The TV Chick

Happy Glee day! Tonight’s episode titled “Home” is the last one I have seen in advance, so from now on, look for my reviews on Wednesday. In any case, “Home” centers around what that word means to some of the characters. Kurt’s dad is back for this episode, and he sets him up with Finn’s mom. (I know this isn’t super spoilery because I have definitely read it before). Of course, Kurt’s motivations are complicated, but he shares some rather intense moments with his dad, played by Mike O’Malley.

Will grapples with this idea of home as well, and show-stopper Kristen Chenoweth is back reprising her role of April Rhodes. Of course there is always hilarious moments with April, and some amazing duets. She and Will sing “Fire” by Bruce Springsteen and “One Less Bell To Answer” by Burt Bacharach. (The track listing has already been released so this is not exactly a surprise).” One Less Bell To Answer” is probably one of my favorite musical numbers Glee has done, and it doesn’t even involve the vocal talents of Lea Michele. Kristen Chenoweth is an incredible talent and this song has such resonance for both characters. I won’t share the context of the song, but just know that I was floored.

The episode also involves the new members of the Cheerios (Kurt and Mercedes) and Sue’s unrealistic requirements for them. Amber Riley has an amazing moment to shine, and she rocks Christina Aguilera’s “Beautiful” out of the park. I may or may not have cried. There is also a super touching and sweet moment between Quinn and Mercedes, which is not something you see very often. The characters don’t generally interact but when they do, it’s really special.

This episode is for me, a lot like “Wheels” in the sense that it really tugs at your heartstrings. Ryan Murphy and his team have a way of doing just that when you feel like the show needs it. Don’t get me wrong, The Power of Madonna might have been my favorite hour of television ever but there wasn’t that much to advance the storyline. Ryan Murphy has spoken about how Kurt’s experiences with his dad are based on his own, and you can tell that the scenes between Chris Colfer and Mike O’Malley are really written from the heart. When someone writes what they know, it feels so grounded. A lot of TV critics and bloggers have complained upon re-watching the first couple of episodes that is overrun with music and letting the music dominate the story instead of the other way around. I see where everyone is coming from. To me, Glee is near perfect, and I appreciate it for what it is. But I do believe the show needed “Home” to bring it back to its roots where we all fell in love with the show.

There are plenty of Sue-isms in this episode as well as Brittany one liners, but for me it was all about Kurt, Mercedes, and April. Each character struggled with something that even if you didn’t go through the same experience, you could inherently relate to. Everyone has family problems, the desire to fit in and find love. What made me fall in love with Glee almost a year ago, besides the singing which was just unbelievable, was the fact that it doesn’t matter what your high school experience was like, there is a character everyone can relate to. Glee kids were getting slusheed from the beginning, there was never any sugar coating at McKinley High. Sure, sometimes people burst into song but who doesn’t do that from time to time? Each character is breaking down stereotypes: the jocks and the cheerleaders joining Glee club, the popular kids talking to the un-popular ones, the star of glee dating the popular football player, and the gay guy is out and proud (as he should be!).

When I spoke with Jessalyn (Terri) a few weeks back, we talked about how the show really transcends boxes. No one is put in a box and has to stay there. Each character reaches outside their comfort zone and thrives. Mercedes is a perfect example in this episode. Would you ever imagine her voluntarily joining the cheerios? It’s a natural desire to want to fit in and this is her chance. However, she realizes that she has to be at home with her own self to discover the motivations behind wanting to be popular. She is beautiful, in every single way (to quote the famous songstress) and so was this moment.

Kristen Chenoweth also sings “Home” from the Wiz in this episode, but I won’t spoil the context because it is just so great. Because of the Madonna episode, I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about there being another theme so quickly, but I felt that this one wasn’t invasive at all. It made total sense. I think the story shaped the song choices in this episode for sure, and I hope that fans and critics believe it is back to top form. At least, I know I think so.

Glee airs tonight at 9 pm on FOX.

But if you just can’t wait until then, here are some video previews from the episode:

Clip 1:

Clip 2: