"Sensational" Transylvania? Really?

I'm not one to get myself bent out of shape over content in a show, but this week's Glee leaves me feeling a bit uncomfortable. In this last week's show, Mr. Shu decides to let the kids perform a stage production of the Rocky Horror Picture Show in a rather ill-conceived attempt to get closer to his love interest, who is dating the (supposedly) hunky dentist. So far, kind of ok, but the show rapidly declined for me.

First off, despite the actual age of the actors, the characters are supposed to be 16-year-old kids. The thought of seeing a 16-year-old boy in the Frankenfurter costume makes me want to die a little. To the show's credit, however, they ended up having a girl play that role but with minimal modifications to the outfit.

Second, after the Glee teacher had to re-write the script and lose some of the more scandalous dialogue and scenes, (replacing the word "Transexual" with "Sensational") they still planned to have a "kid" (two actually) on stage shirtless and in short shorts (boxers or whatever). Again, I'm not keen on the idea of watching "kids" of their age roaming around in almost nothing at all. You accept that there is going to be a fair amount of teen love interest in a show like Glee, but putting them in a highly sexual stage show is just .... creepily wrong.

The third, and most disturbing part of the show for me, was when Mr. Shu decided that the roll of Rocky was "too adult" (really, he just wanted to get close to the counselor again) and opted to take over the roll himself. He wanted to practice the number "Touch Me" with the counselor, which was weird seeing as how Rocky's only lines in that song consist of "creature of the night". So, it's basically the counselor running around oversexed and ripping open the teacher's shirt, writhing in mock sexual ecstasy on the table, and various people leaning over her. What's disturbing to me about this is that the teacher was "rehearsing" for a scene that would have been performed with one of his students. I don't know about you, but I believe that pedophilia is never sexy. Ever.

So, it appears that I have the same objections to the show that the "bad" character Sue Sylvester had. It's too adult for high school kids to perform, and frankly, the idea of teachers performing in gold short shorts in front of and with students makes my stomach turn. I think Glee took a wrong turn here, and I hope they get it back on track. I understand wanting to do a Halloween-type episode, but they should have paid attention to the lines they wrote for the gym teacher.

In the end, Mr. Shu realizes that the show is probably too adult and cancels all public performances (although, like a strange voyeur, he still watches the kids perform it). But this opens up another problem for me. I am not a fan of what they're doing with the Glee Club teacher. He's become this sniveling, whiny, pathetic, highly flawed character who isn't learning anything. Every episode recently, he does something stupid that's ill-advised, realizes it at the end and makes a point of telling the audience he realizes it, then in the next episode he does something equally stupid. I'm tired of him chasing after the counselor in what can only be described as stalker-esque behavior at this point. He could at least actually learn from his mistakes, rather than saying he did, then turning around and being the same idiot all over again. Highly flawed characters are a pet peeve of mine. Glee needs to turn it around, or they're going to lose me, which is sad, because I'd like to see musicals make a come-back.

Oh, and I'm tired of Rachel squeezing her eyes shut tight every time she tries to show "emotion", like it's the only way to show that you feel something strong. And the fact that they keep giving Mercedes stereotypical "diva" songs (along with the annoying attitude) to belt out in the same way every week.

 

Come on Glee. Turn it around. I was actually really enjoying the show up until this second season.