Glee-Cap: Sincertity is the New Irony

 

"Who cares about what happens at the end when the getting there is so much fun?

So, Tuesday was the Season Finale of Glee– Journey– yes it was two days ago and yes I'm just now getting to this, but it took me so long because not only will I be Glee-capping the Season 1 Finale, I'm glee-capping with special guest Fangirl, Evangelia, who is 7 and a true Gleek.

             ME:                                                                                          Evangelia:

So Evangelia What Happened on the Finale?

They tried to go to regionals but they didn’t win. Sue actually voted for 

them to win but nobody would accept that ‘cause she’s one of the main villains.

Why is she a villain?

Because she never really got along with the teacher of the glee club. 

Why?

Because they would take away from her cheer squad and they

might become more popular than the cheerios.

So, the club had to prove itself at Regionals or be dissolved. Sue became a judge because "she's a celebrity", ensuring that the glee club would lose. To parallel the story of the teachers squabbling over the future of the club, Quinn and motherhood were a storyline, also, Mr. Shue and Ms. Pillsbury had a thing.

But the real core of the finale was confidence. The show was written more confidently than many of the other episodes this season and all the characters acted with more certainty and confidence towards their goals than at any other point in the first season. That proved to be a great thing for some characters, a questionable one for others.

So follow after the jump and hear more about Confident Women, Childbirth, and the insight of the extremely astute Evangelia .

"Being part of something special made me special" 
                            -Tina

The beginning of the episode, the Glee club is down because of Sue's evil machinations, but they buck up quickly because their trials and tribulations together have given them the strength to persevere and overcome obstacles to do what they love. 

But what do they love? It manifests in different ways, Finn tells Rachel he loves her and they are clearly getting back together. Finn has the confidence to do what he loves and be with who he loves despite the opinions of others.

Suddenly, Quinn's Mom pops up having left Quinn's philandering father (not because of his treatment of Quinn mind you) and wants Quinn back in her life, even offering to turn a room into a nursery for her baby. Quinn is so startled she promptly goes into labor. 

Evangelia, who is your favorite character?

Quinn Fabaray– because she was one of the top bad guys 

at the beginning but because she’s changed. 

Before she was really mean and on Sue’s side and now 

she’s nice and on Glee’s side.  She’s nice even though 

she was angry about not being in cheerleading anymore.

Labor, oh the childbirth scene. Having given labor, I can say mine didn't go that quickly, and of course Quinn looked much more quaffed than many delivering mothers. I forgive you Glee for you portrayal of childbirth because 1) that scene going for 16 hours would be lame, 2) even though no hospital would allow that many people in the delivery room it's the best Mercedes-Quinn we're going to get in this episode since it's only an hour and 3) Bohemian Rhapsody is a great song.

Pictured: Not Beth

But, the most telling sign of confidence is that, while Quinn clearly adores the baby, she has the confidence and self-possession to be startled by her mother's appearance and to stick to her guns later in the episode and put Beth up for adoption, she is confident in her decision. She is clear in her thinking, aware of her situation and making hard choices. 

So let's take it back to Evangelia:

Who do you think is the best singer?

Rachel- because she sings SO MUCH and practices so much.

She set herself a target and aimed for it the whole time.

She’s sort of like… she sometimes got so focused that she was mean to people.

Rachel confronts Ms. Cocoran who once again refuses to become the mom Rachel really wants. Ms. Cocoran does hear about Quinn's baby and by the end of the episode is adopting Beth. This has already caused a flurry of controversy online among fans, does Ms. Cocoran deserve Beth? 

For my two cents, yes, because she will give that baby a good home and will devote herself to that baby. The fact that she was not there for Rachel is tragic, but doesn't preclude her being a good mother in a different situation. Giving Ms. Cocoran the baby makes an important point, the idea that someone should be prevented from giving a child a stable, loving home if they want to is... missing the point of adoption. That is something Ms. Cocoran has the inclination and ability to do, even if she can't be emotionally available to the daughter she gave birth to and relinquished parenting of to a stable home years earlier. 

But I digress, the point is, even if Ms. Cocoran is an imperfect mother, she's an interesting and complex character and for a character who is decidedly secondary to the main storyline, that's some impressive stuff. Point to you, Glee.

On the heels of that point, Glee, let's talk about Ms. Pillsbury:

 

Pictured: Owl Face

Do you remember how she pretended to be in love with someone to marry them for security only to jilt them at the alter (which admittedly, the fiance saw coming) to hook up with Mr. Shue and destroy his marriage only to then decide that it was too soon and also that she was terrified of her sexuality?

Yeah, neither do I. She got into a screaming match with the principal and once again won Mr. Shue's love. That and he was jealous that she was seeing someone else.

I feel like just listing that storyline does my work for me. Let's try a little harder with her next season, shall we Glee? She disappeared for seriously, half-a-season, and now she's empowered, are you saying that, once empowered, women cease to be interesting???? like a said Glee, work harder.

 

Pictured: Love!...?...!

But for all my studied hatin' I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed the episode, even my husband, hiding in another room as only a man avoiding something his wife enjoys can noted that "that's a really nice version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow." I really felt like the story was pushing itself to fit as much as it could into a one-hour season finale and it did a good a job of tying those strings together as it possibly could, and even more important, it made me excited for the next season. 

So Evangelia, What do you hope that there’s more of in the second season?


I hope that there’s a stronger friendship with Mercedes and Quinn

Me too, they're great together, Anything else?


I hope there’s more Santana, she and her tricks are so cool, 

and Brittney ‘cause she is so funny.

This season of Glee is over, but tune in next week for another Glee-Cap with Evangelia 
this time about Glee Live! 
which Evangelia was lucky enough to see at Rockefeller Center

And if you miss me, and you know you will, check me out on Twitter: Caitlin_Burns