The Glee Project: Hold On

Last time on “The Glee Project”: Taryn decided she had had enough and was too homesick to continue with the competition. Her departure was told via placard. And I realized why it annoyed me. Everything said in the placard was repeated by Robert Ulrich and was more effective. Anyway, one of last year’s winners—Samuel Larsen—judged the Gleekabes on their dancing skills. Abraham won but the video was a complete mess. It was decided that Dani, Lily and Tyler were the worst of the worst. In the end, Dani was sent home for being too “one-note” AKA Ryan realized he couldn’t base a seven episode arc on a Justin Bieber contest between Sam and Dani. Wait, that actually would’ve been cool. Anyway, eleven Gleekabes remain, who doesn’t make the list tonight? Find out!


The Glee Project!


Robert calls the Gleekabes over to tell them their theme for that week. He tells them it is a big one—vulnerability. They go nuts, surprising Robert. Well, Michael isn’t too thrilled. Anyway, their homework assignment is “My Life Would Suck Without You.” Charlie isn’t too thrilled and says it’s hard to be vulnerable to its bass line. He then mimics the bass line. Anyway, they think Chris Colfer is their guest judge. The Gleekabes divvy up the songs—Mario takes line 3 but Aylin and Lily argue over Line 3. Lily gets it.


The next day, Robert says that their guest is the most accessible actor on Glee. And it is Cory Monteith. I don’t know why do this suspense thing WHEN THEY TELL US THE GUEST JUDGE IN THE PROMOS! Sorry. For those living under a rock or not watching Glee, Cory plays Finn Hudson. He tells them that it has to feel real to them because then it’ll feel real to the audience. So he sits back to watch them perform. I’ll hand it to these kids, they are making a triumphant song sound vulnerable. And I like how Aylin is holding Ali. Cory says Abraham was reaching, Lily went sexy, Ali needs to remain simple, Shanna connected, Nellie hit the high note and was intense. So who wins? Nellie! Yay, Nellie!


Robert congratulates her and Cory reveals that their video is “Everybody Hurts” by REM. No choreography with Zach…WHAT?…but more Erik. He tells them this week is more serious with the topic of bullying. The video should resonate with kids and they should think of when they were bullied or picked on. Tyler talks about being transgendered and isolating himself. Shanna says a group of girls told her about her mother’s drug use because they called her a crack baby. Abraham talks about being straight…wait, he’s straight? Really? Okay. He was raised by two women and therefore being more in touch with feminine.


(Also, thanks to Television Without Pity, I can only see Rufio when I see Abraham. And if you don’t know who Rufio is—watch Hook!)


Bland talks about not interfering when a kid was being beaten up in school. Lily reveals she was the bully in middle school. I’m…not surprised. She says “Mean Girls” changed her life. She called a girl she had bullied to apologize. Erik is impressed with their stories and leaves them. Someone get these people tissues, stat! We still have to have some from “Any Dream Will Do,” right?


Coming Up: Girl fight!


Vocals with Nikki! Michael and Shanna breeze through before we get to Nellie’s session with Cory. He tells her about using personal experience. So, he’s method? Nellie says that the day before was the tenth anniversary of her sister’s death. Nikki gives her a note and Nellie nails it. Ali has trouble since it’s not peppy but Nikki coaches her. Mario also struggles while Aylin excels. She thinks about having been called “terrorist” in school.


Time for the video shoot. Oh, hi, Zach! Robert says that the contenders have to act. Really? Really? As Nellie performs, the others play bullies. Erik suggests Lily actually sings to sync up. She seems to be missing a word and she asks if her bullies can be quiet. Zach and Robert talk about her off stage. Robert thinks Bland is a good actor and Michael is learning. We also see Nikki watching as Charlie goes to take the cane. Erik calls cut and he says he wasn’t instructed to do that. The judges aren’t thrilled with the decision and it gets to Charlie.


They continue shooting and Nikki needs to take a breather. Erik tells Lily to be the bully she was. And we get bleeps. Wow. She impresses the judges as the bully rather than the victim. And in a sweet moment, she helps Aylin up and hugs her after cut is called.


Video time! Standouts: Nellie, Shanna, Michael, and Aylin. Was there less lip syncing this go around? Does this group just suck at it so Erik’s trying to work around it?


Coming Up: Bottom 3!


Cory is against bullying. I’m against bullying. Are you?


