When I started watching this week’s Glee Project, I was feeling a little sentimental – as sentimental as one can be about The Glee Project – and missing our queer contestants who have been needled out of this competition. But then Robert came in to the room and announced that this week’s homework assignment for the theme of adaptability was Alanis Morissette‘s “You Oughta Know.” And all my happy lesbian senses snapped awake again! Hallelujah!
Robert did, however, amusingly over-annunciate this reveal, telling them that they were to sing some mysterious song called “You – Ought – To – Know.” I don’t know what this “You Ought To Know” song is you speak of, Robert. It sounds way too polite and proper. Who has time to enunciate when you’re busy being real pissed off at Dave Coulier?
In line with the theme of adaptability, Robert then also drops the news that they won’t get to choose their lines for this performance, but will be assigned parts at random. Yay! This will erase all that annoying bickering that always happens at this moment of the show!
Off we go to the next scene in the gym for the reveal of the guest mentor this week. Robert tells us that it is someone on Glee who can tell us all about “rolling with the punches.” Meaning, that it is, of course, Kevin McHale, who plays Artie Abrams. You know, the one in the wheelchair. Roll with the punches, get it?! Right?! (Sigh.)
Artie then lets loose another “Oh snap!” on the contestants: the parts that they rehearsed for “You Oughta Now?” Bam, forget about it. They’re each going to sing the whole song as a solo, on the spot. Shanna is all, “Whoa, but I don’t actually know the words to this song!” Adaptability, y’all! Things just got real.
We’re shown an edited together montage of their performances, which actually highlights much better than the group performances which voices get it right and which ones are just dull. Even though Shanna wasn’t apparently overly familiar with the song (how can you not be, Shanna?!), she is all over the Alanis angst. The first word we hear Nellie sing is “dinner,” and even though it is just one word, the end of it has the absolute perfect amount of snarl! Yes! I really dig each section we get to hear Charlie sing, too. In fact, I really like everyone, except for Blake and Michael, who every time ring out as “booooring!” to me. But Artie and Robert seem pleased with everyone. Artie has a lot of nice comments for several people, but in the end the winner is Aylin. She really did perform well, so I feel it’s deserved. Hurrah Aylin! So she will get a special part in the big group number this week, which is – dun dun dun – who the hell knows?
Artie announces that they won’t know the song until they’re in the studio and won’t practice the dance moves until the day of the video shoot. Which, as he explains, is something that happens on set, and something you have to get used to. I am personally loving all these twists and turns, but some cast members don’t seem as pumped. A lot of them seem to feel like this: Adaptability, y’all!
Once we do arrive at the studio, Nikki finally reveals the song: “Price Tag” by Jessie J. Things seem to be coming up roses for Aylin this episode, because she is pumped! She jumps up and down and hoots and hollers her excitement. Everyone else sort of gives Nikki a blank stare. Including me. I have never heard of this song either! Am I old?! (I think I am old.) I hope that when they start singing, it will be one of those, “Ohhh, OK, I’ve heard that before,” moments, but alas. I still have no clue. (Confirmed: I am old.)
When we move on to the video shoot, Erik White explains the concept as being rich mean kids versus poor kids, with all the rich kids eventually abandoning their posse to go join the poor kids, who are apparently having a lot of fun being poor. OK. This could be OK. Maybe.
As the shooting starts, Charlie tells us that his mission is to stay in character for the entire thing. He’s one of the rich kids, and he’s created a persona for himself named Scott Campbell, who is “a terrible human being.” Already I like this. I know I have given Charlie flack in the past, but I’m always a fan of making up personas and naming them just for the heck of it. Also, Scott Campbell is wearing a ridiculous printed shirt and red pants, which I like. The clinker in the deal is that he uses the word “ocelots” as he pretend-talks into a phone to an imaginary being: “I don’t particularly care how many ocelots you have to skin until the seats on my plane are complete, you will do as I ask, understood?” How often do you hear someone use the word “ocelots”? Not enough, I say. I feel that Scott Campbell could easily walk the line between being annoying and being entertaining, and right now it is striking me as entertaining. The mentors, however, are apparently viewing it as annoying, taking it as a sign that Charlie doesn’t do well at fitting into the group. Oops.
Mario gets some acting criticism from Erik, to which Mario privately tells the camera that he is “stunned” by because he knows that his acting ability is awesome. Mario, all this super-defensiveness and inability to take criticism is starting to be seriously awkward. And I really liked you at first! Ugh, why is life so disappointing.
