The Wolverine (2013) Review

Directed by

James Mangold

If you could give one type of film that has defined 21st century summer blockbusters (other than maybe Harry Potter), the answer has to be superhero movies.  I believe every year so far this century has had at least one blockbuster superhero movie define its summer season.  The majority of these superhero films have come from the Marvel universe whether it is Spider-man, Iron Man, or all of them together in The Avengers.  The franchise that really jump started this resurgence in superhero movies was X-Men.  Many will want to say Spider-Man or even Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Batman saga, but X-Men came first and also has the most installments of any superhero franchise since 2000.  The Wolverine is the sixth X-Men movie since Bryan Singer started this run in 2000.  When you start making this many installments in a series, there is bound to be a clunker at some point.  All the great movie franchises have them.  Batman had Batman & Robin, The Avengers squad had Thor, Spider-Man had Spider-Man 3, James Bond had Roger Moore.  It happens.  For the X-Men franchise, The Wolverine is its clunker.

The ageless Wolverine is once again portrayed by the ageless Hugh Jackman (seriously, go back and look at Hugh in the original X-Men ... he looks exactly the same).  Jackman is also the only actor to appear in every X-Men movie to date.  This is the second film focused primarily on this character, and while the first, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, discusses how Logan became who he is now, this film acts as an update on the titular character after the original trilogy.  SPOILER ALERT - THIS FILM GIVES AWAY IMPORTANT PLOT POINTS FROM THE ORIGINAL TRILOGY.  WATCH THE FIRST THREE FILMS BEFORE WATCHING THIS ONE.  Following the completion of the first three films, Logan goes into hiding in Alaska, haunted by many events in his past.  While there, he is found by a Japanese girl who was sent by Yashida, an old Japanese man Logan had saved from the Nagasaki bombing in World War II.  Yashida became a wildly successful businessman, but is now on his death bed and wanted to say goodbye to the man he owes his life to.  So Logan flies to Japan and learns there is a way to reverse the effects of his mutation, stop healing, and eventually grow old and die in peace.  Unsure if he wants to go through with it, the situation is forced on him by the villain (another mutant).  Logan is then forced into action without being able to heal as he is used to doing while protecting Yashida's granddaughter from a clan of ninjas.

The makers of this film were not very forthcoming about the plot of this movie.  You really did not get much of the plot from the trailer beyond Wolverine loses his healing at some point.  I think the reason for this is so many things about this plot scream bad movie.  Seriously, Wolverine in Japan being chased by ninjas?  What about that concept sounds like a good idea? That's like putting John McClain in Russia (wait ... they did that...). Then Wolverine is forced to ask himself the question that is becoming more and more cliche and overdone: "Who am I?"  Every superhero franchise has forced their lead to have this crisis of faith, and it is getting old.  Then, as if it couldn't get any worse, every 15 minutes Logan has a dream sequence that allows him to have conversations with a dearly departed "friend."  Honestly, if you asked me the secret formula on how to put together a flop, this film seems to have every quality I would list.

With all that said, the film wasn't horrible.  It sure tried to be the worst movie ever made, but it just has to settle for the worst X-Men movie to date.  I can't say it was too terrible because at its center is still one of the more interesting lead characters of all the superhero films.  One of the reasons for this is, more than any other superhero, you can't really call Wolverine a hero.  He doesn't want to be a hero.  He just wants to live a normal life.  Only when it gets personal is the Wolverine forced to save the day.  Sure, he ends up helping save the world at times, but he has to be begged.  He is the reluctant superhero.  That makes Wolverine's crisis of faith actually an interesting question.  If handled better and in a different setting, this topic could have made a remarkable movie.

Although this is far from a great film, fans of the X-Men series will still find The Wolverine a worth-while watch for several reasons.  Not only does it advance the story of the X-Men universe, but it drops some great hints at the next X-Men installment, X-Men: Days of Future Past which is due out next summer.  It has been announced that this new film will combine the cast of the original trilogy (Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellan, Halle Berry, etc.) with the cast of the First Class prequel (James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, etc.).  With the quality of these films (The Wolverine excluded) and the great casts being merged, this has become one of my most anticipated films 2014.  So if for nothing else, see The Wolverine to get a glimpse at what is to come, but save your money.  Wait till you can netflix it.

1.5 stars

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The Way, Way Back (2013) Review

Directed by 

Nat Faxon and Jim Rash

            The title The Way, Way Back refers to either (A) the natural rewritten title of The Way Back after a film of the same namewas released in 2010, (B) how the protagonist of the film sits in the third row of the family station wagon, or (C) the attempt by the screenwriters to search the vast receptacle of recycled ideas until, at the way, way back of it, they arrive at that most reliable and cherished of clichéd cinematic formulas: The Summer Movie.

            There are, of course, examples of Summer Movies that work: The Game of Love (1954), Pauline at the Beach (1983), C’est la Vie (1990), and Fat Girl (2001).  The problem, however, is that all those Summer Movies are French, which means that they are actually realistic in their portrayals of teenage angst, explorations of sexuality, and open contempt of the adult world.  The Way, Way Back is a closer descendant of the Frankie and Annette films and Gidget, which is wonderful for audiences hoping to make their minds doormat for an hour and a half.  It’s the perfect movie for nostalgic philistines, intellectually stunted distant relatives, and insomniacs seeking medical assistance. 

            The Way, Way Back uses dozens of Summer Movie clichés: The unhappy parents – in this case, asshole potential stepdad Steve Carell and meekish mom Toni Collette, the cute girl next door (Annasophia Robb), and, at the center of the film, the helplessly awkward white male teen (Liam James), with the unfortunate name of Duncan, who channels his rage on to the pink girl’s bicycle he rides to the local water park every day unbeknownst to mom and stepdad.  In fact, The Way, Way Back is so conspicuous in its cinematic theft recycling that it even uses characters from previous movies: Allison Janney reprises her own role from Away We Go as the boozy, low-cut vulgarian who openly mocks her kids while downing another martini.  And Sam Rockwell and Maya Rudolph try to breathe life into the postmortem roles of Bill Hader and Kristin Wiig in Adventureland as the lovably cynical park employees who rescue Duncan from the horrors of hanging out on the beach, listening to music on top of stepdad’s car, and romancing the cute girl beneath 4^th of July fireworks.  Oh, the repulsion of summer vacation!

