GLEE “Theatricality” Episode 20 Review

Hot on the heels of the Madonna themed episode, tonight’s episode of Glee, “Theatricality,” took on the music and costumes of Lady Gaga. The episode started out just as outrageously over-the-top as you would expect, but then things got surprisingly INTENSE. Whew, after everything that happened, I feel like I’ve been through an emotional wringer.

I wanted to stand up and applaud Kurt’s dad! His speech was so powerful and moving-truly one of the best things I’ve ever seen on TV. I always thought Mike O’Malley was kind of a goofball, but he’s very talented as a serious actor. Some of the most touching moments on Glee have been between him and Kurt as they’ve explored their relationship and the fact that Kurt is gay. After his speech tonight though, all I can say is wow.

Rachel’s discovery that Shelby is her bio mom was pretty intense as well. Is it me, or was “Poker Face” an odd choice for their duet? I just feel like it didn’t quite live up to their perfect performance of “I Dreamed a Dream” on last week’s show.

Intensity and drama aside, this episode had more glitter, makeup, platform shoes, and false eyelashes than I’ve ever seen on television (and then there was poor Rachel who looked like beanie babies threw up all over her). Kurt and the girls’ performance of “Bad Romance” was freaking amazing! I’ve been listening to it since last week and it’s definitely one of my favorite covers of the season.

As much as I’ve enjoyed the back half of season one, I’m impatient for them to address the upcoming regional competition. They’ve mentioned it here and there with the weekly assignments, but they haven’t really focused on how they are possibly going to beat the powerhouse that is Vocal Adrenalin. Judging from the previews, they are finally going to address this next week, and I can’t wait.

Glee “Theatricality” Quotes:

Tina: I feel like an Asian Branch Davidian.

Tina: And Asian vampires are the most vicious of all the vampires.

Finn: We live in Ohio, not New York or San Francisco or some other city where people eat vegetables that aren’t fried.

So what did you think of Glee “Theatricality?” Do you like when Glee does theme episodes like Madonna and Lady Gaga? Will Puck’s sudden maturity make Quinn want to keep her baby? Let me know what you think below.

Also watch any Glee episodes that you may have missed here.

(Photos: Courtesy of Fox)

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Author: Kristen | May 25, 2010 | 7 Comments

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Lucy

I haven’t seen this episode yet, I’m going to watch a re-run today. Thanks for the review, it really summed up the feel of the episode without giving away too much! I love Glee so much, and Kurt is one of my favourite characters so I’m happy he gets another fierce solo. In answer to your question: no, I don’t personally believe that Quinn will keep the baby. How will she stay in school if she has to raise a child WITHOUT the support of her parents? Puck may have matured, but at the end of the day he’s going to stay the same childish clown he always was.
AJ Hardaway

Ok, this was probably my least favorite episode so far.
Where to begin?
I don’t think Finn should have used the F-word, but I can see things from his point of view. He’s been uprooted from his house with no say in the matter, and he’s being forced to live in the same room with a gay kid who has shown a marked interest in him. I can see how that could be uncomfortable to a teenager. He’s getting picked on at school, and finally it all just comes to a head. He panicked and said something he probably didn’t mean to somebody who, let’s face it, has been acting extremely inappropriately toward him. In his shoes, I don’t know what I would have done.
Burt’s speech to him after the outburst was one of the best things I’ve seen on the show. It was powerful and moving, and I don’t think I’m the only one who wants to see Mike O’Malley become a regular cast member.
But, one scene does not an episode make. The rest of the entire episode just felt forced or crammed in. Make the discovery/ dissolution of Rachel and Shelby’s relationship last more than one episode. If for no other reason than we could get more duets between them. Finn’s costume change at the end almost made me turn off the show. I don’t expect everything on the show to be believable, but did he have to wear the shower curtain. Couldn’t he have stopped the bullies in his KISS! outfit, or maybe just in regular clothes. The whole plot took a turn at fifth and crazy and I could almost hear the writers trying to hammer out a plot of something that seemed forced together and overproduced.
Final thoughts: The music was good, but then again they don’t really get credit for that anymore. Birds fly, fish swim, cats eat your soul and Glee makes good music, the acting was solid, but the scenes that they were being forced to act were just ludicrous at best. To the writers, don’t force the show to fit the songs.
Uh huh

No one else saw that whole speech as hypocritical? Or how about delusional? Kurt’s father doesn’t know him very well. “Believes the best in people?” Really? We’re talking about Kurt here right? Kurt who has no problem manipulating his father into a relationship so he can try to get it on with Finn? That Kurt?

Here’s a fun exercise, make Finn a girl and Kurt a heterosexual boy. Now go back and look at the whole storyline. Has the stalking gotten vaguely disturbing yet?

How about the whole ‘powerful speech’? The fact that Kurt’s father earlier this season said he had problems accepting Kurt being gay, yet he expects Finn to be a okay with it. Please, we can only hope that Kurt one day has a fit of conscience and tells his father he manipulated him into a relationship so he could get into Finn’s pants.

Yeah, I found the speech sickening and frankly disgusting when looked at in the storyline of the series. Sorry, but I have to say, I hope the dad’s misconceptions of his ‘innocent, gay son’ are blasted apart. But we all know that’s not going to happen.
Jay

love the Rachel part, hate the Kurt / Finn part, you want Kurt to be accepted as he is? you got it, nobody mind he’s gay, but this episode seemed as if Kurt is special case taking all the advantage to get whatever he wants, and worst of all concluded with Finn accepting that he’s at fault, I mean… dude, do you actually think a guy sharing a room with a gay is normal?! how about a girl sharing with a guy? is that normal too? whaddaya think girls, a guy is hitting on you and trying to make you share your room with him, does it sounds ok to you?
Matt

Phew, glad I’m not the only one who noticed Kurt being a total Karma Houdini, its hard to feel any sympathy for him being called a ‘fag’ when he has been outright stalking someone. Well more than that he has taken away another freedom and privacy. Then everyone goes and learns a valuable lesson about being different..so what its okay to stalk people now? As ‘Uh Huh’ pointed out , tweak the gender roles a little and the story takes on some pretty disturbing connotations. Who can honestly say if backed into that corner they wouldnt lash out.

As a side not, how is lady Gaga expressing herself when she has zero in the way of actual personality (I suggest looking up the Jonathan Ross interview with her and the teacup) its all an exercise in style over substance.

Matt

And no, I dont have any problems with the Gay community, just manipulating bastards with stalking habbits.

Kristen

People seem to have some strong feelings about this episode, which is understandable. I’ve read everyone’s comments and here’s my take on the Kurt/Finn thing:

I agree 100% that Finn has every right to be upset about being forced to live with Kurt and that Kurt is not blameless since he manipulated the situation. But the roommate situation isn’t the only reason Finn is upset. He hates being on the receiving end of the homophobic bullying by those two Neanderthals and he blames Kurt for it. Finn is angry that he is being perceived as gay himself. That’s why he asks Kurt why he can’t be less flamboyant and try to blend in.

I loved Burt’s speech because he makes it clear that even though he used to use the f word himself, he now has zero tolerance for it. The message I took away from it was that even though Finn had good reasons for being angry at Kurt, there is no justification for using that slur.  Finn is a good guy who lashed out, but I think he deserved to get called out on his mistake.

I think we all agree that the Kurt crushing on Finn storyline just needs to go away. I don’t think anyone wants to see Kurt turn into a creepy stalker.