My Thoughts on the Top 48 of America's Got Talent

 America's Got Talent - The Top 48

I've been keeping up with the Las Vegas Week results of America's Got Talent, but this is a one person blog and I work full time. I have not had time to recap this week, so I think I will instead sum up my feelings about each of the successful top 48 acts.  I also have to pause to express my grave disappointment that Andrew DeLeon did not perform better in Las Vegas.  He is a rare talent, and he could have been this year's Susan Boyle... but I understand entirely why he was cut.  There has to be some kind of objective criteria for weeding out the people who are not quite ready for competition at this level.  It was pretty evident to me that Andrew's nerves got the better of him and he just did not leave the judges - or me - with the impression that he was mentally and emotionally ready to do this.  He'd never sung for anybody at all... well, there's a huge downside to that, and we saw the result.  I hope very much that he practices this year... in front of other people... and tries again next time, more mentally prepared for what is ahead.  Everybody who was chosen to go to New York deserved it more than he did this time...

Well, almost everybody.  There's a couple of times when I thought the judges took leave of their senses, but mostly, they made good decisions.  

 First up:   GREAT acts.   These are people that I think richly deserve to be here.  They all combined technical excellence with that certain something special that sets them apart.  Although they can't all get there, I think each of these acts are Top Ten contenders. 

Aurora Light Painters –  Unusual and spectacular art made with light.  It's beautiful.  Their biggest liability is that the Lightwire Theater will be competing for some of the same votes.  

American BMX Stunt Team –  This is the more exciting and impressive of the two stunt bike teams. 

Ben Blaque –  I'm a sucker for a man who can shoot straight.  If he scores enough bullseyes with his crossbow without killing his assistant, he could be in the top ten.  He is not going to win this. 

David Garibaldi and his CYMKs - Garibaldi is extremely clever to have found a way to turn his extraordinary speed painting into a real live performance.  This is a very innovative act.

Donovan and Rebecca  - I hope this elegant acrobatic act, which requires immense physical strength from both of them, lasts a few rounds.   The love story they tell with their moves is also compelling. 

Eric Dittelman –   Eric certainly appears to be a very skilled mind reader.  What he seems to be able to do is genuinely startling and scary.  I know it's a trick, but.... HOW??????????  Top ten potential.  Will not win. 

Joe Castillo - A stunning and unusual art act.  I've never seen anybody turn sand art into a performance medium before.  He makes wonderful connections between different concepts with his changes.  He's one of my favorites. 

Lightwire Theater - I think this is a potential final four group.   It is beautiful, and captivating,  but not quite as unusual as the Aurora Light Painters.  This is a little closer to something I've seen around Christmas.

Sebastien “El Charro de Oro” - If a child is destined to win this contest, I hope it's this kid.  Now there's a vocalist who can go toe to toe with the adults!  He's a phenomenal talent, and I am blown away even though I am not particularly a fan of mariachi music.

Spencer Horsman - His website says he's an illusionist, not an escape artist.  He seems to be a suicide attempt artist.  Oh, Spencer, please don't kill yourself by accident on our account.  That last one was a little close, and I am afraid he feels the need to up the ante.


Tom Cotter - With a resume like this one, I am a little surprised that he even felt the need to go on AGT.  He's a clever, polished, very experienced comedian and he's won several awards  He's already headlined in Las Vegas. Why is he here competing with a guy who hits his own nuts and calls it an act? I guess he wants the million dollars.  Unfortunately, comedians don't tend to win this competition. 


The Untouchables – Hey, not only is this the best youth group - and possibly the best dance group -  in the competition, but they've got a lot to live up to.  They have to show the Miami All Stars that kids can crack the top ten, too.

William Close and the Earth Harp - If it were up to me and I had to decide right now, this act would win the competition.  He has created a unique musical experience of exquisite beauty. 


Good acts - They deserved to make the Vegas cut, but I don't think they can win.  Most of the contenders will be in this group.  I think the judges mostly got it right this year. 

787 Crew  - A dance group from Puerto Rico. They have some nice tricks.  They will last a round or two.

All That! – Here's what they have going for them:  they are really good, entertaining, precise cloggers.  Here's what they have going against them:  they are cloggers competing against really innovative artists, people prepared to kill themselves for our entertainment, and adorable children.  It's going to be a tough room. 

The All Ways - It's hard to take a cover band completely seriously as real rock stars, but I did like their take on Adele.  

Cristin Sandu - He's able to keep his balance on top of a really big tower of stuff.  Some of that stuff is rolling.  And he can get down, too!   This will be interesting a couple of times.  

David “The Bullet” Smith - But... once you've seen him blast out of a cannon once... what's next?

The Distinguished Men of Brass - I don't think this marching band of senior citizens can make the final ten, but I would be happy to be proven wrong.  Like all marching bands, it's fun to watch, but may not have that much variety after awhile. 


Edon Pinchot - He's a very gifted teenager, and he sings with a lot of emotion.  I do think he's a bit green to go the distance this year.   Besides, in order to win as a singer you have to have a cloying tale of woe to tell, and he seems to be a pretty well-adjusted kid. 

Elusive - I hope he enjoys his fifteen minutes of fame; I think a win is going to be a bit elusive for him as a solo break dancer.

Eric and Olivia  - I thought this music duo was funky and fun.  She's got a great, distinctive voice.  They are going to syphon all the votes away from Nikki Jensen. 


 Hawley Magic – It's a nice magic show, but nothing special.  There's something very elegant in the delivery.  

Inspire the Fire - I think this act is very much in this primarily because of the civic worthiness of its mission statement. It's a fantastic activity for inner city kids.  It's a pretty good music group.  It is probably not a million dollar act.

Jacob Williams -  Ultra nerdy, ultra young, ultra funny.  He's the Socially Awkward Penguin walking around as a comedian.  It's going to be interesting to see who lasts longer - this gawky, hysterically clever kid, or veteran comedian Tom Cotter.  I give Cotter the edge because he's more experienced and polished.
  
Jake Wesley Rogers is off to a great start.  He's fresh-faced and likeable, but what is there that's really special about him?  How does he stand out from all the other singers, like Edon, or Eric and Olivia?

 Jarrett and Raja - Now here's something a little different - the magician working with a concert pianist.  This is an odd pairing, but it's the slice of weirdness that may make them stand out.

Lindsey Norton – Yes, I agree that her gymnastic dancing is wonderful fun to watch.  My biggest concern:  to what degree will she be overshadowed by all the best gymnasts in the world competing in London later this summer? How is what she does different from your average world-class floor routine?  And can she compete against Unity In Motion?

LionDanceMe –This is, at the very least, a really interesting cultural experience; on their website they say that they want to turn the Chinese art of Lion Dance into an American mainstream frenzy.  I am not sure they can do that, but they might raise awareness a bit.  I wish we'd seen more of their routine in Vegas.  I was intrigued.

Lisa Clark Dancers - This is a neat, precise, and well-trained group of dancers.  I am not sure they have the "something special" they need to outlast groups like the Untouchables.  

Olate Dogs – Dance, doggies, dance!  Can you form a congo line?  Maybe!  Can you win a million dollars?  No, probably not.  Can you win some hearts?  You just might. 

 Rock Star Juggler Mike Price - Yep, he's a really good juggler.  That's about it.  I hope he gets more gigs out of this.  He will probably not get a million dollars - but he's excellent at what he does.

Scott Brothers - I think this is a pretty cool dance/novelty act, and I will enjoy them for as long as they last.  

Shanice and Maurice Hayes - This is a very nice soul act.  I think the fact that they are father and daughter adds a touch of sweetness to what they are accomplishing together. I do NOT think they should break up.  It's their personal connection that makes the act.

Tim Hockenberry - Oh, look.  Here's the white male singer with the sob story.  After failing with Timothy Poe and Andrew DeLeon, they finally got one that would be able to stand up to scrutiny on the third try.  (I'm sorry, Tim... I've just gotten tired of this particular schtick from this particular show.  My grumbling is not really about you.)   I think I'd actually be friendlier to Tim if they hadn't shoved his alcoholism down my throat, because he is talented.   Tim sounds almost exactly like Joe Cocker, and he did sing with great passion.   He's probably going to go far.  I still hope a different genre of act wins this year.

Unity in Motion - They can do some really exciting gymnastics tricks.  I would like to see how the Olympics excitement affects enthusiasm for these kids - and they have to contend with Lindsey Norton, too. 

 Wordspit and the Illest! –  Inspire the Fire grows up and becomes real musicians.  This is very interesting work, with lots of different influences.  They are going to give The All Ways all kinds of competition.

Marginal acts that are not my cup of tea:

All Beef Patty – Maybe if this drag character wasn't quite as... grotesque, I'd like this performer  more.  I don't care for this.    I'd rather watch Unique on Glee again, I think, if I want to see a female impersonator.  

All Wheel Sports – Bicycle Stunts.  Yes, they are good, but they are also kind of redundant.  

Danielle Stallings – I think she's going to be a heck of a singer when she grows up.  She's showing promise now, but I don't think she's ready yet. 

Lil Starr –  Boy, I'm gonna come off as a scrooge for putting her here, aren't I?  Yes, she's adorable.  She's really cute.  There are ten of her in every dance studio in the country and twenty in every Lil Darling Baby Pageant.   I am looking for kid acts who would be impressive if they were adults.   I don't really expect Lil to get a whole lot farther.  I think Howard was right the first time.

Michael Nejad –  Michael Nejad has figured out how to get pretty music out of a broom.  That's a cool novelty idea.  It is not a million dollar idea, and he's going to get eaten alive... probably this week.  However, I suspect this stint on AGT will help his career as a music teacher quite a bit. 

Nikki Jensen -  I'm afraid I am going to be one of those grumblepusses who, as Howard feared, wouldn't really get Nikki.  I don't care for her voice.   I'd rather listen to Eric and Olivia.   Her original songwriting might be good.

