Thinking: Being More Positive About TV

I fear that I'm falling into something of a negative rut. It's very easy to focus just on what isn't working because that's usually what sticks out in the memory - the itchy stuff that catches my attention. The hard part is putting my finger on what is going right with a show.

So to give myself practice in recognizing the good, I'm going to take a show and review it from a completely positive point of view. I will not complain about plot holes. I will not mock people's hair (see exception below). I will not whine that certain characters apparently couldn't manage to get out of bed that day. I am going to chirp my compliments in a tone of voice that would make a Disney animal sidekick proud.

So which show to watch? Well. Duh: Glee.

For one thing, "happy" is right there in the name. And you must admit that a good musical number can cover lot of plot and character sins. And with FOX for some reason deciding to return to the eighties and air summer reruns, I'll be able to start my reviews from the beginning (well, from the second episode) and catch up on all the stories I missed.

Even better: Sue makes so much fun of Will's hair that I won't feel like I'm deprived of follicle-related mockery. Sweeet!

In order to truly commit to this experiment, however, I'm going to have to get two things off my chest.

First, that move Rachel and Finn do where they circle each other and sing as if their life depended on it and they would totally be making out right now except the centrifugal (centripetal?) force of their grand romance is keeping them apart? I hate that move. I will always hate that move. Finn and Rachel could rival Buffy and Angel in my mind and that move will still bug the crap out of me.

Second, I wish the big competition numbers were more like Vocal Adrenaline's original "Rehab" number from the Pilot and less like Two Vocalists and Their Backup Singers. Use the solos and duets for the dream sequences and I Am Moved to Song moments, but make the Show Choir competition pieces actual chorus work, yes? (I suppose I may well be completely misunderstanding how Show Choir structures itself, but whatever.) I can see pop song covers anywhere. I like the big group numbers. They're fun.  

Whew. That's finished. All out there and now I will become so relentlessly sugar-coated that an over-caffinated morning talk show host has nothing on me.

Whee! Glee!