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May 26th, 2010
10:40 AM ET
Gleeks go Gaga for 'Glee'As far as I am concerned, Lady Gaga beat Madonna... at least on "Glee." The Gaga episode thrilled me more, hands down. It was the perfect, over-the-top homage to an artist who is pretty over-the-top herself. From the battle against the Goth, courtesy of Principal Figgin's dislike of Tina's look, to the wanna-be "Twilight" pack attacking and Rachel's pitiful Gaga inspired outfit, the show was better than ever.
Thank goodness we had the return of the Britt quips ("You look terrible. I look awesome) and more Rachel with her newly discovered mom, Shelby. Watching the latter pair try to awkwardly forge a relationship was some good television - as was Kurt's father standing up for him against Finn's homophobia. And just when I thought I couldn't love a musical number more than Kurt and his fellow divas taking on "Bad Romance" (who knew Santana had such pipes?), Rachel and Shelby provided a whimsical version of "PokerFace" which made me want to laugh and cry. Ditto for Puck and the guys' touching version of "Beth" by Kiss. It's no secret that I'm Gaga for "Glee," but I swear this show makes it so easy to love. It just keeps getting better and better. Don't miss Lady Gaga's appearance next week on "Larry King Live" at 9 p.m. EST on CNN.
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Just want to point out that a lot of people seem to be giving Glee credit for creating the piano arrangement of Poker Face. It should be noted (if it hasn't been already) that the Glee arrangement is VERY similar to the acoustic piano arrangement of Poker Face regularly performed by Lady Gaga herself.
I thought this episode was okay, but I don't want people to get the impression that Glee created that arrangement, it's Gaga all the way.
If this show does not walk away with a handfull of EMMY AWARDS at this year's awards then the Emmy are fixed. GLEE is exactly what television should once again strive towards. GLEE is proof that an audience will watch network shows when they are worthy of their attention. GLEE is entertaining, innovative – non reality based and has a real plot line. This season's guest appearances have been worthy of Emmy recognition. The writting and the cast is strong. LEA MICHELE provides GLEE with possibly the best acting from any female performer currently on television. I am in my forties yet am proud to view myself as an avid "Gleek"!
I loved "Bad Romance"!!! I thought Poker Face was interesting, albeit a little unorthodox. I hope Ibina is Lea's mom, because they are twins! Last week's episdoe was the best ever however! "I Dreamed a Dream" was one of the best performances I've ever seen!!! I really did miss the spotlight into the life of Mr. Shuester, and I guess I kind of missed Sue...and p.s. I LIKED Rachel's stuffed animal costume! =) Can't wait to meet her dads! Loved the line about her being thirsty because her dads always offered her a glass of water...and then Ibina giving her the glass with the star attached! Love this show!
I love Kurt, but in all fairness to Finn.... I thought Kurt was pushing too hard. How silly that they would put two teenage boys in the same room in a house that was supposed to be "bigger" than the one he was in with his Mom. I think the room was over the top and Finn reacted accordingly. They could have approached the topic in a more realistic way. I think it woudl have been more impactful. Instead they made Kurt look like an interior design maniac. Am I crazy here or did anyone feel the same?
The kid wears Marc Jacobs. How many 16 year old's do you know that wear Marc Jacobs? I think for the character, Kurt did exactly what he would have done. He always does everything over the top.
Kurt is not only over the top, but also an exaggerated gay....He does more for people thinking that all gays are like him. Wouldn't it be interesting if a less flamboyant boy in the Glee club turned out to be gay...just a thought.
To Moose:
I have said it before, I think there may be some sort of thing between Kurt and Finn in the future. You heard it here first.
I am a major gleek. Have watched every ep and have every tune on my ipod for most pleasurable driving. My friend who has never watched glee before decided to watch due to the ep being a gaga ep, her favoruite singer. I am happy to say she is converted. I think no one in our house breathed while kurts dad had it out with finn
First time I watched this show because I absolutely love Lady gaga, but it WILL be my last. I think its the worst show on television, so cheesey and annoying. I hate to be mean but I thought they butchered Gaga's music.I don't know, my Glee obsessed friends admitted it was a bit cheesey last night, but they said the entire series is awesome. i will just take their word for it. Not for me.
