glee

tv:  I have spent a long time thinking about this article.  I really wanted to make it right.  Glee returned after its annual American Idol hiatus and this return, maybe more than any they have ever done is deserving of thinking about. It is as much worth thinking about because of the episode that was just seen as because of the one that came before it.  I can't help but say I am torn in my emotions and rationality as it applies to what has gone on.
In the previous episode, On My Way, we saw Dave Keroffsky attempt to take his life because he couldn't bare the thought of being outed as gay.  We also saw a true cliffhanger in wondering weather or not Quinn would live or die from her car accident that came as a result of her texting Rachel to let her know that she was on her was to her and Finn's wedding, which otherwise would have been halted in totally insane ways by her dads.  The question at the end of that episode, despite Keroffsky's near suicide, was weather Quinn lived or died, and what the blowback from that would be.
Quinn lived and was in a wheelchair.  She was optimistic and aided by Artie.  She was determined to walk again, not just in the future but "across the stage at graduation."  I can't say that I don't admire her toughness.  I do.  I can't say I don't like Artie helping her.  Kevin McHale has become one of the best parts of the show both with his voice and his acting.  I can't even say that using her to talk about how bad texting and driving is is a bad thing.  But I do have issue with this episode nonetheless.
We left the show on arguably its most emotional point ever.  We didn't know if Quinn, a beloved character, would live or die.  And in a season that has been mostly emotional, if not downright sad. and not Glee's typical funny, going for it would have been best.  I will admit that I typically watch shows like Dexter, or Boardwalk Empire, or Game of Thrones, or The Sopranos, or Battlestar Gallactica, or even something like Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  These shows will kill anyone and everyone at anytime to make a point.  And I realize that killing characters in Glee is not the norm.  But I can't help but wonder about the shows motives as it relates to Quinn's living or dying having seen their comeback episode.  Quinn has become a spokesperson for texting while driving.
This does not relate to the show.  It relates to the viewers.  While I realize that relating to your audience is key to a shows success, it shouldn't be done in spite of its relevance to its characters.   Instead of directly effecting the characters in the show as if their lives are what matters (because they are all that matters, their world exists to them and ours doesn't), the show seems to have tried to effect its viewership.  That is not a good idea.  The impact of art on an audience comes from its existence within its own context and how people relate to what is going on in that context, in this case the context of the show.
If you wanted to effect the characters in a way that would change them and impact their viewers in the strongest possible way the best move would have been to kill Quinn.  That would have directly affected every single character in the show.  It also would would have been the hardest hitting way to send the message about texting and driving.
Despite all of what I have said, I thoroughly enjoyed their episode back entitled Big Brother.  It was a typically entertaining Glee episode.  I also have no doubt that Ryan Murphy and company will make the end of this class at McKinley's run both entertaining and emotional.
I just can't help but wonder why, if you were willing to, go to that kind of raw emotional place would you not push yourself to that place harder.  Why create a spokesperson when you can create a martyr.  Why only go there half way.  I know this is other shows in me talking(see above), but why not kill her.  Is putting Quinn in a wheelchair and making her talk like an infomercial more impactful than  making the kids deal with loss.
I know its not that kind of show but I can't say it enough.  If you are not willing to go there all the way, then don't go at all.
There was not as much of an intention initially to harp on Quinn's life or death as came out.  While I feel that her life or death was the crux of this episode, and it didn't go to the place I was hoping, there were good things that came out this episode.  Finn wondering about his future was a good thing.  Any time you can involve Artie in an episode seems to be a good thing.  Also, Quinn's denial about her injuries veiled as optimism and determination to heal could lead to another big crash for her character.  I have no doubt that Ryan Murphy and company will make the end of the season, and thus the send off for most of this group of the cast compelling.  This episode even, was entertaining, despite the fact that I feel it didn't push as hard as it could have.
Maybe I wanted something from a different show.  Maybe I just enjoy a little sadness.  I just still want to know why Glee was willing to push the boundary so far just to pull back from it.  I don't doubt at all they could have pulled off the proper level of darkness in a post-Quinn world.
Maybe that's not what viewers wanted.  Maybe that's not creator wanted to do.  But then don't go there at all.