Glee Season 4 Re-watch - 4x20 - Lights Out

[liz_in_progress]

Lights Out. In which we learn that McKinley High School has actually been nocturnal this whole time. Warning: today’s recap involves copious amounts of snark and capslock.

Comments

[flaming_muse]

I have a lot of the same feelings as you do, and according to people who were more in tune with the behind the scenes stuff apparently it had to be hastily re-written in the light of Cory going hastily off to rehab. He was supposed to be in this episode and at the end of the season, and this episode had to be rewritten (and in some cases the scenes that were already filmed couldn't be aired).

Which doesn't excuse the mess that this episode is, but perhaps it explains it.

[liz_in_progress]

I was thinking the same thing, actually. I wonder how much changed at the last minute because of Cory's absence. I'm sure there must be at least some of that, but I wonder what would have been different and whether it would have been a dramatic improvement or not.

It's sad, of course. Doesn't make the episode not-crap, but it's too bad.

[gleescape]

Yep - this episode made me eye-roll! Scream and shake things all at once. I mean, the cat fishing thing was vaguely interesting for 5 minutes, but has dragged on for an inexplicably long time, to the point where I just honestly do not give two shits.

And as someone who teaches child protection, my rage at the disclosure scene was palpable, and cemented my utter disdain for Mr Schue. I mean really, will, you don't think you, as the ADULT IN THE ROOM, needed to step up and call out Sam and Artie's behavior in the strongest possible terms? Honestly. I mean, I don't need glee to spell everything out for me, and I'm not a fan of the PSA style of storytelling, but that kind of response was just dangerous in its insipidness.

And "At the Ballet"... I adored it, but...too long! They all looked and sounded gorgeous, but I think they needed to cut down Isabelle's part significantly. The GA would have tuned out pretty quickly.

So, yeah, the best thing about this episode was the fact that "Wonder-ful" comes after it!

[liz_in_progress]

Great minds think alike. I used to be a guidance counselor. There are SO MANY things wrong with that scene.

But you're absolutely right. The thing that helped me plow through this episode is that WONDER-FUL is next! Hooray!

[pene]

what a relief that you hated it. I hadn't really heard much of this episode before watching it a week ago and I was disappointed that I'd waited a week for something so weak

[liz_in_progress]

I'm so glad you like the recaps! Makes it extra gratifying to write if I know someone else is enjoying it.

Agreed on all counts. I also almost couldn't watch Blaine's workout. And I most certainly DO find the man incredibly attractive. But it felt so blatantly, over-the-top objectifying, it ultimately made me uncomfortable.

And yes, I'm surprised all over again that I have come to not-hate Kitty. She has really grown in the last few episodes.

I'm obviously assuming the Darren/Christopher thing was very much on purpose. Technically I don't know for sure, since I obviously don't know any of the writers. But it sure felt like a big ol' WINK-WINK NUDGE-NUDGE of an inside joke to me.

Ahhh, time for Wonder-ful! Hooray!

[out_there]

I forgave this episode a great deal from my sheer love of "At the Ballet" -- it's my favourite song from a musical I love, and it was staged beautifully -- and my happiness to see the NYC group, and Isabelle. All of the Ohio stuff... I could have lived without.

The power is back on, but Schue wants to say one more thing about the power of singing a capella. It's important, because clearly no one in this group has any EXPERIENCE with these things (*cough* BLAINE WARBLER *cough*).

*snerk* Yeah, exactly. Lead singer of an a capella group clearly wouldn't have ANY IDEA or RELEVANT EXPERIENCE here.

Clearly, he'd have nothing to contribute to the big a capella number sung at the end, even though it's so obviously in the Warblers wheelhouse.

[liz_in_progress]

That would have been a great old-school Warblers number, wouldn't it?

Honestly, almost none of that episode made any sense at all. And it's Glee, I'm willing to give it quite a bit of latitude...

[liz_in_progress]

Oh Teach, thank you for being brave and telling your story.

I totally agree that they did not handle that topic nearly as well as they should have. Ryder and Kitty's part of it were good, really honest. But the reactions were awful, and while they were sort of displayed as awful, it makes me mad that Sam and Artie were never really called out on it, and seemingly didn't realize how wrong they were. Plus, Sam and Artie are generally good people. Their reactions to Ryder's story were surprising, coming from them, but I wouldn't have minded it as an illustration of the kinds of things people like Ryder would have to face, if only they'd realized the error of their ways.

And I agree - the gifs of the workout are more enjoyable and less awkward than the actual scene. Which is weird, right? Because the gifs are sort of even more explicitly objectifying. I don't know...