SAY WHAT?! Blasphemy! They are playing high school kids who hand made their own costumes. I will let you know that I have seen way worse productions of Les Mis that made me want to jump off the bridge just like Javier. They are obviously not going to make a Lady Gaga song sound better than the original, but the concept it brilliant. If this is really your first time watching the show, don't give up yet. TRUST ME.
So much fun to see what they come up with next!! Great episode...loved the mother/daughter scenes between Shelby & Rachel...can't believe how much they look alike...great casting. Also very touching scenes between Kurt, Dad and Finn. The show IS over the top, but that's what makes it fun and interesting. A lot of shows are like that...24 isn't exactly reality based either...Jack Bauer had about 10,000 lives.
I love Lady Gaga, but the music in last night's episode wasn't nearly as good as the Madonna episode. Two Gaga songs? Come one. That doesn't make it a Gaga episode. I agree with @tgmee. Picking Poker Face for your first and maybe last duet with the mom you just met? This episode was sorely missing Sue Sylvester.
Ugh. Seriously? This episode was A MESS!
The songs seemed put into the show because we needed songs in Glee. They didn't do anything for the story. The song BETH for naming the baby was silly. The song had nothing to do with naming the baby Beth.
Mostly, the issues in this episode were much TOO BIG to all be handled in one show and they were all presented and almost all but CONCLUDED in 42 minutes? Seriously? Kurt's father delivered a great and much needed in this day and age speech, but it was all one sided. Kurt helped create Finn's rage and is all but getting away with it. I applaud Glee for tackling this issue, but the situation in which it was done took away from it's power. Kurt's dad, albeit right, didn't know that his son was pushing Finn to the brink. (I'm a gay man who's furious at Kurt and hope he has no choice but to have to apologize to everyone and pay the price for his persistent pining over Finn.)
The mother/daughter face to face was handled so quickly? A life changing event is just glossed over in a few minutes and a silly song (Poker Face) to say goodbye?
After so many emotional, important episodes the past month, this one was trying to be too much in too little time. As for Gaga? At least the songs in the Madonna episode worked into the story (for the most part). Not a chance here. Even the Glee Club teacher said he didn't know the lesson for the week. Nor do we.
Thank you! I totally agree with you that Kurt helped make the situation AND THEN got to play the victim! That is a TERRIBLE message.... I can understand him not saying anything around Burt but I was at least expecting him to apologize to Finn for his absolutely ridiculous behavior!
Kurt's father is a stalker...He just appears in school and around the house. Doesn't he have a job? Also, isn't Finn allowed to feel uncomfortable with Kurt who is way over the top gay? Also, shouldn't Kurt's dad question where Kurt got all the cash to remodel the room twice....when Kurt's dad doesn't work...just stalk his son and his boy crush?
Burt Hummel owns a tire store. He mentioned that an episode or two ago. Not that we have to be technical. =)
Maybe Kurt is an amazing bargain shopper. It looked like he decorated the room from Pier One. Maybe they had an amazing sale?! LOL
I thought the GaGa outfits were incredible but what really moved me this episode is the confrontation between Kurt and Finn. I really can't think of a mainstream TV show that so honestly and lovingly addresses the lives and struggles of kids growing up 'different'. Kurt and his father's plot line is just so touching, it's become an added bonus that the show also features ridiculous performances and amazingly campy dialogue ('even the way we're sitting here- it's so dramatic').
Ok Tina is NOT wearing GOTH!!! She is wearing Lolita! She goes from Classic to Gothic Lolita and even Punk! Grrr! So tired of people calling it Goth! Look it up! It is totally different then Goth and I have to say I freakin' love her style.
