<p>I think Calvin is ■■■■■■■■ here 
See the Transylvania post regarding the Rocky Horror episode. Pretty funny, actually.</p>
<p>Agree that the message last night missed the mark.
I think Sue is still one of the best things about the show. I think they try to find pertinent topics, but there are probably no songs that worked well for what they were trying to do.
Maybe each show can’t be a hit. Last night definitely bombed in my opinion.</p>
<p>Ditto HisGrace.</p>
<p>I think the message was spot-on - parents/teachers can educate - kids will make their own, hopefully well-informed, decisions.</p>
<p>The main problem I found with the DARE-like programs was their unrealistic, all or nothing approach. My elementary school kid came home and told us that they were taught that alcohol was bad - that we shouldn’t be having wine or beer with dinner. It killed any credibility for anything else the program tried to teach</p>
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<p>You’d be surprised at how many parents use TV shows to teach their kids. Not just Glee, this goes back all the way to your adolescence. Dora? Barney? Teletubbies? (sorta) I understand that it’s a TV show, and it’s a business. It wants viewers, it wants money. But I’m just disgusted by the amount of people praising that show because of it preaching “good morals” when in reality, the morals are skewed and incorrectly projected.</p>
<p>mafool: If you would like to direct me to the post that was already made regarding the Transylvania episode, I would much appreciate it. I specifically stated I did not read any other posts in this thread, and the fact that I insulted your favorite TV show doesn’t make me a ■■■■■ in any way.</p>
<p>When my d was very young, she just loved watching the Rugrats. I recall an episode when Angelica was being really over-the-top mean. I felt it needed comment, so I waded in to offer my opinion. To my surprise, my d quickly countered that she really liked Angelica. When I asked why she said, “Because sometimes I feel just like that!” Now granted, she didn’t act like that, but it’s always been a good reminder for me of the (socially inappropriate and unacknowledged) feelings that we all experience sometimes. For some reason, this discussion about Glee reminded me of that experience.</p>
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<p>Dora and Teletubbies were way after my time…as far as I remember, Barney and Sesame Street and any others like them were supplements to what my parents had already taught me, not substitutes. My sense of morals, as well as my ability to read before I started kindergarten, my love of learning, etc. all came from mom and dad, not some purple dinosaur.</p>
<p>I think it’s so sad that our society seems to have lost its distinction between real and make-believe. My parents never really censored what I read or watched (unless it was grossly age-inappropriate) because they knew I understood that it wasn’t real. Just because the people on TV went to some huge party didn’t necessarily mean that was OK for me to do. Just because someone in a book commits murder doesn’t mean I should go do the same. It really is all up to the parents. It’s their responsibility to have the conversation with their children about what’s okay and what’s not.</p>
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<p>I agree completely!</p>
<p>Hi, Calvin. The post I was referring to was yours. I thought it was quite funny. </p>
<p>No, Glee is not my “favorite show.”</p>
<p>I watched the “party” episode last night. I had a busy week so that was my first opportunity to watch. I was disappointed and surprised by the episode. I’m a big fan of the show, I just am not sure that the message was strong enough against the whole getting drunk thing :(</p>
<p>I enjoyed the episode. </p>
<p>What did people think – that the audience for Glee wants to see a TV show where kids get drunk and get killed in a car accident? That the audience would like to see the Glee kids be pure and not drink, sending a message that you can be both cool and sober? </p>
<p>I doubt that any kid would watch Glee and make a decision to drink or not to drink. Too many other factors play a role in that decision.</p>
<p>I have known many many kids who swore they would NEVER drink, NEVER smoke pot – when they were 13. Boy, did things change when they got older. </p>
<p>As for this episode: I loved the Rachel-Blaine song. I thought the dress Rachel wore to her party was hysterically funny. I enjoyed the Will-Coach Bieste number, even though I never drink and don’t particularly agree with the lyrics. And Heather Morris is amazing – I’d watch this show just to see her in that last number.</p>
<p>And “Ke, dollar sign, ha,” – what a riot.</p>
