Right, so I said I wouldn’t write about “Glee” until “Glee” gave me a good reason to write about “Glee” again. And last night, well, “Glee” gave me that reason. How do you begin to make amends with the Lesbian Blogging Community? Well, proving Santana is a member of that Lesbian Blogging Community helps. And name checking AfterEllen and Rizzoli & Isles lesbian subtext doesn’t hurt either.
Last night “Glee” broke the fourth wall once more to address the Lesbian Blogging Community, but in a way that neither shamed or insulted us. Instead it acknowledged our existence and by doing so addressed some of our complaints. In fact, they practically followed my good and wise friend Heather’s suggestions for how to get their shit together to a T.
Grovel? Well, Santana declaring has an “out and proud, lipstick loving, AfterEllen-reading girlfriend” means our existence has not gone unnoticed. Bring back Santana? Hell yeah, and by bringing her to New York instead of keeping her a Lima loser (cough, Finn, cough). Extend the same courtesies to your lesbian and gay relationships as you do to your straight ones? Santana kisses Elaine and Brittany – on the lips and everything. Give Santana a girlfriend? Well, sorta – Elaine turned out to be gay for pay and an Ani DiFranco T-shirt. Learn the word “endgame” and apply it to Brittana? Not quite yet, but I still hang on that four-letter word “hope.”
So is all forgiven? Well, no. I mean, I’m not so easy that one shout out to AfterEllen makes everything magically better. But I do appreciate the effort and am thankful for that first step toward reconciliation. We, the collective Lesbian Blogging Community, are an awfully demanding bunch. I should know, I try to please us every day. But I also think we’re by and large fair. So if someone tries to do better, I want to applaud and encourage that. Redemption is a hard and even harder earned. What happens next will make all the difference.
But what else impressed me just as much as the unabashed name drop was the nuanced handling of the Santana-Brittany-Sam love triangle. The entire Lesbian Blogging Community/Brittana fandom wasn’t accused of knee-jerk , not to mention violent, myopia. Instead Santana and Sam were presented as equals, vying for the love of a bisexual woman who was allowed to make her own decision. Sure, we might not be happy with her choice right now. But it wasn’t made because Sam is the boy or lesbian are nutters. Gender wasn’t an issue, just that eternal struggle between the head and the heart. Santana will probably always love Brittany – but she knows she has to move on for now and will do it in that concrete jungle where dreams are made and lesbians live in Tribeca communes.
“Glee” has always been that strange amalgamation of raw heart and self-aware snark. At its best it transcends its silly song and dance with simple truths that help us understand each other a little more. Or be so bitchy you just can’t help but laugh. And when it’s brilliant, it’s brilliant. That moment when you realize who you really are and how hard it will be to show that to the world, “Glee” knows how to do that. When it’s not brilliant, well, we all know what that’s like. While I never expected this show to be perfect, I do demand it keep trying to be better.
And, on a completely shallow note, I can’t help but be thrilled that Santana Lopez has a favorite Rizzoli & Isles Lesbian Subtext Blog. Which means Santana ships Rizzles. And I write Rizzoli & Isles Lesbian Subtext Recaps. Which means, wait, does Santana reads my blog? Fiction/reality, who cares. Everything is gayzzoli – even Brittana – and nothing hurts. Now that Ms. Lopez (and the always amazing Naya Rivera) has moved back in, I’ll be watching on the regular again. Just when I thought I was out, “Glee” pulls me back in. Happy weekend and watching, all.
21 comments:
What happened to you? Did Glee finally fry your brain?
First of all the writing was horrible and it was not a Santana episode.
The mention of the Lesbian Blogging Community was a sterotypical joke and supposed to show how pathetic lesbians are. Actually the whole episode showed how pahtetic Santana was and that make clear to us that Sam and Brittany "belong" together. So we should just shut up.
Sam and Santana were never presented as equals. It was always clear that Sam, the penis, was going to win. How many times do Sam and Brittany have to tell straight out that they are perfect for each other and they love each other before you get what couple the glee writers are choosing? I can't remember Santana saying that she loves Brittany in the episode.
The "storyline" was rushed and badly writting. It was just a way to get Santana and the fans out of the way of the golden couple. If you didn't get the memo yet: Bram are perfect, Brittana are BFF.
Next episode: Quinn/Santana kiss and a hotel room.
Enjoy being mocked.
I'm done.
Wow, you're so easy. One mention and the breaking of the fourth wall again and everything is alright in the world.
Santana and Sam were never equals. It's clear with all the Chord pimping they have been doing that Sam was going to be picked by Britt (the advantages of being a man). They barely interacted the previous seasons and now they wants us to believe they're this epic love story.