I would have loved the Kurt/Fin/Burt scene more if the situation was different. I was waitin for Kurt to apologize to Finn for putting him in that situation. Had Rachel done that we wouldn't have felt bad for her. I loved the speech and thought that Burt delivered it flawlessly. Finn has been different and Kurt is obsessed with him – so it wasn't like he was being paranoid that the gay guy was after him. Kurt turned Finns life upside down and then expected him to be ok with it, while the storyline was great and so was Burt's lines, they didn't do a lot to make Kurt look like anything other then a helpless victim. I was dissapointed with that.
I had epiphany this morning as I drove to work. I was listening to my 'Glee' playlist on my iPod and I wondered, "Why did they choose 'Poker Face' as the duet for Idina and Lea? Then I realized, despite the look similar facial features and talent, Shelby is not Rachel's mom. Think about what the song is saying,
"No he can't read my poker face"
"I won't tell you that I love you
Kiss or hug you
Cause I'm bluffin..."
Remember back a few episodes when Jesse kissed Rachel and Shelby watched from the side lines? This is a total plot scheme to ruin the New Directions chance at winning regionals. Anyone else agree with my madnes?!
I totally forgot, DS. In fact Jesse looked real wicked when he slipped the cassette in the recorder for Rachel to hear. Well, we'll find out in two weeks at Regionals.
See?! Irwin sees my vision. Jesse is two timing Rachel and I see right through him. Having done musical theater for the past 15 years, I have seen it time and time again. Two timing to sell someone down the river and it also makes a really good plot line for some over dramatic, theatrical mumbo jumbo. Rachel is the female version of me when I was her age. I was so worried about what other people thought about my "talent" that sometimes I was blind sided by people. Sadly, it will "rain on her parade".
Love Glee. HATED Poker Face. Really? This is the song you pick for maybe your last song with your new mom. Terrible.
I love Glee, but for me this episode was just okay. Of course the scene between Kurt, Finn and Burt was very good, but the overall theme of the episode was just kind of blah. With the exception of Santana, I thought the vocal performances of Bad Romance were not up to par. Maybe I'm just a little down on the show right now because I miss the storylines involving the evilness of Sue Sylvester and the romantic entanglements of Will. For me the Madonna episode was the pinnacle of the series so far.
I always LOVE Glee and this episode was no exception. I particularly loved the scene where Burt put Finn in his place. He loves his boy no matter what and he defended him like the good parent he tries to be. Kurt holding his Dad's hand on his shoulder brought out the waterworks....
I have to say that part of the shows appeal is that it is a bit over the top. I mean really, did you stop in the lunch line to break out in song in high school, or walk down the halls singing about the man you love. Even the part where the piano player for the Poker face song was literally right in the wings waiting to pllay, Rachel said "He's always on stand by somewhere" The show is meant to be a bit over the top and theatrical. Thats what stage choir is all about. Entertainment! I personally have not seen an episode to date that I have not liked. Some were better than others and I agree that lasts nights was one of the better ones. At first I thought the same thing about Poker Face. Why would you pick that as the first and last song to sing together with your mother after meeting her for the first time. I could think of hundreds of more appropriate songs. However I think the last thing either women wanted was to bring more emotion to an already over emotional moment. They were allowed to be playful with the song and sing together showcasing their talent and pure awesomeness! I have been waiting a long long long time for a show like this to come along. Its about time.
Id also like to add one more thing....With all the violence and crude humor and garbage on TV these days..its nice to see a show that highlights the everyday drama that teens and young adults deal with in their lives as well as give a lesson at the end of the show without it being over cheesy and "Brady Bunch" like. Not to mention the multiple times it has brought me to tears! Kudos for bringing the struggles of a young gay male, a pregnant teen, and outcasts dealing with the struggles of fitting in, in a not so kind society.
I'm just thankful to have show like 'Glee' on TV nowadays, where my kids and I can watch/dance/sing along together... Thank you, 'Glee'!!...
I love, love, love this show! Incredibly talented and amazing cast! One of the brightest spots on television! Such a refreshing and welcoming change in this crazy world.