However, during Mario’s critique, we get our first glimpse of Nellie, who is hanging out at the table behind him. And OH HOLY HELL. Thank you, sweet mother of all that is good in the world, because Nellie’s get-up right now is outstanding. That slicked back hair. Those glasses. Is she wearing suspenders? I can’t tell right now, but I really hope they are suspenders.
The video ends up being quite enjoyable, and I have to say again that Aylin really does kick ass this week. Everything about this project just seems to fit her. The only devastating part is that I now see that Nellie is not wearing suspenders. What I thought were suspenders was the strap of her chic bag and now I feel dumb and sad.
After the video, Aylin is not surprisingly selected as the winner for the week. When it comes to picking the bottom three, however, the adaptability hits just keep on comin’! Instead of three, there are actually six people in the bottom, who will all sing duets. The pairings are like so:
Charlie and Mario will sing “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me.” Charlie and Mario are both strong personalities. I suspect this pairing may not go well.
Ali and Abraham will sing Katy Perry‘s “Last Friday Night.” They seem excited to be paired together, excited about the song. They are both so cute cute cute!
Nellie and Blake will sing “Waiting on a Girl Like You” by Foreigner. Although annoyingly, they make it a point to change the title to “Waiting for a Girl OR BOY Like You.” Because goodness, it would be awful to make Nellie sing about waiting for a girl, right? Listen, we want to hear about Nellie waiting for a girl!
Nellie and Blake are up first, and when they walk out it’s clear how nervous they are. You can hear Blake breathing awkwardly into the microphone. Eek. But as soon as they start singing, they are into it. Nellie especially pumps up the acting, giving all kinds of longing-filled glances across the stage.
I’m not that into the arrangement of this song, but they give a really good performance, in my opinion. Maybe a little too good, because there is a lot of touching and intimacy happening between these two. Blake even kisses sweet Nellie’s forehead at the end. Back off, Blake!
Ali and Abraham are up next, and ehh. They mess up a few lines; their synchronicity seems a little off at times. Maybe it’s just a bad song – and it is – but it seems a little awkward. Ali seems to play it off well, but I feel nervous. You can tell Ryan Murphy is biting his tongue with what he really thinks in his short comments at the end. Oh Ryan. I can tell you’re going to release some sass in a few minutes.
Mario and Charlie time, and I am excited for this. Turns out the tense atmosphere between them which was briefly shown as they practiced was inconsequential, because like Nellie and Blake, they are going for the super intimate-emotional vibe. They allow the other to equally let their skills show while being super touchy feely. In fact, Ryan comments afterwards, “I like how sweet you were with each other.” Aw. For once Ryan and I agree. In the end, Ali, Blake, and Nellie are safe. Yay! Abraham, Mario, and Charlie are in the bottom three. I like all these guys. This sucks. I do like Blake as a person, but he’s so much more boring artistically than any of these dudes, and he should have been in this line up.
Sadly, I am not a judge. Call backs get posted. There are the hugs, the slow walks. Here we go.
Charlie is happy! He’s safe. Mario scans the Braille on the list with his hand, and then looks away, but there is no crying.
But Abraham is full of tears. Oh no. Oh no, I am not going to be able to handle this! But – wait. Wait, it’s not Abraham. You tricked me with your hyper-emotionalism, Abraham.
It’s Mario.
Whoa.
I rewind back a few seconds to re-watch Mario’s reaction. And it is so interesting. When I watch it now, his looking away from the list seems more like a sudden jerk, as if what he has felt with his fingers has physically hurt him. When they show him again after they have revealed his name, he stands in the same position, standing motionless for a few minutes. And then, with the quickest of flourishes, he smiles that huge, glorious smile that won me over in the first episode. Oh, there it is again as he hugs Aylin! Yes! I love what Mario says in his “what I learned from this experience” requisite voiceover. He says, “When people watch this competition, I hope that they see a talented, fearless, inspirational young man that happens to be blind, and not a blind person that they let on The Glee Project.” Exactly. And my hope is that writers of Glee and writers of all shows will allow people like you, Mario, to be written as talented, fearless, inspirational people who all happen to be one thing or the other – blind, gay, in a wheelchair, transgender – instead of typecast into a role to be an excuse for diversity.
With Mario being so defensive throughout the whole competition, I was worried about how he would react to this news, yet I was amazed at how well he took it. The smile was the first indicator, but he confirmed it with saying, “I’ve learned a lot about myself. I feel good. I really do.” Maybe I was so impressed by this because I felt like my own heart was breaking for him. I think I am too sensitive for reality TV.
I felt so bittersweet about this decision because I agree with the judges about his acting ability and his attitude at times, but I also felt like he was one of the best talents on the show. What did you think? And what do you think will happen next week? Because judging by the sneak peek for the next episode, some intense stuff is going to go down.
