This show is, at its core, male-centric and aimed at lionizing the male hero. it always has been— just look at the two pregnancies in Season 1 as evidence this has been happening the whole time. A hilarious and inadvertent extension of the classic literary trope of male anxiety with female reproduction.
The show has…

well… it was nice to see Rachel and Kurt again! At this point, Lea Michele and Cory Monteith look like they're chaperoning their young child to see the play.
Some thoughts (not to infringe upon you,  Brandon!):
-seeing them in McKinley really did feel jarring, which I felt was similar to what many high school alums feel.
…

well… it was nice to see Rachel and Kurt again! At this point, Lea Michele and Cory Monteith look like they're chaperoning their young child to see the play.
Some thoughts (not to infringe upon you,  Brandon!):
-seeing them in McKinley really did feel jarring, which I felt was similar to what many high school alums feel.
…

Absolutely- it's just the first solo made it clear that they intend for her to be the "new Rachel," at least in my opinion, even though the characters are quite different.

Absolutely- it's just the first solo made it clear that they intend for her to be the "new Rachel," at least in my opinion, even though the characters are quite different.

Aside from the fact that the four new characters are meant to literally recreate the original Finn, Rachel, Quinn and Puck love square, it's pretty disappointing that the girl who plays Marley is such a literal and figurative pale imitation of Lea Michele. Rachel's neuroses and insecurities are the heart of the show…

Aside from the fact that the four new characters are meant to literally recreate the original Finn, Rachel, Quinn and Puck love square, it's pretty disappointing that the girl who plays Marley is such a literal and figurative pale imitation of Lea Michele. Rachel's neuroses and insecurities are the heart of the show…

Why is Finn so unlikeable? Over the years, he just has these inexcusable moments of character assassination that just make it impossible for me to like him at all.
Really, really conspicuous absence of Rachel and Kurt. Acting and singing suffered.
Why is Marley so milquetoast?
Why does Blaine look so pained when he sings?
…

Why is Finn so unlikeable? Over the years, he just has these inexcusable moments of character assassination that just make it impossible for me to like him at all.
Really, really conspicuous absence of Rachel and Kurt. Acting and singing suffered.
Why is Marley so milquetoast?
Why does Blaine look so pained when he sings?
…

Todd, we would all love to know your thoughts on this!

Todd, we would all love to know your thoughts on this!

Oh I agree, but I don't know if that will be enough.

Oh I agree, but I don't know if that will be enough.

Lea Michele was excellent in the final scene. So great to see Rachel finally get a backbone and step out of her high school insecurity. The only question I have is Finn and Rachel's eventual reuniting- I wonder how they're going to make him seem at all successful.

Lea Michele was excellent in the final scene. So great to see Rachel finally get a backbone and step out of her high school insecurity. The only question I have is Finn and Rachel's eventual reuniting- I wonder how they're going to make him seem at all successful.