Todd Oliver -  He uses real dogs as ventriloquist dummies.  There's too much out there this year that is really exciting, really innovative, really beautiful, or really funny.  There's even an act with really cool dogs.  This one comes off as really cheesy. 

Turf - How many different ways is he going to find to contort himself?  At what point will the degree to which this act is mesmerizing be outweighed by the degree to which it is grotesque?  

Ulysses - OK, here's what he has going for him:  his voice really is very rich and beautiful.  However... Secret Agent Man?  Really?  This act is going to get very old very quickly.  I wish he'd made less cheesy choices, because his voice is great. 


Garbage.  It would have been better for the judges to have mercy on Andrew DeLeon.

Big Barry – I only wish he'd been the one to forget the words to his song.  Of course, with his enunciation, he could have just grunted the chorus and nobody would have noticed the difference. 

Horse –  This man is not talented.  He's a crackpot who will do absolutely anything to be on television.  I don't even HAVE balls and it's painful to watch. 



On the whole, I think this is a pretty good Top 48 for America's Got Talent.  I can count really obvious mistakes on the fingers of one hand, which is a lot more than I can usually say for the semifinalists of American Idol.  Still.... Big Barry?  Over Andrew DeLeon?  Really? 

Recap of the first live show is here 
Recap of the first results show is here 

Chris Colfer speaks at the American Library Association: Video by sacteach

It's amazing what you can find on tumblr.  I am a youth services librarian, and I live in Texas.  While I enjoyed the American Library Association visit to Dallas this winter, I did not have the money to go to the ALA annual conference in Anaheim this year.  Fortunately for me and for a lot of other Chris Colfer fans out there, sacteach did.

Sacteach went to a lot of time and trouble to film and upload Chris' presentation of The Land of Stories to ALA.  His speech is witty, clever, and I am enormously grateful and happy that I got to see it.  I asked sacteach for permission to present these videos on my blog.  Visit http://sacteach.tumblr.com/ for more memories and comments about Chris Colfer's trip to Anaheim.  In the meantime, I present:  Chris Colfer's speech at the American Library Association Convention at Anaheim.  All three videos are in one place. 

For the very first time, my fandom and my professional life have collided.

Part One:





Part Two:



Part Three:

Many thanks to sacteach for these videos!

"Sexuality" - Glee Project Recap

It's week number four of The Glee Project 2!  What is the theme of the week?  It's "Sexuality!"  Mind you, for this episode of a show related to Glee, we will be focusing exclusively on PDA between boys and girls.  Although there is one certain transgender and at least one likely homosexual in this grouping, all the groping will be between people of opposite genders.  In this respect, it will be like any typical episode of Glee, where the gay kids mention that they are gay as they chastely sit three feet away from the person to whom they are actually attracted.  (Meanwhile, Finchel makes out.  Just like old times!)

Everybody is contractually obligated to be pleased and excited about the sexuality theme.  Aylin is especially happy, since Slutty appears to be her primary stock and trade.  Funny ... she's not... THAT attractive.  I mean, she's fine, but she's no Naya Rivera.  She casually mentions that the men in her Moslem family will be stoning her by the weekend.  I am beginning to wonder if she's running this sexuality motif just to piss them off.

Nellie is nervous.  Nellie is a virgin.  Watch out, Nellie.  They will give you a First Time episode and show you actually in bed with the guy.  Don't you know you can't lose your virginity on Glee without it being a Very Special Episode?

They will be singing "I Want to Sex You Up" by Color Me Badd.  There's more exaggerated approval.  Michael shares:  he's pretty experienced, and he thinks math is sexy.  Hey, cute kid... e=MC2.  Hubba hubba.  Oh, wait, that's physics.  Never mind, you are too young for me.  Come back when you can buy me a drink.

They divvy up the lines, and Mario informs us that he's going to attempt to get along with other people this week.  He doesn't want to seem arrogant, so he's going to take whatever line - it doesn't really matter anyway, in the chopped up mess that is the Homework Assignment - and let his awesome, unbelievable talent speak for itself.  Oh, go home already.

They all try being sexy and mostly look like goobers.  Which is fine - they are kids. Aylin mentions that she never turns the sexy off, which rubs Lily the wrong way; maybe because Lily can't turn it on.  Sorry, I just don't like Lily.  Shanna thinks sexuality is rainbows and sunshine and sweetness and lollipops.  And you know... for her, that might really be true.  It's not a bad thing. 

Tyler can't do sexy because he's new to being transgender.  Tyler can't seem to do much except be transgender.  I am beginning to wonder if he'd do any better if he were still a girl... No.  Tyler is just awkward.  Maybe he will be awesome when he's, like... thirty.  I know a lot of people like that, and it's also not a bad thing.

The next day, Abraham has changed his hair.  He got rid of the awkward fake red streak and now it is all black.  He looks much better.  Tyler did it for him, which means Tyler has officially done something really positive and noteworthy this week.

Robert introduces the guest mentor, the most "sexually confident" person on Glee.  That's quite a statement for a character who was in the closet half the season and got quite horribly outed.  Of course, the actress is surely quite sexy... it's Naya.  See, Aylin.  This is what sexy looks like.  More uproarious applause.  Mario says she's so sexy he can see it.  Funny, I personally think that if I could only hear Santana and not see her, I'd be thinking of her as the nastiest and rudest.   A lot of Santana's appeal is visual - but maybe Mario likes her singing.

Naya begins by admitting that Santana is promiscuous for both genders - I think she's slept with everybody except Rachel and Kurt, so look for new and interesting positions in New York - and she says sex is all about confidence.  Also... less is more.  So cool yer jets, Aylin.

The kids do the Homework Assignment.  I hate this thing because it's so disjointed, but good lord Nellie has an amazing tone to her one little line.  Aylin flirting with Tyler is just... awkward.  Michael sounds good.  I am not sure what to make of the pairing of Ali and Mario... did they intend to put the two handicapped kids together as if this was the Special Olympics part of the sexuality camp?  This kind of bothers me.   However, Lily grabbing Abraham's leg is just wrong. I know that pairing is not right.

Naya thinks Blake is sexiest when he's playful.  Aylin went over the top.  Thanks, Naya. We appreciate you giving her that note. Naya liked Charlie's beat boxing. Nellie was nervous. Charlie is the Homework Winner.  Yeah, Charlie!  I am getting very attached to Charlie!  My own son has Aspergers, too, so it's kind of hopeful for me to see Charlie in this top eleven.  I'm going to end up one of these episodes weeping, aren't I?

"Naya Rivera thinks I'm seeeeexxxxxxxxyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!"  For a kid with Aspergers?  Best. Moment. Ever.  Ever.  EVER.   You don't UNDERSTAND.   Oh, Charlie, I am so happy for you here.

For the music video, they will be doing a mash-up of Moves Like Jagger and Milkshake.  I paused the DVR in the middle of this moment to type, and it's hysterically funny.  Tyler and several of the other kids are putting on extremely excited and happy faces and... Naya has not actually announced the songs yet. Yeah, they've totally got cue cards that say "act like you just won the lottery" no matter what she actually says.

They will be students in a high school sex ed class who end up doing a boys vs. girls sexy-off.   No, guys.  Don't use sex as a weapon.  (Pat Benatar reference.  Yes, I am old.)

Zach begins the dance portion by proclaiming, "Welcome to sex ed!"  And it's all about secrets, since they can't just hump each other on the desks.  Zach has already figured out that Aylin is about to set up a bordello.  Unfortunately, he doesn't see Shanna's natural sunniness and sweetness as sexy.  He actually asks her when she wants to start trying to be sexy.  For a girl who probably gets boys by the handful by being fun and sweet and likeable, this may be confusing.  Ok, not everybody is a prostitute in training, Zach.  She is left very confused.  He wants her to be something other than what she is.

Then Zach gives Nellie some blocking that blows her mind.  He wants her to lean over in a chair and arch it up.  Nellie is extremely uncomfortable now.  And her first attempt at arching... needs a little work.

Vocals with Nikki:  Nikki wants to see confidence.  She also wants to see decorum.  First, Charlie blows some notes.  Then he flirts at Aylin. In a week dedicated to sexuality, Charlie is going to get in trouble for making eyes at a girl who wears a banner on her chest that says "Lust after me."  Nikki wants to know who he is smiling at.  She deduces that he is using Aylin as inspiration.  Nikki would yell at Charlie if... he weren't singing so well.

Aylin realizes that Charlie and she are now in a weird place because Nikki is now involved.  They now feel awkward.  I am beginning to think that, since it led to good work from Charlie and the girl involved is not feeling sexually harrassed, they should just leave them alone.

Michael and Mario are singing in the studio, and Michael really can't get the words. After several bad takes, Nikki just sends Michael away.  She's just going to finish with Mario.  You know, the one who can remember his lines.  Michael realizes how very bad this is for him.

It's time for the video shoot, and Lily thinks her biggest competition is Aylin.  Actually, Lily, I think your biggest competition is everybody more appealing and pleasant than you are.  That's... everybody, including Tyler.  Robert and Zach think she is working it, however.

Nellie is about to step out of her comfort zone in a big way, and she nails it.  She does the sexy booty lift, she twists with Blake and she swirls, and it's all pretty convincing.  She did her job.

Tyler hopes his type of sexy will come across.  I think it might when he's fully male and he can comfortably establish what that is.  It's going to take a year.  Most transexuals, especially introverted transexuals, don't get this boot camp on their sexual confidence in the middle of the transformation.  This really is kind of weird. Zach feels that Tyler is disappearing in the music video.  You see, Tyler has neither charisma nor talent. The judges are, however, happy with Abraham, who became more convincing by getting rid of the fake red hair.

Charlie sings well for Naya.

