Watching TV and forming needlessly long-winded opinions is a humble pastime that I’m not planning on giving up any time soon. I like to think I’m known around HCC for my scalding hot takes on all things TV –– including those on one of my beloved shows, Glee. Mind you, this analysis will take place only in the framework of seasons one to three, because as I’ve long heralded: we do not talk about seasons four to six of Glee in my house.
6. Sue was actually a pretty good principal
When Sue first becomes principal in season two, this is met with a lot of skepticism, especially from Will. Aside from Sue being her typical tyrannical self, I actually saw no problems with Sue as principal. When Kurt and Karofsky end up in her office due to Karofsky’s bullying, for example, she handles it reasonably well and expels him, which is honestly something that Figgins just never did.
Sue also later resigns as principal because of the limitations it puts on her in protecting students. She says that behind the principal’s desk, she can’t patrol the halls or keep an eye on people. So, she quits so she can protect Kurt. I think this is pretty admirable, especially considering the nature of her power-hungry character.
Though in later seasons she does become principal again, I think this first stint of her as principal was actually a great plot line!
5. Both Puck & Sam were better singers than Finn
I don’t think this is that much of a hot take so much as it is a pretty glaringly obvious thing to note. The only reason why Finn always got the male leads (and I mean always, even when it wasn’t even necessary) was because of his leadership and charisma, and how he was really the only one willing to be the New Directions’ co-captain with Rachel. I don’t necessarily think this is a bad thing, just that it’s not always the best method of showcasing your best talent, especially in times of competition.
Both Puck and Sam were much stronger than Finn vocally. You can definitely argue that Finn doesn’t have the typical vocal quality of a male lead, but that it’s strong because it’s unique in itself. In my opinion, while this argument holds validity, I think that if Puck and Sam were featured more often as male leads it could’ve made a big difference in the club’s performances.
But, of course, the strongest male singer in seasons one to three (and perhaps all of Glee) was Blaine! Fun fact: Did you know that Darren Criss originally auditioned for Finn? I’m so glad that he eventually got the role of Blaine because it was the perfect role for him. Darren Criss supremacy.
4. The Kurt and Mercedes Cheerios era is extremely underrated
When Kurt and Mercedes joined the Cheerios as a way of protesting their lack of opportunity to shine in Glee club, it was literally one of the best choices the writers could have made. It heightened the plot by providing more of a competitive edge between Will and Sue, and it also tapped into deeper issues of body image and the pressure of “fitting in” to be perfect.
This storyline also paved the way for one of my all-time favourite Glee performances: Kurt and Mercedes’ duet of “4 Minutes” by Madonna and Justin Timberlake. Complete with all the extreme bells and whistles of the cheerleading team, it’s one of the best performances in the entire series. If I recall correctly, this is one of the only (if not the only) duet that Kurt and Mercedes perform together throughout the entire series, and it’s incredible!
I honestly wish Kurt and Mercedes could’ve stayed with the Cheerios for a little bit longer if it meant we could have seen more of this duo’s talent.
3. Quinn & Mercedes had the best friendship
This one HURTS to think about because the writers honestly did a complete disservice to these characters by letting this go by. In season one, Mercedes is pushing herself to the limit on the Cheerios team and Quinn has an honest heart-to-heart with her about how she understands what it’s like to feel the pressure of being “perfect” as a cheerleader.
Later in the season, Finn finds out that Quinn’s baby isn’t his, so Quinn (who was essentially disowned by her parents at this point) moves from Finn’s place to Puck’s, where she’s miserable. Mercedes then offers her home to Quinn and Mercedes tells her that she had already asked her parents about it and that she’s welcome to live with them.
This friendship is so genuine and caring, it makes me want to cry! Quinn never would have acknowledged Mercedes’ existence back when she was the head cheerleader and Mercedes never would have looked at Quinn as anything other than an egotistic, pretty blonde cheerleader. But when the roles were reversed, they finally understood and empathized with one another, creating a meaningful friendship.
