Glee encore2/20/2023 Sure, some of the standout moments from the series – moments that are truthfully good vocals, or show-stopping showcases of choreographic genius – are included here, but a startling number are not. Numerous other similar instances abound within this release.Īs a collection of the show’s greatest musical accomplishments this set also seems not fully realized. That this performance is included on “Glee Encore!” without the surrounding dialogic context is problematic. Morrison’s performance isn’t what makes the moment the punch line, that Rachel completely misunderstood the point of the song and still intends to continue her stalkerish tendencies, is what makes the entire sequence work. But, within the context of the story – Schuester sings the song to a lovesick Rachel Barry ( Lea Michele) in a failed attempt to explain why her sudden attraction to said choir teacher is inappropriate and just plain uncomfortably creepy – the song is just about perfect. Series star Matthew Morrison’s vocal is average Zack Woodlee’s choreography is simple, and the direction of the number amounts to a slowly revolving camera that doesn’t cut away. It isn’t a particularly strong performance. Take, for example, Will Schuester’s ( Matthew Morrison) mash-up cover of “Don’t Stand So Close to Me” by The Police and “Young Girl” by Gary Puckett and the Union Gap. In other words, not necessarily because these are truly excellent songs sung perfectly. The show works – mostly anyway, and it certainly works best – when the songs have a tinge of knowing irony to them, either lyrically and musically (as in, the song is beyond bad, and the cast consciously sings it anyway), or within the awkward framework of a particularly twisted story. They play with the concept of terrible songs and terrible performances quite often – the first season had “Bad Reputations”, an entire episode built around songs that are essentially unredeemable and unmistakably awful season two has had wonderfully self-aware episodes featuring songs by Justin Bieber and Rebecca “Friday” Black – and also push many of the numbers into terrifically overly-theatrical ridiculousness with clear comedic intention. The musical aspect of the show is certainly fine and well done, but, to me, it works in the context of comedy, parody and absurdist commentary – not necessarily because it’s good, but because the show’s writers and creators know that it really isn’t. But as much as I like “Glee”, the music isn’t why I come back to it. It’s also occasionally touching and truthful. The show is fun, funny and often brilliant satire. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: despite my misgivings with the first half of season two (and a couple of episode in season one), I really genuinely like “Glee”. Nothing more nothing less, and, every single minute of the seventy-seven that take up the gigabytes on this Blu-ray have been previously released on the high-def format via the excellent complete first season boxset I reviewed last year. (In fact, it doesn’t include anything from the second season at all.) What “Glee Encore!” really is then is just a grouping of thirty-plus songs and performances from 17 of the 22 episodes from the FOX series’ first season. It’s not a specialty release that includes exclusive, never-before-seen musical numbers a collection of deleted and extended scenes, sneak previews of clips and songs from the currently airing second season, or anything of the sort. “Encore” isn’t a direct-to-video movie, nor is it a filmed concert of the cast’s many tour performances. They are all sensational and will get any party going if you just pop in this blu-ray.To discuss what “Glee Encore!” is it’s probably best to note what it isn’t. You can totally rock out or Gleek out to these numbers. What is better than a season’s worth of Glee episodes? Thirty-two back-to-back musical numbers, that’s what.
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