SOUND OFF: GLEE's New Directions Do One Direction

"Prom-asaurus" proved that GLEE can still pack a powerful pop culture punch when required to do so; and when it wants to - and spike it with some effervescence and make it pop, too. Even those among us who don't partake in drinking the GLEE Kool-Aid, all must agree that there was more than one episode's fair share of fun, frivolity, twists and tunes, with some very fitting dramatic and musicals moments that we have by now come to anticipate from the genre-hopping musical dramedy enterprise - all of it integrated effectively into the stream-lined storyline, as well. Prom. It's all about prom this time of year and GLEE always makes a point to pay tribute to the month of May in this way. It is in pop culture melding mega-moments like last night's One Direction cover by way of GLEE - "What You Makes You Beautiful" - that we are again reminded of the special place GLEE holds in the American pop pantheon of the 21st century - using real, of-the-moment pop songs and utilizing them to comment on current events while musicalizing and dramatizing the lives of high school students. The classic cuts that come along are a bonus, really, when one considers GLEE from this viewpoint, though the contemporary covers have become the bread and butter of song sales for the mega-music-selling series - "Teenage Dream" by Blaine & The Warblers, as well as the Troubletones's Adele "Someone Like You/Rumor Has It" mash-up sold nearly as many copies as their predecessors - the originals - as far as iTunes sales go. Though FOX channel-mate Simon Cowell of course discovered and shepherds the international pop smash super group One Direction, their musical appearance on GLEE this season marks the continued exposure of the of-the-moment boy band phenomena we have not seen the likes of in over a decade - not since the days of N*SYNC and the Backstreet Boys - after the New Directions success with The Wanted's "Glad You Came" a few episodes back and their upcoming continued presence, no doubt, in addition. What makes GLEE must-see-TV week after week is more often than not the try-anything approach of the creators and cast - some sequences shockingly come off brilliantly and hit all-too-squarely their intended targets, while others fall far short and flop completely, even embarrassingly so. To crib a phrase from One Direction's hit single, what makes GLEE beautiful is that GLEE does not always know what makes it beautiful - experiencing drama coming to us delivered from that rocky, risky-to-mount precipice is sometimes frustrating, sometimes rewarding, but almost always somehow more than merely satisfying.

That's What Makes GLEE Beautiful

It should as come as no surprise to the gleeks and casual viewers alike out in the GLEE audience that last night's episode was among the season's best in large part because the mind behind the all-consuming GLEE mania himself - mastermind Ryan Murphy - penned the episode, which was directed by noted-actor-cum-more-notable-director Eric Stoltz, a GLEE veteran. Incidentally, Murphy's new comedy series, THE NEW NORMAL, was just greenlit by NBC - check out my exclusive InDepth InterView with the show's star, BOOK OF MORMON lead Andrew Rannells, here - meaning he will now be the creator and show-runner for three vastly different, currently-running TV series simultaneously, all airing on three separate networks; GLEE on FOX, AMERICAN HORROR STORY on FX, and, come September, THE NEW NORMAL on NBC. How Murphy's new duties will effect his commitment to GLEE, which has noticeably wavered in viewing numbers of late - though Season 3 is more consistent than any season thus far by a long shot - remains to be seen and heard. The highs may not have been as high this season so far, but the lows were not as low as the depths traversed previously, either. "Prom-asaurus" was an ideal snapshot of the season as it was - wacky, outrageous, touching and ultimately a vastly enjoyable experience overall. It covered the bases and stuck to our ribs when necessary, never too cloying or saccharine. The multitude of musical theatre references littered throughout this episode in particular was a wonder and a joy to behold and cherish - particularly coming after a Broadway-heavy penultimate night of SMASH just the night prior. Yes, between SMASH and GLEE every week for the last month or so, Broadway babies have been extraordinarily well attended to as far as mainstream musical theatre attention paid on a national level goes. Oh, lucky we! And, true, last night's GLEE may have lacked an actual musical theatre song, but everything from Barbra Streisand in FUNNY GIRL to the CBS Tony Awards logo to the movie of GREASE to "Castle On A Cloud" from LES MIZ was referenced in the first five minutes, all springing from the razor-sharp show's taut and tight script from an admitted "show queen". This should be Murphy's Emmy submission episode - and the episode itself is punctuated with reminders of the initial allure that first drew us to GLEE; that unmistakable air of familiarity wafted through the air like a lingering perfume from time to time; a complex and layered mélange. There is a lot of life left in this series - we may not even be halfway through with the complete tale of GLEE yet, actually. Time will tell.

