THE GLEE PROJECT: Week 3

This week, THE GLEE PROJECT did a complete 180. Whereas last week, the contestants were asked to go big or go home by being theatrical, in this episode, they had to rein everything in and bring out their biggest insecurities.

Before I get to that, though, I have to say, I loved Dot-Marie Jones (Coach Bieste) as a mentor. She was not afraid to call people out and also gave Matheus great advice during their one-on-one session. And, for the first time, I agreed with the winner! So, for me, the homework session was great all around!

This week’s recap will be a little different. I think it would be unfair to call out what was good and what was bad when these kids were asked to expose what they were most unsure of in themselves – I would feel straight up judgmental. What I am going to do is give my opinion about how well I thought the contestants portrayed their vulnerability and note what they wore on their boards during the music video challenge.

Hannah – FAT – Hannah wasn’t too much of a focus this week, but I feel like I got to know her more through this challenge. She seems like a sweetheart and pulled off the assignment well.

Cameron – MISUNDERSTOOD – Cameron has been my favorite since day one. Even though Ryan Murphy said he didn’t know how to write for him (which he needs to stop saying), I think Cameron would be the best fit for the show. He’s quirky and already has a fanbase online. And I agree with Robert, Zach and Ryan saying he seems well-adjusted so that’s why he had a hard time being vulnerable this week. They can’t fault the kid for knowing who he is as a person! I’m just glad he didn’t get kicked off tonight because I was really worried for a minute!

McKynleigh – BLACK OR WHITE – Again, another contestant who was not in the forefront of the show this week. I would have liked to hear more about her struggle with her racial identity, since I feel like we don’t know much about her as a person. I’m glad she made it through for another week and hopefully we can start learning more about her.

Alex – GAY – I haven’t made my aversion to Alex a secret for the past two weeks, but this week he showed a softer and, yes, more vulnerable side of himself and I really liked that. It shows you don’t have to be “on” all the time for people to like you. I know this challenge was about being vulnerable and exposing yourself, which he did a very good job portraying, but I think he needs to own who he is as a person. For goodness sake, Chris Colfer goes onstage every night during the GLEE tour right now, wearing a shirt that says “LIKES BOYS” and owns the stage! Hopefully Alex can take a page from Chris’ book in the future and maybe this challenge is a push in the right direction.

Damian – NUMB – I thought Damian’s explanation of why he chose “NUMB” was a little ambiguous. Maybe it was just the editing that made it vague, but I literally had to have a friend explain to me what he meant and I shouldn’t have had to do that. It’s not his fault, though. He knew what he was trying to say and the show made it unclear. He seems like a nice kid, and I hope the business doesn’t make him numb to love like he is worried about.

Marissa – ANOREXIC – As hard as it was for her to do it, I’m glad Marissa decided to change her sign from “FLAWED” to “ANOREXIC.” In doing so, she showed that she was strong and people have the ability to overcome past struggles. Hopefully she set an example for others in this and if it helps influence just one person to get help, I’m glad she did it.

Samuel – REJECTED – Samuel is another one of my favorite contestants. I wonder if his “REJECTED” sign was only about a girl like he said or did it have something to do with his past forays into the music business and being rejected in that way?

Emily – USED – I felt for Emily when she said music producers had sexually abused her in the past. It gave us insight into why she acts the way she does – she’s overcompensating for her insecurities by trying to stand out. That and her “alter-ego” bit made me like her a little more this week. Does it make me a horrible person that I’m not sad to see her go, though?

Matheus – SMALL – Matheus has said before that he’s insecure about his height, so maybe that’s why they didn’t focus on him so much this week. I think through this show he’s starting to own it, especially after Darren Criss and Ryan Murphy both told him what makes him different makes him special and helps him stand out as a person.

Lindsay – FAKE – I hope this is a step forward for Lindsay. I liked her in the first episode, but last week she did seem fake, which made me change my opinion about her. If she sees she’s fake, maybe she can try to change.

What did you think about this week’s episode? Did you like the theme? Were you sad to see Emily go or do you think Ryan and Co. chose wisely? Leave a comment and let me know!

And if you’re interested, here’s the music video from this week’s challenge!