The Televangelist: ‘Glee’ Season 1, Episode 15

Last night’s “The Power of Madonna” almost made me want to take back the point I made last week about “Glee” walking a fine line between the quirky and corporate.  When it comes to forced themes (at kitchy family restaurants, tired school dances or even loosely held together excuses for parties), more people groan at the prospect than are inspired to great creative and emotional heights.  In fact, I felt “Madonna” could have easily been replaced by any well-known product - Coca Cola, Ford, Nike, Apple - and the episode wouldn’t have been all that different.

Still the question remains: what is “Glee”?  Is it a variety show?  The first two episodes in the back nine have so far all but abandoned logic and plot in favor of (admittedly splendid) show numbers.  Exhibit A is the magnificent (though far too truncated) rendition of “Like a Prayer.”  The full cast was enough - did the curtain really need to rise and bring forth an African-American choir?  Let’s go back into the real world for a minute - even if they did somehow get this choir to show up and sing less than two minutes worth of a Madonna song (Madonna being to the church like Dick Cheney to Prius owners — dead set on destroying all they stand for), their inclusion would never fly at Regionals.