Glee gets gayer – and I really, really like it

by Devil’s Food Cake

**SPOILER ALERT** If you don’t watch Glee episodes when they come out in the US, and you don’t want to have what’s in store ruined, then look away, look away now.

Santana’s always been my favourite character on Glee – I love her acerbic wit and no-bullshit attitude. And, let’s be frank, she’s really, really hot. I can’t believe they don’t use her more, because her voice is amazing (see Valerie and Heads Will Roll). In the latest episode, we see Santana and Brittany talking about their ongoing “relationship”, the fooling around that was mentioned last season and then left hanging. They talk a little, there are some one-liners – it’s not cheating because there’s “different plumbing” and all that. Brittany, though, points out that while she enjoys the make-out-and-more sessions the two share, she misses the “talking and stuff” that she has when she’s with Artie. Santana is quick to shrug off the intimacy portion of this quiz show, stating that “it’s better when it doesn’t involve feelings. It’s better when it doesn’t involve eye contact”.

Oh Santana. That’s only how it feels when you’re with a boy.

Anyway, Brittany is insistent, so the two head to Holly Holiday (played by Gwyneth Paltrow) who is giving out sex advice like candy this episode – including a particularly hilarious moment where she gets the kids to put condoms on cucumbers, a moment I loved because that is exactly what I had to do in high school. She takes them to her “sacred, sexy sharing circle” which made me want to run and fucking hide, because seriously, what teacher says shit like that? Anyway, they’re in her circle and Ms. Holiday asks them whether either considers herself a lesbian. Brittany says she doesn’t know. Santana says she likes boys and girls. And made out with a mannequin once. And had a sex dream about a person-shaped plant. Way to dispel the slutty bisexual stereotype there, Glee.

Moving on, Brittany says she doesn’t know what she is because Santana refuses to talk about it, so Holly suggests they do the obvious thing and sing about it. DUH OBVIOUSLY. Santana says she has the perfect song, but we don’t get how perfect until they start singing it.

Landslide from sebastian lung on Vimeo.

OH MY GOD RIGHT? I cried right along with her. Maybe it’s the PMS. Or maybe it’s just because it’s one of the most perfect songs Glee has ever done ever. “Is that really how you feel?”, asks Brittany. “Yeah”, says Santana, through her tears, and I am emotionally spent, because they have made this great show even greater and are now one of my favourite couples/couples-to-be (?) ever.

Then Rachel goes and ruins the moment by exclaiming over their bravery for extolling the virtues of “Sapphic charms” and Santana snaps a retort about not wanting to have a label on this tin, and walks away. Sob.

Later though, Santana goes to Brittany and asks to talk, which is a bit of a shock for Brittany, since Santana, you know, never wants to talk. But she’s realized something, see, and she needs to get it out. “What I’ve realised is that I’m angry. Because I have all of these feelings – feelings for you – that I’m afraid of dealing with because I’m afraid of dealing with the consequences… and Brittany, I can’t go to an Indigo Girls concert, I just can’t”. Brittany doesn’t get it, so Santana continues, “I want to be with you. But I’m afraid – of the talks, and the looks… I mean, you know what happened to Kurt at this school.”

Can I just say: I love this storyline. There are so many shows where the characters go through absolutely no progression or growth of any kind (Shane, for example), and this episode not only expands on a plot-line that was introduced to the show ages ago, it capitalizes on it and makes it something great. The way Santana first rejects and then accepts her feelings for Brittany isn’t just interesting, it’s tremendously realistic, and a rare insight into a character we’ve always just thought was kind of a [hot] bitch. Most of all, it’s really moving. I can’t wait to see how things pan out.

A lot of people complain that Glee is just a big peddler of stereotypes and tries too hard to accommodate everything – but what does that even mean? It’s a great thing that a show this huge, with this large a following, is doing so much positive stuff for under-represented groups.  I mean, sex education? Bisexual cheerleaders? And all of this on Fox? I’m amazed, and you can be sure that even when this show is crappy (I’m looking at you, Britney episode) I’ll still be watching. Well played, Murphy.

Also see:

Glee’s gay bullying episode: the good and the bad

Glee’s gay bullying episode: the good and the better