            There is a tendency to forgive The Way, Way Back because The Summer Movie is, by its own nature, so earnestly underachieving – it’s not unlike the unkempt high schooler who walks into class 20 minutes late, says something funny, and incidentally leaves an indelible impression.  But the filmmakers, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, are not content to simply underachieve; they also shamelessly Oscar-bait with contrived tearful confrontations between Duncan and his stepdad (“You’re not my father!”) and heartwarming exchanges between the few adults who actually care about him (“You’ve got a great kid here.”)  The numerous supporting characters all feel half-baked because the screenplay is indecisive about what the true focus of the film is (Duncan and his mom?  Duncan and his girlfriend?  Duncan and the waterpark?) 

            A few other nitpicks.  What year does this movie take place?  Judging by the aged station wagon, the inexplicable lack of cell phones, and the Pac Man arcade game Sam Rockwell plays, it would seem to be the early 1980s.  But the movie’s ambiguousness about this (perhaps in an auspicious attempt to be “timeless”) is less endearing than it is annoying.  And then there’s the numerous scenes that attempt to explain the apocryphal mythology of the waterpark, with the wonderful name Water Wizz.  Treating the park as though it is some aquatic summertime Shangri-La, Faxon and Rash give Rockwell exposition that contains some of the most laughably overwritten dialogue in years.  Noel Coward on top of a waterslide, this is not.

            The best parts of The Way, Way Back are the two young actors (who should be more) at the center of the story, Liam James and Annasophia Robb.  They have exchanges that are mostly natural and lifelike, complete with awkward pauses and feeble attempts at humor.  They talk a lot about how they wish they could get away from all the crazy grownups in the story who are on “spring break for adults.”  Why couldn’t the filmmakers grant mercy on them (and us) by taking them away from the rest of this plot?

Rating: 2 stars

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Fruitvale Station (2013) Review

Directed by

Ryan Coogler

Going into a movie like Fruitvale Station, the excellent new release by first time writer-director Ryan Coogler, there is always a bit of uneasiness. Is it going to be overly sentimental in chronicling the tragic true story? How is the young director (26 years old during filming) going to handle such subject matter, especially him being basically the same age as the subject? Is it going to fall into the same fate as other vastly underwhelming Sundance movies? How is the similar subject matter to a very current issue going to impact the viewing? Luckily for us, in this case, the results are all aces. This is one of the most haunting and important movies of the year.

Fruitvale Station tells the story of Oscar Grant (Michael B. Jordan), a 22 year old Bay area man who is trying to find his place in the world. On New Year’s Eve 2008, Oscar tries to start anew. The whole day is leading up to his mother’s (Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer) birthday party later that night, and then a night on the town in San Francisco with his girlfriend (Melonie Diaz) and friends. During the day, he has several encounters with people he knows and doesn’t know, each one of which helps shape Oscar and makes him want to be a better boyfriend and son, as well as father to his 4 year old daughter. It is on the way to Frisco is where that fateful New Year’s would hit its boiling point. The intensity rises in the characters and in the film itself. After that, it does not and cannot let up.

What makes the film click is clearly Michael B. Jordan, who audiences will most recognize from The Wire(arguable the best and most relatable part of Season 1), Friday Night Lights, and maybe even Chronicle. This is his crowning achievement, though. He has an effortless charisma and screen presence. He can make the ordinary seem captivating, and I could have watched him drive around and meet people for several more hours than the film allows. He is the real deal and a surefire Oscar contender. His supporting cast is just that: supporting. Octavia Spencer turns in a memorable and very awards-friendly performance as Oscar’s mother. Melonie Diaz is always nice to see, even if she never really gets credit for her strong acting. Chad Michael Murray and Kevin Durand make their single scene one of the most wrenching and frustrating scenes I have come across.

The movie has this aura about it that is hard to describe. From the opening cell phone clip of what would turn out to be the climax of the film until that part comes up in real time, there is an intensity that is unlike any other in such a straight indie drama. There are random occurrences that feel offbeat, and we think something is about to go down, but it just keeps going along. Something looks very sketchy, but it seemingly means nothing. The film just keeps suspending the drama, refusing to let the movie fall into the thriller category because it would take away from the impact. It is this aspect that actually makes it one of the grittier and more anxious movies around.

The obvious thing going for this movie and against it is the similarity to the George Zimmerman-Trayvon Martin case. Some parts of the movie feel a bit eerie because of this, but it never takes away from what the film is trying to accomplish. The film does not really place blame on any individual person or group, but it certainly thinks that Oscar was a near saint. He may have been. He may actually have been trying to right every wrong in his life on that very day, but I am sure that Coogler took more than a few liberties from the actual events to intensify that. Even though I was well aware of that while watching, I still cannot deny how well handled the climactic scenes were. They were messy, frantic, and difficult to see or understand. We are like one of the many passers-by who were as shocked, confused, outraged, and horrified as we are watching Coogler’s version of the story’s gut-punch of a conclusion.

If I were to compare this movie to something, it would have to be a mix of several movies. There is definitely some The Wrestler in how Oscar is treated and followed around by Coogler’s careful camera. That also almost reminds of the films of the Dardenne brothers. There are parts of it that will definitely bring to mind Gus Van Sant’s Milk. There is a bit of Crash in there, as well as A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints. The movie has a style all of its own, though. I have never really experienced a movie where so little happens, yet so much happens. The film is a passion project, and that is shown in the performances and the emotions coming out of the audience. The trailer for this film makes it seem like a claustrophobic thriller, but that part is such a small part of the movie. It is about something so much bigger, more important, and more lingering. It is a special little movie (under $1 million budget) and one that will likely spark conversations and intrigue throughout the country. Its place in today’s world is even further heightened by its timeliness and clear message. It does not mess around. It knows what it wants to say, and it says it well. You have to respect that in a movie.

