TV Review - Glee: Season 4, Vol. 2 - Favorite Songs

The cast of "Glee"
performing 'Mamma Mia' by ABBA

This has been a rather transitional period for Glee. The show has introduced a bunch of new characters. As I look back on the second half of the 4th season of Glee, and as I evaluate which songs or which musical numbers were the best or my favorite, the majority of the ones I like are ones performed by the old characters.

I feel like I should be more in love with the new characters, but I'm not there yet. Jake, played by Jacob Artist, is one of the new characters. Jake is very good-looking and he has some smooth moves, but he hasn't done much truly to impress me, but he is at the top of the heap.

Yet, throughout the second half, there were some themes or issues that arose, which were interesting. One major theme is people being in love with someone who doesn't or can't love them back. One example is the basis of a bizarre love triangle between Tina, played by Jenna Ushkowitz, Blaine, played by Darren Criss, and Sam, played by Chord Overstreet.

Tina is in love with Blaine, but Blaine is gay, and Blaine is in love with Sam, but Sam isn't gay. Tina's feelings are established in Episode 11, and they come out of nowhere. At least, when it comes to Blaine's feelings, a case can be made if you look at Blaine and Sam's relationship in the first ten episodes this season. Blaine and Tina are barely together at all, so there's no hint of why Tina supposedly loves Blaine beyond him being cute and a fantastic vocalist.

Yet, it would have been helpful if the writers had done more to build up Blaine and Tina's relationship before going with the notion that Tina is in love with Blaine. The character of Tina has always been too much of a non-presence any how. Giving Tina more to do would greatly have helped that storyline.

The show short-changed Tina because it was too busy trying to cram in a runaway bride story, a school shooting story, a male prostitute story, a nude calendar story and a Manti Te'O story. The best episode in terms of pure fun was Episode 15, which was an ode or tribute to songs from movies where each performance was practically a re-creation of various movie scenes. From Fred Astaire dancing on the walls in Royal Wedding (1951) to Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore making clay in Ghost (1990), there are a lot of fun nods to songs in films.

There was a bit of controversy about the show using Jonathan Coulton's remix of "Baby Got Back" by Sir Mix-a-Lot. Yet, the show, despite being about high school kids, did better by Broadway in New York City than NBC's cancelled Smash. But, here are my favorites:

6. 'You're All the World to Me' - performed by Matthew Morrison and Jayma Mays, song from Royal Wedding (1951), from Episode 15 - "Girls (and Boys) on Film"

5. 'Uptight (Everything's Alright)' - performed by Kate Hudson, song by Stevie Wonder, from Episode 21 - "Wonder-ful"

4. 'Clarity' / 'Wings' - performed by Jessica Sanchez, song by Zedd featuring Foxes / Little Mix, from Episode 22 - "All or Nothing"

3. 'Unchained Melody' - performed by Jacob Artist and Blake Jenner, song from Ghost (1990), from Episode 15 - "Girls (and Boys) on Film"

2. 'Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)' - performed by Darren Criss, song by Phil Collins, from Episode 17 - "Guilty Pleasures"

1. 'Little Girls' - performed by Jane Lynch, song from Annie, from Episode 20 - "Lights Out"