How 'Makeover' could be made over to be less BORING.

There were a lot of factors that made 'Makeover' one of my least favourite Glee episodes. To name a few: no character development, rehashing old plots, the writers commenting on their own bad writing and story telling as a joke device instead of fixing the problem (Sue’s lines), predictability and shallowness (Rachel’s story), senselessness (the whole election campaign), implausibility (Kurt’s story), the list is endless (read http://www.drshebloggo.com/) but WORST of all: ONLY 1.39 SECONDS OF WEMMA and NO KISS!

‘Makeover’ needed a makeover. Toss out Rachel, Blaine, Brittany and Kurt from the script and bring in Emma Pillsbury please.

Emma made great strides last year:

1.    controlling her OCD

2.     encouraging Will to propose to her

3.    gaining accolades for her pamphlets

4.    directing the school musical

5.    supporting Will

6.    negotiating a wedding date

7.    initiating sex

8.  winning tenure.

All of these achievements were made while the focus was on other characters, without any great song or dance. RIB, it’s time to let Emma shine. Emma’s new found confidence, sexual liberation and her new life with Will could have been visually translated in ‘Makeover’ in a most non-boring 39.1 minutes of pure Wemma magic. Let’s go:

·      Emma and Will dancing around the streets of Ohio/McKinley singing about how a change would do them good? I wouldn’t have fast forwarded that segment. Not one second of it.

·      Emma and Will try a new wardrobe…maybe Emma could try something daring like jeans, shorts, a low cut top, some new retro clothing, some of those ball gowns Rachel tried on, something surprising, while singing with Will ‘The Way You Look tonight/You’re never fully dressed without a smile.’ That would have had some emotional impact.

·      Emma restyles the apartment – new pictures on the wall (those current pictures have no interest and don't reflect Will or Emma's personality), new bed linen, painting a room, buying a new couch....anything that shows some Pillsbury panache. 

·      Or better still, Emma and Will go house hunting.

·      Emma and Will lie in bed talking about how Will feels bored at work,  the opportunity he is considering and they come up with a plan together - because that's what couples do - they talk - not fill out applications without some discussion first. Then they can both sing 'Everybody Wants to Rule the World'.

Emma decides to cook something new for Will, sets fire to the kitchen and they end up having a romantic dinner on the floor which leads to kissing which leads to something new: Wemma sex outside of the bedroom.

And that's what we really wanted to see on Glee.

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How Britney 2.0 could have been a winning Wemma episode.

The problem with Britney 2.0 was that unless you are a Brittanalyst with a handbook to understanding Brittany’s psychology, know something about Britney Spears’ meltdown and/or like Spears’ songs then the episode could be classified as boring.

Once again RIB filled an episode with too many songs and they criminally under utilized their best assets: Jayma and Matt. Remember, Emma is a guidance counsellor and hands out the graduation certificates at the end of the year and Will has been awarded teacher of the year twice. Why not SHOW the audience these attributes in action?

Here’s how:

Firstly, delete:

All scenes involving Jake, Marley and Unique. I went and made a cup of tea during their scenes, that’s how bored I was by their storylines and songs. By deleting their scenes we eliminate three songs. There we go, we now have half the episode free to show how effective Will and Emma can be and to reveal that Brittany is not stupid, but a very complex character who is now battling with a persona that is no longer working to her advantage.

Secondly, insert:

1.    After Brittany tries to shave her hair off and beats up JBI, Emma and Will talk about Brittany in Emma’s office. Emma, who in Brittany/Britney showed how much she knew about Britney Spears tells Will that Brittany’s behaviour is emulating her idol’s demise and it did not end well. Since the Britney songs don’t seem to be working, they try and work out another way to help Brittany in an attempt to save Brittany from Britney!

2.    Attempt 1: Will tries to forge a connection with Brittany and show her how valuable she is to Glee club. He invites her to show him some dance moves for the welcome back to school pep rally – they do a hip hop style dance together (Isn’t it about time we saw the show’s two best dancers dance together?) Will takes the opportunity to say he knows what it’s like to miss someone so badly that you feel like all the joy has been sucked out of the world ie referring to missing Emma during The Carl period. Brittany says, ‘How did you escape the loneliness Mr Schue?’ He says uncomfortably, ‘I drank.’ Brittany shakes her head and says, ‘I can understand your thirst.’ They smile at each other. Will says, ‘I also found keeping myself busy helped.’ He invites her to be his dance director. Brittany doesn't say yes or no. She’s on her own trajectory.