Unfortunately, he does not behave well for Eric.  Eric gives him direction, and Charlie argues with Eric, offering his own interpretation of the scene.  Then he begins to give direction to the actress who plays the teacher in this scene, and Eric forces him to stop.  Robert tells us that Charlie needs to learn what is appropriate behavior.  I agree.  I also urge them to remember that the ADHD and Aspergers is the gimmick that got Charlie here in the first place, and they need to realize that this is what they basically paid for. I am not saying that Charlie should be given a pass, but they need to stop clutching their pearls in horror when  a kid with Asperger's Syndrome misses basic social points.  That... is kind of the condition.  Either fire the kid with Asperger's for making social mistakes, or recognize the condition for what it is, but don't pat yourself on the back for choosing a kid with autism on his resume and then freak out when he misses social cues.  For crying out loud.  Deal with it, or don't.

They show us the video.  The sex ed teacher asks them to write an essy on what sex means to them.  And so, they show us instead, quite overtly.  Shanna flirts with Tyler... boy, that's awkward... and then we go to Aylin and Charlie, who are more convincing.  Aylin makes moves on Michael. Nellie catches Blake's eye and does the arch they all wanted so much.  Charlie tries to be sultry with Shanna.  Then Michael goes after Shanna.  For somebody so sweet and innocent, she's getting a lot of action.

Ali has both Charlie and Blake at her mercy.  Screw the wheelchair.  Let's do this thing.  Abraham makes his sultry way toward Nellie. Tyler attempts... oh, boy.  This really is not working. And with that, the sex-off begins.  We get a lot of girls hanging on for dear life in the arms of the guys forced to carry them and some playful humping.  Charlie ends the video by popping the teacher's behind.

It's a wrap.

Now comes the fun part.  They have to choose the Bottom Three.

Nellie is given high praise, and she is the first person safe.  Blake, Mario, Aylin, Abraham, Ali, and Lily are all called back.

Tyler is on the right path.. no, he's not... but he gets lost in the big group because he has absolutely no charisma at all.  And little talent, too.

Michael forgot his lyrics in the booth.

Shanna is already crying, and she's making Charlie very concerned.  She sobs as Zach tells her she is this glowing, happy person.. she's just not slutty enough to please them.

Charlie made the director mad because he really does not know how to behave.   This is the second week in a row they have sent Charlie to the Bottom Three because he would not understand a social cue if it hit him in the face, and this is actually the disability for which they set him aside for special consideration in this overly politically correct group of people.  Charlie admits he does not understand where the boundaries are.

The bottom three are Tyler, Michael, and Charlie. I wonder if these folks ever pick out a song for the person in hopes that he will fail?

Charlie admits that he stepped on people's toes unintentionally.  Michael admits that he knew this was coming. Tyler is in the bottom.. again.  What does this mean, this constant trip to the bottom?

I have a hard time believing that Ryan does not know what's going on with each kid when he enters.  The others pretend to brief him on events he probably has already watched; Charlie tried to direct Mary Gilles, and he flirted with Aylin.  Charlie sings a good, humorous rendition of "I Get a Kick Out of You."  Ryan reminds him that everybody is angry at him for upsetting Eric and for behaving like a hormonal teenager in the recording studio.  (Mind you, I have, with my own eyes, witnessed some very inappropriate sexual behavior from Ryan towards people who worked for him.  More that one person, and more than once.  This.... judgement REALLY bothered me for that reason. )  They scold him for having the hots for Aylin.  Then Zach admits that Charlie was really good in his song.  Ryan blisters him again, and then tells him that they will only allow him back in after this terrible, horrible behavior if they decide he is special.  If the question is professionalism, I honestly think Ryan would get thrown off his own show.

Tyler does not pop enough.  Ryan admits that he roots for Tyler simply because he's transgender.  Unfortunately, he's beginning to accept that Tyler is boring.  Tyler sings a dull and nasal version of "Smile" by Charlie Chaplin.  Tyler admits that he's too nerdy and introverted.. and new at being a guy... to be good at showing sexuality.  Ryan says it's hard for him to criticize anybody in the LGTB community at all for any reason whatsoever.. but he is beginning to recognize that Tyler is not talented.

Michael could not sing well in the recording studio.  He absolutely stinks up the place by forgetting all the lyrics to "Lucky" by Jason Mraz.  This is actually more painful to watch than Tyler's general lack of ability.  Nerves have bothered him all week.  Nikki notices that he's been choking all week.  It's like... Rachel's NYADA story!  Maybe he should stalk them, badger them and harass them until they give him another chance because he's so extra specially special, even though he completely blew it and others did much better!  Fortunately, this panel already thinks he's extra specially special and they praise him up, down and sideways for not usually sucking this badly.

He's not the least talented of the three, even though he performed the least well.  Zach wants him to stay.  Charlie's a hot mess... yeah, that's what you hired him for, Ryan... and that's why he fascinates Ryan, who loves human train wrecks. Tyler's problem is that... he's just not ready.   I don't think Tyler will ever be ready.

It absolutely kills Ryan to make the right decision here, because his biases are so weird and strong, but one of these kids is clearly very much inferior to the other two, so it has to happen... finally.

Talent actually does matter a little bit, finally.  Tyler goes home... at least two and possibly three or more weeks late.  He never should have been here at all; he was only cast because he was transgender, and it really wasn't a good enough reason to cast somebody in a television show.  He's just not Chris Colfer, who did not become a star simply by being gay.

That wraps up The Glee Project Recap for Episode Four, Season Two:  "Sexuality."

Recap for the next episode, "Adapatability"

"Skeletons in the Closet" Legend of Korra Recap

 Season Finale Legend of Korra Recap:  "Skeletons in the Closet."

Amon is certainly enjoying his reign as supreme ruler of Republic City.  Air zepplins roam the skies bedecked with symbols that remind me nervously of the Nazi swastika, and he's done some... remodeling... of Aang's statue in the harbor.  They've somehow created a big Amon mask big enough to fit the stone face; it's a wonder they didn't just tear it down.  Sato gloats that one day soon, all benders will lose their powers and everybody will be equal... although, as Orwell puts it, surely some will end up being more equal than others.  Mako and Korra, dressed as Equalist soldiers, listen to this and then make their getaway to their hiding space underground. Korra's mad enough to butt heads, but Mako's got this strange idea that they need to tread carefully when dealing with a guy who can take away their powers by touching their foreheads, so he urges her to wait for General Iroh.

Bolin and Asami are practicing tricks with Pabu when Korra and Mako come in.  Asami is feeling jealous - you know how romantic Equalist rallies can be - but Mako insists that they were just doing reconnaissance.  I think Asami is more concerned with what they are thinking and feeling than what they are actually doing.  After all - she's right.

A cheerful hobo tries to lighten the mood by offering everybody the very best in street grub for people down on their luck - a gruel made from only the choicest garbage from the very best dumpsters in the city.  Bolin, who will eat literally anything, loves it.  Asami is promptly sick.  This is just the first of several really rotten things that happen to Asami in this finale; I suspect she's quite sorry she ever met up with that sexy pro-firebending star and his lovely Avatar friend. 

Mako comes by to see Korra in the middle of the night.  Neither one of the them can sleep.  She's got a terrible pit in her stomach - apparently it's not caused by the gruel.  She can't believe she's gone from practicing her skills in the arctic to being involved in a war, and Mako... can't imagine life without her.   Oh, wait a minute, he's still got a girlfriend.  Korra decides to go to sleep instead if continuing this conversation.  Alone.  As Asami knows, it's about what they are thinking and feeling, and half-saying, not what they are doing, that is the problem.  So far.

In another part of town, Amon invites a long line of lucky chosen prisoners to be cleansed of their impurity, one by one.   It sounds like a healing and looks like an execution.

The next morning the gang - which still remarkably includes Asami, who appears to be putting duty ahead of personal feelings - make their way to the docks to check on Iroh's fleet.

And then, they are visible.  Iroh, still sounding deliciously like his formidable grandfather, wonders why they aren't meeting with resistance, but the answer comes fast enough.  It's a trap.  Amon is waiting for them, not with mecha tanks and airships, but with underwater mines and newly invented bi-planes, hot out of Sato's factory.  "Where does Hiroshi find the time to keep inventing new evil machines?" wails Bolin, who is ever mindful that he's the one character charged with infusing a consistent stream of humor into the script.  The biplanes begin to airbomb Iroh's ships, and even Korra, who has jumped in the water and is looking for mines to disable, can't figure out how to stop them.

Iroh and his followers begin to firebend in self-defense.  Korra takes out a couple of planes with a water vortex and some smooth moves.  Iroh fends off a missile, but finds himself blasted into the water.  His fleet is defeated.   He passes out and begins to sink like a stone; Korra rescues him.  Now he gets to slum with them in the tunnels where only the hobos and outcasts go.  I hope he likes dumpster gruel.

As Korra tends to his wounds, Iroh informs the others that reinforcements are on the way; he must warn them about the airships and mines.  The helpful hobo helps them get a message to Bumi, Tenzin's brother.  Iroh sends the message that he's been defeated, and tells Bumi not to attack until given the all clear.  The group must ground the Equalist's aircraft before Bumi can attack. Asami decides it's time to take down dear old dad.

Korra announces that she's not going to take part in the raid to take out the airships.  She wants to face Amon... alone if necessary.  Iroh sees the obvious flaw in any plan that involves them splitting up, but Korra wants to end this on her terms, although there's no particular reason for her to believe that she can do this without help.  Iroh knows it, too.  So, of course Mako decides he's going with her, and that means the group assigned to destroy the planes must do it without two of their best benders.  Oh, and Asami?  Kiss your boyfriend goodbye.  Iroh ponders this.  He thinks WWZD?  What Would Zuko Do... and agrees to allow it.

Bolin gives emotional goodbyes to both Korra and Mako.  Mako approaches Asami and... oh, I hate this scene.  He says he's "sorry that things got so messed up between us" as if he was not solely responsible for the way things got messed up.  They declare that they care about each other in very chaste terms, and she kisses him on the cheek.  Yeah, this romance is over.

