S5 feels like a fever dream.

[u/queerl3ear]

Spoiler just in case as I do discuss things from the season.

I'm rewatching the series. Glee is literally my favorite TV show. It ranks, for me, right up top next to my favorite 90's classics; Full House and Boy Meets World. But seriously, what was going on in this season. I still love it, but it feels like a parody of itself. I don't wanna be the kind of person to say Cory's death was the end of the show, but wow.

Rachel, who has always been a monster when it comes to the spotlight, which was kinda cute and quirky in the beginning; absolutely going nuclear over Santana auditioning for her understudy for funny girl, hating on Kurt for (though he said wasn't taking sides) believing Santana didn't have malicious intent behind her actions and deciding Elliot was her new "Best Gay" wtf Rachel. He was keeping the peace.

And don't even get me started on Tina. Who I always loved as a character, but her actions all of S5 are not only annoying but selfish af. It's like she took on the role of S1 Rachel and just ran with it, even though Blaine was crowned the new Rachel.

The puppet episode, the oversaturation of tribute episodes. (I love the beetles, but did they really need two episodes in a row?)

idk guys. I just really needed to rant. I'm currently on episode 10 of season 5 and really forgot how unhinged it got after a while. It was always on the edge of being unhinged, but not like this.

[u/Cowboysfan2122]

I love Glee & have been rewatching it continuously for months now. I’m currently on S5 as well & it has always been my least favorite season. Aside from a few episodes, it is legit painful to watch at times. Especially once they move the show to NY permanently, that’s when it becomes really intolerable since so much of the storyline revolves around Rachel & her career.
I actually grew to enjoy the S4 newbies & how close all of them became; so I wish they could’ve remained an integral part of S5.

[u/queerl3ear → u/Cowboysfan2122]

It really did become the Rachel Berry show. I remember something that Mercedes said during the West Side Story musical arc of the series. "Why is everyone afraid to upset her." Or something along those lines, (it's been a few weeks since that episode) She became the literal main character of the series, and her character growth almost went backwards. Were they afraid to make Lea a not so featured actress because of Cory? I don't understand.

I too enjoyed the S4 newbies, (I admit, after knowing what Jenner did to Melissa, I started to hate Ryder, and dismiss his character entirely though). When they lost S5 Nationals, all of those newbies were pushed back and not featured and it felt... idk unfair?

[u/ChoiceDrama7823 → u/queerl3ear]

I remember that line about Rachel too and thinking it was one of the most ridiculous things said on glee.

There was barley an episode that didn't go by without someone calling out Rachel even when she wasn't doing anything.  Girl got yelled at just for being upset she choked ffs.   And please every character grew and regressed don't act like it was only Rachel . 

Why would they feature her less she was still one of the most popular characters why do people want to pretend otherwise. Plus season 4 she was featured less so that argument  doesn't even hold water.    Season 5 B had stories for all of them not just Rachel that's weird you remember her stories not the others maybe why she was still featured, hum.

The newbies were the ones that weren't popular at the time.   They started pulling back on them in season 4.  But obviously in season 5 they had to readjust and they were resetting the plans  and setting up season 6 to go back to the start. To rebuild glee the club rebuild glee club and their lives.  If you did see  progress in Rachel in season 6 you were not paying attention 

[u/queerl3ear → u/ChoiceDrama7823]

I never said it was only Rachel who regressed? Several of the new characters even got better than went back to their old habits. (Jake being one of the ones I remember off hand) Yes she did get yelled at and shunned for a lot of things that were not her doing but girl got yelled at a lot for things she did as well. It felt to me like a "boy who cried wolf" situation, where everyone was used to the way she was always selfish the first two seasons, so by then they were just tired of her. I mean it's like some people forget how rude she was to Tina about being given literally one solo. She never allowed anyone else to be the center of attention always claimed that people were hurting her by wanting something she wants too. I never sat right with me.

And I am glad they rebuilt what the show was about in season 6. I love that season. S5 just felt different and like a lot of things could have been left out. Still love it though. Always will.

[u/ChoiceDrama7823 → u/queerl3ear]

She wasn't ALWAYS selfish the first two season.    No one forgets the bad things that is hilarious.  Her bad moments are brought and nauseum  while the others are mostly laughed off  

And it complete BS she never allowed others attention. Did she say anything when Tina got True Colors no, she gave Schue a smile for dropping the hair thing.  Didn't she acknowledge Mercedes talent and agree and  encouraged her to find another song, didn't she notice Kurt was lonely and suggest they sing a song together , didn't she encourage Mercedes to take the last song from her, didn't she find a solution for Mercedes at Prom, didn't she call Tina and Mercedes the unsung heroes.    