3.    Attempt 2: After Brittany’s disastrous performance Will, Emma and Brittany sit in Emma’s office, but Will and Emma are not behind the desk. They are sitting either side of Brittany. Will explains to Brittany how she’s hurt her Glee family. (This scene would reiterate the roles of Will and Emma as ‘the parents’ of Glee Club.) Emma states that she knows how sometimes we get ourselves into situations we don’t know how to get out of but the best way to get out of them is to speak the problem out loud and accept the help of a friend (ie referring to her own OCD). Will says, ‘I know you’re smart Brittany, you have to be to use malapropisms and to concoct such an elaborate cry for help.’ (This would establish that Will has taken the time to consider Brittany’s words and behaviour and is showing her that he really cares about her well being – just as he did for Emma’s OCD. It would also explain to viewers that Brittany’s lines are clever instead of stupid.)

Emma acknowledges that Brittany has developed a unique way of communicating which shows enormous creativity and emotional intelligence but she thinks Brittany realizes it’s not working so well this year. Emma asks Brittany if she wants help improving her grades so she can graduate and perhaps apply to a dance school? She gets Brittany to write down a list of what’s troubling her and we then get a montage of Emma and Will helping Brittany write down solutions for these problems and the actions she’ll need to take.  

Result:

• Brittany character development.
• Some explanation of Brittany’s behaviour and character traits.
• Relationship development between Will and Brittany.
• Will showing how he cares about the kids and deserved to win teacher of the year (this contrasts with Sue’s reaction to Brittany’s low grades).
• Emma showing how good she is at her job.
• Will and Emma working together as that ‘Girl saving team’. 

Finding Room for Ms Pillsbury in 'The New Rachel'

Glee is back. Hooray Glee kids, hooray! We can blog again. I really enjoyed the first episode, 'The New Rachel', but as we all know, a Glee episode is never fully complete without our favourite Glee character - Emma Pillsbury. Had Glee started filming later to accommodate Jayma's schedule, here's how RIB could have slotted her in. 

Did Rachel have to meet a new boy in the first episode?

Answer: No

Instead show how completely isolated she feels by leaving her alone in the bathroom doing her cleansing ritual and CONTRAST this with Emma doing her cleansing routine in the bathroom and Will stepping out of the shower and them both pausing to look lustfully at each other and then Emma turning back to the mirror and saying 'No. That would make us late for school!'

Kurt is feeling a little lost still living in Lima. What should he do? Visit Sue Sylvester or Emma Pillsbury?

Answer: Emma Pillsbury. 

She's the guidance counsellor. Sue could have then walked into Emma's office with the baby followed by Kitty. It would have been interesting to see Emma's reaction to the new baby and to Kitty.

Did we need so many Cassandra July scenes? 

Answer: No. 

The scene showing her penchant for alcohol could go. Her attitude towards her students shows that she hates her job and hates the students for their potentially successful futures. Rachel stating that there is alcohol on Cassandra's breath and Cassandra's response is enough for us to accept Rachel's statement as true. So delete. Thus freeing up 45 seconds. Enter Ms Pillsbury. How about contrasting Cassandra's dance routine with Will teaching Emma a dance, thus showing the difference between someone who loves to teach and someone who doesn't. Or simply Will and Emma making evening plans at the lunch table. 

Would Will have minded if Emma had sat in on the auditions? Would the kids have minded?

Answer: No and hell No.

They are totally in love. They live and breathe each other. They want to be with each other 24 hours a day. Did you see the look on Will's face when Jake was singing? I'm sure he was thinking of Emma. She could've/should've been there. When Marley was singing there could have been Wemma hand holding and there could have been a knowing look between them or Emma could have whispered, 'she reminds me of Rachel.'

Did Blaine have to sing to Kurt?

Answer: Yes and No.

Yes if you're a Klaine or Blaine fan. No if you're a Wemma fan. This was the obvious place to put in a long overdue Wemma duet!

Sigh. The missed opportunities!