Mako and Korra head to the Air Temple to ambush Amon and smuggle themselves in through a secret passage.  As they go to hide in the attack, they find they are not alone.  There is a forlorn, bedraggled prisoner in a cell.  It's Taarlok.  Why is he imprisoned here alone?  Because....
he's Amon's brother.

OK, we all knew there had to be some kind of connection.  Up until last episode, I actually suspected that they were the same person.  Taarlok, apparently at the end of his rope, confesses his whole terrible life story to a girl who was his mortal enemy only days ago.  Taarlok figured out who Amon was at the moment that Amon took his bending away; Amon used bloodbending to isolate him from his element, and he's felt Amon's bloodbending before. 

Amon and Taarlok are both water benders of the Northern tribe.  They are also both blood benders, trained by their sadistic father, Yakone.  After escaping from justice, Yakone had plastic surgery - wow, there's an anachronism for you - and settled in the North and married a nice little Inuit lady who had no idea what kind of monster she'd just allowed into her life.  They had two children:  Amon, the elder, was originally named Noahtok.  They had a grand old time just being little kids until they discovered they were waterbenders, and then it all got ruined.  Yakone was a cruel, exacting teacher even when they were just juggling little sacks of water around, especially to Taarlok.  However... when he took them on a "hunting trip", the situation really got nightmarish.

First, he hauled them out in the middle of a blizzard.  Then, he told them that he was a dangerous crime boss who vowed revenge against the Avatar who took away his bending.  Yakone regarded bloodbending as the most powerful and rare form of bending in the world, but Katara declared it illegal.  Now, he wants to teach his sons this power so that they can take over Republic City and avenge what Aang did to Yakone.

"The good days... were behind us" says Taarlok grimly. Yes, discovering that Dad's a psychotic criminal and you are going to be his new weapon might just put a damper on things.

So... Yakone took the boys out during the full moon and taught them to make cattle dance stiffly in the sky.  Taarlok protested that they were hurting the animals, but Yakone told him to toughen up.  Later, he taught them how to do it anytime.  Taarlok hated it, but Noahtok was an expert by the age of fourteen.  The responsibility took a toll on him; he became cold and detached.

Finally, Yakone went too far; he ordered the boys to bloodbend each other.  Noahtok went first, and forced his brother into an excruciating stiffness that left him screaming with pain. 

"Excellent," hissed Yakone.  Then he did something that showed a complete lack of good sense, let alone morals.  He had just forced his older, stronger son to torture his younger, weaker son terribly.  Now he wanted the younger, weaker son, still wracked with agony, to bloodbend his stronger son.

Ah no, Yakone. That's not happening.  Taarlok, the soft-hearted, refused to do it.  Yakone went to give him a brutal punishment - and felt the icy grip of Noahtok's bloodbending in his veins.   It appears that this was the exact moment that Noahtok realized he was more powerful than his father was... which also shows Yakone's complete lack of good sense.  Ok, don't torture your kids by teaching them how to torture others.  It might not end well for you.  Noatok declared the Avatar more powerful than his father, and he refused to help carry out Yakone's revenge.  He wanted to run away, and take Taarlok with him.... but Taarlok was unwilling to leave his mother.  Noahtok declared Taarlok a weakling, and disappeared into the blizzard.

Stunned by the loss of Noahtok, Yakone stopped training Taarlok, and his mother was never the same.   It doesn't quite explain why Taarlok was willing to bloodbend during the events of this year, but Korra declares it the saddest thing she's ever heard.  Taarlok fears that both he and Amon are still soldiers of revenge, and Amon thinks that bending is the primary source of evil in the world.

So how can they beat Amon?  They can't ambush him... but they can tell his followers the truth about his identity at the rally.  They thank Taarlok for his help.  Taarlok asks them to defeat Amon and put an end to the sad story. 

 Season Finale Legend of Korra Recap:  "Skeletons in the Closet."

Glee finale analysis: Why Kurt's Season Three cliffhanger is a narrative failure

The third season of Glee ended with a "cliffhanger" of sorts, for Kurt Hummel.  He was not accepted into NYADA, and the audience is left to wonder what he's going to do next.  Over at the Glee Forum we've had a very long discussion as to whether this was a narrative failure or a brilliant piece of misdirection on the part of the writers.  Today, I'd like to explain why I thought it was a narrative failure in a little more detail than I have before.

Glee is consistently marketed as a show in which underdogs struggle before finally achieving success.  This particular year was marketed as the year in which the ultimate underdogs achieve the ultimate goal:  New Directions wins Nationals and win the respect of the community.  At the same time, this was the year in which all the members of the Senior Class were to overcome their personal obstacles and decide on an ultimate direction for themselves.  In some cases, that obstacle may be getting into a chosen school, as it was for Quinn, or even just graduating, as it was for Puck.  However, the promise was that this year would end in a major milestone for each, and Kurt, the boy who began the first scene of the first show in the first season by getting thrown in the dumpster, was the biggest underdog of all.  The narrative rules and expectations that Glee sets up for the audience needed to be followed through with him as well as with Rachel, and Puck, and Quinn, and the rest. 

They began Kurt's storyline with a strong, consistent theme that was workable within this overall context.  They followed through on this theme very faithfully until the finale episode:  Kurt is an exceptionally talented boy who cannot achieve recognition in Lima because nobody can see past his effeminate personality.  The implication is that, if he can get the opportunity to reveal his talent to somebody who is more open minded, he will be able to get past that hump. 

The writers gave him a terrific audition for West Side Story. They had his audition song be about his own unconventional self-image; clearly the fact that he was a tad unusual and special was meant to be a consideration here. They took care to show that all three of the play's directors were very enthusiastic about his performance.    They had Emma, the most open-minded of the three, champion the idea of giving Kurt the lead.  Then they threw up a roadblock; Beiste rejected Kurt as Tony, not because he wasn't talented or because he did not audition well, but because he was too effeminate for her tastes.  Moreover, the directors decided that Kurt was unfit to play any of the Jets at all, even the childlike Baby John.  We are led to believe later that he somehow managed to impress as Officer Krupke; the story leaves us with the idea that he was talented enough to make a good impression with even a tiny role.  They established the idea that he was exceptionally talented, but Kurt can't catch a break in Lima.

The writers built on this theme with the Class President election.  As Brittany put together a campaign of obvious lies, Kurt attempted to establish himself as a champion against bullying.  Although the writing for the campaign was ham-fisted, preachy and tiresome, the writers did manage to communicate the idea that Kurt was clearly a much better choice to be Class President than Brittany was.  They even had Rachel make a speech to underline that idea.  Then, they had Brittany win anyway;  it is not clear whether she actually got more legitimate votes, or won because Rachel's ballot-box stuffing disqualified Kurt, but the result is the same.  Kurt may be the better choice, but he can't catch a break in Lima.

Finally, the writers set up a scenario in which discrimination ultimately prevented Kurt from ever being a featured vocalist for a New Directions competition number.  In the Junior year, we saw Will offer Kurt a lead role in Rocky Horror for which he was vocally very poorly suited - the baritone role of Frankie.  He offered Kurt that because he assumed the effeminate boy would want to play the transsexual character.  He was wrong.  Here again, in the Senior year, Sue makes a similar decision; she decides that Kurt must cross-dress in order for New Directions to be able to compete with Unique and Vocal Adrenaline.  He is the only person she will accept as a cross-dresser; Puck's courageous attempt to take one for the team is discarded. Kurt is punished for his "refusal to be a team player" by graduating as the only Senior, and indeed, the only cast member who has been around for more than a year, never to solo in competition.  The question lies not in his talent; they are limited in what they are willing to allow him to attempt because of his personality.  Kurt can't catch a break in Lima. 

Of course, they did such a good job of establishing why Kurt can't catch a break in Lima, they don't explain well exactly how Kurt earned the letter than established him as a NYADA finalist.  Maybe NYADA faculty were excited to see a counter-tenor apply.  Maybe they saw Artie's Christmas special on Youtube.  Maybe somebody figured out that this kid was Congressman Hummel's son.  At any rate, he gets the break that the narrative and the theme they've established says he needs.  He's got an audience with somebody who is completely uninterested in whether or not he's effeminate.  When given the opportunity, he takes advantage of  it to the full extent that he is capable.  He chooses a song that is well within his range, that celebrates his status as an oddball, and he nails that audition, drawing very forceful and positive praise from a character who is repeatedly shown to be icy, critical, and difficult to please.  She offers no negative notes of any kind; we are left with the impression that this was an unqualified success.

They set up a storyline:  Kurt the underdog will not be able to succeed unless he can get an audience with an unbiased observer who evaluates his talent and potential without caring about his effeminate nature.  Then he gets that audience, and he gets unqualified praise.  And then... he fails anyway.   Apparently, it was about his talent level after all.  He really wasn't good enough, and this ultimate underdog is the only one left with no personal triumphs of any sort whatsoever over the course of his entire senior year.

There are two ways they could have fixed this narrative failure.  If they had understood that Kurt was ultimately going to fail from the start, they could  have weaved the implication that he was really going in the wrong direction into his storyline all year.  That's what they successfully did with Finn.  Furthermore, once this shattering final failure hit, Kurt needed to have his storyline resolved.  We needed a moment to absorb the idea that his entire story was a complete misdirection, that the writers were misleading the audience in the direction they were taking him.  There needed to be a moment of catharsis to absorb that blow.   His failure needed to be seen as a major issue that the audience cared about and would be outraged about.  Instead, Brad's script indicated that Kurt's failure was an acceptable speedbump in route to the payoff Brad actually expected the audience to embrace.  Rachel did get into NYADA.  That's supposed to be the happy ending, and Kurt's failure just isn't important enough to warrant a single line of condolence or grief.  All of a sudden, he just does not matter at all, and his entire storyline for the year is a complete waste of time.  We are left to wonder if Brad indeed thought the only issue of importance to the audience was whether Rachel would be lonely without her Best Gay in New York with her.

