Glee, Your Writing Sucks!
The Sebastian-as-villian story line was problematic on multiple levels.
Here are just a few ways that the Glee writers could have maintained Sebastian as their villian, injured Blaine as an excuse to write out Darren, and sent the message that when a privileged douche bag out right assaults someone and you have legitimate evidence that will ensure justice is served, you turn that shit over to the Po-Po.
1. Kurt and Santana turn the evidence over to the police. However, the police do nothing because Sebastian’s father is a State’s attorney and corruption runs deep. The New Directions and Mr. Schue are livid and heartbroken, but vow to win in the one way they know they can — through song. Cue inspirational Regionals episode showing that even when the world turns on you, you should never give up hope because one day it will get better.
2. Kurt and Santana turn the evidence over to proper authorities. The police contact Blaine’s parents to see if they want to press charges. Blaine’s parents, mostly his father, are reluctant. They put a lot of time and money into the incident and then they had to fork out money for Dalton so Blaine could be safe. They’re tired of the trouble, they’re tired of spending the money, and they’re starting to think Blaine needs to stop getting himself into these situations over boys. After all, what did he expect transferring to that public school, again, for a boy. This creates tension in Blaine’s home life as well as-SURPRISE-character development. Blaine feels he can’t live in his home anymore if his parents won’t even fight for his safety. Kurt offers his home, but as much as Burt and Carole love Blaine (and they certainly do), they don’t feel it would be proper. Blaine reaches out to his brother (bam! intro Matt Bomer and continuous story lines) who goes to college nearby and has an apartment. Blaine moves in with his brother and gets a job (probably at the Lima Bean) to help with rent.
3. Kurt and Santana want to turn the evidence over to proper authorities (are we sensing a trend here, writers?). Kurt consults Blaine about it, but Blaine says he can’t bear to do it because it reminds him too much of the aftermath of the Sadie Hawkins attack. He had gone to the police then, he had been forced to recount the entire attack, he had been made to look through mug shots and endure line ups. In the end, he went through all of that for nothing. No one did anything because no one cared. If they didn’t care about him getting the crap kicked out of him by three guys because he was gay, they’re not gonna care that he was assaulted by some rich, prep school kid in a parking garage. For Blaine, the pain of it just isn’t worth it.
4. Kurt and Santana want to turn the evidence over to the proper authorities. Kurt goes to talk to his dad about what he thinks they should do. Burt, already outraged about what happened to Blaine, and learning that the slushy was originally meant for Kurt, is livid and they all go to the authorities. However, Sebastian’s family is wealthy and well connected. The police say they’ll investigate but nothing ever gets done. Burt is outraged and this becomes motivation for his new campaign against police corruption.
Any of these or a combination would have been legitimate options for story lines that could have created story arcs and developed characters. And this is just stuff I came up with after giving it about 30 minutes of thought. I’ve seen even more, and better stuff floating around the internet as well. Seriously, it’s not hard.
Glee writers, please tell me, in what world is beating someone in a high school regional show choir competition retribution or justice for a violent, premeditated assault which results in the victim requiring surgery?
Blaine Anderson has been the victim of a violent attack before. Now, again, he’s writhing in pain on cold concrete. This is not some flippant insult thrown at you in a hallway. This is not someone sabbotaging a set list. This is a felony. This is not about turning the other cheek - this is about taking the initiative to get justice when you can and should.
We do not need another example of downtrodden, abused, minorities allowing privileged, well-connected, white men to get away with crimes. Do they get away with crimes in real life? You betcha. Should they be allowed to by the very people victimized by their actions? Hell no. Do we need to depict poorly written and executed examples of minority victims allowing their privileged attackers to get away with a crime? Hell to the no!
Yes, we need hope and songs and love while we wait for things to get better. But things will never get better if we let the people making them worse get away with it.