This pretty much disappears come season two, and in my opinion, it’s one of the plot points that the writers let fall through the cracks. I really think that Mercedes and Quinn could have had a really long, lasting friendship throughout the series had the writers not made the choices they did.
2. One of the most sob-worthy moments of the show isn’t what you think it is
In seasons one to three, there are a lot of scenes that will have a tear rolling down your face: Kurt’s dad landing in the hospital after having a heart attack, Quinn’s parents kicking her out after finding out she’s pregnant, and Sue’s sister dying, to name a few. But none of these are actually worth as many tears as the scene that I think takes the cake.
This opinion is going to be the hottest take you’ll hear all year. IMO, the most cry-worthy scene in the entirety of seasons one to three isn’t even the result of an overtly sad plotline. The scene I’m talking about? Kurt and Finn dancing at their parents’ wedding.
Let me set the scene for you: Kurt’s been getting severely bullied by Karofsky because of his sexuality, and Finn –– who’s set to become Kurt’s new step-brother since his mom and Kurt’s dad announced their engagement –– hasn’t stood up to Karofsky, who’s on the football team with him. Finn makes lame excuses as to why he hasn’t done so, but as Burt (Kurt’s dad) later insinuates to him, it really just comes down to a matter of acceptance, understanding, and a firm stance against homophobia above all else. Brotherhood and protection.
There’s one scene where Kurt is giving Burt and Finn ballroom dancing lessons in the choir room to prepare for the wedding, and when Kurt and Finn join hands, Finn notices Karofsky mocking them in the hallway, so Finn immediately pulls away from Kurt. This eventually leads to Kurt admitting that Karofsky had threatened to kill him, which causes Burt to charge at Karofsky and push him against the wall. During this chaos, Burt asks Finn why he wasn’t there for Kurt to stop all of this bullying. Finn can’t answer.
It’s later, at the wedding when it’s Finn’s turn to make a speech, he apologizes to Kurt for being a bad brother and not sticking up to him. Finn dedicates the song “Just the Way You Are” by Bruno Mars to Kurt and extends a hand out to his new brother to dance with him. This is honestly one of the most beautiful and emotional moments of the entire show, and nobody ever talks about it!
1. Their season three nationals performance could’ve been better
In my opinion, this is the recipe for a strong New Directions competitive performance: a Rachel Berry solo, really great choreography (bonus points if it primarily features Mike and Brittany) and a group number that features multiple singers, not just Rachel and Finn. The season three nationals performances –- AKA their first-ever national championship -– is definitely one of their strongest competitive performances, but wasn’t as good as it could have been.
While I loved the Trebletones’ “Edge of Glory” performance and of course, Rachel’s “It’s All Coming Back to Me” is one of the best solos of the entire series, I was disappointed with their group number, “Paradise by the Dashboard Light,” because it still primarily featured Rachel and Finn. This wasn’t necessary! There were plenty of opportunities to showcase other voices in this group number. Puck, Blaine and Kurt all had tiny parts in this song, but other members just weren’t featured. I don’t understand why Mr. Schue acts like Rachel and Finn are the only strong voices to showcase out of the whole group.
Even though this was the performance that had them bring home the gold, I think there was lots of room to incorporate other members of the club. Why not give Mike and Brittany a dance feature like they did in “Valerie” from their season two sectionals performance? Or add in better group choreography and feature Tina’s voice like they did in the season three sectionals performance (which just so happens to be one of my all-time fav competitive performances)?
Overall, do I think that their season three nationals performance deserved the first place title? Absolutely! Do I think it could’ve done more to feature the strengths of other glee club members? Yes, I do.
Conclusion
Glee seasons one through three are honestly so nostalgic and comforting to me, so the opportunity to re-watch it from a critical perspective was fantastic! I’d highly recommend getting into this show and perhaps you’ll appreciate its campiness and music the same way I do. Do you have a hot take on something Glee-related? Let me know!