Rating: 3.5 stars

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The Conjuring (2013) Review

  Directed by 

James Wan

          Horror movies are held up to a decidedly different threshold than any other major film genre – the mark of success is less whether the movie is good or not, but whether it has effectively and repeatedly scared you.  This discrepancy is illustrated in the case of The Conjuring, which is a perfectly adequate story obfuscated in relatively cheap “gotcha!” thrills and stock horror movie clichés.  The result is a movie which is doubtless entertaining and perhaps even moderately satisfying in a world where the horror genre is synonymous with bloodied limbs, chainsaws, and stupid teenagers (The Conjuring fortunately has none of those).  But is the movie really scary?

          Like most horror movies, the answer to that question lies in the eyes of the beholder.  On a “scary scale,” I would rank it somewhere above, oh, the American remake of The Ring but below, say, The Exorcism of Emily Rose.  That sentence alone would probably satisfy many eager perspective viewers deciding whether The Conjuring is worth seeing.  But for those rare 2013 horror audiences with the audacity to hope for an actual good movie, The Conjuring is worth exploring in greater depth.

          The film stars Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga (who seems to be in every horror movie or TV show made nowadays) as a married team of demonologists, Ed and Lorraine Warren, who investigate paranormal and demonic events.  “Paranormal investigators” is one of those wonderful vocations which only people in the movies seem to occupy (other such jobs include “Hooker with a heart of gold,” “Janitor with exceptional abilities,” and “Boring office drone who is secretly a spy”) but the movie informs us that they were, indeed, a real couple and the events of The Conjuring actually happened in 1971.  Right.  Anyway, an early scene shows how the Warrens store all their keepsake possessed objects in their basement, leading one to wonder whether they are just abundantly nostalgic or have a secret kleptomaniacal proclivity.

          Meanwhile, a Naïve Family, the Perrons, moves into a Big Haunted House and begins experiencing strange events.  The clocks all uniformly cease ticking at 3:07.  The mother (Lili Taylor) shows mysterious signs of bruising on her body.  Each of the five adolescent daughters at some point gets pulled off their bed in the middle of the night, although strangely no one wonders whether the demonic spirit is just a restless young male apparition with puerile pranks.

          Soon, Lili Taylor begs the Warrens to investigate.  This leads to the first major problem of The Conjuring: Everyone seems immediately complicit in their belief that demons are real, and they are occupying the Big Haunted House.  Part of what made The Exorcist, The Blair Witch Project, and Paranormal Activity so effective is that the main characters were skeptics who questioned the veracity of ghosts – we therefore associated with their initial incredulity and eventual genuine aghast surprise.  In The Conjuring, there are no skeptics.  In fact, the Warrens probably talk to about 100 people over the course of the film (including large lecture halls) and no one seems to remotely question their evidence.  A newspaper reporter writes a doe-eyed story about them, a police officer happily joins their exorcisms, and even the local Catholic priest is friends with them – apparently to the point that Ed is even permitted to perform exorcisms (at this point, I was reminded of the scene in The Exorcist, a movie celebrating its 40^thanniversary this year, when Father Karras talks about how silly, archaic, and inane the ritual is.  Is it possible films in 1973 were more sophisticated and cynical in their treatment of exorcisms?) 

          The priest and the cop, in particular, lead to The Conjuring’s second problem: At times, the movie tries to be funny, taking a great deal away from the suspense the film has so carefully tried to build up.  Officer Brad, played by John Brotherton, is a buffoon who unintentionally opens the bathroom door slowly like a ghost (gotcha!) and doesn’t know what an ultraviolet light is.  Another member of the Warren’s crew is Drew (Shannon Kook), who operates the camera equipment while sheepishly trying to hit on the Perron’s oldest daughter.  When the four members of the exorcism crew, the two parents, and the five daughters are all in the house investigating, The Conjuring reeks of narrative excess, at times feeling like the middle passages of Jurassic Park – everyone is afforded their nice little isolated one-on-one encounters with the demon.  Remember the stark alienation of the film crew in Blair Witch or the young couple in Paranormal Activity?  Not in this crowded surrounding, although thankfully the filmmakers refrain from indulging in the cliché of the demon running past the doorway, but oh wait, it’s actually just Little Cindy.

          The final problem of The Conjuring is that the mythology and supernatural abilities of the demon (and its motivations for haunting the poor Perron family) are unclear and poorly defined.  Apparently, it all goes back to the Salem Witch Trials, when a mother was hanged for killing her infant under demon possession.  So why is this demon targeting anyone other than poor Lili Taylor?  In addition, birds and other animals fly around until they eventually collapse suddenly, and in one crucial scene, it is implied that the demon is somehow related to an earlier case of the Warrens involving a demented doll.  But the movie seems only content with showing us these images rather than explaining why we are seeing them in the first place.  When the dust is settled and the morning sun shines at the end of the movie (in a scene that the packed audience I sat with laughed at), one is left wondering whether the Perrons’ real problem the whole time was Vitamin D deficiency.

          Of course, in horror movies, all of these shortcomings can be forgiven so long as the movie provides sufficient thrills.  This is mostly not the case in The Conjuring, which panders too frequently to jilting strings and ominous ambient sounds blasted to 11 when the creature suddenly appears.  Remember how scary Paranormal Activity was without music?  Sure, The Conjuring provides a few genuine chills, especially in the early parts of the film when we are not quite sure where the movie is going.  In addition, there are several admirable attempts by the director, James Wan, to innovatively frame certain shots so that the audience should be seeing the terrifying things the characters are seeing, but is unable to.  But then there are other times when it appears Wan has watched too much 1970s-Amityville-type schlock – most endemic of which are the ominous but excessive zoom-ins and zoom-outs of the Big Haunted House.  When we see this repeated shot for the seventh time, I think it’s fair to assume the audience gets the message.

