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“The Glee Project” Season 2 Finale: At least you get a hug from Dianna Agron

The time has come. Blake, Aylin, Ali. The final week. At the end of the night, we will have a winner. I am nervous and emotional already so let’s just get this thing over with before my feelings explode.

Robert comes in to give The Last Homework Assignment and The Last Theme. The theme is, naturally, “Glee-ability,” which rolls off the tongue in an even clumsier manner than previous weeks’ made up words. And that’s saying a lot. The song is “You Can’t Stop the Beat” from Hairspray. Fun fun fun. Gosh, I am nervous. Robert is on his way out the door when he wheels around and says hey, we wanted you to have some EXTRA help, so…ta-da! Here come the rest of the cast! Reunion! Reunion! Charlie and Aylin hug! Dani is there, looking gay and fabulous! Nellie is there, looking adorable as ever! That boring guy who got eliminated on the first episode is there! All the hugs! Yayyy!

Everyone seems jittery when it gets down to actually choreographing the song, but thankfully Ali is there to take charge. Then like magic, we are in the gym with Robert, everyone once again on those plastic chairs, waiting to see who The Last Guest Mentor will be. We see a VOTE UNICORN button being popped onto a blazer. And but of course – it’s Chris Colfer! The most likeable person in the history of all things! Or at least one of them! I mean, gosh, I just really like him. Are there people who don’t? Probably, but I don’t want to know about them because they sound mean and dumb.

Then we get this party started: everyone shoves aside those plastic chairs they’re sitting on and jump right into the song. And it is fabulous. Everyone sounds great and the whole thing just has this really positive, happy energy. Blake also does this ridiculous hyperactive dance move that is hard to describe but which is entertaining. There is also the splittest of split second where Dani and Nellie are in the same shot, dancing towards each other, and it is beautiful. Dani is wearing a hat and a tie and a vest like the splendid gender defying human she is and I want to hug her. I want to hug all of them.

Afterwards, Chris says he can’t decide on a homework winner and chooses all three of the final contestants. The choosing-everybody thing always feels like such a cop-out, but at the same time, it’s what I want to happen at this very moment for this entire episode. So, okay! Good non-choice choice!

The Last Group Number Song is then announced, which is “Tonight, Tonight.” I said, “Whoo, Smashing Pumpkins!” And man, was I pumped, because man, is that a great song. Then they say the actual artist: Hot Chelle Rae. So. Not Smashing Pumpkins, then. I have never heard of Hot Chelle Rae. I know I’m probably the only one, but, still, this is a bummer.

Onto the Last Dance Session With Zach and the Last Vocals With Nikki. Nikki explains her feelings about everything to Dude Who Sits Next To Her, who continues to sit there and nod while doing nothing else as he reliably has all season. I really thought he might say something this time! Just to be wild and crazy for the last show! Like, give a “Yeah,” or something! Nope. There is not much else to say here, other than everyone does decently and you can tell Zach and Nikki are already starting to feel emotional.

So we head to The Last Video Shoot With Erik, the set up of which is a high school prom. The roles assigned to the final three are the roles that the Glee writers have already started envisioning them as: Aylin, party girl from a conservative background. Blake, popular but humble football star. Ali, the mean girl. All the rest of the cast are here, as well, dolled up and looking fine.

There’s an announcement of one final special guest. I’m trying to wreck my brain for who’s left from the Glee cast, when in walks Damian McGinty, winner of The Glee Project, Season 1. Oh, right, that guy. Maybe it’s just me, but this special guest seems pretty haphazardly thrown into the mix. Like, “Oh, maybe we should bring in Damian somewhere? Eh, let’s have him in the background of the final video.” Still, it’s hard not to enjoy his Irish accent, so, hi, Damian.

Now that I am hearing This Other Tonight, Tonight song, it is kind of silly, but at the same time very much one that would be played at a high school prom. And everything about the filming of this one seems to be going flawlessly, just easy and natural and energetic and great. Aylin rips off a bulky sweatshirt in the bathroom with Shanna to reveal her prom dress, then she hops on to the DJ stand, dancing it out in front of the crowd. She looks the most beautiful and happy I have ever seen her. She looks like herself.