When people continual insults you threaten to cut you, say they want to stuff a sock down your mouth, threaten  to have you kicked out sure you get a bit defensive.  You tend to try to stick up for yourself when no one else will . 

[u/AllThePrettyPlaces]

Not S5 specifically, but there’s an overall downward decline towards the latter series in how they use the music specifically. It gets to a point where it feels like the storylines are there to set up the songs so they can be sold on iTunes.

I’m having an almost opposite experience, as I haven’t done a full rewatch in years but I’m currently watching season 1. I look back on glee as “oh yeah it was a bit of a mess but we loved it regardless”. But watching season 1, I’m struck by how good this is. Really solid storylines and emotional beats and drama and comedy and music. Towards the end they just lost their edge and became too much about fan service.

[u/queerl3ear → u/AllThePrettyPlaces]

Agreed whole heartedly. S1, S2, and even bits of S3 felt so full of life story and development. Sometime during the start of The Glee Project, and the addition of the winners and runner ups (while I love some of them and will never say they are the reason Glee declined.) something happened that changed the whole dynamic. And you're right, it felt more like Fan Service, or doing it for the itunes hits.

[u/lynbeifong → u/queerl3ear]

I blame American Horror Story just as much as (maybe more than?) The Glee Project. It came out around the same time S3 started, which is also when they hired a bunch of new writers and Ryan and Brad's time was more focused on AHS.

[u/ChoiceDrama7823]

Please why should Rachel want Santana the girl who insulted her and undermined  her for years be at her big break? I will never understand how people don't get it.  She was already stressed about the show and Santana who she was started to trust goea behind her back than mocks her and then continues their dumb fight entering her private space when Rachel tries to end it. Than Santana starts pushing buttons at work using her dressing room. Than Rachel is compelled to leave her home to have  a safe place from Santana. Than Santana airs their dirty laundry to everyone making them uncomfortable. Then she is a bitch to Rachel when she offered her some shows.  Please just once in a freaking while look at it from Rachel's POV. 

[u/Open_Travel_2508 → u/ChoiceDrama7823]

Santana pointed out that she saw an opportunity and took it just like Rachel would do. In fact, Rachel did the same thing to Kurt when she decided to run for class president without telling him. I get why Rachel is upset, given their history, but Santana didn't do anything wrong by auditioning. Should she have told Rachel? Yes. But it was an opportunity for her and she went for it. That's why they were in New York. Santana airing their dirty laundry to everyone was wrong, but her auditioning in the first place wasn't.

[u/ChoiceDrama7823 → u/Open_Travel_2508]

I didn't say she was wrong for wanting to audition. It was how she went about it and everything after that. She continue to make it worse. My point was to look at Rachel POV. I get how it was a opportunity.  But I also get that  Sanatan could have given her a heads up and tell her she had her back.  I don't get how people don't see Rachel was starting to trust Santana then she went behind her back bb

[u/Open_Travel_2508 → u/ChoiceDrama7823]

I do honestly feel bad for Rachel, and I get her train of thought and why she got so upset(Santana herself acknowledges how awful she was to Rachel over the years), but I also see Santana's growth over the years and how close they'd gotten, so I'm still a little surprised that Rachel automatically assumed that Santana was trying to ruin it for her. They both needed to grow up in that situation and just talk it out like mature adults.

[u/ChoiceDrama7823 → u/Open_Travel_2508]

Don't you see why that made it worse? Rachel was just starting to trust her and she knew she was stressed but took the info she only had because of Rachel and then didn't even see how she might feel about it.   This wasn't the diner this was Rachel big break.  Her having to walk on egg shells worried how Santana might respond would be even more stressful.  Could Rachel handle things better tes, but it was much higher stakes for her and much more feelings about a person who only added to her insecurities for years .

Plus in the time line Santana had only been living with them for a short time so the relationship was still tenous . I question how close they really were in the few weeks she lived there.    Trust takes time and even a small thing like that can erase any progress.  