In a successful narrative, you must either follow through on the theme you've constructed, or provide some kind of resolution when the theme is subverted.  The writers presented us with a box that was clearly marked a particular way, and then when opened, proved to be mislabeled.  Then they refused to give us a narrative moment to deal with the misdirection and disappointment, suggesting that it just wasn't that important.

Glee does that a lot.  They set up a lot of shiny boxes that end up being mislabeled.  That's what happened with the bullying storyline last year, too, and they were still trying to fix it as of this past Valentine's Day.  They've mislabeled and relabeled Blaine so many times he doesn't make any sense at all anymore.  The problem lies in this; Glee lacks any kind of creative discipline.  They have lots of glittering ideas, and creative ADA.  They can't follow through effectively.   That's at the heart of their continuity problems, and it's really why the show has declined so much in quality, and is no longer considered to be an Emmy contender.

The Season Three cliffhanger for Kurt Hummel was a narrative failure because it represents an example of Glee's consistent inability to follow through on the narrative themes it sets up for itself.   Glee consistently breaks its own rules, not because the writers are brilliant, but because they are sloppy. 

"Vulnerability" - Glee Project Recap Episode 3

 Glee Project Recap: Episode 3 - Vulnerability

OK, if you are going to watch the Glee Project, there are couple of things that you've got to get straight.  First of all, it's a show designed to find that one special person to be cast as a singing, dancing, acting cast member in a television show that used to be a huge hit, so it's a talent contest, right?  Well, kinda.  Except that it's also an inspiration contest, so a talentless cockroach with a tough backstory might stick around for a few weeks while they send home an adorable songstress who doesn't inspire Ryan because she has a uterus and isn't perky. 

Also, each week they have to cast off one person, except when somebody commits hari kari, in which case they lose two people when they could have cut Dani a break, or at least sent home Tyler instead.  Then a week later they might not cast off anybody even though there might be two obnoxious brats begging to get the boot.  So basically, this thing has rules, and Ryan can break them at will any time he likes because it's his show and he's Glee God.

Got it?

Let's get going.  The theme for this week... is... going to be deep.   Prepare for the depth and power of the angst involved in... "Vulnerability."   And the crowd goes wild, because it says in their contract that they have to go bananas whenever anything at all gets announced.  Michael does tell us privately that he's not really all that sure about this.  The Homework Assignment is "My Life Would Suck Without You", and it's going to be very entertaining watching each of them grapple for the short lines that they must showboat like crazy in order to show how honest and vulnerable they are.   To my utter amazement, Charlie understands that the bass line of the song does not really lend itself to vulnerability and I decide I like this honest kid.  I am going to have a rough episode. 

Robert tells them that they will sing this for him... and for an amazing guest from Glee.  Some of the kids treat this as if it were a piece of new information.  Robert says that this Glee guest wrote the book on vulnerability, and Abraham pops up with, "Chris Colfer wrote a book!"  Yes, that he did, Abraham, and indeed, Chris Colfer also wrote the book on vulnerability on Glee, especially in regards to bullying.  Kurt's the big bullying victim, Chris has probably cried more onscreen than the rest of the cast combined, and Chris is about to publish a  book, so of course, the person Robert is actually talking about is... not Chris Colfer.   It's going to be a good person, and I do not disapprove, but I do find the buildup kind of funny.   I am waiting to hear that Chris will actually make his mentoring guest shot during something like "Conformity" or "Masculinity." 

Aylin tells us that her goal for the week is to keep doing what she's been doing, which means she will have her lips surgically attached to Charlie's for the long haul.  The kids bicker and fight over the five second line on which they must expose their heart and soul, and we get a hint that Lily's kind of a bitch for the mere joy of being bitchy.

Now it's time to perform for this week's guest, who is not Chris Colfer.  Fortunately, it's also not Damian McGinty.  It's Cory Montieth.  They went with one of the show's strongest actors, and he has had his share of vulnerable moments on the show.  He tells them to tap into something uncomfortable in their past, and they get to try to do this in little bitty bite-size chunks.  I wonder if I will enjoy the Homework Assignment more when there are fewer people and there's a chance what they sing  can be actually meaningful. 

Well, Cory's actually in the same room with them, so he may be able to pick up more than I can.  Cory praises Abraham's voice, but thinks he's reaching for the emotion.  Maybe if he had more song to sing... Lily sounded good but her hand gesture to the hair was inappropriate and flirty.  I agree with that. Ali is pushing too much. Shanna was truthful. Nellie sounded fantastic - oh, yes, she sure did.  Indeed, she's the Homework Winner.  Lily and Aylin look like they want to strangle her.  The Music Video number is "Everybody Hurts" by REM.  The concept is, of course, Teen Bullying, because that hasn't been covered on Glee adaquately yet.  Oh, it's been covered.. just... not adaquately.   Eric will be around soon to ask them to spill their guts to America about bullying.

So, the kids are in the dorm, and here comes Eric for the psychoanalysis session.  He wants this video to resonate with kids. He wants to see the memory of their bad experiences on the camera.  Tyler chirps up that he's a half-black transgender Jew.  Shanna digs a little deeper.  She was bullied because her mother took drugs.  Abraham took a lot of garbage because he's a street Asian who grew up with two women; he was bullied for coming across as feminine.  Blake got bullied in Junior High for being short; he is very hard on himself because he once witnessed bullying on a stairwell and was not able to intervene.  Lily is so inspired by that painful memory that she offers up one of her own:  Lily was the bully.  (And still is, if you ask me.)  Lily claims that her life was turned around by watching Mean Girls, but I wonder if she just realized she'd better create a redemption arc for herself before one of these other kids short-sheets her bed.  Or worse.  Blake is taken in by Lily's story.  I will say this; she's showing some signs of acting ability in this episode, and Glee does need that. 

Nellie is not used to digging deep into emotion for her vocals, but she hopes the mentoring session with Cory will help.  Cory says that he finds the pain he needs for acting through remembering painful experiences, including his parent's divorce; Nellie remembers the death of her sister.  Nellie starts out timidly, but finds the painful spot after a moment of reflection.  Ali can't find the vulnerable place at all.  Mario can't find the right note at all, and he's arrogant and defensive about it.   Aylin gives an honest performance, and she talks about the walls that she raised around herself to avoid being called a "terrorist" when she was in school.

Lily begins the video as others playing the Cool Kids taunt her.  Lily has a terrible time trying to lip-sync a line in which she is being bullied; she looks confused rather than distressed.  Miss Diva asks others to be more quiet so she can concentrate on her lip-sync better.  Blake, in contrast, pops off the screen very vividly with a startlingly convincing scene in which he appears quite prepared to beat Michael into a bloody pulp.    Ok, Ryan, you have an actor here.  GRAB HIM.

Mario gets ready for his big scene... he will walk along the chain link fence as people behind him talk smack,  Unfortunately, one of the kids who is going to be harassing him is Charlie, who feels like he has to find the place where the bully takes joy in what he's doing.  Charlie makes a horrible blunder here; he grabs Mario's cane.   That shocks everybody around him half out of their wits and the adults are all pretty quick to condemn him in fairly harsh terms.  I agree that it was a terrible choice, and I am very glad that Mario was not hurt.  However,  they might want to remember something about Charlie; he's on the autism spectrum.  He was told that he had to behave like a bully, and... he did.  Acceptable social boundaries have to be slightly more specifically spelled out for kids with Asperger's Syndrome,  and I think it is safe to say that he now understands that this particular decision cannot be acted out without specific direction, even when you are expected to behave inappropriately.  I think Charlie may have been confused as to what the acceptable boundaries were as he was asked to behave in a way that would normally be unacceptable.  There's more than one disability involved here, and if they are going to insist on including kids with every possible problem under the sun, they might want to educate themselves on what the implications could be.  Kids with autism disorders miss social cues.  Stop clutching your pearls and deal with it as carefully and kindly as you deal with Mario's blindness. 

Even after the scene is over, Charlie still doesn't completely understand the depth of what he's done.  He thinks he made a wrong blocking choice, but he is apprehensive because he can sense that everybody's upset with him.  He really doesn't quite get it. 

We see more scenes of kids shoving other kids, lots of anguish, lots of tears.  Lily gets to play a bully, and she's much more convincing than she was when she was lip-syncing as the bullied; she attacks Aylin with a vicious ferocity that makes me wonder if she's going to hurt her, and Robert has the same reaction.  The girls hug it out afterwards.

Then we see the actual video.  A few notable scenes:

1. Blake recreates his memory of the fight on the stairwell; instead of being the witness, he is now the victim.  Later, he will attack Michael.

2. The directors may have been horrified. - horrified, I say! - that Charlie took Mario's stick away, but... they used the footage.  That... stinks.  These people have no ethics or  convictions. If you are that offended, cut it. 

3. It's funny how all the bullies in this video instantly become the victims with a simple costume change.  Several of the kids are playing both roles in the video, and it's really obvious.  It really does not work that well.  Example:  Lily gets an insulting text in one scene and immediately beats the crap out of Aylin in the next.  It makes me wonder if Aylin was supposed to have been the girl who sent the text. 

4. Doesn't this high school have any faculty to stop some of this stuff?

5. While the general gist is that Bullying Is Bad,  the video offers no solutions, no fresh perspective, or any really thoughtful insight about the subject.

Revealing the bottom three:
- Blake was an obvious standout.
- Abraham, Michael, Shanna, Aylin, and... Tyler! are safe! Tyler found something he could do convincingly - suffer!   He's not in the bottom three!  Enjoy it while it lasts, kid, because next week you get to show Naya your sex appeal.
- Nellie was the Homework Winner, and she sang really well, but they feel she needs to commit emotionally a little more.  Of course, since this is Vulnerability Week, and they will cover something else next week, she may not have to go to the dark, painful place she found so hard to visit this week again.  Robert tells her she has to feel like she can make a fool of herself.  Nellie is called back.
- Ali is used to being perky and positive.   She needs to be prepared to be a bit more raw.  However, she is called back.