The songstack of "Prom-asaurus" was not an over-the-top collection of showstoppers as in some previous GLEE standout eps, yet each and every musical number was apt and befitting for the dramatic moment meant to be enhanced through song - with some of them becoming much more than the sum of their parts, as well, which happens when the drama and music meet most pleasingly and illuminatingly. Rachel (Lea Michele), Blaine (Darren Criss) and Kurt (Chris Colfer) gave us a faithful and refined rendition "Big Girls Don't Cry" by way of Fergie, in a casually rendered, gender-bending trio. Brittany (Heather Morris) unquestionably had the central focus of "Prom-asaurus" and Heather Morris once again showed the many reasons she is such an asset to the out-of-this-world and off-the-wall nature of the GLEE universe. As fiercely, fabulously, loudly idiosyncratic and unique as the show is, the lithe choreographer famous for her "Single Ladies" dance work made Ke$ha's "Dinosaur" come alive, though it seemed to be the most shoe-horned-in of the musical numbers in the performance-light episode. Brittany's backup work for Santana's "Love You Like A Love Song" during the gaudy prehistoric prom gave the sapphic Cheerio pair another fine duet opportunity - although Santana had the central focus - with the lyrics of the song acting as poignant and pointed commentary on the ensuing drama on the dance floor involving Finn, Quinn and Rachel during its duration. The boys of New Directions made One Direction's ear-candy instant-earworm "What Makes You Beautiful" an energizing and appealing prom anthem and created a vivid and memorable prom moment for the original outgoing GLEE Cast as they now stand, just three episodes before a slew of them depart. Quinn's "Take My Breath Away" was the first of two major Giorgio Moroder movie themes that play a major part in the final triptych of eps for GLEE S3 - next week we will be getting "Flashdance (What A Feeling)".

While Becky (Lauren Potter) and Sue Sylvester's (Jane Lynch) scenes have become a bit rote at this point, Lynch continues to make Sylvester a classic TV character creation - indelibly iconic in her cruelty and mean-spirited nastiness, with the kindness she stingily harbors just under the surface adding just enough depth. Sue is a caricature, sure, but a farcical character expertly played - each line hitting its mark each and every time, without fail and Lynch wringing every drop of irony and wit from her material. Piles of plot points that stretch logic and absurdity dished up by the shovelful are GLee Hallmarks - if by 66 episodes in one has not yet warmed to GLEE's charms and wiles and made peace with its deficiencies, it seems unlikely everyone's expectations will ever all be met. It is what it is - and the laughter and tears remain in plentiful supply, as does the high entertainment value - and, just the same, so existall the rest of it, too; for better or worse. If nothing else, "Prom-asaurus" was filled with brilliant and bitchy one-liners - and Helen Mirren once again gave voice to Becky's inner feelings in her incomparable voiceover - and sometimes they come so rapid-fire we fail to appreciate them in the moment. As one can usually rely upon Murphy to deliver with his stupendous stable of directors, "Prom-asaurus" was a beautifully played envisioning of Murphy's excellent script, filled with many great GLEE character moments and scenes if it ultimately did fail to deliver an unforgettable musical moment, even though the One Direction rendition came close. As is often the case with plot-centric episodes, the songs illustrated the drama more than stood out and took away from it, which is a sure sign of smart, economical and effective storytelling. If songs must be sacrificed from time to time for the sake of the storytelling when the script is this good, then so be it.

Touching on the topmost plot points of the episode that will hopefully be further developed and begun to be wrapped up next week: Quinn (Dianna Agron) and Joe (Samuel Larsen) bonded over her physical rehabilitation resulting from the cliffhanger car-crash capping S1A, but she once again fell for former flame Finn (Cory Monteith), despite her better judgment, continuing Quinn's unglamorous fall from grace. In a cringe-inducing display, Finn soon uncovered the truth: Quinn's rehab chic was a sham and she could walk after all. To see the football king and cheerleading queen of McKinley High have a moment like this, each having changed so drastically and fundamentally over the last three seasons - especially one in which they are rendered forever separate and a near-impossible pair - was a bittersweet and biting touch indeed, played perfectly by both. Plus, will Sam (Chord Overstreet) and Mercedes (Amber Riley) get another duet before school is out for the Summer? What about Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz) and Mike (Harry Shum, Jr.)? What will next week's double-header of a two-hour GLEE extravaganza conjur up to set the stage for the ideal close a strong, if comparatively innocuous season on May 22's "Goodbye" ep? Well, we will have to tune in next Tuesday to see, but one thing is for sure: graduation is coming fast and furious. Next week? Two new eps - "Props" and "Nationals" - including the big competition itself, a GLEE alternate reality and even a tune from The Who's TOMMY, "Pinball Wizard"!