Look, I know I'm behind, I'm sorry.

Seriously, I'm going to stop talking about schedules, upcoming posts, and generally making promises to ever post "regularly," because let's be honest, it's not gonna happen. And while I'm tempted to finish my commentary on premiere week by reviewing Fringe and Supernatural, I've decided that that isn't going to happen either.

You see, no one watches Fringe. I know it. You know. They know it. It's smart, it's touching, it's interesting, and it's basically one of the best shows on network television today. I love it. The premiere was interesting, but it's going to take a while to figure out where the show is going, and whether I approve of an a-Peter world ("a-" in this case meaning "without," like in "asexual"). This IS the perfect jumping on place for new watchers, so I highly recommend it.

As for Supernatural... come on. Like I'm really going to sit here and critique something that for me is basically popcorn? No. Supernatural is my "turn the brain off and focus on the good-looking people fighting monsters and demons and try to grasp that feeling I felt when Buffy was still on air" time.

So, I'm going to post really brief follow-ups to some of last week's premieres, and get onto what I really want to talk about: Glee (a part of me just died, admitting that).

How I Met Your Mother
If you don't already know, I wasn't the biggest fan of last week's premiere. I've never been a fan of Victoria, I don't like shows re-treading the same ground (Scrubs), and so few comedies need to be an hour long. However, I positively loved Monday's episode. Not so much the Ted and Victoria stuff - although I enjoyed the Klaus-close-class banter, and the fact that in Robin's head Ted is a silent-movie. IF ONLY SWEETHEART. I much preferred the ducky tie story, in which Barney - over the course of years - trained Marshall to respond to his sneezes like Pavlov's dog, took specialized cooking lessons, faked being drunk, and generally manipulated everyone into allowing him to either see or touch Lily's fantastic pregnancy boobs. [Points to Ted for saying it looked like she had a butt on her chest.] This was classic Barney, trying to win a bet. Strike that, it was classic HIMYM, and it was nice to see again. I also enjoyed Victoria's parting wisdom, that the whole Ted-Robin-Barney triangle needs to be addressed, and dealt with - soon.

Raising Hope
This week focused on the reveal that Sabrina is secretly wealthy, but chose to forge her own way rather than rely on her father, and have to deal with awful rich people. Of course, the real reveal isn't that Sabrina was the one good apple in the barrel, but that she felt insecure around them, and also believes that she is better than, well, everyone. Jimmy et al included. I'm not sure this really jives with the Sabrina we've gotten to know over the past year, but this is a comedy; it will probably never be mentioned again. The toilet plot was absurd to the point of being dumb, but it ended nicely enough with a lesson about putting others' needs above your own... I think.

Parenthood
I watched for about 15 minutes and then went to check my e-mail. My brother than changed the channel to That 70s Show on Nick-at-Night, and that my friends is where we stayed.

New Girl
I was legitimately upset that Damon Wayans Jr. was no longer on the show, as he was - at least in my household - the favorite character. I also briefly worried that the show was going to simply replace him with another black actor and hope we didn't notice. Don't worry, nothing so offensive happened. Instead, it acknowledged that the character was gone, and quickly filled his void with... another black character who is into sports... hmmm. I guess the writers liked the dynamic between a bartender, a douche, and a black fitness enthusiast that much? Anyway, the new character - or maybe it's the actor - is nowhere near as entertaining as Wayans, to the show's detriment. I mean, the side characters were caricature-esque enough, and now we have another new one to deal with? Boo. Honestly I'm not liking the series as much as I hoped. Zooey being weird is one thing, but she's like... aggressively weird on this. I find myself uncomfortable, rather than charmed. Maybe that's the point. I don't know. But I'm still on-board.

Ringer
I'm watching it now, but I have work soon, and I really want to get this up today, so I'll update with Ringer later.