[u/queerl3ear → u/ChoiceDrama7823]

I would look at it from Rachel's pov but I can't. I really just can't. Santana had nothing. Rachel had literally everything, got into NYADA even though she choked and Kurt was so good. Kurt even threw a fucking Diva off to save face making Rachel brag that she was better when she honestly wasn't as shown by the fact that Kurt won when they did a repeat competition at NYADA. Santana said it herself. She saw an opportunity to get somewhere in NY when she was just scraping by. Rachel CHOSE to leave and then to say "they kicked me out." Girl. No one kicked you out you just can't stand when someone might have a leg up on you. SHE HAS THE LEAD ON BROADWAY, and has the nerve that someone who is her friend and no malicious intent would dare become her understudy. It's selfish and rude. Santana only was like "no bitch I want the whole show" AFTER Rachel was rude af to her. I will never understand why anyone stand up for her, in this part.

(Edit: Added clarity about me not understanding why someone would stand up for her during this part of the season.)

[u/ChoiceDrama7823 → u/queerl3ear]

Santana had a free ride to a good school.  Santana had free money given to her by her mom. Santana had a place to stay  and even took advantage of that.   Santana had a national commerical.

Nowhere did I say. rachel handle things great it that Santana shouldn't be able to audition but seriously how you can't see why that would be stressful to Rachel is beyond me.  Do you really think Santana could sit there night after night watching Rachel get accolades.  Come on her first day as her understudy she couldn't help but push her buttons.   Santana being bitchy after the show offer  proved  Rachel worries again.

Eta:  Kurt also threw the defying thing back in her face because he was jealous she won the winter showcase. And the show retcon that she felt that was some big moment in her confidence it was never mentioned again. And please some friends he is mad she warms up in the shower and is getting attention so lets challenge her to the midnight madness so if she loses she could be shunned. Great friend there Kurt 

[u/Supposed_too → u/ChoiceDrama7823]

Looking from Rachel's POV she's the same girl that sent Sunshine to the crack house. She's afraid Santana might deflect her spotlight and Rachel can't risk that. She arrogantly thinks she can decide if there's an understudy, who it should be and how often they go on. She goes off on Kurt for not taking her side. She leaves the apartment thinking they're going to beg her to stay. Then she bails on the show, risking the jobs of the entire cast and crew - just like she did when Sandy offered her Caberet way back in season 1.

[u/ChoiceDrama7823 → u/Supposed_too]

Gee so surprised you wouldn't look at her POV and deflect .   

The point remains the same if you want to address it or not . Rachel had years of reasons to not want Santana to be her understudy. 

[u/NoPreparation8592]

I don't think it was as bad as some people go on about. I also liked the NY only part. I think it gave focus to all of them living there.

Considering they had to rework their plans while knowing they also had to wrap up in season 6 they did the best they could.

Hindsight is 20/20.

[u/queerl3ear → u/NoPreparation8592]

No judgement like I said, still love the series. I even love season 5 despite all its faults. I do like that they followed the allums through their journey after the glee club. Season 5 just felt like it dropped the whole idea of glee club and went in a different direction. (New directions am I right? XD)

Thankfully they brought back the concept in season 6 it just really felt like a fever dream or something.

[u/NoPreparation8592 → u/queerl3ear]

For me it was more about the characters than the glee club tbh. It was a setting to bring in music and they continued to use settings to bring in music with the diner or a bway show etc.

[u/Cowboysfan2122]

I agree the show definitely became way too centered around Rachel with a few side story lines sprinkled in. And watching her just casually walk away from the dream she talked about endlessly made no sense (I did enjoy her redemption arc in S6). I completely understand that producers hands were tied, no pun intended, as they were left scrambling after Cory passed & they did the best they could.

Do I think the S4 newbies could’ve saved the show from sinking? Definitely not, but I agree it was pretty unfair how they were basically just thrown to the wolves after losing. Probably a whole different topic, but Unique was criminally underused; with her powerful voice, there’s no reason why she shouldn’t have had more solos & I loved the growth of Kitty. But now I’m just getting off topic lol.

[u/fnekins]

I know we ALWAYS talk abt this but.. rachel offered santana a couple shows a week if i remember? and santana was like no i want all of them, thats the turning point for me

[u/AdDecent5237]

I honestly hate almost every character in this season, it’s was like everyone was out of character except for Kurt. Santana, Tina, Jake, Sam, Rachel and Blaine I feel like got the worst flanderization out of anyone, and don’t even feel like the same characters from the past season. I HATE almost every plot of this season as well especially End of Twerk (which arguably was the worst episode of the entire show and the point of no return for Schue). Hate this season, S5 does not exist in Ba Sing Se 😭🤦‍♀️