Ahhhhh, it's here! The final recap of the second season of The Glee Project has arrived. I was so stinking excited going into tonight's episode and genuinely invested in seeing who would win, more than I can say for last year's finale. Also reassuring? The insistence that there would only be one winner, not an Oprah-style finale like last year ("You get a guest spot on Glee! You get a guest spot on Glee!"). Anyway, let's get cracking!
The first few minutes are spent gushing over the current state of things. In short, OH EM GEE IT'S THE FINALE WE MADE IT WE'RE SO CLOSE TO GLEE. The end. Robert comes in and announces the theme: Glee-ality. I guess we still can't find Mr. Ulrich and the crew a dictionary. The final homework assignment is You Can't Stop the Beat from Hairspray, which is good because it's a great song to sing and act. Before he leaves, Robert ushers in some "amazing backup vocalists," and surprise surprise, it's the rest of the contenders. "We're back, bitches!" proclaims Charlie. Oh Charlie. I can't say I really missed you. On the other hand, Nellie Veitenheimer is on my TV again and I couldn't be happier.
On the day of the homework assignment, Robert introduces the final mentor of the season, Chris Colfer. Everyone dies, Chris smiles, Robert gushes. The homework assignment starts like rapidfire and it's awesome and exciting! Blake sounds very good and he's dance-y (see, I can make up words too!). Aylin's voice doesn't fit with this song at all, but with all the moving she does, she sounds good. Ali steals the whole show and gets more screentime than the other two contenders. Chris loved Blake's dancing, Aylin's ability to sound clear during movement, and Ali's great characterization, so he picks all three as his homework winners. Robert and Chris announce the final music video, set to the song Tonight Tonight by Hot Chelle Rae. In my head, I really thought they'd pick an anthemic Glee staple song like We Are Young (a lot of people forget that was the first exposure that song ever got, two months before it's big placement at the Super Bowl). Still, everyone is very excited. Robert also mentions that each contender will get to pick their own Last Chance performance song.
In the choreography session with Zach and Brooke, Mr. Woodlee confirms what we've known in our hearts all season: There are no Heather Morris' in this crew. Rather, the choreography is just some simple line dancing. Wheelchair-bound Ali struggles a little bit, understandably, but when she's partnered up with Michael (hey Calculus boy!), she's back on track. At the end of the session, Zach demands a group hug. Daw.
Next, it's vocals with The Glee Project's resident sass queen, Nikki Anders! She's anticipating a fun day in the studio. It starts off rocky with Blake struggling to hit high notes on the chorus (but those notes are totally not in his range at all, baritones unite!) and everyone understandably accepts this. On the rest of his parts, he sounds great and Nikki says "If anyone can sell a party song, it's Blake." Nikki asks Aylin to sing without looking at the words, and she actually sounds better. Aylin's voice is "very cool," says Nikki, and I totally agree. Ali sounds spunky and awesome and she hopes that makes up for her inability to really sell the choreography. The eliminated girls (minus Taryn, who (un)memorably left in the beginning of the second episode) and guys each get group studio sessions to sing in the background. Nellie rocks neon yellow, Mario pulls off shades indoors.
In the one-on-one-on-one-on-one with Chris, the contestants gush over their last song opportunities and Chris says they've gotta sell it. At the video shoot, Robert calls this the "conclusion to the longest audition process ever." Nikki loves Aylin's pop voice and says she'd be a great addition to Glee, but Zach worries about the backlash she would receive. Zach calls Blake the most consistent contender and Nikki is excited about the different kinds of characters she thinks he could pull off. Ali gets to play the promiscuous bitch that co-creater Ian Brennan pictured. Nikki says Ali is a "consummate professional," but Zach worries that Ali's theater background might make people think she's overacting. Music video director Erik White introduces one of last year's winners, Damian McGinty, to the shoot, and I can understand about 45% of what he says at first. Whoops.
The actual video is a lot of fun and, sorry underclassmen, NOTHING like a real prom. Honestly, all three of them look awesome in the video. In particular, I really love Ali being the mean flirty girl, she's hilarious. Damian shows up in the video and...it's just funny, honestly. Reember when he was touted as Glee's next big star? Then, he showed up and did nothing for a whole season and ended up having his contract not be renewed. Yeah, so anyway...Lily looks awesome and KILLS IT on the dance floor. She's invited to my wedding. There's only one good shot of Nellie in the video. Rawr. The final video shoot is a wrap, and tomorrow is the big day.
The mentors meet with the final three and tell them about the glory that lies ahead for the winner of the competition, because now Samuel Larsen and Damian McGinty are huge stars (sorry, I'm still bitter that Lindsay Pearce lost!). Anyway, the contestants reveal their final song choices. Aylin is going bold by picking Rolling in the Deep by Adele, and at first, I scream because I am so tired of reality show stars thinking they can tackle this monster of a song, but Aylin's voice is strong, so we'll see. Ali says her song will be Popular from the musical Wicked, and it's a perfect choice! Blake picks I'll Be by Edwin McCain, and I don't know that song, so *crickets*. We see the final three rehearse and repeat the same old, same old about "I'm so close, I want this so bad." It would honestly be hilarious to see one of them be like "Eh, whatever."
