidest. Storyline. Evah.

2) Everyone is having sex with each other - which is the point at which I gave up on Gray's Anatomy. Increasingly, the songs are skewered toward sex, and pretty raunchy sex at that. The show is MUCH better when it steers clear of the ridiculous pairings (Puck and the Plus-sized girl together? Puhleeze) and focuses on the music.

3) All Kurt, all the time? I LOVE Chris Cofer, but please, this isn't his show. And I don't like being whacked over the head with how hard it is to be an openly-gay student in the heartland. Having the big dumb jock kiss him? I didn't buy it.

4) I LOVE the Warblers and Darren Criss, but shoehorning them into the Glee storylines is a big disconnect for me. I'd spend an hour just watching and listening to the warblers (esp. if it focuses on the music rather than the soap opera) so maybe they could do a spinoff.

5) At the beginning, the show had focus and we heard a lot more from Lea (yay!). As they've heaped characters on the pile, the focus is scattershot.

6) PLEASE never sing Afternoon Delight again.

So, I half-watch it on Hulu, listening while I do other stuff and only pay attention when the musical numbers come up.

FWIW, I am a member of the Coach Bieste Fan Club.

Karen Nichols

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I thought it was me. I watched my DVR recorded episode of Glee two weeks ago, because I wanted to know what the fuss was about with the alchol episode. I squirmed in my seat throughout the episode. OK, I get it, I was a teen once, I did not get drunk, stupid drunk, but I get it. what I do not get is why 8pm? I do not get why Mr. Scuster has to have his own brand of drunkiness on the show? I don't get Sue anymore. I have stopped watching, and I am about to go back to my other programming before Glee premired. that was NCIS, because last week, Glee was talking about Con*** (forgot that children could be sitting on their parent's knees)So this is the end my friend, I may check out next season's first episode to see if they have improved, but I doubt it.

Good to know. Thanks for that run down. I was just wondering if perhaps i should start watching Glee- I tend to watch less TV rather than more- as I was almost swayed by the commercial featuring Gwyneth tangoing.

It wasn't a great tango, but it did look like a tango. . .

Now I won't worry about it.
Josie x

Confession: I still love Glee.

I have hopes that its writers will wake up and turn the show back into a show about people, and not iTunes possibilities, and make these people less cartoonish and more real, but even amidst the current silliness, I still love it.

My only real complaint - and it's not really a complaint - is that the "kids" don't look like kids. I think the writers need to write in some incoming freshmen who want to audition for show choir before the current cast starts to look even more like "Friends" and less like high school kids.

No, I'm not entirely disenchanted; I'm just noticing things that need a little tweak. I love everything about Glee, except perhaps the emphasis on sex, and as long as Will Shuster is there, I'll be there, too.

Dot Jones improved the show immensely; I adore her!

As for Holly, I think she adds some interest but perhaps, as far as a high school environment goes, it's the wrong kind.

My least favorite character is probably Emma.

It will take more negatives than are already there to make me turn my back on Glee.

"Don't be content with being average. Average is as close to the bottom as it is to the top."

Jane blogs as "Mamacita" at Scheiss Weekly, ( http://janegoodwin.net/ )hitting the fan like nobody can.

I agree with Elain's observations, and in addition find that the musical numbers selected are all beginning to sound alike and redundant.(Just like the sentence I used...alike and redundant! :D

The one episode that I will refer to frequently however, is the one where the "Cheerios" focus on diversity and that kids are bullied for not being perfect. The issue of how fat girls and skinny girls can both hate their bodies because of the impossible pressures from society to be thin was addressed in this episode. It was corny and unbelievable, but as a professional working with eating disorders and body dissatisfaction, it was a relief to see it addressed so directly on a main stream TV show.

I'm so glad I'm not the only one over Glee. I loved season one, but I'm confused as to what happened to the originality, humor and scripts? It is officially removed from my DVR series recording list.

Every new Glee episode isn't perfect--but it's brave, groundbreaking writing and pretty darn good acting, though I wish Lea/Rachel would be a little more 3 dimensional.

That being said, even if you think Puck's new romance is a little out there, it's really great to see the campus weird girl who is (OMG) plump, give the bad boy a run for his money.

I also think that having Blair tell Kurt's Dad to have "the talk" because he knew that only Kurt's Dad had a chance to break through his son's reserve and fear, was a brilliant bit of storytelling. As for the "talk," well count me, a WASP, as one of the people cheering that an honest conversation about safe sex and the difference between sex and love happened between a parent and a homesexual child.

And finally, I found the storyline about Santana and Brittany so compelling, so poignant, and so beautiful. Hearing them sing Stevie Nicks to each other brought tears to me eyes, and their conversation afterward was performed so honestly, so tenderly, and so sadly that I really did cry.

Glee is gorgeous, brave and imperfect, but the writing and performances are important, groundbreaking and disciplined.

The music is ok,too, and I learn a lot about what kids are listening to and why they like it. Helps me feel less calcified.

Finally,I will be grateful that I got to hear Kristen Chenowith and Lea Michelle sing Streisand a la Funny Girl.

Ms. Benita IS a Gleeker

Every new Glee episode isn't perfect--but it's brave, groundbreaking writing and pretty darn good acting, though I wish Lea/Rachel would be a little more 3 dimensional.

That being said, even if you think Puck's new romance is a little out there, it's really great to see the campus weird girl who is (OMG) plump, give the bad boy a run for his money.

I also think that having Blair tell Kurt's Dad to have "the talk" because he knew that only Kurt's Dad had a chance to break through his son's reserve and fear, was a brilliant bit of storytelling. As for the "talk," well count me, a WASP, as one of the people cheering that an honest conversation about safe sex and the difference between sex and love happened between a parent and a homesexual child.

