I said dancing motions as in how “hip” he was in the scene, not his general dancing skill, and his synching abilities as in lip synching - in other words, his ability to act so cool.
And I agree it’s a stretch for that particular actor, but the description of the video as being very demonstrative of the entire process for that scene was also a stretch. The only bits we saw of the scene were the final edited version. We didn’t see any behind the scenes footage that involved singing for that scene.
I hadn’t noticed him sounding like an older black soul singer before, but I’ll rewatch some of the other scenes and see…
While some of the other scenes this episode seemed a little overly polished vocally, this was the only one that seemed really really out of place. It really sounded like they decided they didn’t like the way some of the white characters did ‘black’ music for this one particular number, and decided to have them lip synch to some black singers.
I’m not saying they can’t sing or are usually dubbed, I’m saying that for this one particular scene the two actors sound very different from how they usually do, in a way that gives the appearance of voice doubles for getting a particular quality of voice for a particular style of singing.
Meh. They managed to strike the right balance in the other episode. I don’t see any good reason for the quality to go down over time. But I’ll reserve judgement, maybe next episode will be back to snuff.
I thought the music was a bit too polished, as well. Sounded like it was a single playing on the radio, rather than a group singing live. I’m fine with it being dubbed (by the actual actors) but I hope that in the future they take a bit more care to make the music “fit” better in the scene.
All of the actors who’ve had singing parts on the show are listed on IMDb for the show’s soundtrack. I’m assuming that the (uncredited) tag is due to the above-mentioned “Glee Cast” credit on iTunes and so forth.
You pretty much have to use lip-synching for a TV show unless you want to shoot every single song as a oner. The real problem is the sound editing, which really needs to be better than it is on a show like this.
Well, only because the pilot ArchiveGuy was killed by internal politics. It’s all who you know, man…
But about the show: it’s fun and some of the characters are OTT but irresistable none-the-less–though I thnk we’re going to see them fleshed out a little (they’re going to have to humanize the wife at some point, especially given her lie). Jane Lynch can stay just like she is because she’s a riot, but I was glad to see that the football coach have a nice moment that went beyond the lunkhead jock stereotype that would’ve been easy to sustain for a pretty marginal supporting character.
But as for the musical numbers, about half I’ve enjoyed and half took me completely out of the show because, regardless of whether the actors are the ones doing the actual singing or not, it’s not mixed and synched to make you believe they are. Sure, the big stagebound numbers can sound polished, but “Don’t Stop Believing” last week sounded like 15 people were singing it, not 6. And yes, maybe those 3 Cheerios actually did sing “I Say a Little Prayer”, but the number is so overproduced that it looks like they’re just mouthing the words. Of course, all the numbers are prerecorded, but the key is not to make it look and feel like they’re prerecorded. The final torch song # was fine for this purpose, but certain voices still sound incongruous.
I agree that the wheelchair guy sounded fake (the register way too low) for “Push It”. So if that’s really him, let’s hear him do a 5-second solo in practice so we can buy that that’s how he sounds. But we have yet to hear him sing except in a big number where everything sounds far too professional already. It also defuses all tension about their chances at the regionals and their status as underdogs if they always sound good. For example, let’s hear how a song develops and a performance evolves so we can chart the path that takes us to the big final number. Or let’s hear them practice harmonies, just once. It doesn’t have to all be about the music, but I’m just as likely to be incredulous about the football team winning the championship if all the cast looks like they couldn’t survive the hit. The lead female and the black girl (I’m also clueless w/names) are just fine, but I’m not completely convinced of the others yet.
But I’m enjoying the show thus far and will stick it out to see how things go…
Not entirely sure how you could get that from what they said, but ok.
He’s usually a background singer so that’s why. But listening to the main part he has at the beginning of “Push It”.
Kid in the wheelchair had the same singing style and voice in “Push It” and when have we heard the teacher sing before in this show?!
As pointed out by ArchiveGuy, “Don’t Stop Believing” sounded like they had a full compliment of singers behind it, not 6. And yes, it was very highly, highly produced. So was “Push It”, really.
I think the problem is with the song “Gold Digger” and maybe with a bit of the editing, but the production value of it is, IMO, not to blame.
I really don’t mind the high production on the songs. It is a musical after-all,and I want to hear them do a good job. The one thing I didn’t like was Gold Digger being so perfect on their very first try. Let them screw it up a little at first.
Although, I want to make another point about the music. Who else love the a capella score? It’s so perfect. So bright and cheery but at the same time there’s a little darkness to it.
You guys do know this is a Ryan Murphy show, right? Have you not seen Nip/Tuck? Complaining about lack of realism and over-the-topness in a Ryan Murphy vehicle is like complaining about unrealistically snappy dialogue in a Joss Whedon show or that there’s violence in a Tarantino movie.
