Glee 3.02
I was originally going to post with one word:
"Junior?"
But I decided to do a little more.
Let's play Kick the Kurt! Let me count the ways:
1) You can't dance. You make sissy moves that are distracting!
2) JAZZ HANDS KURT (Is that part of the footwork they're working on?)
3) You're gay and I like you so I'm going to put big gay posters around the school of you that ignore you're a whole person!
4) Doesn't excite the lady parts. (EW!) Too much of a lady. Spindly toothpick arms. Too delicate. (Read: Too much of a SISSY.)
5) Carrie moment: They're all gonna laugh at you! Even the girl who's supposed to be helping you is going to laugh at you! Thanks, Rach!
6) I was gonna help you with the election, but I decided I'll help myself to the presidency because I want to be special too, and since I'm a popular cheerleader, I'll win.
7) I'm not gonna try out for the part… but maybe I will because they asked me to. (More on that down below.)
Ugh. I just… I think they simplified the Kurt/Blaine wanting Tony thing. I just think it's OOC for Blaine to go after the role at all. He's not competitive, for starters, and that's not because Kurt is "holding him back" like a tyrant boyfriend. I don't think he'd go out for the role simply because he KNOWS that Kurt is trying to get into theatre programs and needs the opportunity more than he does to get credits on his resume. End of story. Blaine wouldn't try out for it. And if he did want it that badly, he'd have an IC reason and he'd talk with Kurt about it. Why are they making him so deferential?
They're also screwing the pooch on Blaine's wardrobe (who is dressing him lately?). It doesn't make him look younger. It makes him look like he got dressed in the dark, and it makes him look OLDER. Stop it. How many years did Blaine get held back? I was straining to believe that he and Kurt were the SAME age, let alone that Kurt is older. Again, headcanon: Kurt skipped a grade or TWO and Blaine was out of school from The Beating. It's the only way I'm not thrown out of the scene.
And I flat out don't believe that Kurt wouldn't tell Blaine about what had happened in his audition. I flat out don't believe that Blaine wouldn't ASK.
"How did it go?! Tell me everything. Hold on, lemme close the door so Dad doesn't hear me talking about big gay theatre stuff… Okay, go."
"God, honey, it was AWFUL. I did okay and then… Okay, I know spying on the judges wasn't an ethical thing to do, but…"
At the very least, Kurt might tell him that it didn't go so well and he'd tell him later, when he's in a more sensible mood. He needs to talk to his dad first. And then Blainers looks forward to them having one of their LONG TALKS later in the week over coffee. (And snuggles and kisses)
It's weird to say the least that Blaine would go into the audition singing "Something's Coming" if he's trying out for Bernardo. I know the writers wanted to have that scene where Kurt is watching Blaine get his part, but it's strange, and almost come off as disingenuous of Blaine. Like…
Okay, keep in mind, the Blaine I know and love wouldn't ever do this, but if I were trying to make sense of that choice, I would have to say the character chose the song hoping that he would get cast for the part he wanted anyway, and then it would be out of his hands, because they chose him! I don't believe Blaine would do that, don't believe he even has it IN him, but why aren't the writers… less terrible? They were better with the Klaine last year. I dunno. RM likes to slap Kurt around. When I was watching that scene, I thought Blaine had decided to try out for Tony anyway, and Kurt was just smiling as he watched him because he adores Blaine, and then they brought up he was going for Bernardo and Krupke and it was jarring. It does underline that it isn't Blaine's fault, and they probably wouldn't have given Kurt the part anyway because they are TERRIBLE, but I still don't think he would throw Kurt under the bus to get some random part in a play when he knows that Kurt's future is riding on this. I mean, really. Blaine isn't a fresh new waif to the scene who has never had opportunities. He oozes with experience. He performs at theme parks. He was the Crown Prince Warbler.
(Btw, those cute bird pins that Kurt straightens at the beginning as he looks at Blaine's picture? AHHH)
Which is why it is impossible to be really mad at Blainers. I mean, what are they writing for him here? I think they're trying to engineer a way for them to have a fight. At the same time, I find it annoying that some people want Kurt groveling at Blaine's feet for "holding him back." He never explicitly asked Blaine to not try out. He told him he'd be great. I'm hoping they don't take Kurt OCC too in the next episode and have him mad at Blaine over getting the part when he knows that he's mad about more than that. If they fight, it could be more nuanced.
I still honestly can't figure out why no one is trying out for Riff. I think they would both do a great Riff (he's the Mercutio character), but Blaine would be better. Though in the 1996 movie Mercutio was played by a drag gangsta so maybe the judges could handle that. I think Kurt would be better as Tony. I don't know how you get 'femme' from doing ninja tricks, but whatevs. Yes, the second audition was ridiculous, but it wasn't THAT ridiculous, and laughing him off the stage was just fucking unacceptable. They owe him an apology. Otherwise, I don't really blame Kurt if he starts pulling away from them again. Does he need MORE people laughing at him?
And these judges, they were obviously, OBVIOUSLY just dancing around the issue of him being too "gay acting" whereas Blaine is sort of "straight acting." For starters, Blaine just has a deeper voice and thicker hair, and his bodily mannerisms are different, and Blaine can't alter this much more than Kurt can. For the judges, Kurt's too much of "a lady." Can he "pass"? Emma's comment about his arms is the biggest, strongest indicator that they were prejudiced against him from the start because playing with knives is not delicate and he and his boyfran both have GUNS.
The name of the ep was "I am Unicorn" but it should have been "Sissyphobia," because that's what it revolved around for Kurt in his interactions with EVERYONE except for Blaine, who is oblivious right now (as he might be since he's apparently only 12 years old or something) to the fact that people are going to treat him and Kurt differently. I think that's okay for Blaine not to understand, don't get me wrong. At least he doesn't LAUGH at Kurt or blame him for the things that happen to him (yet. *eyes the writers*). I think it may be something that he has to learn since he hasn't experienced this directly, or at least not to the degree that Kurt does on a daily basis. I'd imagine his dad sometimes polices his behavior at home, or shame plays a role in it, and so he goes buck fuckin' wild on stage.
(That would be an amazing storyline. One in which Blaine can't be at fault for not knowing what it's like to be a different kind of gay guy, but wherein he comes to understand, and he and Kurt grow closer because they start to see from each other's perspectives more… Thinking on this. I don't think the show can pull it off.)
I dunno. They needed to keep it unresolved so Kurt can continue to HURT for another episode, but it would be great if we had a little less bashing of Kurt from everyone around him. Hearing that bit from Burt was a relief after my fears that Kurt would be further wounded, and I liked it because 1) Kurt stood up for himself when he was hurt without going into victim stance, which is character growth, and 2) Burt's all, there's nothing wrong with anything I just said about you, and you're awesome. I think the choice of "I'm the Greatest Star" should prove to be prophetic in the overall arch, meaning that there will be big payoff for Kurt.
Let's hope.
But at what price, I don't know. He shouldn't have to stay friends with people who are so careless with his feelings. It makes you understand why he didn't go to any of THEM when he was being bullied to death the year before. Blaine may have different experiences, but he does understand that much. Why would you complain about people treating you like that when you half expect that your friends agree a little that you're ridiculous or that the things you do are what cause your harassment?