These are the Bottom Three:

- Lily was thrown off during her lip-synching.  She will sing for Ryan's mercy - "Mercy" by Duffy.

- Charlie took Mario's cane.  Does he realize how dangerous and disrespectful that is?  No, Zach, I think there's a very good chance he genuinely doesn't.  By all means, explain it to him clearly, but remember why he doesn't understand.  His own disability is almost certainly the reason why he's on this show at all.  Don't be so surprised by it.  And if you really can't deal with it, don't pick a kid on the autism spectrum next time.  Charlie gets to try to fix his situation by singing "Fix You" by Coldplay. He's actually happy with this. 

- Mario not only sang out of tune, but he's too prickly to accept the criticism.  When Nikki tells him he's going flat, he replies that he's classically trained, and Nikki keeps her temper with some difficulty.  None of them are ready.  They are a project.  This is boot camp.  They are here to learn and grow.  Mario responds by whining that other people sang off - key as well.  Ok, Mario, just stop digging this hole, because you are about to strike the earth's mantle.  When Nikki says "Mario, you will also be performing for Ryan tonight" I could swear I saw a smirk.   Mario gets the cool Hawaiian version of "Over the Rainbow".

Charlie feels broken and Mario is shaking in his boots.  He's also still having trouble with pitch. Lily's really upset and does not understand why she's in the bottom three at all.

Lily is the first one up, and surely Ryan's got to be making a mental note that this girl's been in the gutter two weeks in a row even though she's a very talented vocalist.  As she sings, I am once again reminded that the Last Chance songs are the only real showcase these kids get, which is kind of crazy.  You have to be in trouble to get to sing something artistically real and worth watching.  Right.  OK, I need Nellie in the bottom three next week, because her voice is amazing.  Lily sings very well, but that's not what really decides her fate this week.  Ryan informs Lily that Glee is about underdogs, like Prom King Finn Hudson, Class President Brittney Pierce, and Head Cheerleader Santana Lopez.   Lily might not fit in because she's not really an underdog.  She's ballsy, and bold...

...and full of bull****.  In one of the most brazenly manipulative moves I've seen on the Glee Project so far, Lily turns on the waterworks and starts bawling about her heart on the stage and everything she hasn't got to show yet.  She is crying about absolutely nothing for the express purpose of making Ryan feel sorry for her, and it works like a charm.  I now officially dislike this girl even more than Tyler and I can't wait for her to go home.  If she gets cast on Glee I may actually have to stop watching.  Maybe I can just catch all the Colfer snippets on tumblr.  Please send her home, Ryan.

Robert tells Ryan that Charlie is here because he made odd choices while he was playing the bully.   He's making some odd vocal choices as he sings this song, too, but the emotional connection with the song is actually honest and raw.  He's showing real vulnerability, not manufactured tears for a show.  Ryan likes the odd choices; it's not a kareoke version.  Charlie tries to explain what the judges are calling a "boundary problem" regarding Mario's cane.  He suggests that he's not used to the medium of television, which I think might be a clumsy way of saying that he's not sure how to pretend to be mean for a television camera without... being mean.  Ryan isn't sure the "brave choice" is always the best choice, but he's glad Charlie made the bottom three because he got to know him a little better.   Good, Ryan, don't send him home yet.  Also, don't make him pretend to bully anybody again unless his instructions are really exact.  He needs to have the rules of the game be very, very clear. 

Mario is last.  He's here because he can't stay on pitch and he can't accept criticism when somebody tells him he's out of tune.  After singing a technically fairly proficient version of the song - I actually think it's the dullest of the three performances - Mario tries to blame his pitch problems in the recording studio on electronic noise in his ears.  Nikki rolls her eyes.  He tells them that when he says he's classically trained, he means that he's not hopeless, and then he starts crying.  While I am certain that Lily is full of garbage and I am sure that Charlie was being honest, I am not sure about Mario.   He does apologize to Nikki for being rude, and that was probably a good move.  He then leaves the stage and goes back to the rest of the group.  

While the directors are discussing the fate of these three, Mario grumbles once again to the other kids that there were others besides him who were off-key... OK, Mario, just... forget it.  Aylin and Abraham are both exasperated, and Lily finally calls him out:  he says things, and it comes off badly.  Mario is offended by that, and everybody - including a large chunk of the audience - is offended by Mario, and if the judges heard this conversation before they made their decision I think the decision would have changed. Unfortunately, Ryan is not aware of what's going on.  I wonder how he reacted when he saw this. 

The only one of these three kids I ever want to see again is Charlie.  OK, Ryan, send home Lily AND Mario AND bring Dani back.  But that's not what Ryan does.  Everybody hurts, everybody cries, everybody touches his heart, everybody... stays.

OK, so that means this whole week was kind of a waste of time, right?   They are no closer to whittling down to a winner than they were before.   At this rate, we will have six people in the finals and they will all get cast.  How soon before the cast of Glee is large enough to apply for statehood? 

 Glee Project Recap: Vulnerability

Turning the Tides: Legend of Korra Recap

Turning the Tides:  Legend of Korra Recap Episode 10

Two figures in a bedroom; Korra lies in a bed, fragile after her recent ordeal.  Although she does not know it, Mako is watching her, his face taut with worry.  Although Mako does not know it, Asami is watching him, and she is also very worried, for a very different reason.

Tenzin rouses his own family, all asleep in one family bed.  The little ones were afraid, but Tenzin assures them that everything will be fine now.  Tenzin is wrong.

Korra's up, and she must be better, because she's eating as if she's been trapped in a steel box with no food for days... OK, Bolin, put that back.  We saw you.  Korra gives them the bad news, and there's a lot of it.  Taarlok is Yakone's son, and that's why he can bloodbend at will, because apparently these things are genetic, like having brown hair.  Amon took his bending... and even though Taarlok is a particularly unscrupulous villain, this is a shocker. Tenzin fears that Amon is entering... Duh duh DUH! his endgame. Relax, Tenzin, we've got another whole season to go.

Pema keeps doubling over in pain.  Of course she does.  A major political upheaval is imminent.... it's the best possible time to have that baby. Mako asks Asami for hot water... to make the Avatar some tea... and Asami hisses at him.  Trouble in paradise, Mako.  Watch out.  Asami confronts him...Yes, his feelings for Korra are kind of leaking out all over, and Asami knows about the kiss. Busted! Mako tries to deflect this by grumbling about Bolin, but Asami's not having it.  He may have to make some decisions soon.  

Tenzin stammers and blunders his way through a request to Lin: Would his ex-girlfriend be willing to look after his wife while he talks to the Council?  Lin is amazingly gracious, probably because she has no children of her own and doesn't know what she's in for. Pema is quite prepared to let her know; the very first assignment is to bathe Meelo.

In one lovely apartment, a Republic City Councilwoman headed for the meeting is attacked by Amon's men.   On his way to the Council, Tenzin is also attacked, although he fights his assailants off.  He is the only one able to do so; the others have all been captured.  There are explosions in the street as a flotilla of airships bearing Amon's insignia fly through the sky unopposed.  Lin orders the children to hide; Amon and Asami's father fly in one of the ships, declaring this the day that Republic City will be in the hands of the Equalists.

The teenagers are running through the streets of Republic City, looking for wherever it is that The Avatar has parked Asami's car.  Driving is not one of Korra's talents, but she does seem to have developed quite a knack for getting multiple parking tickets for the same offense.  That takes talent.  Mako just incinerates them.  Republic City has no government.  Who are they going to pay? Asami takes the wheel, and orders Mako into the back with Korra.  BRRRRR.... And apparently jealous anger makes Asami as bad a driver as Korra is.

Tenzin arrives at City Hall to find that Amon has attacked several sectors of the city.  He wires the General of the United Forces... and just in time, as the halls fill with smoke, the phone wires all go dead, and the electricity goes down. As the menacing smoke enters their chamber, Tenzin orders everybody behind him and he creates an air bubble to protect them as they make their way out.  At the entrance, they are surrounded by megatanks that use huge magnets to pluck off the metalbending police officers.  Tenzin fights back, but he is crushed into a wall, and passes out as defeat encroaches all around him.

Asami is right on time.  She smashes into the circle of megatanks and the fight between the tanks and the teenaged benders is on.  Hey, don't mess with these kids.  They are pros, doncha know. Even Asami knows some good hand to hand tricks with her electric glove, and it is she who rescues Tenzin.  They have no time to rejoice, however; an airship is attacking the Air Temple.

Pema goes into labor.  Of course.

As the battle commences, the air acolytes fight bravely, but Amon's men continue in, and face Lin, alone.  As she makes her last stand,  Jinora flies in with one of the series' funniest war cries:  "Stay away from my dad's ex-girlfriend!"  Soon all three kids are deep in the battle.  I have to say that's the first time I've ever seen anybody fartbend.  Leave it to a kid to harness that awesome power.  Lin tries to protest the help from the Pee Wee Bender League, but they fight well and soon have the Equalists defeated.  Tenzin arrives in time to scold Lin for letting the kids fight - it's not as if she could stop them - and to greet his new son, Rohan.  Awwwwwwwww.....

Well, shoot, more airships are coming.  Break's over.  No Jinora, everything is not going to be fine.  Tenzin decides to leave the island and get reinforcements from the United Forces.  Korra is to hide and be patient... not her strong suit.

The airbenders escape on Oogi, as Korra and her friends take off on Naga. The two airships are gaining on Oogi.... they have lowered a net to capture them...and Lin uses the net to launch herself off the air bison and onto the first metal airship.  She tears the metal hull open with her bending and jumps to the next, tearing it open as well.  And then... they've got her.  And then... Amon takes away her bending, and she slumps as if dead.

"That lady is my hero" says Meelo.

On another ship, a red-clad young officer is given an update.  The Avatar has wired him about the fall of Republic City.  How does he wish to respond?  Who is this young man?

He has red eyes.  He is a firebender.  He is a general, despite being young.  He is capable.  They call him General Iroh, and the voice that comes out of his mouth is very familiar.