I didn’t think the Kanye sound sounded like it wasn’t the cast. You really can’t judge a singer based on their looks. Look at Clay Aiken or Rick Astley (courtesy of DianaG). Hell, I thought thesesongs were sung by a black woman until I found out it was a white guy named Daniel Bedingfield.
I agree the wheelchair kid sounded the same in those two numbers, but a did find a bright shiny nit: the teacher sang “Leaving On a Jet Plane” in the pilot, though there were two separate versions of the pilot, so it’s possible you missed it. The original pilot aired back in May did not carry that scene, but I think it was aired in the “Director’s Cut” when the pilot was rebroadcast. It takes place after he tells the kids he’ll be leaving, and prior to the counselor setting up her “guidance appointment”. It actually sets up their dynamic a bit better, as his singing (alone with an acoustic guitar) is intercut with her mooning over him (drawing hearts around his picture in the yearbook) and overhearing a couple of the other teachers talking about his wife being pregnant. I think it’s clear it’s him singing, though those two songs are obviously worlds apart in vocal style.
I gotta say I like the show so far, and I’m not quite getting some of the criticism being leveled against it here. Yeah, it’s over the top, but it’s supposed to be. Jane Lynch is freaking hysterical, and I wouldn’t be surprised if half her lines were ad-libbed (I’ve not heard if they were or not, but she’s a veteran of Christopher Guest films, which were heavily improvised). You’re supposed to dislike the wife (nice visual segue in “Gold Digger”).
One thing I do agree with is the quality of the lip-sync; in the pilot, they did it right, where they looked like they were actually performing. In the second episode, something was off, and it didn’t look like they were actually performing as they sang (“Gold Digger” had the look and feel of a bad music video).
But overall, I think it’s got a whole lot going for it and very little to correct; it looks funny, and can be dark, and the music (so far) is very good (and I’m not a fan of musicals).
I checked that out. Not exactly the same, but similar and also different than I would expect from him. But then I watched something on youtube with the actor speaking in his normal voice, and it was a lot deeper than I remembered. So I guess it’s possible. I’ll have to chalk it up to over production.
so has anyone oticed paralells between Will and Terry’s relationship with Finn and Quinn’s. I don’t know if Will was the quarterback in high school but Terry said she was the head cheerleader as is Quinn anf both Finn and Will talk about how much Glee club is the thing that made them happiest. Terry and Quinn both seem only concerned with the superficial look of their lives and have an “it’s all about me” outlook. Finn and Will both have an alternative relationship that is a secret joy to them but not appropriate.
Or maybe this is obvious to everyone and too blatent to mention.
Could be, although the “love triangle” is a fairly standard trope in television and film, so the similarities there may be coincidental. This particular version of the love triangle (person A–in a committed relationship with the shallow and selfish person B–finds themselves in a mutual attraction with person C, who is a much better match for them) is very common.
This is the first mention in this thread of it being Ryan Murphy and no one had Mentioned “POPULAR” The dark, us-against-them, high shcool thing is so like the underappreciated gem… Cant wait until they get Jane Lynch to play multiple roles…
I’m guessing that those who weren’t fans of “music video” like musical numbers will really not like the direction is the show is heading (personally, I’m a fan) :D.
I don’t mind them because they’re obviously just in the singer’s head. It’s not just a bunch of people breaking out into song.
Tonight’s episode didn’t impress me the way the last episode did. A few funny parts, but nothing jumped out to me. I was happy they addressed the whole “I’m gay” thing, instead of making him a possibly gay character without ever saying anything.
I agree with this sentiment as well. Less funny (though some great lines: such as about needing “hot wood” in the hands of the students to prevent them from turning into nancy’s), but slightly more exposition into Mercedes and Kurt (which may have been the reason that it wasn’t as impressive as they aren’t as good characters as Rachel and Finn).
I do have to say that I really liked what they did with Quinn at the end there.
Me, too. I really expected to see her walk into the glee practice at the end and join in.
I liked the Acafellas subplot, but I gotta say it’s really inconsistent within the show for the school to make such a big deal about the students singing “Push It” at the pep rally last week only to have some teachers (along with two students) singing “I Wanna Sex You Up” at a PTA meeting! There’s just no way any school would ever approve that.
They’re continuing to soften up Will’s wife, a little at a time, and that’s a good thing. She was a bit too one-dimensional in the pilot.
Poor Emma–she’s still pining for Will.
Best cheerio coach line:
(said to “Erma”) - “You know, the way you use your mental illness to help these kids is really inspring.”
(j/k)