<p>This week’s episode was the first really good one in a while, imo (mostly because it wasn’t written by Ryan Murphy). The drinking was realistic and they were safe about it - they had a designated driver and watched out for one another. Heather Morris is amazing and I love it when her dancing is featured. Also, I thought they handled the bisexuality storyline decently for Glee; I wasn’t expecting anything too serious or righteous, and the fact that they did it through real character development was well-done.</p>
<p>^^</p>
<p>They partied Saturday night and still felt awful Monday morning. That doesn’t seem too safe to me. They drank enough to make themselves really sick.</p>
<p>They also have extravagant staging and costumes when they sing. IT’S A TV SHOW. Poetic license!</p>
<p>I watched it as I always do with my 16 year old D. D said kids her age do not respond to the preachy don’t drink messages. D felt they showed consequences for the drinking even though as parents some may not feel those were strong enough.</p>
<p>Rachel and Blaine singing Human League’s “Don’t You Want me Baby” was a flashback for me to a 1982 frat party where I was dancing (and drinking).</p>
<p>There is a kid in our school that failed a drug test so now is unable to participate in a certain sport. There WAS a possibility that a trip to state was going to be in the future but not anymore. That is what’s sad about doing this kind of stuff. Who says the one that tries something isn’t the one that can’t stop. It makes me sad. There are a few kids in my class that are no longer in our school because of drug problems or drinking. I still have to say that I don’t like the “party” episode on GLEE. I also have to say that I’m not sure what message TV can show to stop us from drinking and doing drugs. I do know I’m not going to do something that makes me lose control of myself! Some of the kids that I know, like the one that messed up this past week, have surprised me. It’s sad :(</p>
<p>I was surprised by how fun the show made Rachel’s drinking party seem. It was also shocking to hear Will casually mention that he “blacked out a couple of times” as a teen. Isn’t that a red flag?</p>
<p>Something else I didn’t mention that didn’t seem right was that Rachel brought a mixture of the left over drinks so everyone could have a cup before their performance. The writers go from her having a party making sure to point out that there is even a designated driver to her passing out alcohol in school before they sing. What would make her character do that!!! Plus, kids at my school think it’s funny to talk about how sick they get after they drink a lot. I’m sure a few of the dummies that I know would have thought that kind of assembly was great :(</p>
<p>HPFan, she mentioned when she was doing it that “a lot of Broadway performers do this”, which is somewhat true (alcohol/drug abuse is a huge problem in show-business).</p>
<p>The kids at your school are just that–kids, and they are probably either exaggerating how sick they got or just plain lying. Their parents would know if they were that sick from drinking…believe you me, it’s obvious. The person reeks of alcohol and you can just tell.</p>
<p>I’m going to say it one more time, though: it’s a TV show. The reason this kind of thing is “entertaining” (arguably) is because it’s fictional…stuff like that rarely actually happens. The kids you’re talking about will (hopefully) grow up soon, especially once their drinking buddies start seeing consequences of their actions. Just don’t forget that they might not be telling the truth.</p>
<p>My friends and I have decided that Glee really isn’t a 8 PM show, that it would be more appropriate at 9 or 10 PM. That to many of the topics aren’t meant for the kids who are still up at 8. </p>
<p>What do you think?</p>
<p>Let’s look what else is on at 8pm:</p>
<p>-House (doctor’s whose patients usually have story lines involving sex, drugs, and alcohol; main characters talk about sex lives and affairs fairly often)
-90210 (teenager drama deals with sex, alcohol, gblt issues, etc)
-Pretty Little Liars (teen murder drama with sex, hateful characters)
-The Bachelor (finding the perfect love? making out and sleeping with countless women)
-One Tree Hill (teen drama but now they are grown up? i think? )
-America’s Next Top Model (Tyra and her usual craziness)
-The Simpsons (some subtle glances with crude comments)
-Community (actually tackles some of the above topics fairly well)</p>
<p>All of these shows consist of people who are older and do worse things then the kids on Glee. Glee wouldn’t get as good as demographics if it were on at 9 and FOX loves its 8pm timeslot. What topics are kids up for? Sex, drugs, alcohol? Every show above has covered these topics. Most of these above shows are harmless but I am pretty sure The Bachelor isn’t appropriate for an 8pm audience either.</p>