The writing was contrived and plain awful. Brittana has been friendzoned forever and I doubt they will ever be revisited. It goes to show that lesbians girls are never taken seriously and all they can be are BFF.
To add insult to injury, Quinntana happens next week, which I'm sure a lot of the lesbians will be thrilled about it. Because seeing the straight friend going all the way with the lesbian is what lesbians are good for. A phase.
TPTB keep insulting the fandom and they're all thanking them for the great storylines. Enjoy. I'm done with this.
I'm with Dorothy on this one. While I'm not letting glee off the hook for future stuff, I really enjoyed this episode.
I don't think its unreasonable that Brittany stayed with Sam for now. Santana did break up with her, so it would be a little unreasonable if she could just come back and get back together with Brittany whenever she wants.
Just like in season 2 when Brittany didn't dump Artie just as soon as Santana said she loved her, I'm going to wait and see what happens with this one. Also, I kind of love that Santana is now free to go to New York and be independent :)
Besides the Santana stuff, the Kurt/Rachel storyline gave me lots of warm fuzzy old glee feelings.
Great episode!
I gave up on Glee a long, long time ago. Props to you for shamelessly dropping a paraphrased Vonnegut quote in your article though!
Dorothy, I think you and the community are still being played and mocked. It's too much like Mitt trying to backtrack from his 47% gaffe. I startled myself when I gave a one fingered salute to your Tumblr post Thursday evening. I used to only do that for Dubya! My loathing for all things Glee related does not seem to be fading.
just wanted to counteract some of the hate I'm seeing in the comments. I 100% agree with you! While I haven't actually seen the episode yet, (thanks for the videos by the way!) I pretty much got the gist of how things went and can't wait to actually see Naya rip sh*t up! Thats basically the only reason I watch now - just to see her. The season as a whole has been pretty much a bust for me. The only passable episodes, in my humble opinion, were Thanksgiving, last week and now this week! Like I said, I haven't seen last nights show yet, aside from a few clips, but what I've seen I LOVE! I think the writing is really starting to improve, beginning with last weeks show and am hoping now that Santana may be somewhat of a regular fixture that it will continue to do so! And I think it totally rocks that they gave a shout out to AE and it's something you should totally be excited about. Finally, if it is true that Quintanna may be happening next week well I'm all for it! As much as I love Brittana, I actually think Quintanna make for a much equal pairing. Just wanted to give my
$.02 and say thank you! And LOVE your blog & AE!!!
Nice, but manipulation was their intent, and you are easily pleased. Too easily, IMO. After what they've said and done to the queer teen girl fandom, they owe us better representation. That's not entitlement, that's desert.
They aren't going to fix all their problems in one episode, and it's nice to know their shout-out to you worked in trying to make amends. But there was still so much wrong with this episode, esp. regarding girls in general. I maintain: Brittana will be endgame, but it does not matter when there is no middle. If they get a (second, third, forth, brazillionth) chance to respect them as a real couple the way they do the others, and not just in breaking them up, in a S5 I'll reconsider. It's obvious for now they're not happening in S4.
But I'm still not watching, still not giving them a dime, until they put their money where their mouth promised they are, and THAT, they have not yet done, not at all.
I have glee from not watching TV
................................................yawn
Yep, yep, yep. Correct, Snarks. All is not forgiven, but if this is the beginning of making amends, they have my attention. Also, I loved hearing Naya Rivera say "Rizzoli & Isles Lesbian Subtext Blog" out loud. It was like when Tina Fey was doing that video tour of her 30 Rock office and there was a photo of Amy Poehler on the wall, "I mean, it sort of makes the world collapse in on itself, because if that's Amy Poehler, WHO AM I?" Like, if Santana reads your recaps, does she knows she's a TV character?!
Anyhoodle, well said as always, and many congratulations on the well-deserved shout out. Keep coming correct and don't sweat the haters.
Whew, a couple of you are a very tough crowd to please on this one, so intense people! To the haters, you did read that Snarker said all was not forgiven right? That while there has been wrong doing, a step in the right direction should be encouraged in the hopes of continued steps in that direction.
Yikes, we are a tough crowd to please sometimes Snarker, but you are doing great things and I always look forward to reading your posts.
Gosh, I hope no one read my finger salute comment above as Dorothy hating. I love Dorothy but hate Glee. I only ever watched the show for Brittana. In fact, I only got started when I believed the people who believed the people who intimated that relationship would be real and respectfully treated. When they killed that, and it became just story lines, I lost all interest in both Brittany and Santana. My finger salute was to the image of Santana/Naya and it DID take me by surprise.
