Another Glee Rant - Bullying (Spoilers obviously)

Yes I am still watching it, but its credibility is hanging by the tiniest thread right now. I can actually deal with their annoying desire to see Will topless in every episode, the pointless Sue self marriage storyline that added literally nothing, but this week it was the main plot which took things too far. The recent episode of Furt saw Glee continue to tackle the issue of bullying, repressed homosexuality and the difficulties faced by Kurt, being the only openly gay kid in an unforgiving environment. Now I cannot relate directly, but for me during Furt the issue of bullying was handled fairly well, right up until the conclusion.

The introduction of the Utopian College, Kurt visits earlier in the series, rankled with many. At the end of Furt, his dad and new step mum put together all their existing funds , that were going to be used for a honeymoon, to send him to the college and he transfers. This is painted as the obvious right thing to do. Now Glee, a story about supposed outcasts probably appeals to many high school outcasts around the world and has carried some poignant messages. The message that can be gathered from Furt:

Being Bullied? Run Away to a Magical Utopia where you will be accepted.

What the Fuck Glee? Seriously? That is your answer to a bullying storyline. The ultimate conclusion which we are meant to reach? I understand the show is gravitating further and further from reality, but this seems a ridiculously irresponsible thing to write. Bullying is always a sensitive issue to deal with, and its a hard choice to decide whether to give a character a happy ending or reveal the often harsh life of the victim. Glee had been doing such a great job, with the boys standing up to Karofsky (at the behest of their girlfriends) , initial expulsion of Kerofsky, and the dance between Kurt and Finn, and general message of tolerance and understanding, but ultimately I cannot fathom what led to the choices made at the end of the episode.

It may well lead to an interesting few episodes, with Kurt now competing against New Directions at Sectionals, but Glee has made a habit of trying to deal with the issues faced by high school kids, as well as being an all singing dancing production. In this, they have given completely the wrong message. Utopias don't exist in reality and running away from your problems will rarely ever solve them.

Spooks and the Character Assassination

I have rarely had time for authors or writers who feel the need to suddenly and without any real prior warning, assassinate their leading character's personality. To pull it off convincingly you have to had it in mind from the beginning and rarely is this the case. I am a huge fan of BBC Spy Drama Spooks and believe it has been some of the best written and most suspenseful drama certainly in the U.K in the last 10 years.

Spooks spoilers follow. If you have not seen up to series 9 do not read on

Since then we have seen the demise of Tom, the demise and unrelated heroic death of Adam and now clearly it is the turn of Lucas / John. Spooks has more reason to kill off characters than most series and we have been shocked, saddened and stunned by what is ultimately a justifiably ruthless series. Last night's episode was brilliantly acted and the side storyline involving Ruth was perfectly executed, but the writing of what has become the main plot reads only as if it has been created to excuse Richard Armitage, so he could go in search of a shiny crystal instead.

The plot with Vaughn and Maya had seem forced throughout but last night it all came to a fore as John's involvement with them became clear. When John confesses to Harry, it was a little far fetched but also believable and you could see how the ultimately clueless and suggestible John had been caught up in something much bigger than himself. It was a good lie and Vaughn was an easy fall guy, leading to a semi satisfactory conclusion where John, with the help of the others would have to deal with the threat to Albany and stave off the Chinese. It was clear that John would not be able to rejoin as section chief, but he could be retired, much in the same way that Tom was.

Then came the scene, "The Big Reveal", flashbacks to the moment we realised Connie was a traitor in Season 7, as it turns out John was responsible for the civilian bombing, murdered his best friend and was ultimately a very nasty piece of work. Vaughn died, and his actual role in everything was left hanging. John was shown to be unreliable narrator and as such we were left with nothing. Vaughn remains a mystery and having died, seems incredibly like a loose plot end, designed for one purpose.

The problem was it didn't fit. It didn't make sense. As a spy, who has on several occasions killed, it is fine that the character may have a dark side but it has just has not been given much development. Lucas was a well written character and I actually preferred him to Adam, and now from the preview it seems he takes Ruth hostage, threatens Harry, the others and no doubt is shot by people he would have called friends. For what, a relationship with a character introduced this season, whose attachment to him is totally unexplained.

There are in the end ways to write characters out of a show. Actors move on and sometimes characters are even removed for plot based reasons. Death in a show like spooks is a common one and given Adam died heroically it was inevitable that John had to die a traitor. My issue arises when series or even books kill or destroy characters for reasons other than it fits with the character and the events, and on this I am disappointed to say Spooks has totally failed.