Good episode but not great IMO. Finn was absolutely wrong and he realized it after Burt (I love that their names rhyme...Burt and Kurt) told him off. In his defense...he has had a lot of crap thrown at him...A LOT! Moving into a new house, his mom moving on from his dad, losing his independence of his own room and having to room with someone who has openly told him that he is attracted to him. No way should Finn be excused for his actions but it also should be shown that he has made up for his actions and Burt and him should have a talk in some of the following episodes. Definitely a great piece by Burt and deserves recognition for it from everywhere not just Emmy.
Otherwise I loved the Gaga and the KISS but didn't care for the Pokerface rendition. I understand what was supposed to come across but just didn't like the arrangement. GLEE still is probably the best show on TV today so keep it coming Mr. Murphy.
I absolutely LOVE Glee, but I had to say this episode was just okay for me simply because of the Gaga factor. I loved Bad Romance(especially Santana's part), but hated... hated Poker Face. I'm glad they don't always do straight covers of songs, but I had a hard time even recognizing Poker Face. The singing was fine for what the arrangement provided, but the arrangement was horrendous. I really couldn't wait for it be over.
Another sticking point to me is the comparison of Lady Gaga and Madonna. I can't deny that Lady Gaga has appeal, but I don't think her range has quite been discovered enough for that comparison... yet. Wearing different outlandish fashions does not equivocate reinvention which Madonna did – musically as well as in appearance – several times throughout her career. I also think the pop nature of Gaga's songs work when accompanied by synthesized beats and Auto-Tune. I don't think they are as easily adaptable to different styles and arrangements.
That's just my opinion though. No matter what... the cast of Glee are incredibly talented!
One of the most amazing shows of the season. Congrats to Glee.
The episode was good, but the last song was so off! I was really hoping for something like last week, where I just couldn't stop crying! This week, when I heard them sing poker face in that arrangement, I couldn't stop cringing! Love the show though. So well done! And Lea's voice is out of control amazing.
Lady Gaga's poker face is the best dance tune i've heard since one night in bankok by murray head and dancing in the sheets by shalamar. The Glee cast has made me relive my days of theatre and i love it. You are very talented young people. i think Lady Gaga would be great in the life story of Bette Midler because she has "Talent" which is lacking in the industry.
With the exception of the poker face number at the end, I thought it was absolutely fantastic! I agree about the whole 'over the top' production point that L Jay brought up–where the hell does a rinky-dink high school glee club get a light stage???–but I LOVED the actual Bad Romance performance. Kurt's shoes...Finn's shower curtain dress...Rachel's "lost childhood" stuffed animal outfit...too funny...
I'm super-amped that they're bringing back the wicked witch of the mid-west next week, Mrs. Schuester!
LOVE GLEE!!!
Glee is an absolutely superb show and shows why TV beats Movies hands down right now. The mystery to me is why can't Hollywood let the same scriptwriters who turn out Glee, 30 Rock, Gossip Girl etc with such sharp incisive writing loose onto movies. Do they just stop them ? Can any scriptwriter give us an insight into why Glee and Gossip Girl happen on TV – but the writing is just not the same in Movies ?
I can't disagree more!
The story lines were forced. The music was forced. The writing in places (like the dad telling off Fin after Fin was standing up for himself) was horrid.
Easily the worst episode to date.
I do not watch Glee regularly. But I stopped upon this one.
Good – Kurt's dad. Damn, many of us wish we had a parent (or parents) as supportive as he in this episode.
Bad – the actresses' lipsyncing. And "Poker Face"? I would have liked "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Mis or "For Good" from Wicked.
Lily, they performed I Dreamed a Dream as a duet last week, and it was one of the best performances of the season. But, since you admit you don't watch regularly, I'll forgive you this time. 🙂
Glee is a great show, but however, the Madonna episode by far was the best episode, hands down! I am not sure they can beat that one! This episode was missing Sue, she really makes the show!
don't get me wrong, I LURVE sue sylvester... but this episode was seriously funny and totally brilliant w/o her.
threw
Okay – too old to be Gaga obsessed, but I am. Confessed.
Love GLEE – done.
Kurt's father NEEDS a nomination for his work on this show. He is truly touching and a really great actor. Yay Kurt, but so easy to forget about the dad for the other 3/4 of the season.