He sounds just like Firelord Zuko. He should; his voice belongs to Dante Basco.

Like father, like son.   He will be arriving in three days time, and he looks forward to winning back Republic City together.


Legend of Korra:  Turning the Tides

Glee Equality Project

 Kurt and Blaine:  Treated unfairly?

There are a number of Glee fans who seem to be quite up in arms about the unequal depiction of straight couples vs. gay couples on Glee.  Their response is a new initiative called The Glee Equality Project. They are developing a multi-faceted campaign on tumblr, facebook, and twitter.  In their FAQ, they explain what they are attempting to accomplish:

To raise awareness and draw attention to Glee’s double standard in their portrayal of physical affection by LGBT couples and heterosexual couples. We hope this will put pressure on Fox, their broadcast standards group, and the Glee production to portray the LGBT couples equally in the future.

I think a lot of people were extremely disappointed with some recent statements by Ryan Murphy made in response to accusations that gay couples got an unfair amount of support from the program:

The thing about that, I [feel] like with that sort of group of fans, you really at a certain point, and we do talk about it in the writers’ room, you really can’t win. I fee like this is a network show that is on at 8 o'clock, which you know is a family hour, and I feel like there is no other show on television that has done more for gay characters and for gay storylines than Glee.    I really believe that and I’ve really fought hard for it and I have a network and a studio that doesn’t bat an eye and says, “Great.” I feel like a lot of the lesbian fans want Brittany and Santana to have a full on nude makeout sessions sometimes, I feel like they feel the same way about Kurt and Blaine. I think that they also feel sometimes that we have not handled those characters exactly like they want.    And to that I say, “You know what? You’re probably right. I think there’s some things in the last two seasons we maybe could have done a little more artfully, and a little bit more carefully and a little more- respectfully in the wrong word but I sort of do get pethe criticisms, but you know - look- you’re doing a show very sort of- a lot things happen, you try to do your best, sometimes things don’t work out.”
— Ryan Murphy, Executive Producer, GoldDerby.com, June 2012

My own two cents on this matter:

1. Brittana, as a couple, has a unique problem.  Brittany is an exceptionally stupid character played by a really flat, dull actress.  If Santana is to have a really interesting, engaging lesbian love story, they are going to have to break this couple up and get Santana a better screen partner.  Brittany is not capable, as a lesbian character, to be the standard-bearer her fans would like her to be.   I submit that is at least partly because of Brittany's limitations as a character that this couple does not have a deeper storyline.

2. Klaine is a little better; Blaine's not depicted as being unintelligent, and while I don't think Darren is as strong an actor as Chris is, he does well enough to make this work.  Unfortunately,  there is a stronger mainstream revulsion to the depiction of affection between two men than there is between two women, and that may be what is causing the network to write them such a stale, cold, passionless relationship.  Of course, Glee is in a unique position to help create an environment that is more accepting of love affairs between two men, and for whatever reason, they seem to be shying away from the opportunity lately.

3. Glee is on FOX, an exceptionally conservative network.  Gay marriage is a very volatile issue, and this is an election year.  I don't have a high opinion of Murphy's integrity, but I suspect he's caught between a rock and a hard place.  This may indeed be all he's allowed to show us - but they certainly wouldn't let him tell us that.  Also, Glee's ratings have fallen dramatically since the gay characters became more prominent.  I do not believe this is cause and effect, per se...  I think the ratings have fallen because the writing in general is getting weaker, and the rise of gay characters was only a coincidence.  However, Murphy may feel he needs to play it a little safer to stay on the air.

You can learn more about the Glee Equality Project through Glee Equality Project on Facebook and Glee Equality Project on Tumblr.  They also have an email address:  gleeequalityproject@gmail.com.

I once wrote a column on Hypable about this same topic called  The Glaring PDA Double Standard.

So, what do you think?  Is the depiction of straight vs. gay couples on Glee unfair, or is this controversy unnecessary?  I think it's unfair... but I am not sure if Murphy can fix it or not.

"Girl or Boy" By Dani Shay of The Glee Project

I came this this rather remarkable song by Dani Shay, who was recently booted off The Glee Project because she wasn't enough like the type of people Ryan wanted on Glee.  Well, Ryan wallows in depictions of gay kids, transgender kids, sexually ambiguous kids, and gay kids.  Here, Dani honestly lays claim to the fact that, whatever else she may be, she is blurring the lines of what comes across as masculine and feminine.  I would like to suggest that this point of view, combined with her very obvious talent, should have been enough to propel her past the likes of Tyler.  I think, by the standards of Ryan's own viewpoint, Ryan blew it.  She's got quite a Glee-worthy tale to tell, if he had stopped to look at her. Glee is all about pushing the lines of convention regarding sexuality and sexual identification.  Maybe it's just me, but I wonder... if Ryan Murphy had heard this song and realized she was stretching boundaries, would she have stayed?

Girl or Boy by  Dani Shay of The Glee Project.

Danceability - Glee Project Recap

 Dani Shay, Glee Project Promotional Still, Oxygen

This episode of The Glee Project begins by praising itself for embracing diversity and hot guys who like calculus. Shanna won the homework assignment, Aylin forgot to flirt, and Tyler pretty much sucks at everything except Being Brave. Maxfield was sent home for being too normal, and that's what we missed on Glee Project!

Chillin' in the rec room... Aylin realizes that she lost her mojo last week because she just didn't act slutty enough, so she will work hard to rectify that this week.  I strongly recommend that she stay away from her more traditional Muslim relatives from now on, because this behavior will get a girl executed in some countries.  I'm not saying that's right, but I just hope her family is made up of reasonable people who won't disown her or something.

The theme for the week is "Danceability", as if every week did not incorporate dance in some way.  Everybody is contractually required to behave as if they were pleased and excited, especially Tyler, who really is neither.  Dani is also not happy; she is cool, serene, unique and gifted, but she's no more a dancer than she is a plastic Barbie doll.  She's also one of the very few people on the show I am genuinely happy to see each week, because she's one of the few who did not come from a cookie cutter and she's not a stereotype.  However, it might take more depth than you get in a teaspoon to appreciate Dani, and therein lies her problem with this particular show. 

They are instructed to sing "We Got the Beat" by the Go-Gos.  Once again, they need to allocate individual lines to each cast member, giving each a chance to showboat at an inappropriate level to stand out in the crowd, and they have to choreograph this thing, too.  Mario and Ali immediately get into an argument over who gets to sing line #13; Mario is trying to avoid Ali's overly cliched rendition of that line, and she's fighting to the death for her right to perform the obvious. Ali feels that Mario is rubbing people the wrong way, which is code for "Mario argued with me about something!  Therefore everybody must have a problem with him!"  As the wild bickering continues over who will choreograph, Taryn begins to figure out that she's surrounded by obnoxious attention hogs.  Since she is severely introverted and desperately homesick, this wears on her terribly.   Yes, Taryn.  People in show business are often egotistical attention hogs.  Welcome to your chosen profession. 

Taryn calls her mommy.  Taryn hears the voice of love and sanity, and she... bails.  Just like that.  She's got an opportunity others would kill for, and she just throws it away.  Frankly, I wish she had had the fortitude to stay all the way through to the Bottom Three.  Maybe she could have thrown herself on her sword then, and we could have avoided the travesty that closed this episode.

Robert gathers the cast together to break the tragic, tragic news that Taryn has died left the competition of her own free will because you all are just too obnoxious to deal with of personal reasons.  He wants to know if the others will be able to muddle through without her.  Heck, yeah, they are going to be fighting for her solo lines within seconds, Robert.  Oh, wait, he gave it to Shanna.  Score for her!   Michael stops long enough to express regret that he did not get to say goodbye.

Now, it's time to introduce... the special guest.  Ooh, the anticipation!  Who could it be?  Maybe it will be somebody really impressive, like award winner Chris Colfer!  Maybe it will be somebody who has really had a loyal fan base through the years, like Cory Montieth!  Maybe, given the theme,  it will be somebody with really exceptional dance skills, like Harry Shum!  Who is it?  Uh, what's with the guitar?  He knows what it's like to stand out in Danceability Week?

Oh, crap.  It's one of the Glee Project Winners.   Well, Damian can't dance at all, so it's got to be.. he of the bare feet... Samuel Larson.  Aylin goes into a conniption fit.  She likes handsome men.  The ovation for Samuel is so big I figure one of two things has happened:
1. They all consider him the physical manifestation of their own dreams.
2. They got a cue card saying "Look excited when Samuel shows up."

If I were told I was getting to see a single Glee cast member, and I didn't know who it was, and they had Lea freaking Michele last week, I would consider Sanuel a letdown.  Still, maybe they are all really polite.  Samuel's sage advice is that they be confident as they stomp leaden-footed through their choreography.  The kids begin their song, and as I watch, I wonder if these performance segments of the Glee Project will get less irritating as the cast gets smaller.  The divided lead lines are jarring, nonsensical, and irritating. I have to say I am really, genuinely impressed with how well Mario is keeping up.  My last experience watching a blind person dance with a big group like this was following Scott MacIntyre on American Idol, and he did not dance with the confidence Mario shows here.  Hella talented, indeed.  I notice that Ali got her cliched "round and round" line.

Robert thinks this was the best homework assignment evah.  Samuel gives some individual critiques, and then, quite rightly, gives the win to Abraham, who did indeed stand out in terms of the charisma he showed on the floor. So Abraham wins... a one on one mentoring session with... Samuel Larson.  Not Lea.  Not Chris.  Not Cory.  Not even Amber.  He gets Samuel.  Woo hoo.

Samuel then introduces the music video theme that will hang them all:  Party Rock Anthem by LMFAO.  They have clearly gotten another cue card:  look ecstatic.  They will be recreating a high school house party.  Actually, they will be recreating "Blame it on the Alcohol."