Blake is smooth and charming as always, and gets to do some crowd surfing. Ali plays the bitch well in her bright bubblegum dress. As she wheels through the dance floor, she grabs hold of people’s collars to bring them down to her face as she sings. She has an amazing ability to transcend. She’s on a different physical level than the rest, but she’s still the strongest personality in the room.

Everyone else is in the background dancing their asses off. I’m sure it must be bittersweet for many of them to return, but still, if someone asked me if I wanted to return to a reality show I was kicked off of so I could dance my ass off on the final episode, I would think, “Yeah. Yeah, that seems like a good way to end it.”

After the video shoot wraps, things start to get serious. It’s The Last Performances For Ryan time. For the last one, the final three are able to choose their own song for the first time, one that they believe will best represent who they are as a performer. They’ve had all week to think about it, and it ends up like this: Aylin chooses Adele‘s “Rolling in the Deep.” Such a powerful song, always a smart choice. Ali chooses “Popular” from Wicked. Choosing a song from a musical also fits her perfectly. Lastly, Blake chooses “I’ll Be” by Edwin McCain. Which makes me giggle. Don’t get me wrong, I mean, I totally owned that Edwin McCain album. I just still giggle anytime I hear it, or hear of someone loving it, now. It is the most earnest song of all time. Or maybe it’s just that most things that bring me back to 1997 make me giggle. Still, I have to say, it is an ultra sweet choice. No wonder Blake makes all the ladies swoon.

Before they leave to start their solo practice time, the mentors also give them a run down of everyone who’s going to be at the performance tonight, which is pretty much, well, everyone. All the Glee writers, Glee cast members, the rest of the Glee Project gang, you know, no big deal. No pressure, guys!

As all of those people I just mentioned file into the auditorium before the performances start, I am honestly feeling full-out anxious now. I never expected to get as sucked into this show as I have, but, there it is. I care about all of these kids and I can’t believe just one is going to win. And they have repeated several times throughout the episode that just one is going to win, so I feel like Ryan Murphy must have gotten enough flack after he chose FOUR winners last year that he’s really going to buckle down this year and just choose one like he’s supposed to. Life is unfair.

Ali’s up first. Everything about her and this performance sparkles. It’s sassy and fun and her voice sounds great; her stage presence is solid. It’s just overall fantastic. She is Broadway-ready. Everyone hoots and hollers and stands for her at the end.

Blake’s up next. He kept saying before he came onstage that he needed to show Ryan another side of him, something that makes him different, as Ryan himself had been requesting. His rendition of “I’ll Be” is good, and he does a little throwing-and-catching of the mic move at the beginning which is quite suave. And quite bold to try, really, because immediately after it happened all I could do for the whole song was picture how horrifying it would have been if he had dropped it, and how if I had tried it I would have dropped it. Afterwards, though, Ryan pokes fun at him a little, asking if that little mic move was Blake showing himself being “different.”

Blake then says that if he can’t show how he’s different through singing, then he decided to show it through words. And he brings out a folded sheet of paper from his pocket.

Boom. Boy has written a poem, y’all.

It’s not Shakespeare but it’s a sensitive, heartfelt poem that a sensitive 19-year-old guy would write about himself, and it brings almost the entire audience to tears, including all the mentors that I love so much. All the tears may be a little over the top, but, eh, emotions are high. The best line in it concerns being “the whitest half-Cuban ever.” Ha! See, that was interesting, and that made me laugh. This was also more interesting to watch than just a dramatic and teary plea about how he needs to win. So, well-done, Blake.

Aylin’s last. She says, “All I can do is sing my heart out.” And that is what she does. She doesn’t move all around the stage or put on a show like the other two, but she stands there and sings, sings, sings. In a way, I respect this most of all.

I am so nervous, guys.

