TV Review: GLEE – Season 3 – “Goodbye” – Season Finale

By CARL CORTEZ / Contributing Editor

Posted: May 23rd, 2012 / 09:37 AM

Gloria Estefan and Naya Rivera in GLEE - Season 3 finale - "Goodbye" |©2012 Fox/Adam Rose

Stars: Dianna Agron, Chris Colfer, Darren Criss, Jane Lynch, Jayma Mays, Kevin McHale, Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Heather Morris, Matthew Morrison, Amber Riley, Naya Rivera, Mark Salling, Harry Shum Jr., Jenna Ushkowitz
Writer: Brad Falchuk
Director: Brad Falchuk
Network: Fox, airs Tuesday nights
Original Telecast: May 22, 2012

In what feels more like a series finale rather than a season finale, the “Goodbye” episode of GLEE is another strong showing from a series that has really been firing on all cylinders the last few weeks.

With so many of the “senior” class splintering off, this episode is about our core cast moving on. Each gets their little moment in the spotlight.

Change is one of the major themes and growth, which each person has done. We see Rachel (Lea Michele) finally becoming “popular,” Finn (Cory Monteith) becoming a man, Kurt (Chris Colfer) finding his confidence to not be afraid of being who he is, Santana (Naya Rivera) wanting to follow her dreams instead of going to college and Quinn (Dianna Agron) learning that being Queen Bitch gets you nowhere.

The theme for the week in Mr. Schue’s class is “Goodbye” which he asks everyone to do in song … naturally.

And there are great little moments sprinkled throughout. The most surprising moment – SPOILER ALERT – comes at the end when but Kurt and Finn are rejected from NYADA and the Actor’s Studio respectively. Rachel decides to stay behind, but Finn tells her he’s going to let her go. He’s going to join the Army and right the wrong of his dad and reclaim the honor of his family name. He’s also breaking up with Rachel – she needs to pursue her dreams and if she does, and there’s still a place for them, then it was meant to be. Yes! No marriage. Thank you GLEE.

Overall, a very strong episode, with some great songs with Puck doing a great rendition of Bruce Springsteen’s “Glory Days.” And yes, Puck passes the test and graduates.

Pretty awesome stuff.

The big question, of course, comes with what the show will look like next year. GLEE would have been better off getting rid of the senior class and focusing on the underclassmen next year. Moving back and forth between what will literally be two different series could prove problematic. Then again, maybe it will energize the show in brand new ways.

GLEE has struggled for two years to really find itself, but it’s a relief to know that in the last half of the year, it’s really come into its own again. Growth has been a major factor and the series has also managed to create new characters that can have some longevity too. Wherever it goes, it will be an interesting challenge, but after co-creator Ryan Murphy decided to reboot AMERICAN HORROR STORY as a brand new show this fall for Season 2, a GLEE – Season 4 with new story telling mechanisms could be really exciting indeed.

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