Well kids, it's here. The "grade A dilemma" of Glee. What happens when the New Directions lose their directions? This episode. Full of random funny and/or cute moments, the episode lacks any smooth rhythm or focus. You're right Ms. Sylvester, why don't Mercedes and Kurt have a show on Bravo? (It actually might be more interesting.)
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Now there are set of things that Glee always does well. It re-purposes great music, feeds excellent vocals, and is (mostly) excellent at incorporating music into its storyline. But beyond this it also teeters on the edge of camp, seriousness, and embellishment. Creating a wonderful sense of play, winks, and self-consciousness of the show's very existence as entertainment. Yet, with success comes the responsibility to stay on track. Even in a show like Glee where tangents and random tidbits are part of its play, a sour or misguided episode can happen. And it sticks out even worse.
At work in 'Home' is a struggle. A struggle to appease audiences, continue the story, and hit those high school themes in Glee's own way. Just as Sue (Jane Lynch) tells her new cheerios, "people should know who I am," Glee is starting to sound like it's even saying, people should know who we are. For example, Kristen Chenoweth's return as boozer and schmoozer April Rhodes seems oddly random. A fan favorite and talent, in 'Home' Chenoweth doesn't have a real purpose, other than to sing into a sparkly mike and prove her vocal prowess. Things the audience already knows. So although her cabaret roller wink is witty, it is sadly forgettable.
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Also forgettable will be Mercedes' (Amber Riley) weight loss or image issues storyline. Not only as the storyline is overshadowed by her fantastic rendition of Christina Aguilera's 'Beautiful,' but also as the writers appear not to know what to do with her. Sassy and full of confidence, it is plausible that Mercedes would experience a patch of self doubt when trying to join the cheerios. And thankfully Dianna Agron's Quinn is given more to do then pout, but there the storyline still falls flat. It just too easy to go the self-image route with Mercedes. But s this just an excuse to give her a solo finally? One she already deserves.
And in this episode the group lacks any sort of cohesiveness. Even worse is the personal story lines, like Mercedes, seem one dimensional. Kurt (Chris Colfer) and Finn's (Cory Monteith) disgruntlement with each other over their parent's romance seems trite and silly. And doesn't actually allow either character to grow, but rather just reiterates the line between bad and good behavior. Yet, Kurt's solo of Dionne Warwick's 'A House is not a Home' actually hits at the real crux of the episode. How do people deal with love or feelings for people who don't feel that way back? Or how does someone prove their own self-worth when it's questioned? And although the episode doesn't give a straight forward answer, it is obvious that self-worth does start from within and is part of building a space or home.
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Lastly, the fact that Lea Michele's Rachel lacks any true presence in this episode should not go unnoticed. Although refreshing that the songs were centered on other voices, the episode clearly lacks the focus Rachel centered episodes have. Why is this? Can the show not handle different notes and character arcs? Rachel centered episodes due lack balance with other characters. And in these back nine episodes it is obvious seeds of story lines are and need to be planted for future character arcs. Yet it is clear the show itself is struggling to balance its star episodes with group episodes. The end of this episode's use of Chenoweth and her gratuitous performance marks Chenoweth as merely a place holder for Rachel. So was Mercedes not enough? Maybe next week will tell.
Nicola Jones - Growing up in New Orleans Nicola never had any inkling at being part of this thing people call the entertainment business. Now, after ...
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