          The Conjuring arrives in summer theaters with positive reviews and good word-of-mouth.  In some ways, it is a relieving antidote to the profusion of violent slasher movies.  It never feels long at 112 minutes.  It will provide a few honest scares, several cheap thrills, and a great deal of channeling of its 1970s cinematic predecessors.  But it lacks the imagination, wit, character depth, and even the cynicism of those other more effective horror films, such as The Exorcist and Poltergeist.  It makes you wait for the time when demonic spirits will graduate from grabbing people’s legs or smashing family pictures in the stairway to perhaps something really impressive and genuinely surprising to its victims in the theater seats.

Rating: 2.5 stars

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Complete 2013 College Football Preview

Football season is almost here! I care more about college football than any other sport, so even though “almost here” means that the first slate of games is in like six weeks, the Conference Media Days and fall practices are starting. I am not jumping the gun too much, after all, I predict the next year’s Oscars in March. Without further ado, check out the complete, extensive, and probably unintentionally biased college football preview!

Conference Rankings and Breakdown

After sifting through these rankings, not only will you know where your team will finish in 2013 within its conference, but you will also know where your BCS (I cannot wait until next year when that no longer exists) conference stands as a whole. This is not an exact science, obviously, since teams are coming in and out of conferences seemingly daily, and there was a stretch last year when West Virginia looked as if it would roll over the Big 12 before getting taken to the woodshed by Texas Tech and losing 6 of its last 8. We have no real basis for predicting how some of these teams will do (I am looking at you Big East American Athletic Conference!). It should be fun, though. Check it out.

American Athletic Conference (#6)

10. Memphis Tigers (HC: Justin Fuente, 2^nd season)

9. Temple Owls (HC: Matt Rhule, 1^st season)

8. Southern Methodist Mustangs (HC: June Jones, 6^th season)

7. South Florida Bulls (HC: Willie Taggert, 1^st season)

6. Connecticut Huskies (HC: Paul Pasqualoni, 3^rd season)

5. Central Florida Knights (HC: George O’Leary, 10^th season)

4. Houston Cougars (HC: Anthony Levine, 2^nd season)

3. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (HC: Kyle Flood, 2^nd season)

2. Louisville Cardinals (HC: Charlie Strong, 4^th season)

1. Cincinnati Bearcats (HC: Tommy Tuberville, 1^st season)

Offensive Player of the Year: Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville

Defensive Player of the Year: Jamal Merrell, LB, Rutgers

Coach of the Year: Tommy Tuberville, Cincinnati

Automatic BCS Bid: Cincinnati

This conference is going to be interesting. The top three teams are very well defined at this point. It is going to probably be another split at the top, even though Rutgers lost nearly half of its starting lineup to the NFL. Cincinnati is going to get an immediate boost from new head coach Tommy Tuberville who turned Texas Tech into a formidable team in the Big 12 quickly. He is inheriting a lot of talent too. Louisville has the best coach and QB and, with some luck, could potentially run the table. The AAC has great offenses all over the place, but the few with solid defenses will rise to the top.

Atlantic Coast Conference (#5)

ATLANTIC

7. Duke Blue Devils (HC: David Cutcliffe, 6^th season)

6. Virginia Cavaliers (HC: Mike London, 4^th season)

5. Pittsburgh Panthers (HC: Paul Chryst, 2^nd season)

4. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (HC: Paul Johnson, 6^th season)

3. Virginia Tech Hokies (HC: Frank Beamer, 27^th season)

2. Miami-Florida Hurricanes (HC: Al Golden, 3^rd season)

1. North Carolina Tar Heels (HC: Larry Fedora, 2^nd season)

COASTAL

7. Boston College Eagles (HC: Steve Addazio, 1^st season)

6. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (HC: Jim Grobe, 13^th season)

5. North Carolina State Wolfpack (Dave Doeren, 1^st season)

4. Maryland Terrapins (HC: Randy Edsall, 3^rd season)

3. Florida State Seminoles (HC: Jimbo Fisher, 4^th season)

2. Syracuse Orange (HC: Scott Shafer, 1^st season)

1. Clemson Tigers (Dabo Swinney, 6^th season)

Offensive Player of the Year: Tajh Boyd, QB, Clemson

Defensive Player of the Year: Lamarcus Joyner, S, Florida State

Coach of the Year: Larry Fedora, North Carolina

Conference Championship Game: Clemson over North Carolina

This conference seems to be all but over already. Clemson is the prohibitive favorite with the majority of the key components of its squad returning from last year’s bowl victory over LSU in the Chick-fil-A Bowl (maybe the best matchup the bowl has ever had). They are going to put up crazy offensive numbers once again led by Heisman contender Tajh Boyd. They would be a dark horse candidate for the BCS title game if they didn’t have Georgia and in-state rival South Carolina in the non-conference. Florida State is going to have a bit of a disappointing season finishing third in the Coastal division without 4-time bowl winner E.J. Manuel and with newcomer Syracuse bumping them down a spot. The other side is going to come down to who can avoid bad losses to the Dukes and Boston Colleges of the world. Miami is poised for a good year, as is returning VT quarterback Logan Thomas, but I feel like North Carolina takes the Atlantic Division fresh off of its bowl ban. They continue to get top level talent, and Fedora can really build a program. That will be an entertaining title game for sure.

Big Ten Conference (#4)

