How Glee Got Bad Again

A pro-twerking presentation by Will Schuester to the school board may have been the last nail in Glee's coffin

As a devoted Gleek, it hurts for me to admit it, but Glee has gotten bad....like, really bad. Season 1 was amazing: new format, new faces and new versions of recognizable songs. Season 2 started to slide but held its ground with stand-outs like the Britney episode and ending in New York. Season 3 was even shakier, with most die-hard Gleeks concerned over their departing Glee high school seniors. Season 4 rebounded by adding the New York element, featuring amazing guest stars (Kate Hudson, SJP) and throwing some adult conflicts into the fairytale relationships of Finchel & Klaine. So, what went wrong with Season 5?

No more Finn

We can't exactly hold Glee responsible for this one, but without Cory Monteith's Finn, there is definitely something missing. Rachel is the star but Finn was the glue. Episode 3, the tribute to Finn, was beautiful and by-far the best episode all season, but Glee hasn't reached that bar again since...

Too many tributes too soon

I am as big a Beatles fan as anyone else, but even I felt two full episodes dedicated to their songbook was excessive. Some of the tunes were beautiful (Rachel's Yesterday wowed and the group versions of Let It Be & Hey Jude didn't suck) but most were incredibly forced. *Cue Demi Lovato with the guitar she happens to carry to work, looking at the sun rising and coincidentally deciding to sing "Here Comes the Sun"

The math alone proves my point: 6 episodes in and 4 have been tributes (Beatles, Beatles, Katy/Gaga and Billy Joel).

Too much Tina

Let's face facts: Tina is not the best singer, not the best dancer, her goth-turned-60s-mod-turned-steampunk-turned-god-knows-what fashion style is unflattering, and her story lines are always boring! Glee writers march her out every few episodes to remind viewers that Tina doesn't have a boyfriend, doesn't get any solos and needs more attention. But this season's Carrie-esque prom scene didn't illicit any of the sympathy it was supposed to for poor ol' Tina Cohen-Chang.

Too much Top 40

I think someone told a Glee producer their best bet for ratings was to re-do every song that made it big this summer: Blurred Lines, Roar, Applause, Wrecking Ball, etc. Sure, they threw in some oldies (Beatles, Billy Joel) but instead of mixing top 40/broadway/oldies into one episode, they divided them up so each age group only has to tune in once a month

Katy vs Gaga makes no sense...

Most Katy Perry fans are Lady Gaga fans...and most Lady Gaga fans are Katy Perry fans. There really isn't this line in the sand. Top 40 radio stations play both and listeners don't abruptly change the channel when "Last Friday Night" is followed by "Born This Way". Perhaps Glee could've chose a slightly more extreme comparison like a T Swift or a Gaga?

This is also the episode where Sue (rightly) tells the Glee club they can't wear the costumes above (or the loin cloths and coconut bras they wear for their final number) at school and where Will suspends a student for refusing to wear a shell bikini...

Twerking? Really?

I'm not pro or anti twerking, but really Glee? This is the issue you decide to take a stand on? First of all, Kitty twerking on Artie above, is slightly inappropriate for school....it just is Schuester! Secondly, this is the same episode that deals with transgender rights and identity - how is that even comparable to one's right to twerk? Will needs to go back to Washington and pick a real battle to fight.....

Allowing this teacher-student relationship to flourish

Remember in Season 1 when Rachel had a crush on Mr. Schue and they sang the creepiest rendition of Endless Love you've ever heard? And remember how quickly that crush was squashed and Rachel returned to teenage normalcy? Apparently teacher-student relationships are no longer taboo in Season 5. I don't care that she's probably only a handful of years older than him, the woman is a nurse employed at this boy's high school! Why is no one stopping this madness?

New York is just so much better!

It's hard to watch Glee when one half of the show (or 75% of an episode, if we're lucky) is just so much better! The people in New York are more talented, their story lines are more compelling, they have the better (and the only) guest stars and their lives just seem infinitely more interesting. I want to watch Rachel rehearse for Fanny and Kurt plan his wedding and Santana get cozy with Demi Lovato! I don't want to watch Will re-hash an overdone argument with Sue, Tina complain about solos and Marley sing a sad ballad about a boy or something.... We've grown out of the choir room drama.

And next week is not looking any better....

According to Wikipedia, next week Blaine will get into a tiff with the New Directions, Kurt will get into a tiff with his "band" and Sue will reveal the huge mystery that has been eating Gleeks alive since Season 1: why she wears tracksuits.... Colour me really unimpressed.

So, it's time for some tough love....

Glee, you've gotten bad

No, it's true. You really have...

But it's okay! You can get better. Together, you will get through this.

And then you will be awesome again! Yay! Wins all around!

So get to work Glee... you've got a lot to do and only about a season and a half to complete it in.