Glee - The Complete Second Season

You know the kind of lover you have that just disappoints you over and over yet you find yourself unable to stop going back for more? You think maybe over time they will change or, for those disillusioned suckers, that you can actually change them. Well, that's my relationship with the uber-popular Fox series, "Glee."

With the popular second season now available on Blu-ray and DVD (and the third season currently airing on Fox), I find myself going back to the show for the things I like namely Darren Criss's addition in the second season as the anti-Kurt (masculine, sure of himself, out and proud) who helped not only flesh out Chris Colfer's woebegone character but also gave us the first romance (gay or str8) that we could actually believe in and cheer for. The musical numbers are often impressive and just flat out fun and I never get tired of seeing Kristin Chenoweth do anything (she returns as the disillusioned, boozy April) but, still, I find myself wanting more from "Glee."

Since the show began, "Glee" has made the mistake of doing what a lot of popular series do when they first hit it big - they realize what people like about the show and then hit us over the head with it. In the case of "Glee," it was Jane Lynch's Emmy-winning turn as the evil Sue Sylvester which becomes grating in the second season, tribute episodes which come off as more pandering to the subject than a true tribute, splashy guest star turns (Gwyneth, Kristin Chenoweth, John Stamos, Carol Burnett to name only a few) and then there are the many, many, many musical numbers.

Where does that leave storytelling? Unfortunately for the show, crafting and telling a well-thought out story ranks much lower on the priority list and it unfortunately shows in every single episode. Romantic couplings come together and undone without any regard which only means that while the music and singing is fun, you never truly get too invested in the characters. The same beats play over and over and serve only as a bridge between musical numbers, which, for a writer like me, is beyond frustrating and so I make the comparison again that like a lousy lover, "Glee" may start out sweet but it quickly turns sour.

Does that mean the second season is a complete dud? Not necessarily but it's best to keep your expectations low. Besides Criss along with the addition of cute blondie Chord Overstreet (aka Trouty Mouth), more of the abs-tastic, dance-aficionado Harry Shum Jr. and Colfer's sensitive, heartfelt portrayal of Curt, the show does have its moments but it's best to fast forward through the stuff that isn't working to find the few gems.

The extras don't necessarily save this release but you have a lot of featurettes including the "Glee Music Jukebox," time with stars Cory Monteith & Heather Morris, shooting in NYC, guesting on "Glee," "Santana's Slams, Sue's Quips and Stevie Nicks does Glee."

GLEE: The Complete Second Season
Blu-ray
$69.99
http://www.foxshop.com/detail.php?p=304724&v=All