Season Analysis: In Season 3, Glee became the worst possible version of itself that its biggest critics think it always has been.  (But the last few episodes were pretty good, so maybe not all hope is lost.)

“Props”

When the “Here’s what you missed on Glee” portion of “Props” focused on consistently neglected Tina, it was clear that Glee was finally responding to its critics, and then some.  Personally, I was so busy criticizing the show’s treatment of the characters that actually were still getting screen time that I did not even realize how underutilized Tina had been – basically, I had barely noticed her at all.  Glee took a bit of a risk by essentially admitting, “We’re even worse than you thought,” but it was the right call creatively.  As soon as Tina hit her head and entered into the body-swap fantasy world, it was clear that the show had turned a corner.  Finally, Glee was willing to try out an unusual idea – the strategy that had made it interesting in the first place.  This sequence allowed the show to address the annoying aspects of its characters in a way that did not break the fourth wall too much for a show like Glee, and everyone in the cast seemed to be having the most fun they’d had in a while.  Jane Lynch and Matthew Morrison particularly seemed to be enjoying themselves, with Morrison more amusing as Sue Sylvester than he’s ever been as Will Schuester.  It was enough to save a show that I was thisclose to giving up on.