Homework Assignment
This week's theme was tenacity, so the Homework Assignment was some song called "Bulletproof", which I have never heard before in my life. Guest judge, Max Adler, had to decide which one was the most tenacious, and apparently no one was because he had to stop them and start over. To these kids "tenacious" meant getting in people's faces and kicking over chairs, which I guess worked for Adler. After some tame attempts of being forceful, Marissa won her second assignment in a row.
So far the "Bulletproof" assignment has been the worst of the season. For one, not knowing the song left me lukewarm because I didn't have any expectations or an understanding of why it was synonymous with tenacity. I also felt that the performances only proved that these contestants really didn't grasp the theme and most of them cannot really act. Not a strong way to kick off the show.
Video Shoot
Thankfully we did not get four half-baked videos this week. Instead we got one poorly thought out and poorly executed music video. First off, the mash-up of "Under Pressure" and "Ice Ice Baby" just felt lazy since it's well known that the latter ripped-off the former, but they also didn't mesh very well. Also, this was the big slushie video as every contender got initiated into the Glee-verse by the show's frozen beverage of choice.
My biggest problem with the video had to do with the fact that the slushie gimmick was overkill. It would've worked a lot better if the wanna-Glees got hit once or twice throughout the entire thing, but having them sit there and get repeatedly hammered while trying to sing their lines got old very fast and didn't accomplish much of anything. I guess you could argue that it was a test to see who could handle a slushie facial on the show, but only a handful of cast members have had to endure that kind of barrage. Plus, the video was just not very good.
Last Chance Performance
Not only did Marissa win two homework assignments in a row, but she was also the first homework winner to be in the Bottom 3. From what I could gather, she did a fine job for the most part and her major sins were not practicing enough and not popping like she used to.
The Consummate Half-Asser, Alex, found himself in the Bottom 3 yet again because of his utter lack of energy or enthusiasm got him in trouble. I can understand that getting slushied was not the most fun, and that he's probably one of the more talented contestants left, but his piss-poor attitude was beyond annoying.
Out of all of the hopefuls, Cameron had the most problem handing the slushie challenge and had to cut multiple times during the video shoot. Wasting time and energy did not go over well with the judges, so he was once again singing for his life.
Since they had to endure a lot of punishment this week, Robert and Zach decided to go easy on them for the Last Chance Performances, and they all had the chance to sing one of their audition songs. Alex sang "And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going" from Chicago...in drag. I have to admit, Alex impressed me with his performance, and I agreed that if he put that much effort into other aspects of the show, he'd be a favorite. Marissa sang a passable, but far from impressive, version of "Hate On Me". Finally, Cameron had the chance to sing his original song "Love Can Wait".
Maybe it's because Cameron is from Fort Worth, but I saw the second coming of Rhett Miller while watching him perform "Love Can Wait". His alt-country, rockabilly sound was a welcomed change of pace, and it fit his style and image (he's pretty much a ginger, hipster version of Buddy Holly) perfectly. I've always wanted Glee to incorporate this sound of music, along with more singer/songwriter performances, and Cameron might be the one to do it.
When the dust settled, Marissa was the one eliminated. I for one was shocked that she was sent home instead of Alex because she went from a hopeful to a dark horse to a favorite within weeks, and did not deserve to go home based on what we saw this week. For Ryan, it came down to who he could write for, and I guess she was not dynamic enough for him.
Final Thoughts
On some level, I can understand why Ryan didn't go with Marissa because she may not have made an interesting character on Glee despite her looks and talent, and I could easily see her being pushed into the background. On the other hand, she had a lot going against her.
In an odd way, getting sent to the Bottom 3 multiple times may have worked in Alex and Cameron's favor since Murphy has seen them evolve and has gotten a taste of what they bring to the table. Marissa hasn't had those chances, and her rendition of "Hate On Me" wasn't epic enough to convince the judges that she could bring it.
I'm still a fan of Cameron's, but even I have to admit that Robert and Zach are stacking the deck in his favor. Giving him the chance to sing his original song was kind of an unfair advantage because it allowed Ryan to see him do something that nobody else could.
While I'd be happy if Cameron won The Glee Project, I think that it's all going to come down between Lindsay and Samuel. Lindsay could easily be Lea Michele's heir apparent, and her character could be Rachel's protege. Samuel on the other hand may not be as show-ready, but his look and abilities make him a serious contender. I would hate to miss out on Cam's nerdy, hipster, rockabilly vibe though.
Facebook
0 comments:
Post a Comment