It's dance rehearsal time.  Aylin informs the camera that while her mother thinks she's never kissed anybody, she's kissed a lot of guys. I guess that secret's over, huh?  Zach's going to judge them on the individual eight count dance routine they will do in small groups as part of the video.  He would like for them not to do stupid wedding dance stuff.  Lily decides to ignore him completely.

Abraham gets mentored by Samuel Larson.  Well, Sam is probably not the best dance coach they could have gotten for him... I want to know where Harry and Heather are... but he suggests that Abraham have fun. 

They are rehearsing their moves, and Lily is making stupid wedding dance moves to make Zach laugh. Yes, she remembers the instruction. Yes, she's ignoring it.

Zach begins to teach each group their eight count. Dani can't get it.  Tyler can't get it because he's transgender. I have a feeling he's going to blame all kinds of stuff on that.

It's vocals time!  Charlie and Aylin are flirting so hard they need to get a room.   Lily informs us that her musicality is her strength, because she's a trained singer, and then she proceeds to stink up the studio session with bad notes that would be part of joke auditions on American Idol.  Nikki is disappointed.

It's video shoot time, and part of the assignment is to play Spin the Bottle.  Nellie is not that comfortable with this, because she is not like Aylin.  Not everybody gets to play; most notably, Aylin is in the game, and Charlie is not.  Given that Nelli is not comfortable doing this, I am surprised they did not trade her out for another girl.  So Nikki kisses Mario, and Blake kisses Aylin as Charlie pouts. And kisses her.  And kisses her.  And Charlie's ready to punch something. Aylin leaves the brothel to come talk to the wallflowers who didn't get to kiss, and she sees that Charlie looks like he's about to commit hari kari.  She lays a nice, hot, long one on him too, and then he's all better.

Abraham is too cerebral in his solo piece as the Homework Winner. Zach gets annoyed with the number of takes he needs. Dani can't say her lines with a street enough attitude. Zach thinks she's "one note."  Robert thinks that while she's very specific, interesting, and unique, she might not be able to adapt to the Glee environment.  Frankly, I think a person who offers something original and different might be worth pursuing, myself.  Tyler is stilted and nervous and awful.

Now, about those eight steps.  How have they done???!  Uh, Zach... I hate to break it to you... but these people lack Danceability.  All of them.  He is exaggerated in his disgusted disappointment.  Blake and Michael do OK, but everylybody else is horrifically bad.  Zach pulls no punches.  He's furious.  The director calls them out by name, publicly declaring their sins.  Zach tells group three, which includes Nellie and Dani, not to do the assigned choreography at all, because what they are attempting is not usable.  Zach tells us, irritably, that everybody appears to have gotten amnesia at the same time.  At this point... "Standing would be better."  MEOW.

Zach remains angry, especially at Lily, who will NOT stop with the wedding dance booby shake. Eric is going to have to struggle to find acceptable material for the video.  We see the eventual video:  everybody loads food on top of Abraham, and then they party, spin the bottle, kiss, and dance very little because so few of the shots were any good.  This video really is a frenetic mess.  We do see more same-sex kisses in this music video than we saw in the entire third season of Glee.

Finally:  the reveal of the Bottom Three.  Robert solemnly declares the Best Homework Assignment of All Time, and the Worst Music Video.  Zach is still insultingly furious about the dancing.  He snidely informs them that he's got to figure out Who Sucked the Least when deciding who to call back.  Nice.  Then, Robert informs Aylin that her slutty behavior has paid off.  She has her mojo back, and she is safe.  Shanna, Blake, and Michael are all safe.  Aylin gloats and Lily sends out vibes of hatred. Ali, Charlie and Mario are also safe.  Mario is especially emotional.  The blind guy was safe during a week that was supposed to be about dance moves.  Yeah, that's a big deal.  Congrats, man.  You did deserve that.  He did a fine job indeed.  That leaves... five.

Here is the extensive Bottom Three Critique

Dani and Nellie admit that while they rehearsed their part, they forgot it when the camera rolled.  Unfortunately, remembering when the camera rolls is... kind of what they are being graded on.  Dani, in particular, had much lower energy than anybody else.  She just has a calmer vibe than the others do; that is who she is.  Robert's not sure she can adapt and be different characters.  Of course, only a small handful of the kids currently on Glee are really able to adapt and be different characters, and none of those who can were ever on the Glee Project.  If they were to write for Dani, she would be Dani, just as Damian and Samuel play versions of themselves.  However, writing for Dani might require a moment of thought.  Glee writers are short on that. Tyler is an awkward mess.  We can blame the transgender operation, if you like. Lily flat didn't follow instructions. Now, she gives Zach lip, too.  Abraham was under too much pressure... actually, I am not clear on what Abraham did wrong. I get it with the others, but he seemed OK as far as I could tell.  Oh, Zach, don't make him cry.  Abraham needs to stop trying so hard, but he's safe.  So is Nellie.  That leaves Obnoxious Fat Girl With Attitude, The Awkward Transgender Guy With No Talent, and Cool Coffeehouse Girl Who is Too Original for her Own Good as the Bottom Three.

Dani's song is "Landslide."
Tyler, now featured for the second time in the Bottom Three, gets "Daniel".
Lily gets "Man, I Feel Like a Woman."

The odd thing that occurs to me:  on this show, these kids don't really get the opportunity to show the depth and strength of what they can do unless they are in trouble.  These Bottom Three solos are really the only substantial solos with any artistic honesty that they get to perform. They get two hours before they face the troll in the big yellow hat.

The three kids on the hotseat rehearse.  Lily tells us that she's never seen a big girl as a main character on a television show, which means she's never caught Lauren or Mercedes on Glee.  Certainly she can't aspire to be more important than they are, even if she wins.  I got news for you, sweetie... you are not challenging Lea Michele for top spot.  Even Chris Colfer can't manage that feat.

Dani is vulnerable, tremulous. She is on the verge of tears with every line she sings.  Since both Tyler and Lily are coming across as incredibly obnoxious, I find myself hoping like hell that she sneaks by... even now, as I recap this on the third viewing.

Last Chance Performances:  Zach tells Ryan how bad the dancing was.  Robert tells Murphy that Dani is the coolest performer  - an artist - but she does not adapt well.  So Dani comes out to perform "Landslide", and she leaves her heart and soul panting on the floor with a performance that sends chills up my spine and a lump in my throat.  She left everything she had on that stage for this horrifying little troll who wants these prospective cast members to write his show for him.  Ryan knows that her talent is without question... she is a soulful person, and she wants to be a voice for this generation.  Murphy knows she's an artist... but he does not know if she's a performer.  She might be able to put together an album that could win a Grammy, but could she dance in a revue for Walt Disney World?  She can be deep and meaningful, but can she be shallow, showy and cute? 

"I want to take the challenge... if you'll let me."

I want to quote Murphy here:  "There's no disputing she's fantastic, but she's not in the Broadway/ Pop style of what the show is."

Next is Tyler.  Tyler did not suck as much this week as he did last week.  He sings a competent, uninspired cover of "Daniel" that is remarkable primarily for how nasal it is.  There's neither beauty nor passion in his rendition.  He moves me to nothing at all except the remote control.  Unfortunately, Ryan likes the fact that he's so inspiring and brave because he's transgender.  Why isn't he as inspiring and brave as a Glee Project person as he is a real person?  Maybe because he's a modestly talented person who is better at Being Tyler than he is at singing, dancing, or performing in any way?  Murphy wants Tyler to think of all the people who will be inspired by him... week by week.

Oh, crud.  This little cockroach is going to stay because he's transgender, isn't he?  Oh, Chris Colfer, sweetie, I love you dearly, but you have given birth to a monster culture here.  We have one truly outstanding LGBT character of great talent, merit and influence on Glee, and all of a sudden being LGBT is a free pass for anybody who qualifies, whether they have anything valuable to offer or not.  Damn, damn, damn, damn.  Ryan, if you are so hot on having your LGBT characters inspire the audience, why did you let your stable of writers give Kurt the nightmare story arc he had this season?  Yes, I am still pissed off.

Well, Murphy, write Dani as a lesbian and let her stay.  Damn.  Maybe Lily will suck.

No, Lily does not suck.  She really does have a good voice, and she's got the most dynamic performance of the three.  She really does perform very well, and by the end of the song, I realize that if the quality of the final performance matters,  she should stay, even if she is obnoxious and won't listen to instruction. Of course, in her conversation with Ryan and Zach, she is so rude I feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, and she even admits that her choir teacher had problems with her, too.  OK, compare this to "I want to take the challenge... if you'll let me." Ryan wonders if he should cut somebody because their attitude sucks.

YES, Ryan!  Cut somebody because their attitude sucks!  Or because their singing sucks! Cut them because they suck!  Don't cut them because they are too cool and original for you and your pee brain to handle!  You have two people who suck here, and one... underdog. One person who doesn't quite fit in!  Come ON, man, make the right decision!

Ryan does not know if Dani is The Show.  She won't ever be perky.  Tyler has an Inspirational Story.  He did... uh, improve.  A little.  Finally, Ryan makes his decision... one person who will not fit in during the long haul.

He makes a really crappy decision. It's perfectly fine to be an obnoxious jerk, and it's perfectly fine to lack talent as long as your backstory is interesting.

It is Dani who goes home. My list of reasons for disliking Ryan Murphy grows. The moment I saw Tyler grin with relief, I knew what was going to happen, and I wanted to throw something at the television.   Rotten decision, requiring both a tin ear and an infinite tolerance for bad attitude as well as a complete lack of imagination.  Of course, I knew that Dani was unlikely to win this; there are people like Shanna and Abraham who are probably genuinely better suited for the top spot, but I really would have like this remarkable girl to get a little more exposure on the show before she left.

This is the second reality show Dani Shay has lost.  She also made something of a splash on America's Got Talent a few years back.  I can't give her a lot of extra publicity with my tiny little blog, but I wanted to remind everybody who reads me here of this:

And just for good measure, here she is, covering Pink. 

Fans of Dani Shay can find out more about her on her website.