And finally, I found the storyline about Santana and Brittany so compelling, so poignant, and so beautiful. Hearing them sing Stevie Nicks to each other brought tears to me eyes, and their conversation afterward was performed so honestly, so tenderly, and so sadly that I really did cry.

Glee is gorgeous, brave and imperfect, but the writing and performances are important, groundbreaking and disciplined.

The music is ok,too, and I learn a lot about what kids are listening to and why they like it. Helps me feel less calcified.

Finally,I will be grateful that I got to hear Kristen Chenowith and Lea Michelle sing Streisand a la Funny Girl.

Ms. Benita IS a Gleeker

I'm kind of over it but I'm still watching. There are good moments, and I still like some of the songs. But overall it really tanked after the first season. So disappointing.

The last couple of episodes have had their moments but the attempt to preach about safe sex and alcohol use? Come on.

PS You meant Kurt, right?

First of all, thanks for being brave enough to 'dis' Glee - not a popular thing to do right now. I share many of your comments about what is wrong with the show. I, too, began the first season ecstatic with the premise of the show. I was a "Gleek" back in school and I love 'artsy' shows. I watched faithfully for the first season.

But, now, I'm done with the show -- on principle. How can I explain this without ranting? Let me just say this.... what is so wrong with just having a fun show about quirky, talented kids (love 'em) doing their thing in high school? That's good enough, that's perfect, in fact. But, instead, Glee has now become this politically agenda-ized (is that a word?), quasi-pornographic, definitely-not-for- children show, sold as 'family entertainment'. You've got 20-something actors doing things that are not OK for real 15-year-olds. Supposed teachers doing things that are clearly career-enders in the real world (possibly even illegal).

I'm done, I tell ya, and I miss the show (what it once was). The first few episodes that I purposely missed this season, I had to actually restrain myself from clicking that remote and going ahead and watching. Like I was giving it up for Lent, or something. But, I'm now 'clean' from Glee and I don't regret my decision. The show must go on without me.

Come on, Glee people -- Don't try to 'teach' me anything -- just sing!

Allie
http://24inmymind.blogspot.com

It seems like they started out strong with a heavy musical/broadway influence. However, this new season they've been loosing me more and more. It feels like more of a recreation of High School Musical than anything else, and also too peppy stuffed with Glee-music video remixes. It's getting dull, and repetitive with similar situations of how they do their music sets. They're really paving the way...any more. It's very boring now. Adding a new character on it [again] is once again predictable and boring. The creator/writer needs to watch more musicals and broad way..AND back off on the auto tune correction..that really makes it dull.

Oh Elaine, my pal of so many habits. There's a reason we need to shop together.

I love Glee...but only anecdote by anecdote. I lay down a bard's matrix and see a field of BlogHer Co-founder ( http://www.blogher.com/member/lisa-stone )

BlogHer is non-partisan but our bloggers aren't! Follow our coverage of Politics & News ( http://www.blogher.com/topic/politics-news ).

It started off as a quirky off beat satire. Then it turned into an over the top music video/promotion for iTunes. I dropped off after season 2. I really really wanted to love Glee forever but sadly we had to part ways.

Irishjenni writes Wine Will Fix It ( http://winewillfixit.blogspot.com ) from her non Glee watching home in Los Angeles.

I watch it because I WANT to like it---I really do. As a former showchoir participant, I feel obligated. But, as a former showchoir participant, I wish it were more realistic. We'd never have entire-song solos! Our choreography was far more complex (and, yes, we did some hip-hop stuff), and we couldn't have a new outfit every time. I had people at showchoir camp (yes, there's a camp) tell me they couldn't talk to me because they were from a rival school. So there's plenty of drama, too!

Rachel is a Christian, a mom, a wife, a blogger, and a lazy bum. Check her out at The Lazy Christian ( http://www.thelazychristian.com )!

But I still love Glee, I can't help it. And I don't care if there's nothing redeeming about it. Plausible story lines be damned I am still Gleeking out over here...even if I'm the only one.

When not offering her unsoclicited opinion to friends and strangers alike, Yuliya can be found documenting her life journey at http://www.shesuggests.com/

I, too, was psyched about Glee.

For about the first half of season one.

And then I got sick of it. The sappiness, the overly-processed, auto-tuned singing and music.. Everything. And then they totally screwed up one of my favorite musicals by doing Rocky Horror. That is when I truly said farewell to Glee.

Part of me thinks that it's because I'm being too much of a music snob; I sing in an a capella barbershop chorus and during the "A Cafellas" episode of Glee, I actually got belligerent at my TV because they were using a drum machine. "You can't call yourself 'a cafellas' and use a drum machine!" I shouted.

I guess I just lost respect for the quality of music Glee was producing. Sure, they can sing but so can anyone with a little help from auto-tune.

As much as it paints me -- an adult STILL in a show choir -- to agree, I do. We got a new DVR right after Christmas when we upgraded to HD. I never re-programmed Glee back into my recording list. I don't miss it. I mean, I kind of do, but I miss last season. Not this season. And it doesn't even have much to do with the way they simply wrote of relinquishment as a passing thought this season. It's just not, as the commenter before me said, filled with glee for me anymore.

Contributing Editor Jenna Hatfield (@FireMom ( http://twitter.com/FireMom )) blogs at Stop, Drop and Blog ( http://stopdropandblog.com ) and The Chronicles of Munchkin Land ( http://thechroniclesofmunchkinland.com ). She is a freelance writer and photographer.

I totally get the Glee disenchantment. I have four unwatched episodes sitting in my DVR queue, and I can't bring myself to hit the play button. Ridiculous story lines have been a huge turn off. The last episode I really admired was "Grilled Cheesus". Sad...it had such promise!