LEGENDS

6. Minnesota Golden Gophers (HC: Jerry Kill, 3^rd season)

5. Iowa Hawkeyes (HC: Kirk Ferentz: 15^th season)

4. Northwestern Wildcats (HC: Pat Fitzgerald, 8^th season)

3. Michigan State Spartans (HC: Mark Dantonio, 7^th season)

2. Michigan Wolverines (HC: Brady Hoke, 3^rd season)

1. Nebraska Cornhuskers (HC: Bo Pelini, 6^th season)

LEADERS

6. Penn State Nittany Lions (HC: Bill O’Brien, 2^nd season)

5. Illinois Fighting Illini (HC: Tim Beckman, 2^nd season)

4. Indiana Hoosiers (HC: Kevin R. Wilson, 3^rd season)

3. Purdue Boilermakers (HC: Darrell Hazell, 1^st season)

2. Wisconsin Badgers (HC: Gary Andersen, 1^st season)

1. Ohio State Buckeyes (HC: Urban Meyer, 2^nd season)

Offensive Player of the Year: Braxton Miller, QB, Ohio State

Defensive Player of the Year: Bradley Roby, CB, Ohio State

Coach of the Year: Urban Meyer, Ohio State

Conference Championship Game: Ohio State over Nebraska

This conference is an interesting case. We have last year’s ineligible team that made undefeated look easy and returns a host of its starters, including Heisman frontrunner Braxton Miller. Nebraska is coming off a whipping at the hands of Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game after going undefeated in the Legends Division. Wisconsin had a Rose Bowl berth, but they lost their coach before the game. Michigan is poised to have a rebound year of sorts when they will not have to be handcuffed by the electric play and limited passing game of Denard Robinson. Devin Gardner looked better than Robinson in glimpses last season. Michigan State is one of those that everyone feels will drop down each year, but they just linger around and take the top teams down to the wire. Penn State is going to have a huge falloff, though. It is years 2-4 of their sanctions that will really be hard on the Nittany Lions. The lack of scholarships and hope for any of the recruits to play in a bowl game is lost. It will be tough sledding for reigning national coach of the year Bill O’Brien. Oh, and watch out for Northwestern. That team can play. They have Kain Colter and Venric Mark coming back, which may be enough to contend in a tough Legends Division.

Southeastern Conference (#3)

EAST

7. Missouri Tigers (HC: Gary Pinkel, 13^th season)

6. Vanderbilt Commodores (HC: James Franklin, 3^rd season)

5. Kentucky Wildcats (HC: Mark Stoops, 1^st season)

4. Florida Gators (HC: Will Muschamp, 3^rd season)

3. South Carolina Gamecocks (Steve Spurrier, 9^th season)

2. Tennessee Volunteers (HC: Butch Jones, 1^st season)

1. Georgia Bulldogs (HC: Mark Richt, 13^th season)

WEST

7. Mississippi State Bulldogs (HC: Dan Mullen, 5^th season)

6. Auburn Tigers (HC: Gus Malzahn, 1^st season)

5. Arkansas Razorbacks (HC: Bret Bielema, 1^st season)

4. Texas A&M Aggies (Kevin Sumlin, 2^nd season)

3. Louisiana State Tigers (HC: Les Miles, 9^th season)

2. Mississippi Rebels (HC: Hugh Freeze, 2^nd season)

1. Alabama Crimson Tide (HC: Nick Saban, 7^th season)

Offensive Player of the Year: Aaron Murray, QB, Georgia

Defensive Player of the Year: C.J. Mosley, LB, Alabama

Coach of the Year: Butch Jones, Tennessee

Conference Championship Game: Alabama over Georgia

Everyone will cry that ranking the SEC 3^rd is ridiculous, but they are just so weak at the bottom that they cannot stand up with the two deepest conferences. In the East, we have the defending division champion Georgia with its 4-year starting QB coming back, as well as its game-breaking young running backs. They should not have too much of an issue getting back to the Conference Title Game, but Tennessee, with new head coach Butch Jones, may be the only conference loss for the Bulldogs. They get Georgia at home, but they have three tough road games, which will make it difficult for them to actually take the division. Look for a huge bounce back from the Volunteers. Florida lost way too many starters to compete this year, and South Carolina is going to be in that usual 9-10 win range and miss out on the big time bowls. On the West side, we have Alabama. That is really all there is. I cannot see them losing to the Aggies again, even though the game is in front of the 12^th Man in College Station. A&M lost a bunch of starters, and they will fall back the middle of the conference. Bielema will get the Razorbacks back, but it will take a while after the mess they have been put through the last couple seasons. LSU is always going to be around, but they just do not have the offense. Ole Miss is on the rise and will greatly improve on the 7 wins from a year ago. Once conference play gets going, their spread attack will be in full force and they will be a tough out. None of that really matters, though. The Tide will roll, maybe go undefeated this year, and almost certainly return to the National Championship Game.

Big 12 Conference (#2)

10. Kansas Jayhawks (HC: Charlie Weis, 2^nd season)

9. West Virginia Mountaineers (HC: Dana Holgorsen, 3^rd season)

8. Iowa State Cyclones (HC: Paul Rhodes, 5^th season)

7. Kansas State Wildcats (Bill Snyder, 22^nd total season)

6. Baylor Bears (HC: Art Briles, 6^th season)

5. Texas Christian Horned Frogs (HC: Gary Patterson, 13^th season)

4. Oklahoma Sooners (HC: Bob Stoops, 15^th season)

3. Texas Tech Red Raiders (Kliff Kingsbury, 1^st season)

2. Texas Longhorns (HC: Mack Brown, 16^th season)

1. Oklahoma State Cowboys (HC: Mike Gundy, 9^th season)

Offensive Player of the Year: Lache Seastrunk, RB, Baylor

Defensive Player of the Year: Jackson Jeffcoat, DE, Texas

Coach of the Year: Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State

Automatic BCS Bid: Oklahoma State

The Big 12 is the deepest conference in college football right now. Everyone except the pathetic Jayhawks is viable and bowl ready. There are legitimately 6 or 7 teams that could take the conference this year. Texas has a host of returning starters, and we have to think that the defense will be improved from last year. Texas Tech is going to continue putting up big numbers offensively with Kingsbury as head coach, adding to their sneaky good defense. Kansas State may take a step back without Colin Klein, but Snyder can coach them up better than anyone. TCU can make a run in their second year in the conference. Oklahoma is going to look totally different with Blake Bell as the full time QB. Baylor is going to be an offensive juggernaut, but I just cannot take them totally seriously until they field a competitive defense. The team that has been up there a lot recently that will wind up with the conference title is Oklahoma State. They have the important starters back, minus Joseph Randle. They are poised and well coached. Their schedule looks pretty manageable, with the only tough road games in Austin and Lubbock. No team is going to finish with less than two losses this year. The conference is way too competitive.