The cast mentors and the fellow contestants pile in with the writers, Ian Brennan, his hair, Ryan Murphy, Robert, Zach, and Nikki. Ryan welcomes everyone to the finale. Dianna Agron's hair looks amazing. Amber Riley is perfect. Darren Criss loves gray. First is Ali and her charm intoxicates everyone in the audience. Her final performance is full of energy and her acting is awesome. The final note is so unexpected, but it's awesome and everyone loves it. Ryan says he loves her optimism and I have to agree. He says it is impossible to root against her. Next is Blake, and he is just so confident when he's on stage. Between the cool mic trick, Intense Violinist Lady, Michael's crazy eyes, Nellie's smirk, and his perfect vocal, it's a total win. And if that weren't enough, Blake reveals that he wrote a little poem to explain how he's different from other people. About halfway through the poem, I realize that poem probably just won him the competition. He reveals he's half-Cuban (and America goes "HUH?!"), and makes eternally sad Robert and made-of-steel Nikki cry. He basically says he's the "every guy" we can all relate to, but can Ryan really believe that? Methinks, yes. Finally, Aylin is out last, Charlie can't contain his excitement. Aylin sounds pretty good at the start, and the chorus kicks in and I'm so happy -- she's hitting the notes and actually sounding good! Amber Riley is loving what she hears and if Amber likes it, America likes it. Aylin says Ryan can trust her to handle the pressure and he says she's an inspiration. Running off stage, she exclaims "I remembered all the words!" and it makes me chuckle.
Next, Ryan asks the Glee cast members who they liked. Darren says Ali has the extra spark, Dianna says "you can't teach what [Ali] has," and Grant Gustin says Ali is his choice. Ali Adler, the writer, says that Blake became a man, and Roberto Something-Or-Other also likes Blake. Michael Hitchcock loves them all (who doesn't), but he sides with Team Ali. Quick side note: Finally remembered that Mr. Hitchcock played Kristen Wiig's boss in Bridesmaids. He's now 34% cooler. Samuel was deeply immersed in Ali's performance, and Erik says Blake was the best to work with. Then, tragedy strikes. Tragedy = Charlie. Upset by the lack of love for his girl, Charlie gets emotional while convincing Ryan that she deserves to win. It's so awful to watch that I don't hear most of what he's saying because I'm screaming "THIS IS SO UNCOMFORTABLE!" Everyone's reactions, particularly Abraham's and Lily's are LOL worthy. But the outburst gets Queen Amber talking and she was impressed that Aylin tackled an Adele song. Damian says he either likes Ali or Aylin, but I can't tell because of the DAMN ACCENT. Ryan lets the cast and contenders go while him, Ian, Ian's hair, Robert, Zach, and Nikki deliberate. Zach says Ali is Glee and Nikki says she's inspiring. Ryan is impressed by Queen Amber's approval of Aylin, proving once and for all that Queen Amber owns Glee. Ian is once again attracted to the story Aylin can provide. Zach says Blake has the most character potential of the three finalists and Robert thinks he's a star. Ryan says he's shocked because "I normally come into these things with a very clear idea," and in my head I'm like, "Really? Last year you had a clear idea that the final four would all win The Glee Project? That's interesting," because I'm sarcastic and rude and honest and hilarious.
But before we know it, everyone is back, including Blake, Ali, and Aylin, to hear the final decision. Ryan says he went back and forth and compliments each contender again and again. He says the show is changing this year and there is a need for "a really specific talent, and a very specific person." Ryan admired Blake's leadership and "leading man quality." He loves Ali's optimism and admires her Broadway talent. Finally, he says Aylin embodies Glee and once again mentions Queen Amber's approval. But, the moment is here. The winner of The Glee Project is...
Blake Jenner!!!!!!!
Everyone seems genuinely very happy for him, and so am I. Beyond Nellie and Shanna, Blake was my favorite contender this season, he's a star, and he should fit just fine into the show. In fact, I'm going out on a limb to say his arrival will rival the pandemonium that broke out upon Darren Criss' first appearance on the show. As everyone comes on stage to congratulate one another, I love Dianna's hug for Ali, as well as Lily's jump for Blake (she seems genuinely happy, yay Lily!) and Michael and Blake's bro hug (a bromance for the ages).
Well that's that! We have a winner and the next big Glee star, Blake. I can't wait to see him this season, and it's another reason to look forward to the fourth season of Glee which starts in a little over a month. I'm also very excited to see what other opportunities some of the other contestants get, particularly Nellie, Shanna, Aylin, and Ali. I'm sad this is my last recap of The Glee Project, season two, but now it just means we're closer to the fourth season of the new and revamped Glee, which hopefully takes a step up from last season. But now it's time to see what you thought! Did you think Blake deserved to win? Were Ali or Aylin robbed? Whose career are you most excited to follow? Let me know below!
Evan
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