In one of the few genuinely interesting moments of "Mash Off," Santana and Mercedes sing a mash-up of Adele's "Rumour Has It" / "Someone Like You." Photo courtesy of FOX.
Tuesday night’s all right for fighting in Glee’s “Mash Off,” but after the very heartfelt message and strong character development in “The First Time,” it is difficult to move backward to a shallow episode of a show that seemed to be breaking its chain of notoriously over-the-top plots.
The most terrible thing about Glee these days is that there is nothing inspired about it anymore. The plots thicken, but the shock value is just not there. Just this afternoon I was watching an episode of Downton Abbey. The show, about a wealthy Lord and his family living in Edwardian England, is nothing if not dramatic. In every scene the characters dig themselves further into their figurative holes, stacking problem upon problem until the audience can barely imagine any way out. But unlike Glee, Downton Abbey understands how shock does not have to be based in ridiculousness. In fact, it’s better when it meets reality half way.
When Shelby came to McKinley High to start a new show choir, my incredulity took over. How could Glee even pretend to be a show happening in the real world when its choices are as based in fact as a science fiction show? And “Mash Off” proved this fact to an even greater degree. Puck, an 18-year-old Lothario, vies for Shelby’s affection despite her being infinitely wiser than him as well as decades his senior. Finn and Santana challenge each other to a dodgeball tournament with no conceivable purpose other than to physically mutilate one another in exchange for sadistic satisfaction. Sue Sylvester manages to convince some percentage of Lima, Ohio that Burt Hummel has a baboon heart and is married to a donkey.
This doesn’t sound like a high school dramedy to me. This sounds like something outlandish enough to be the subject of ridicule on an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000. What some shows do right and what Glee has clearly abandoned in their effort to stack problem upon problem within their own story is the notion of creative reality. Just because the Murphy’s Law theory is in itself quite bizarre does not mean that we must add to the absurdity by exaggerating each of the “what can go wrong will go wrong” events. It has come to a point that even someone who watches soap operas might not appreciate how crazy these stories have become.
When Downton Abbey writes in a plot point that makes its audience gasp – whether it be a character’s untimely death, forbidden romances, or the general intrigue of secrecy – it does so in a way that does not also make them raise their eyebrows. Odd events are coupled with explanations, outlandish narratives are based in fact and grounded in reality. But for some reason, maybe on the basis of being a comedy, Glee thinks it can take stories completely outlandish and silly and float them past their audience with minimal complaints.
But sometimes that technique doesn’t work, and in Glee’s case it gets very old. Though “Mash Off” had moments of sincerity sprinkled through its narrative of dumbness, nothing could make up for the hole Glee dug for itself – putting itself 50 feet below ground.
The Songs of “Mash Off”:
“Hot for Teacher” – This was definitely not my favorite Glee performance of the night or otherwise. It was oddly choreographed and the vocals were not stellar, neither was the song choice in general.
”You and I” / “You and I” – If any song could convince me that Will Schuester needs to sing more often on Glee, this is it. His duet with Shelby was stunning, something that serves only to remind the audience that Glee consists of some of the best Broadway talent of this generation.
“Hit Me with Your Best Shot” / “One Way or Another” – While the placement of the song felt contrived due to the direct correlation between the lyrics and the event of the irrational dodgeball game, the actual mash-up was an interesting one.
“I Can’t Go for That” / “You Make My Dreams” – Had they not mixed these songs together and instead just done “You Make My Dreams,” the arrangement could have been infinitely more interesting. Of course, it would have also been more interesting had I not been hoping Joseph Gordon-Levitt would jump out in front of Finn and take over for him with improved vocals and much better dancing.
“Rumour Has It” / “Someone Like You” – Both Mercedes and Santana have the voices to pull off Adele. There was a lot of soul not only in these songs, but also in the arrangement of the performance – in lighting, costuming, even choreography.