Pacific-12 Conference (#1)

NORTH

6. California-Berkeley Golden Bears (HC: Sonny Dykes, 1^st season)

5. Washington State Cougars (Mike Leach, 2^nd season)

4. Oregon State Beavers (HC: Mike Riley, 13^th total season)

3. Washington Huskies (HC: Steve Sarkisian, 5^th season)

2. Stanford Cardinal (HC: David Shaw, 3^rd season)

1. Oregon Ducks (HC: Mark Helfrich, 1^st season)

SOUTH

6. Colorado Buffaloes (HC: Mike MacIntyre, 1^st season)

5. Arizona State Sun Devils (HC: Todd Graham, 2^nd season)

4. Arizona Wildcats (HC: Rich Rodriguez, 2^nd season)

3. Utah Utes (HC: Kyle Whittingham, 9^th season)

2. Southern California Trojans (HC: Lane Kiffin, 4^th season)

1. California-Los Angeles Bruins (HC: Jim Mora, 2^nd season)

Offensive Player of the Year: Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon

Defensive Player of the Year: Anthony Barr, LB, UCLA

Coach of the Year: Mark Helfrich, Oregon

Conference Championship Game: Oregon over UCLA

The best conference in the land is going to be a battle. I cannot see any of the teams going unbeaten in conference this year. The North is, of course, the best division in all of college football. Stanford and Oregon are arguable two of the five best teams in the nation. Oregon State is in that Michigan State mold, where everyone underestimates every single year. Washington has a senior quarterback and could make some noise with a 9 or so win season. Washington State proved last year that they can be a tough team to contend with at home. Leach’s offense promises to be much more consistent this year. California has a new coach and a lot of talent. Other than maybe the top two, the other four could finish in any order. I feel like the Ducks will wind up with the North title, with their only loss coming against UCLA at home. The South is probably going to come down to the Los Angeles schools. UCLA has a chunk of its division champion team back, most importantly Brett Hundley. USC should certainly have a better season than last year without the curse of the preseason #1 ranking. Utah is slowly climbing up the ranks as it gains more Pac-12 ready talent. The other three teams are all still breaking in new head coaches. MacIntyre is a great hire for Colorado. He turned San Jose State into a 10 win team, just two years removed from a 1-12 laughing stock. He will get Colorado back to the middle in the next couple years. The South champ is going to be UCLA, but I cannot see them beating Oregon twice in the same year. Ducks get the Rose Bowl berth.

Top 5 BCS Busters

5. Tulsa Golden Hurricane – The 11 win team from a year ago has their returning starting QB Cody Green.  Their Conference USA schedule is manageable. This is a team that definitely needs to run the table to get in the BCS, however.

                Toughest games: at Oklahoma, vs Iowa State, at Louisiana Tech

4. Louisiana Tech Bulldogs – They blew everyone away last year with their high powered offense and skill position talent. While their quarterback and receiver are gone, they still have standout running back Kenneth Dixon and a very doable road to the BCS.

                Toughest games: at NC State, at Kansas, vs Tulsa

3. Boise State Broncos – They are always going to be in the running. Last year was an off year for them, when they only won 11 games. This year, their schedule shapes up nicely. Senior QB Joe Southwick seemed to really be running the offense well at the end of the year.

                Toughest games: at Washington, at Utah State, vs Nevada, at BYU, at San Diego State

2. Northern Illinois Huskies – The BCS team from last year is set to make another run this year. They will not start off the year under anyone’s radar, however. The MAC may not be as great as it was last year, either. They need to be undefeated this year, and seeing how Jordan Lynch played last year, that isn’t out of the question. Losing their head coach may hurt them a bit, though.

                Toughest games: at Iowa, at Purdue, at Kent State

1. Arkansas State Red Wolves – They may have lost standout dual threat QB Ryan Aplin and head coach Gus Malzahn, but this team was as complete as any last year. They basically dominated the Sun Belt. I expect more of the same this year.

                Toughest games: at Auburn, at Missouri, at Louisiana-Monroe

Top 5 Defenses

5. Michigan State Spartans – They lost William Gholston to the NFL, but they still return a few key starters, including elite cornerback Darqueze Dennard. They are always well coached and huge up front. Expect their defense to keep them in a bunch of games again this year, as its offense will not be up to par just yet.

4. Notre Dame Fighting Irish – This defense will hold most offenses to low numbers again, despite losing all everything linebacker Manti Te’o. They still have probably the most elite defensive line in the country, with Louis Nix and Stephon Tuitt leading the way.

3. South Carolina Gamecocks – They have Jadaveon Clowney, which basically justifies them being on this list. He is the freakiest edge rusher I have seen in a long time. Add in a few other key returning starters from one of the better defenses last year, and you have one of the stingier potential defensive squads for 2013.

2. Stanford Cardinal – The Cardinal lost a few of their main contributors from a year ago, but David Shaw has shown an ability to replace his stars with almost no transition period. Expect Shayne Skov and company to continue the new tradition of defensive dominance by Stanford.

1. Alabama Crimson Tide – They may have lost another crop of players to the NFL, but once again, they are going to be loaded defensively. Led by likely All-American LB C.J. Mosley, this group is going to be scary good again, being as tough to move the ball on as any defense in the last few years.

Top 5 Offenses

5. Baylor Bears– We saw how well first time starter Nick Florence could do after the team lost RGIII (that is almost 45 PPG, by the way). Now they have Bryce Petty as the signal caller, who has the potential to be every bit as good as Florence. Lache Seastrunk could be a Heisman contender. Tevin Reese stretches the field as well as any Big 12 receiver. Look for some scary numbers by this offense, especially because their defense cannot stop anybody.

4. Clemson Tigers– Tajh Boyd and Sammy Watkins are back. They have lit up the ACC the past two seasons, and this year will be no different. I understand that DeAndre Hopkins is in the NFL and was a major component to the potency of that passing game, but Watkins is the game-breaker. Roderick McDowell should fit in nicely as a replacement for Andre Ellington. They should destroy ACC defenses.

