Comments on: Glee on Wheels

By: Excellence on Selective Terms: Rewarding Series Television at the Peabody Awards « Cultural Learnings

Wed, 31 Mar 2010 22:51:16 +0000

[…] entirely, and there was a fundamental lack of consistency in this sort of messaging (which, as this great discussion on Antenna captures, was pervasive in “Wheels”). This blurb, as Daniel Walters pointed out on […]

By: Liz Ellcessor

Liz Ellcessor — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 21:31:08 +0000

I’m actually hopeful that this gets treated as a classic “I-liked-you-you-lied-to-me” romance plot. He thought they had something in common, turns out it wasn’t true, now they work through the deception.

By: Rebecca Bley

Rebecca Bley — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:56:54 +0000

I remember reading an interview with the guy who played "Kevin" in Joan of Arcadia, and how he was initially concerned that his role wasn't being played by an actor who uses a wheelchair. The writers said they needed the character to be able to walk for flashback purposes, which I did think they used well in the series. But I liked that the issue was at least addressed.

By: Rebecca Bley

Rebecca Bley — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:53:22 +0000

Allowing PWD to be sexual is remarkable, particularly with an able-bodied love interest.

True – except that we were left with the message that he was no longer interested when she “lost” her stutter – because only “normal” people can be together, and only PWD can be together? Hopefully it’s just dramatic license and it gets dissected later.

By: Jonathan Gray

Jonathan Gray — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:19:40 +0000

Which is where I come back to my point about my ultimate judgment being reserved for a few months from now — if Glee used this as a starting point for a wider discussion, and builds in some of Rebecca’s points, great. If this is the “issue of the week” and gets permanently dropped hereafter, I’ll be pissed. But I’m given some hope by the fact that this ep was also interesting for Kurt’s storyline, so if we get Artie bits like this later on, yay.

By: Liz Ellcessor

Liz Ellcessor — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:10:45 +0000

Rebecca, I totally agree – I was actually just about to comment on your LJ post on this episode. The entire episode treated the chairs as props, not (as real wheelchair dancers might tell you) as a kind of extension of bodily awareness and selfhood.

By: Liz Ellcessor

Liz Ellcessor — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:07:21 +0000

Annie, Jonathan, I totally understand that conflict – the perfect is the enemy of the good, right? So Glee is notable in even including these rarely seen stereotypes, and I do think it sometimes uses exaggeration well.

As it happens, I read a lot of Butler this week, and was thinking about how Artie is made to “speak differently” in this episode – while the character encompasses a lot of stereotypes, he is also pushing at their boundaries from inside. Most notably, Artie the nerd who uses a wheelchair is allowed a love life and sexual desire (“I still have the use of my penis”).

Allowing PWD to be sexual is remarkable, particularly with an able-bodied love interest. I’m surprised I didn’t think to include this in my “likes.”

By: Rebecca Bley

Rebecca Bley — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:52:09 +0000

I think I have Erin’s problem – I can see all the problematic elements of the show, but I often get caught up in the fun of it.

I really wish “Wheels” had addressed the many, MANY times people have grabbed Artie’s wheelchair without permission, or the “joke” of having him crash into something off screen when someone pushes him. This would have been a great opportunity for that.

I was also pretty disappointed that the wheelchair was used as a schtick to get Finn hired at the end of the ep – because I have no confidence that will have the consequences it should.

By: Jonathan Gray

Jonathan Gray — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:35:13 +0000

Annie, first, thanks for coming to play with us. Welcome! Second, I know what you mean: Glee does have that weird thing going on that I think Lost did too of starting with a bunch of stereotypes that it then proceeds to try and disassemble. While Glee risks doing it way too obviously and in too self-satisfied a way, it's still an interesting way of dealing with s.types, the idea being to destroy them from the inside rather than attack from outside. Or at least that's the ideal; dunno how I feel about the success, though. Mary Beltran, you out there? Whatdya think?

By: Annie Petersen

Annie Petersen — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:04:28 +0000

I think your complaints are totally valid, Liz — as are everyone else’s that have come since. Not to play too defensive, but I did the ‘representation’ lecture in Film History today, and part of me really wants to laud Glee, despite all of its stereotypes, obviously purposely diversity-fishing casting, and sometimes hackneyed storylines, for actually putting someone in a wheelchair on screen as *a regular cast member.*

As a white able-bodied woman, I’m speaking from a super privileged position. I absolutely believe that mere representation is not enough. But the very fact of Artie’s presence — and on a popular show! That kids and parents watch! On a network! And it’s not an after school special! — is heartening, and may open the door to more characters who address many of the issues and nuances highlighted above.