Once everyone’s left the stage, Ryan turns to the cast and writers and asks their opinion. I was surprised, but then not that surprised, when the first five people to answer all said Ali was their hands-down choice. Ali, Ali, Ali. A few people say Blake – namely, Ali Adler says that his performance tonight was like watching “a boy turn into a man.” You’re great, Ali, but, meh, sure.

Throughout this whole thing, the camera keeps flashing to Charlie’s face, which is the portrait of flabbergasted, and he is practically bursting out of his seat each time someone says a name that isn’t Aylin. I have to say, I am kind of feeling the same way.

Eventually he can’t take it anymore, and explodes, “Excuse me, Ryan, I’m sorry, but -” and gives an impassioned speech about how special Aylin is and how important she could be to Glee. I know I gave Charlie crap at the beginning of the season, but since then he has really wormed his way into my heart, and this is almost too much for me. Because while I agree with what he’s saying, even if it’s slightly uncomfortable because he’s really not supposed to be talking right now, it’s more just a show of him really, really loving her. He’s like, defending her honor! I know that’s cheesy or whatever, but you should always defend the honor of someone you love, especially when they deserve it. Ugh, be still my heart, Charlie/Aylin. Who knew.

After this, however, Amber Riley also steps up and says that Aylin did Adele justice. People say more Muslim stuff, but that is the most important compliment.

Ryan decision time. Remember how this entire show, all 11 episodes, comes down to the decision of one dude? He says that “he’s split” about a million times. Right, we get it. Just tell us, for the love of all that is holy!

So he does. Aylin, Ali, and Blake are brought back out, and he tells each of them why they’re special. He leads up to the actual announcement by saying that, as we know, next season on Glee is going to be different with cast members graduating, and they’re looking for a very specific character to fill a very specific role.

And that character is Blake.

I am filled with Feelings. First of all, I don’t know why Ryan Murphy even sets himself up like this. Just say, “I pick this person because I like you best.” The way he led up to it, it just sounds like “We need another Finn, so, you’re it. Sorry ladies!”

Second of all, I know a lot of you told me from the beginning – like the very beginning – that Ryan would go with Blake, the most bland character of them all. And I didn’t believe you! I’m sorry! I hate that you were right!

I know there are lots of people who were rooting for Blake. For those people, I hope you don’t take my disappointment personally. I think Blake is a great guy. Of the three, he probably is the best actor. He’s just natural and charismatic. And I know that’s important.

But the thing – the thing – the thing! – is Glee. Glee is about underdogs; Glee is about melodrama. Aylin and Ali are both underdogs, and they both have the drama. And they both showed more utter guts and sacrifice throughout the entire Glee Project competition than Blake ever did on a single episode. I think Blake will probably fit in swell on Glee, especially if there’s a good, interesting role written for him. (If Blake ends up singing “I’ll Be” to a dude, all will be forgiven. Maybe.) In fact, the Glee Project has probably already served its purpose, since I AM more interested in the next season of Glee just to see how Blake fits in. You still win, Ryan Murphy.

But really, what was the point of this whole series and showing us all these interesting candidates if it was just going to be Blake? Why put contestants through, as Robert appropriately put, the longest audition in the world? While I have to admit I was slightly pulling for Aylin, the cast also had such an overwhelming love for Ali. Nikki herself said, verbatim, “Ali IS Glee.” Um. So why is she going home with nothing?

If you are feeling similarly frustrated and as disappointed as I was, I recommend looking through Glee Project tags on Tumblr. There is every gif to fit your needs.

After the announcement, everyone piles on stage, and luckily, we don’t have to see Aylin or Ali’s actual faces too much, which I’m sure are crushed. Although, as a consolation prize, Dianna Agron does hug them a lot. And that is not a bad consolation prize, not at all.

As further consolation to the rest of us: Nellie ended up winning the fan favorite poll on Oxygen.com. Good work, Team Nellie!

So what do you think? Do you think any of the contestants have bright futures ahead of them, regardless of the official outcome? Am I being too hard on the Blake decision? How do you think he’ll show up on this next season?

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