Glee is supposed to be an ensemble cast. But when one actor is so far above the others that she steals the show every time she's on stage, we can only wish there were more of her. Thus, Lea Michele gets the picture above all by her lonesome.
As Rachel, Lea shines every time she's in a scene. Lea is at one with the stage, and her voice, emotion, and gestures rank her as one of the greatest crooners of all time. When she bats out the closing song in this first episode, we viewers simply want to stand up and cheer.
Did I say "cheer"? Great word to describe this upbeat season opener. The mood is light and frothy throughout. We feel, gosh, should I say it... gleeful!
We meet a great new personality in the form of Coach Beast (I know, it's not spelled that way, but what the heck, that's how the writers want us to think of her!). Now we have two tough ladies on staff, and believe you me, sparks will fly between them over who rules the roost!
The first song in the episode, "New York City", is a winner. The entire cast participates in a perfectly choreographed song and dance extravaganza that takes place by the outdoor lunch tables. Listen for the harmonies and watch the footwork...brilliant!
In this viewer's mind, the show dazzles when the cast sings. The in-between efforts at comedy or character development sometimes work, sometimes don't. In this episode, the mood remains light, so we don't have to cull up our patience as we await the song numbers. In others, when the show tries to be serious, I find myself being charitable by keeping the channel tuned to Glee.
So let's hope the season continues as it opened. Nice work, Glee writers and actors. Fantastic work, Lea Michele!
Loved being "back to school." Great theme. I agree with you, the pace was terrific. In fact, I didn't even find myself waiting for the musical numbers. I think they are very wise to change it up a bit by adding new characters, students and teachers alike. And now that I no longer have Mrs. Blankenship on Mad Men, I have BEAST! Now, some of us contend She is a He. What do you think? Anyway, I laughed so dang hard every time she/he even entered the scene. I even had trouble feeling her pain 'cause I just laugh at her whole package. That's why I feel certain its a guy.
ReplyDeleteJane Lynch was in superb form. And, yes, Alicia Keyes's new song about NYC made way for an awesome number.
As sister pointed out, the show, again, centered on a valuable theme, this one about being that outsider. Nice job.
One negative: I thought song picked for Rachael's solo, Kiss Today Goodbye, was just not the right one here. Yea, I know, you can apply the lyrics to her love for performing, but I thought it was a waste of a powerful song with a very different intent.
So glad to be full of Glee again!
Hi Gleeful Colleague! Good additions. Yes, Ms Beast will be funny! Can't really tell if she's a trans. Would be a hoot if that were the case and she "came out!" The outsider is a constant theme in the series...and quite well done. Lea can sing any song she wants...she's got my vote!
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