Poker-face – forced? Yeah, but they all are when they go thematic. This, at least, addressed them both trying to fake their way through something or cover their pain – which is what they are going through.
Now, my big beef – where the show is starting to lose me. The KISS production number alone cost $10,000 to produce. A fledging group with no funding through that together in a day? Give me a break. Yes, it is fantasy and I love their acknowledgement of contrivance ("Bill is always just hanging around"), but they have at least kept them on a realistic scale. Yes, the episode was about over the top – but.......
"DOUG" IS ALWAYS HANGING AROUND. NOT BILL.
I thought it was Brad.
ummmm.... well, you got the point.... whoever it was no offense to the actor.....
The "Gaga" episode should go up for numerous awards...it was so well acted and touching!
I was actually disappointed in the music. It seemed like an advertisedment for Lady Gaga, as did the Madonna episode. Pokerface was cringeworthy. If Rachel had dreamed of singing a song with her mother they sure chose the wrong one. Idina is capable of so much more, her voice is beautiful but she was poorly used in this song. Otherwise, I loved the episode. Kurt's father standing up for him brought tears to my eyes and yay, finally, Tina is given some screen time. Please, please bring those in the background forward so we can see and hear more of them.
At first, I thought the same about "Poker Face" being wrong. (Come on, Rachel, did you really dream of THAT for a duet with your mom?) But we already had the duet of them singing "I Dreamed a Dream," which was the perfect mom-daughter song, so this face-to-face duet had to be different. I love how they both are playful and a bit silly, but there are a few lyrics that touch them both, and as the song is ending they realize it's ending...sniffle sniffle...Good stuff!
So, yeah, the Gaga stuff felt forced at first, but it works overall (for me) and it's fine the second viewing. 🙂
Jen- Both Lady Gaga and Madonna really dont need any additional promotions they are mega stars already. The episode is giving the masses what they want. Bad Romance is a HIT and seeing it done on Glee just shows how current and modern the show is. Glee is amazing for ALWAYS mixing current and old school! Perfect 10 last night and every Tuesday!!!!
To show the power of this show, I'm not a Gaga fan, but an old fuddy-duddy who loves Broadway, Madonna, and other pre-90's stuff, but the drama-comedy ratio was great, the singing was great, even of mediocre songs. Hell, Lea and Idina could make the phone book enchanting. God bless this show! I can't wait for the final two episodes!!
@irwin- i was having EXACTLY the same though re: Idina and Lea singing the phonebook together.
I can't stand Lady Gaga's music, but loved the 2 versions on Glee, but in a testament to how good Glee's music is... 90% of their remakes are better for me than the original. These last 2 eps have been really brilliant. I'm really enjoying the background characters coming out of the background. Santana CAN sing so hopefully we'll see a bit more from her. I def prefer Puck to Finn vocally. I think the Theatricality ep was a big step for both of their characters. it wasn't acknowledged, but even if they've not completely abandoned their jock/cheerleader ways... they were both 100% into their gaga assignment. Doing something that crazy and "uncool" says a lot about their progress.
There's no denying this was a great episode. All the pieces fit together, and the emotions that ran through the characters nearly brought tears to my eyes.
I love Santana's voice. She's had a few solos (Like A Virgin and Bad Romance), but I feel as though she should get an episode of her own. We're starting to see the people in the background come out. FINALLY, we get to hear Mike and Matt speak up. They've always been nodding in background, but I've never heard Matt speak before this episode.
The boys' KISS was daunting at first, but then Finn and Puck began, it made me want to sing along. Each one had a specific costume and each explained it with a depth that was accurate. Ryan Murphy said that Bad Romance took 6 hours to film, but the ending product was totally worth it.
I'm curious to see what is going to happen between Finn, Kurt and Burt. Finn may have come back to help Kurt out in the end, but Burt finally accepted Kurt for who he is. Yay for great parenting!
Next episode...oh, dear.
Every time I think I don't like this show, it does something to suck me back in. Last night's "Bad Romance" was just that – it has me hooked until this season comes to an end. 2 more seasons? We'll see how long they can make it work. http://www.thesmogger.com