I love Dorothy.
That was a start...
Well, Glee, you got my attention at least. I'm still not ready to forgive and I'll never forget, that's for sure. But you have the opportunity to show everyone that you know when you're wrong and you're willing to make amends.
The only thing that I would really like to see will never happen: Quinntana being something more than a poor rating stunt. I'd like to see Quinn genuinely question herself and give it a shot with Santana. Not just a "straight girl experimenting with her heartbroken and freshly rejected lesbian friend".
They are awesome together, and that may sound crazy, I'll give you that. But that is part of what would make it interesting. I'd love to see someone like Quinn realizing that not everyone finds their inner gay self in high school. And suddenly realize why she always had that love/hate relationship with Santana.
Yes, Brittana is done and it's sad. But Brittany has been ruined for me, and at this point I can't ship her with anyone, not even Santana.
So... Quinntana. Why the hell not? The actresses have good chemistry, the characters have a lot in common (since it seems the criteria to pair characters together this season), they're friends since freshman year and still very close.
I really want to see Santana get a new LI, even if it's not Quinn (it has to be a blonde though! It doesn't work otherwise lol). But if RIB are ballsy enough to go that route and make Quinn a serious potential LI? Bonus points all the way, Glee.
Come on, surprise me. I DARE you to make me want to watch.
I love Santana. Thanks for the alert 'cause I've not been watching. That girl can sing and channel some killer powerful TinaTurner. YAY!
when i saw that rizzles comment on the show I totally thought - OMG, Santana reads Dorothy Surrenders!! :)) yes, everything is gayzolli and nothing hurts :)
I kind of love and I find it super sad all at the same time that the intent of the Afterellen name dropping was to fool you guys and call you back into their side with sweet talking and it seems to be working quite nicely. So easy.
For above posters, It doesn't matter if DS claims Glee isn't forgiven yet. The fact she and HH believe the people who run Glee could have delivered what the lesbian blogging community demanded because they demanded it is absolutely ridiculous. They don't care about us, any of us, or them for that matter. Namedropping Afterellen was in my opinion a cheap attempt to making them feel like they were, but it can also be interpreted as a stereotypical joke which considering we're talking about Glee, it's probably what it was.
What I disliked about the episode is that it really had nothing to do with Brittana, but they made it seem that it did. Brittany had no POV in this episode; hell Brittany never has a POV. Why didn't they show us the conversation Brittany had with the pretend girlfriend? It was all just a contrived way to get Santana to NYC. Which woohoo because that is what I wanted, but they could have done it in a better way. As for Quinn/Santana, it is a quick sweeps moment seeing as Dianna is barely on the show and Santana doesn't like LDRs. Does Santana only know how to sleep with her best friends?
This whole episode was like an attempt to patch a growing hole in a sinking boat. Glee was never better than tolerable at the best times, and this whole season has been awful. Re-introducing Santana, giving Tina a song and not giving any of the new kids any significant lines or airtime was a good start, but even bringing Brittana back (which will never happen) wouldn't be able to fix the fundamental underlying issues of this show.
I think the writers are taking a lot of flak for writing something that is moderately realistic.
Santana moved across the country to go to university and was unable to keep a long distance relationship going with her 17 year old (?) girlfriend. Long distance is hard enough when you're an adult let alone a teenager. How many of you really believe that keeping Brittany and Sanatana together is realistic?
Then Brittany shacks up with Sam. Now, as a character, I'm really not enamoured with him one bit. But, given Brittany is very much a bisexual on that Kinsey scale, she's perfectly entitled to get with any guy or girl that she wants. Again, she's a teenager and still figuring out what she wants from life.
One thing that did REALLY annoy me though is Brittany's constant "I love you but I can't be with you because I'm with someone else". That's not loyalty, it's mean. If you're in love with someone else, you shouldn't be dating the person you're with.
Still I admit, I've only ever been into Glee because of the hotness of one Naya Rivera and honestly I don't care who she gets screen time with: Man, Woman, Dog - it makes no difference, viewers are too distracted by the hotness of Rivera to notice.
I will just be glad when we don't even notice a shout out to the community.
That being said, I love your writing Dorothy and defend your right to write!
Yeah, welcome back to some interesting Glee. I mean, NAYA. Nayanayanaya. Santana. and now QUINN. Diannadianna. These women are gorgeous and they support us as actresses. I'm going to drink the glass half-full, and I sure needed it after this episode and all the Doccubus writhing on this fantastic blog! ;)
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