3. Georgia Bulldogs – This could wind up being the most balanced offense in all of college football. Aaron Murray is coming into his fourth year as QB. Todd Gurley is as electric and talented as any running back in the nation. Malcolm Mitchell heads a dynamic receiving core as well. They should be able to score at will this year. Their defense is also going to be suspect, so they will put up monster numbers.

2. Alabama Crimson Tide – I could have put them number one. A.J. McCarron is more than just a game manager now. He is going to be given the keys to the offense, and he has all of the tools to be a great pocket passer. T.J. Yeldon is the next in line of the Alabama running backs who will dominate and get drafted high. Kenny Bell and Amari Cooper may be the two best receivers in the SEC. They proved against Notre Dame that they can pound even the most talented of defenses.

1. Oregon Ducks– Once again, the Ducks are probably going to be the best offense. Chip Kelly groomed Mark Helfrich to make the transition seamless, and there is no indication that it won’t be just that. Marcus Mariota and De’Anthony Thomas is a great running tandem, but Mariota can definitely throw the ball too. He is their best QB I have seen. Josh Huff is a solid wide out, while Colt Lyerla is a versatile and unguardable weapon. They should roll over almost every team they play and put up video game numbers once again.

Top 5 Coach of the Year Contenders

5. Dabo Swinney, Clemson – He is a hot commodity in the coaching world right now. Everyone seems to really like the guy, and his team is fun to watch. If he can coach his talented team to a BCS game and potentially an undefeated season, then he will be recognized in one form or another.

4. Butch Jones, Tennessee – If Jones can take that mess of a Tennessee team out of the muck and into contention for a SEC Championship Game berth, which I expect he will, then he will be up there for this award. He has followed Brian Kelly each step so far and improved on what he left him, but this time it is a rebuilding job. He can turn it around in one year. A division title will almost guarantee a spot on the Coach of the Year shortlist.

3. Mark Helfrich, Oregon – If he can get his team out the Pac-12 without a loss, then he deserves to be commended. With the investigations and bad press that the team has had, as well as losing one of the greatest offensive minds in recent memory, Helfrich would deserve to be in the conversation if he can win big and basically outshine his predecessor.

2. Nick Saban, Alabama – He is the coach of the likely National Champions. Most of the time, however, this award goes to a coach that does something truly special with a team, not necessarily the coach of the best team. He will get his votes, though, especially if he can get out of the SEC without a loss.

1. Urban Meyer, Ohio State – Like Saban, most people expect his squad to be dominant. He already showed last year that the talent was already there and that it just needed the right coach. If they go undefeated again, it would be the first time since 1994-1995 Nebraska that a team has back-to-back unbeaten seasons. He would deserve the award just for that.

Top 5 NFL Draft Prospects

5. Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville – People may question his level of competition against the putrid Big East, but that Sugar Bowl victory against the vaunted Florida defense proved that he is the real deal.

4. Kyle Van Noy, OLB, BYU – After Ziggy Ansah got taken so high in the 2013 draft, it is clear that Van Noy will follow suit in 2014. He was actually the best defender on the team, always making big plays and putting up crazy numbers for an outside linebacker.

3. Marqise Lee, WR, USC – He may be a bit short for the prototypical NFL receiver, but he is ridiculously talented. When he has the ball, he is electric. When he doesn’t have the ball, he is making people look silly. His hands are as good as it gets. He will be an instant impact player at the next level.

2. Taylor Lewan, T, Michigan – He has been the talk of the Big Ten in terms of linemen for a couple years now. He is every bit as talented and athletic as Jake Long, the former #1 pick. He will almost certainly be the first left tackle taken in the draft.

1. Jadaveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina – He is one of the craziest athletes in the nation. He is a pure pass rusher with sub 4.45 speed. Unless a team really wants a QB, then he will be the first pick in the draft for sure.

Top 10 Heisman Contenders

10. Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M – With how poorly he has handled his historic Heisman win a year ago, I cannot see him winning again. However, when Tim Tebow had his win as the first sophomore, he was invited back both subsequent seasons whether he deserved it or not. People still love him and he will continue to be in the spotlight from now until December.

9. Lache Seastrunk, RB, Baylor – He has the talent and the offense around him to put up some stupid numbers in 2013. His team will need to be a threat in the Big 12 for this to be realistic, but his numbers should speak for themselves.

8. Jadaveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina – He is going to need to build on what he did last year for him to really compete for an invitation to New York. Defensive players are getting more national Heisman attention recently, so he will be on everyone’s watchlist to start the year and maybe to end the year if he can have an Ndamukong Suh-level season of dominance and big plays.

7. T.J. Yeldon, RB, Alabama – Once Eddie Lacy left for the NFL, he was placed on everyone’s shortlist. He will be given the platform and carries to have just as impressive of a season as invitees Trent Richardson and Mark Ingram before him. Sharing the ball with Lacy was the best thing for him. Look for him to have a ridiculous season.

6. Aaron Murray, QB, Georgia – He is going to continue to be scrutinized for not being clutch until he can beat Alabama or win a BCS bowl. If he can put together an undefeated regular season, then he will be a finalist for sure. He just needs to block out all of the negative attention and just conduct what should be an unstoppable offense.

5. Taylor Martinez, QB, Nebraska – All three seasons of his career, he has garnered early Heisman attention for his big plays and monster numbers. He is finally the unquestioned starter and proved last year that he is the most clutch quarterback in the country. He can win the Heisman if they win the Big Ten. A battle of undefeated teams in the Big Ten Title game would be the best thing for him.

4. Tajh Boyd, QB, Clemson – He has everything going for him right now. Last year, he was a top 10 level Heisman contender. This year, with all of the weapons he has coming back and a probable Orange Bowl run in front of him, he is a frontrunner. Let’s see how he can do with expectations.

3. Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon – He seems to have a bit of Colin Kaepernick in him, except he plays at a big school. If he has an even better and more efficient sophomore campaign, then he will be an easy Heisman finalist, since his team is likely headed for another 11-12 win regular season.

