Puckerman

The thing is, I stopped watching Glee for the same reason I stopped watching Friends.

No one learned from their mistakes.

It was the same romantic issue over and over and over again -- Finn/Rachel, Finn/Quinn, Puck/Quinn, Quinn/Sam, etc.

It got annoying.

(Plus I was waaaaay more interested in Tina, Artie, Kurt and Puck)

So even though there are great things about Glee (being the only variety show in TV, great music, great acting, real issues discussed/presented, etc.), I quit watching.

Until today.

I was watching A Very Potter Sequel (I don't care, Darren Criss IS Harry Potter.  Daniel Radcliffe just doesn't fit the bill) and wondered how Darren was doing on Glee (he plays Kurt's boyfriend, Blaine).

I decided to read up on the last two seasons (I quit watching early season 3) and was astonished to see what they had been up to -- a student who cross-dressed, spousal abuse, parental pressure, more issues than I ever thought possible to talk about in a school...

I saw the synopsis of an episode that piqued my interest -- where Tina hits her head and re-imagines the world of Glee -- with herself as Rachel.

I went to Netflix and settled in to what I was sure would be a hilarious episode.

And at first, it was -- the cast did an INCREDIBLE job at portraying other peoples' characters.  It was hilarious, and somehow touching.

But after the first half of the storyline, we get into the meat of the episode -- Tina's feelings about being a performer outside the limelight, and how everyone keeps overlooking her.  Then we see how Puck's affected by not being able to graduate.  He gets beaten up, and he's no longer the baddest guy in school.  He's a loser. And now everyone knows it.

Puck breaks down in the locker room with his Coach.  She's been abused by her spouse and Puck's been dealing with a missing father who left him feeling like he was garbage.  The emotion is so real on his face -- it broke my heart.

Which is why Puck will always be my favorite, and will always have my heart.

Even though he's a kid who makes mistakes (some really big, awful ones) and puts on the bad-boy attitude and is generally...well, he has some issues -- even though he's not the type of guy anyone should go after...

He's a human being with feelings, a heart that's hurting and a spirit that's being crushed by almost everyone around him.

Puck is a young guy just trying to prove that he isn't trash.  That he matters.  To someone.

The little moment between him and Coach in the locker room -- I cried.  I can identify.  We all want someone to love us and we want to know that we mean something.

So, even though I probably won't be a Gleek any time soon, I really appreciate that they cover these issues (even if I don't always agree with their conclusions) and let kids know that yes, they do matter.  Just because adults and other kids are mean doesn't necessarily dictate that all of life will be like this.

Puck's last song in the episode is perfect.  It encapsulates the feelings I have about my future and the relationships I'll carry into it.

Thank you, Puck.

Now if only I can bridle the emotion found in Glee, Freaks and Geeks and Supernatural...I'll have one hell of a book.