REVIEW: “A Very Glee Christmas”

Pin It

Before I talk about last night’s episode of Glee I feel I should let you know that I’ve turned into a bit of a Grinch in my old age. I don’t really enjoy Christmas music any more, with very few exceptions. The latest Josh Groban holiday cd is pretty good, and “Midwinter Graces” by Tori Amos gets regular play on my iPod. But most of it I tune out, including the most recent Glee Christmas cd that hit Itunes a couple of weeks ago. Part of me wanted to wait till the episode aired but a larger part of me just didn’t care. Now…I’m not saying I went into the episode tonight wanting not to like it, but I thought you should know where I stand on bells jingling, merry gentlemen and lords a leaping and what not.

Glee bid farewell to 2010 with a healthy dose of Yuletide cheer and enough “aw” moments to warm the heart of Grinches everywhere…even mine. As the years comes to a close we are left with the love lives of our McKinley kids in turmoil. Rachel (Lea Michele) spent most of the episode trying to woo Finn (Cory Monteith) into forgiving her for cheating and Mr. Schue (Matthew Morrison) told Emma (Jayma Mays) he needed some space in order to get over her sudden marriage to Carl (John Stamos). And even after winning sectionals twice the glee kids still get slushies in the face from the football team. Why does no one get punished for that I wonder?

Also not going well is the glee club’s efforts to raise money to buy gifts for a local charity. When their plan to go caroling around the school backfires they repossess the Secret Santa gifts from Sue (Jane Lynch), who had rigged the gift exchange in her favor. Sue is unamused and quite literally turns into the Grinch to get back her gifts and destroy the spirit of Christmas for everyone with little Becky as her faithful reindog and a ever clueless Brittany (Heather Morris) playing the Cindy Lou Who role. She trashes the decorations the glee kids put up in the process. Way to be a great teacher there Sue.

Speaking of Brittany, it turns out that she still believes in Santa Claus and her boyfriend Artie (Kevin McHale) works very hard to make sure she hangs on to that childlike innocence. His plan goes slightly awry when he forces the glee club to visit Santa at the mall and Brittany asks Santa to let Artie walk again. Coach Beiste has to step in to put on the red suit in order to tell her that Santa can’t do everything. In the end a mysterious gift arrives that allows Artie to walk and Brittany’s belief in Santa is preserved. Sue even came around when despite all her efforts the Glee club still managed to hold on to their Yuletide cheer. She was so moved that she returned all the stolen gifts and brought the glee club over to Mr. Schue’s house to trim the tree.

I really like Artie and Brittany together. Of all the glee couples we’ve seen so far this is the first one that I really wanted to see work. The Finn and Rachel drama and break up was a given, and without Emma to pine over what will Mr. Schue do with his free time? Figures I’d latch onto the most unlikely pair right? Yeah it probably won’t last but I think they are cute together. We need to come up with a name for them. Artanny? Bartie? Wow those suck. This might be tough. As for Finn and Rachel, her efforts to woo him into forgiveness fell flat and I can’t say I’m too upset. In the beginning I liked the idea of them together. But then the creepy relationship calendar thing happened and she got all obsessive and vindictive and possessive and I just couldn’t figure them out any more. I know the masses want them together but I just don’t see it. Finn is a bit of a buffoon but I like the guy. He means well, even if he has to be hit over the head with common sense occasionally. As for Rachel I have a hard time liking her when she’s not singing. Even her attempt to gain Finn’s forgiveness was selfish. They did share a cute moment at the end of the show though, so I suppose there is hope for them yet.

As for the music I really enjoyed the “Island of Misfit Toys” at the beginning of the episode. Rudolph is one of the few Christmas specials I don’t miss and it was very fitting that they should sing that song while trimming their sad second-hand Christmas tree. Rachel’s performance of “Merry Christmas Darling” was flawless of course, but it was Kurt and Blaine’s “Baby its Cold Outside” that really stole the show. Those two really have chemistry and I loved Blaine’s parting comment to Kurt about him being much better than the girl he was supposed to sing with later. The oddest choice tonight was KD Lang’s “You’re A Mean One Sue the Grinch“. I enjoyed it, but I thought it strange that someone on the cast didn’t perform it. Even though I doubt she can sing, it would have been cool to hear Beiste sing that one. The only low point musically for me was “Last Christmas“. Didn’t they do that last year?

Okay so maybe my dislike of Christmas music and Christmas shopping and pine scented air freshener colored my opinion of “A Very Glee Christmas” a little. I swear I tried not to let it, but call me a Grinch if you must. As far as Christmas episodes go it was decent enough and I did enjoy most of it. I may have teared up a bit when it was revealed that Coach Beiste was the one who left the walking machine for Artie, and I thought Sue’s goodwill gesture at the end was nice. I am on board with the “spirit” of Christmas I just think it often gets lost in all the hullabaloo and tomfoolery of the season. And while I welcome the newest misfit in the choir room Lauren I have to ask why they have to give her all the food jokes? I know I called her “Bigfootish” in my last review but I didn’t think they’d actually resort to “I make everything about food” jokes with her. She asks Santa for sweet potato fries for gleek’s sake. And her crack about “we can eat that you know” when Mike pointed out that the latest slushie attack used actual slush from the parking lot was just lame.

My favorite quote from tonight came from Tina.

“When does Asian Santa arrive?”

Glee is done until sometime in February when the big post Super Bowl episode airs. I’m still baffled by that but oh well. Seems to me a show that actually airs on Sunday nights would make more sense but I don’t make the rules right? Next year will also see Katie Couric doing a guest spot and the impending return of Gwyneth’s Holly Holiday, both of which should make for good television. I wonder if Katie can sing?

Since there is no new episode to preview, enjoy this clip of Glee performing on The X-Factor last week in prep for their European tour.