Glee or, The Problem of Blaine
If you're a fan of C.S. Lewis, you're cracking up right now.
If you followed my old blog, then you know my issues with Glee. If you don't, allow me to summarize: Too many guest-stars. Too many themed episodes. Schuester and Rachel went from sad underdogs to unlikable divas. Sue never makes sense ever. Too. Much. Kurt. Feeling exploited for my love of showtunes and or nostalgia for an 80s I was barely part of. Et cetera. So I stopped watching. But they promised to fix (some of) those things, so. I'm back. And I hate to say it, but Glee's actually been pretty good lately. BY GLEE STANDARDS Y'ALL, don't get crazy.
Last night saw logical progression from last week's developments!! For the first time in years! Kurt and Rachel, having learned that they aren't such hot Schmidt (shout-out to New Girl), have decided to push themselves by pursuing musicals and student office. Only, hold on, Rachel now has to deal with her estranged bio-mom suddenly being back in the picture. [Sidebar: as ridiculous as it is that Sugar's Daddy (see what I did there?) paid the school to hire Shelby just so his daughter could feel special is, it got us Idina and actual drama, so I'm OK with it.] This also causes Quinn and Puck to confront Season 1 plots that were forgotten in the haze of Season 2. Puck immediately steps up to be part of his daughter's life. Quinn takes some nudging but ultimately decides to clean up her act so she can get to know her daughter. OR DOES SHE??? (Hint, she doesn't, she wants her baby BACK like Knives Chau wants Scott Pilgrim) I found this a little silly to be honest. But I like that the writers are able to clean up some shoddy character work over the last year or so by basically saying "Well she missed her baby but didn't know it so she got sad and angry and random."
What else... I like that Finn and Rachel had vague chemistry for pretty much the first time since the pilot. Sue's plot line is still stupid, and it seems to be really over-foreshadowing that Will is going to run for the same office. Dumb dumb dumb.

OK, so here's the part I really want to talk about. Season 2 Kurt was like... a saint. The writers took every flaw he'd ever had and tossed it out the window. They beatified him because they realized they'd written a hugely influential character that connected to thousands of gay kids across the world. They made all the other characters realize their prejudices. They created a magical bully-free prep school. They even revealed that the guy who terrorized him was just in love with him! And as a reward for being so wonderful, they gave him Darren Criss - a talented, good-looking, good-hearted guy with interests beyond clothes and musicals such as football. Yay Kurt.

Also, I'm 90% sure that when we met Blaine, he was a year older than Kurt. Now he's a year younger. Guess The Flash really did a number on continuity here too, huh?

Anyway, now Blaine has decided to transfer to McKinley - despite Dalton being better for him academically and probably artistically as well, despite having been a substantial financial burden for his family, despite having made friends - for Kurt. He decides to try out for West Side Story, but not for Tony, because Kurt wants to be Tony. Even though he would be perfect. In the end, the directors ask him to go for it anyway, and we're left not knowing his answer.

Now, this can go two ways. One, he does not go for it. In this scenario, he once again puts Kurt's delicate ego above his own, swallows his dreams, and remains the perfect boyfriend. AKA the perfect reward for Perfect Saint Kurt. Or two, he does go for it. I seriously hope this is the way the show chooses to go. You can't base your whole life around someone else. You can't dim your own star just so someone else will seem brighter (pardon the froufy metaphor; it's Glee). This will force Kurt to confront his own jealousy. Which will mean he has flaws! That he's in the wrong, not everyone else! This could reinvigorate a character I frankly can't stand.

[My main issue with Kurt is this: in Season 1, there was the boys vs. girls episode. Kurt was offended that he was put in with the guys, and betrayed them. He's one of the girls he says. One season later, he is offended when his dad wants to do guy things with Finn instead of him. "I'm a guy!" he tearfully exclaims. Sorry dude, you really can't have it both ways. Also, the total lack of flaws the writers want us to see in him. That stuff too.]

Anyway, I'm looking forward to Kurt vs. Brittany for office. And Mercedes vs. Rachel for Maria. And Kurt vs. Blaine for Tony. I'm actually looking forward to Glee. What. Has. Happened. To. Me.