Glee - Theatricality (S1Ep20)
Most weeks Glee is a show of two halves, and this episode is no exception. The introduction of Lady Gaga as the theme and subsequent fawning is forced, the costumes are dire and the performance of Bad Romance is simply a copy of the original. In short, it's painful to watch.
And then the second half begins. Kurt and his dad have fast become the emotional heart and soul of the show, bringing real, raw emotion to otherwise bubblegum storytelling. The cover of Poker Face is also a highlight, an entirely new interpretation of the song delivered brilliantly by Rachel and her mother.
In the end even the writers acknowledge they were throwing the plot together with little idea of an overall meaning, though Finn's final, dazzling costume goes a long way to covering the shortcomings.
2.5/5
Chuck - Verses the Pink Slip (S3Ep1)
Spoiler alert. By necessity I'm going to have to give away the ending of Season 2, so if you haven't seen it yet, why not? It's awesome! Oh, yeh, and look away...now
So, Chuck returns upgraded with the intersect 2.0. As well as range of nifty community features and rounded corners, this also means Chuck can upload his brain with specialist skills, just like in The Matrix. Kung Fu, Boxing, zip-lining between buildings, just like in The Matrix. However, unlike in The Matrix, Chuck can't switch the skills on at will, and quickly forgets the knowledge soon after each flash. All this leads to the usual Chuck mixture of hilarity, action and romance.
All the gang are back save Anna and Michael, and the credits and events of this episode suggest he'll be back soon too. Speaking of which, I know I (and suspect 99% of Chuck's audience) hated Emmit, but what happened to the guy was ice cold. And yeh, I loved it.
The story cleverly resets the show to bring back all the familiar cast and locations while adding in a few new twists. Sadly this also means Chuck had to make a bad decision involving Sarah, one which I doubt he would have made if it weren't for the requirements of keeping them apart for another season. Come on writers, don't be afraid. The Big Bang Theory has shown you can have your leads get together and keep the show fresh and exciting. So take a risk and don't go the way of the X-Files.
4/5
