I spoke to their ghosts last night. I have ghost parents.

[ellydash]

Well, damn.

It's probably not the best idea for me to write these entries right after I've seen the episode, especially an episode like that one, because I have absolutely no sense of perspective about any of this, and also it is super late at night. FULL SPEED AHEAD, regardless.

I didn't unequivocally love "Asian F," but I feel like there’s a million and one things to talk about, which is almost as good. There were parts of it I actively didn't like, actually, mostly in terms of Mercedes's characterization – even so, it hit me really hard in a lot of different ways. Pretty much everything that happened tonight gave me a lot of feelings, though, which is a big part of why I watch this show in the first place. Even that hallway Kurt/Blaine scene got to me - actually made me tear up! - thanks to Kurt doing his damndest to be supportive and Blaine obviously wanting to kiss Kurt but Kurt recoiling because they weren't in a safe space. That was painful and really, really well done.

I was prepared to actively hate the Will/Emma stuff, because it's Will/Emma, and I've hated just about everything they've done with those two since "Sectionals," to be honest. The ginger supremacist parents, though. Wow. That was a dark, fucked-up scene, all the more disturbing because I figured they'd play that storyline in typical Glee "lol racism" fashion, but they really went there. If it wasn't obvious what they were doing at first, it was pretty clear by the time we saw the flashback of Emma's mother wiping off the glass the Latina waitress touched, and Emma mimicking that behavior. Then the hand-rubbing/praying scene. I can't pretend to have any objectivity about that part at all, because (TMI alert, apologies) I've been in something very similar to Emma's position before, in terms of being sick and struggling, while in a relationship with someone who wants to help but can't, and the whole thing just socked me in the stomach and put tears on the side of my face. And am I straying close to Will apologism if I say that I kind of liked that he told Emma's parents to go fuck themselves? And that I really sympathized with his position in that scene with Emma next to the bed? Ugh, I'm not kidding when I say I have zero objectivity here. Curious to hear what you all thought about it.

(kitsune13, if you're reading this, as someone who I know is not the biggest Emma fan, I'd really love to hear your reaction to Emma in this episode. I know it's not like any of her history nullifies or absolves her actions, but I thought it went a ways towards explaining why she's so judgmental and critical.)

Mercedes. Oh, boy. So curious to hear all of your opinions about this plot. On the one hand, I really like that Mercedes is getting some focus, and that we're seeing her struggle with what I think is one of the most interesting parts of her character, that gap between the talent she knows she has and the reassurance she isn't getting from her friends. And holy shit, was it satisfying to see her tell off Will. I've been wanting to see her call him out for about a season now, and I never thought we'd see her do it. The way they set up "Spotlight" was fantastic, too, having Rachel talking to Will while Mercedes circles around them, because the framing of that shot it implicated Will just as much as it did Rachel.

But on the other hand, I hate that they’re showing her as lazy when we haven’t seen anything, until now, besides Jesse’s comments in “Funeral” (WHICH NEVER HAPPENED LA LA LA) to indicate that she is. I don’t like that her boyfriend’s support comes in the form of driving a wedge between her and Rachel. I don’t like that she doesn’t have any support from anyone in New Directions, or at the very least, anyone to check in with her and say, “What’s going on with you, Mercedes?” – what about Quinn, or Kurt? Fandom seems to be reacting to it with this intense Mercedes hatred for her selfishness - which frustrates me, because it seems a lot more complicated than just Mercedes having a diva flare-up. Man, I just want a Mercedes plotline where she isn’t fulfilling problematic stereotypes and she’s got non-destructive support from her friends and an actual competition solo or two.

And, then, of course, Mike Chang, who I think I’m officially stanning for now. Besides the icky “Asian F” stuff (which, yeah, is an actual thing, but it felt forced and awkward and really unnecessary), I loved everything about that whole plotline. It’s great to see another parent besides Burt and Carole who’s supportive of their kid, and not gonna lie, I teared up when he was dancing with his mom. Harry Shum Jr. knocked this episode out of the park, triple-threat style, and Mike and Tina continue to be absolutely adorable. Love how supportive she was, even in his imagination.

Other things:

- Brittany S. Pierce needs a dance number every single damn episode.

- I did think it was kind of interesting that last week, Kurt was “too feminine” according to Artie and Beiste, and this week, Brittany seemed to be basing her campaign around the fact that she’s a girl and Kurt isn’t. Poor guy can't catch a break.

- Yeah, that Dreamgirls-staged number was hokey as hell, but I still ate it up with a spoon. Except for Kurt’s lines. Why do they keep forcing him into that high register?

- Loving all the Beiste we’re getting. Although it’d be really nice if they cut way, way down on the food jokes.

- Quinn’s awkward dancing. And her serial killer smiles. ♥

And let me just close by saying: Sam would never tell Mercedes not to hug Rachel.

Comments

[haispecialhell.livejournal.com]

The Mercedes story worked and didn't work for me. I think there was quite a bit of truth to her statements that she is just as talented as Rachel but that no one is willing to hurt Rachel's feelings, at least regarding casting. And there is numerous support of that because Will only cast another female in a spot Rachel wanted twice, Rachel made a humongous deal about it, it was never Mercedes, and Will apologized to Rachel. I do not like Mercedes' boyfriend and think that she and Rachel could have a friendship in which they compete with each other, but Glee had to take the shallow, already traipsed down path. "Spotlight" was awesome and shows that Amber is an amazing singer and performer. Plus, she's just gorgeous and I'm glad the writers are beginning to notice that.

My biggest problem with the season 3 story line they have set up for Mercedes is that it portrays her as lazy. Mercedes is not lazy. Outside of the "Park and Bark" comment and Jesse's comment in season 2 for ANON, she has always worked just as hard as everyone else. Perhaps it would bother me less if the "big girl" was the one who is made out to be lazy.

This week's transitions were a little off to me. Both the Dreamgirls sequence and Run the World had "Holy costume change Batman!" moments for me.

Emma's OCD issues and Will's support of her were on the whole pretty impressive considering the clusterfuck of douche that is usually Will's character. That porn stash tho - really?

Kurt/Blaine. This season is actually making me like the couple because it's causing Kurt to grow and it's nice to see that.

Figgins is Asian so having to explain the Asian F concept to him seemed dumb to me. However, the vampire!tina continuity made me lol. Also, Mike Change appreciation is where it is at. That scene with his mom ♥__♥

That Sam/Mercedes reminder stomped on my heart a little. Sam Evans is definitely missed.

[ellydash.livejournal.com]

Amber really is beautiful - I loved the dress they put her in for "Spotlight." And I really, really want to like Mercedes's boyfriend, because she likes him and he clearly thinks she's the greatest thing since sliced bread, which she deserves, but I'm just not feeling him so far.

Mercedes is definitely not lazy, at least not how she's been portrayed for the last two seasons - and yeah, it's the combination of the fact that she's the big girl and that she's black that make the lazy label immensely unfortunate. RIB never met a stereotype they didn't like, though, so I'm not surprised. Just frustrated.

Oh, the porn stash. Every week they manage to give us some new TMI about Will's sex life, don't they?

[haispecialhell.livejournal.com]

I wish more people recognized how pretty Amber is and that dress was divine. I think I would like him more if he was supporting her in a way that didn't tear down relationships that were important to her. He's supportive, but he's not nurturing. (Oh Sammy, I miss you and your Navi speaking ways.)

I know, and frankly I don't want to. That whole "milestones" comment kind of squicked me too. I also feel like part of the reason he wants to fix Emma is so he can have sex, which is sort of gross.