The Gleekabes stand on stage before the judges. Robert says Bland hit it out of the park. He’s a good actor but I’m still not sold on his voice. Bland leaves the stage. Abraham, Michael, Shanna, Aylin and Tyler are dismissed. Tyler was hardly in the video! Nellie sounded amazing but needs to commit. She says she doesn’t want to make a fool like herself and Robert tells her she had to do it. Lily is told to learn to act around the background. They discuss what Charlie did in the first take. He admits that he didn’t think it was dangerous and he apologizes to Mario. They talk about Ali being big and being perky. Mario struggled in the recording the studio and with his pitch. He may need to retrain his muscle memory and he says he’s not ready after his classical training.


Nikki tells the five that none of them are ready and that it is a boot camp. Mario clarifies that he meant he just wasn’t ready to sing. Charlie and Mario are singing for Ryan. Ali and Nellie are on the callback list while Lily is in the Bottom 3. She is singing “Mercy” by Duffy. Lily is pleased. Mario is singing “Over the Rainbow” and Charlie is singing “Fix You.” He is happy about it. 


They go backstage to practice. You know what I miss from the last season? When the mentors used to come backstage and talk to the contestants before their performance.


Coming Up: Ryan!


Gleekabe Extra: Bland is “Nice Guy” and Charlie is his sidekick “No Name.” They come to the rescue when there is fighting in the house.


Ryan comes in with the judges. Robert tells him that this week was the opposite of last week—everyone rose to the challenge. Lily comes in first and Ryan is told that she had trouble lip syncing. She sings “Mercy.” She sounds wonderful. Ryan says she is sexy and sassy but she is not an underdog. But that’s why he likes her. She says that he hasn’t seen the whole side of her and she starts crying about being a performer. Lily almost has a breakdown worthy of Tyra. Ryan praises her vulnerability.


Robert tells Ryan about Charlie’s odd choices. He sings “Fix You.” I like his voice, but I feel like he’s trying too hard to put a personal flair on the vocals. But he does bring the emotion needed for the song. Ryan even said that he wasn’t sure about Charlie’s singing but likes it because he doesn’t want Glee to be a karaoke show. (Then lose the autotune, Murphy. We all know it’s used). He says that he made a choice that was wrong and he’s still learning. Ryan then points out one of the problems many have with the set up—he saw Charlie and now knows him and loves him more. So it’s to your advantage to end up in the Bottom 3 and it means that weaker performers may stay over stronger performers (yes, I’m still smarting over Marissa’s elimination from last year). Bah!


Mario is there because he got defensive. And he comes out to sing “Over the Rainbow.” Mario has a beautiful voice. Ryan talks about being defensive. Mario says he was trying to show he wasn’t a hopeless case. Nikki says a lot of people struggle in the studio and suddenly Mario gets it. He starts crying as Ryan says that perhaps what he’s putting out is not being picked up by people. Mario agrees and apologizes to Nikki.


Ryan is like “This is difficult.” He likes Lily’s story and the side he saw. He doesn’t think Charlie will do what he did again. Ryan was moved by Mario. Backstage, Mario says that a lot of people were off pitch and he doesn’t think he should be bottom 3. The Gleekabes are offended and are trying to explain something to him but he goes on the defensive. Charlie is sleeping against Aylin who is trying not to punch the blind guy. It’s weird he’s getting the bitch edit.


COMMERCIALS!


Robert posts the list and goes to tell the Gleekabes. Charlie says he’ll miss Aylin and she hugs him. The three leave. I…don’t want any of them to leave. And the Call Back list is in Braille. It seems…they were all called back. I guess because Taryn left last week. Everyone celebrates. Charlie, Lily and Mario lead “Keep Holding On.”


The Glee Project:


Abraham
Ali
Aylin
Blake
Charlie
Dani
Lily Mae
Mario
Maxfield
Michael
Nellie
Shanna
Taryn*
Tyler
*Contestant quit


Well, I’m surprised. The first week Ryan said they’d have to do a double elimination eventually. Then Taryn left and it seemed there was balance again. But now there was a non-elimination. And I feel like I should be madder than I am but I know why I’m not. I don’t think that was the bottom 3 we needed. The judges were right when they said this week was difficult to decide. I can understand the reasoning why Charlie was there (though many noticed they ultimately ended up using the shot where he took the walking stick. Double standards much?) and Mario’s attitude was off-putting. But why was Lily there when the video featured very little lip syncing? Why wasn’t Ali there? And I get that Tyler felt alone so he was left alone, but is there a reason his part was only seconds compared to the others?


Sometimes, I think I’m too invested in the show.


Next week: Santana is in the house! Sex! Someone takes over?


Since a headache sidelined me from posting this earlier, I’m going to combine my The Glee Project: The Day After post with this. Here’s next week’s video. I can’t tell—either Charlie or Aylin wins the homework assignment, I think.