Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Glee vs The Volcano

It's the 20th of April. Tuesday. For the past 3 months I've been dreaming of this night. The night I'd spend on an Air Canada Airbus, flying across the Atlantic in my business class seat - nay, fully reclining bed. In a pod. With a privacy screen. Sure, I'd arrive jetlagged and spent - after all who wants to waste a business class flight SLEEPING?! I'd be staying up to enjoy every second of it.

But 'twas not to be.

Bloody Ash. Stooooopid Icelandic volcano. My story's not a bad one. I canceled my flight a day in advance and re-booked for a couple of weeks from now. I'm not stranded, in transit or missing anything or anyone. I'm just staying put. At home. Constantly checking the status of the various flights to Heathrow because I've become addicted to British Airport Authority updates and all things Eyjafjallajokul (and yeah I had to cut 'n paste that one). I'm also watching the neighbouring volcano, Katla, the one that could really f&ck us all up.

It's all so "Day After Tomorrow", no?

I tried to put on a happy face. Until I took a shower and the pipes two floors down exploded. That's right readers, it's the plumbing. Again. No running water, no flushing, five people.

A far cry from business class.

But there's a glimmer of hope on the horizon as the 5 grand dig begins. And there was happiness in the air tonight, not just sewage.

Because of Glee.

Everyone watches Glee, right?

RIGHT?!?

If you're not. You should be. And you should start with tonight's Madonna Tribute episode. Yep, all Madge, all the time. The results? As Kurt says: Madge-ical.

Cheesy, yes. Absolutely, unapologetically and resoundingly so. And that's what makes Glee work. Musicals + one hour TV does not a perfect partner make. And to be honest, I was getting nervous about Glee. It started with a bang, totally remaking - and rejuvenating - network television. And Journey. "Don't Stop Believin'?" Never liked it the first time round, but love it all Glee'd up.

As the shows went on, they had their highs (Kurt's "Single Ladies") and lows (most of Emma's numbers). But I was getting nervous. It felt like the writers were pulling out the wrecking ball....and focusing on the adults. Sure "Acafellas" is a funny name for a group, but I'm not so big into Will Schuester. His fake-pregnant, soon-to-be-ex-wife? Yes yes yes. His romance with the bush baby Emma? Only as the B-story. Keep it with the kids.

But I needed Glee tonight. Early Glee. I needed to know that, stuck at home with backed up toilets, I could count on television to take me away....

And tonight, thanks to Sue Sylvester, it did. Fact is, Jane Lynch could stand stock still and have everybody howling. She's a master of comic timing and delivery but lately even she, well, her rivalry with Will, was starting to grate .... Until tonight.

Tonight was Sue's night. Her obsession/tribute to Madonna could've been a trainwreck. But it was glorious. She was glorious. Made me (almost) forget about the men I was paying to dig up my front yard tomorrow morning. Even my pvr cutting out (AGAIN) with 5 minutes to go couldn't put a damper on Glee tonight.

Perhaps it's becasue I was at the end of my rope. Or, more likely, because it was coming off yet another dreary American Idol. "Songs of Inspiration"?! Puh-lease. Songs to sleep by. Or cringe. Call me a cynical bitch but I thought Mamasox's breakdown was as contrived as....well, the show itself. I didn't see any tears. I think she was working it. And it worked. Maybe I'm just over it. Between the youngster and the grinner and the all-round earnestness there's just not much more left to say other than: it blows. You can read all about it on all the other blogs/mags/sites. Bye bye Simon. Tick tock Idol. Hello Glee!

Just when I feared it had prematurely run its course, Glee sucked me back in. Welcome back! My name is MOAM. And, yeah, I'm grounded by Icelandic ash. And practically living in a campground without the luxury of an outhouse. But I'll say it loud: I'm a Gleek and I'm proud.

For now. The winds could change.....

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

ANOTHER BRILLIANT BRILLIANT BLOG..
YOU NEVER EVER KNOW WHEN ONE OF THESE DAYS OR SHOULD I SAY BLOGS WILL HIT THE PAPERS.
YOU ARE THE BEST BEST EVER

Anonymous said...

your ends are fab! Don't tell m ethe PVR cuts out again!!! Why do they do this? We shoudl start a petition and send it around and then to the networks to stop screwing with our recording!!!

One Hungry Mutha! said...

Could NOT agree more, my friend! You are hilarious. What? No flushing? I would cry, and cry hard. You're my hero.
Glee lost me, as you said, focusing on the dumb-dumb adults, and frankly rarely seeing Sue Sylvester anymore, what were the writers thinking? You're being an enemy to comedy if you don't utilize Jane Lynch to her fullest! Then the Madonna episdoe, sweet jesus, that was GOOD!
And as my gay friend said about American Idol this season, move on dot org! it is seriously B-O-R-I-N-G! sadness, fo' real.
love you!
Les