2. A.J. McCarron, QB, Alabama – At some point, the conductor of one of the most impressive runs in modern college football history has got to be recognized. He is efficient, poised, and clutch. Another unbeaten season will guarantee his candidacy.

1. Braxton Miller, QB, Ohio State – The clear frontrunner this year has to be the most dynamic quarterback in the nation. In Urban Meyer’s offense, Miller thrived last year. If he can stay healthy, then his numbers will be sick and he will run away with this vote.

Preseason Top 25

Others receiving votes: Baylor, Miami, Mississippi, Rutgers, Syracuse, TCU, USC, Washington

25. Cincinnati– Head coach Tommy Tuberville will get them there. He is left a host of talent, and they will make a run at it in the AAC.

24. Northwestern– The Wildcats have key returning starters on offense, and they have showed recently that they really have a winning pedigree. We will have to see how the team does with some real expectations in the Legends Division.

23. Oklahoma – They are always in the running and wind up disappointing. I expect the offense to go through some growing pains early on, but it could really get rolling behind power running QB Blake Bell.

22. Florida State– The Seminoles are faced with another year of high expectations, which is not good for that squad. Every year is the same hype, and every year they wind up being a pretty good but not great team with elite talent.

21. Florida – The losses on the defensive side of the ball are going to force the offense to carry the team early on, which will be a great change of pace for the defensive-minded coaching staff.

20. Louisville– This may seem a bit low for the Cardinals, but other than Teddy Bridgewater, there just is not too much pull for Louisville. They will likely have a huge year again, though. The matchup with Cincinnati in December will likely decide who gets the BCS nod.

19. Texas A&M– Johnny Football has been a media hound recently, but maybe that is just ESPN looking for a story. The team had some huge losses to the draft, but Manziel should be able to shoulder the pressure to put together another nice season and pull a couple more upsets.

18. Wisconsin – There may be a slight transition period after losing their coach and Montee Ball, but they can reload and make another run toward a Rose Bowl berth.

17. Boise State– The team has a bunch of starters coming back, and we know at worst that they will be a well coached team that will win 10 games. I don’t foresee the early offensive struggles like last year.

16. Texas Tech– This team is a dark horse in the Big 12. The offense will be potent. If the defense is solid like last year, then watch out for the Kliff Kingsbury-coached squad.

15. LSU – The Tigers are looking at another elite defense and good running game. We will see if Zach Mettenberger has grown in the offseason.

14. Texas – They have some 20 returning starters, so they have to be great. They will likely still struggle on offense since none of their QBs are great, but they will be a veteran and well coached bunch. If they do not contend this year, that could be the end of Mack Brown in Austin.

13. Oregon State– There is no real reason for them to be up this high, but there isn’t a reason they shouldn’t be either. Storm Woods and company will make the offense viable. The defense is always stingy when they are not playing Oregon. They will be a “surprise” team again.

12. Michigan – Devin Gardner could be the guy who could take the team to the Promised Land, but not quite this year. He is the next Ryan Tannehill. The rest of the team stacks up well. They will be right there contending for a division title with…

11. Nebraska – The Cornhuskers need to win this year. Martinez may well hold every relevant record in school history, but without a conference title, all of that will not mean much. They have the returning talent to do just that.

10. UCLA – The early season matchup with Nebraska will be interesting. That will be a nice barometer to measure where the team will fall in 2013. They looked like the best team in the Pac-12 at times, but they also looked very stale at times. I expect Brett Hundley to make them more of the former this year.

9. South Carolina– The team is going to be all about defense. They have a nice group of skill position players ready to step up, but they aren’t exactly Marcus Lattimore and Ace Sanders. That defensive front will keep them around the top 10 all year.

8. Oklahoma State– The Cowboys are looking at having one of the elite offenses in the nation once again. The stable of QBs has settled down to just one, Clint Chelf. He has the talent to be the best QB in the conference.

7. Notre Dame – How will Everett Goldson respond during his sophomore campaign after getting hammered in the National Championship Game? Pretty well, I suspect. Brian Kelly has never really had a great team coming back since he always upgrades. You can’t get much higher than Notre Dame. Look for another title run this year.

6. Clemson – The offense of the Tigers is going to be scary. For them to finally compete legitimately for a BCS title, they need to improve on defense. Their offense will mask a lot of their deficiencies, however.

5. Georgia – Week 1: Georgia at Clemson. Be there. It is set up to be a classic offensive show and battle to see who is a legit top 5 team and who is going to come up short once again.

4. Oregon – The Ducks will not leave the top 10 all year, unless they drop to Tennessee in the non-conference. They are reloaded and set for another National Title run.

3. Stanford – The Cardinal are going to be incredible once again. With Kevin Hogan at QB, the team was on a different level. Losing their horse Stepfan Taylor is a blow, obviously, but they have reserves. Oregon at Stanford on 11/7…should be another unforgettable matchup with a BCS Title spot potentially on the line.

2. Ohio State – After seeing how they played last year with nothing to play for, I cannot think that this year they will be any weaker. If they slip up, it will be surprising, maybe even shocking. A battle of unbeatens against Nebraska in the Big Ten Championship would be a sight to see.

1. Alabama – Surprised? I didn’t think so. They are the favorite, and they should be. However, last time they were basically a unanimous #1 in 2010, they lost 3 games in the regular season. Can you see that happening again? Nah me neither.

BCS Predictions

Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma State over Cincinnati

Orange Bowl: Stanford over Clemson

Rose Bowl: Oregon over Nebraska

Sugar Bowl: Georgia over Texas

BCS Championship Game: Alabama over Ohio State

So, there you have it. What do you think? Your top 25? Other rankings? Any notable snubs or overlooks? Let me know in the comments!

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What's Next for Glee?

I have been a big fan of Glee ever since it debuted.  So understandably, I was shocked and saddened to hear of the sudden passing of Cory Monteith this last weekend.  It is always sad to hear of someone so talented and gifted going far too soon, especially someone this young.  It really feels quite surreal still.  However, as a fan of Glee, I couldn't help but start to think what Monteith's death will mean for the hit musical show.  Monteith's Finn Hudson has been one of the primary cogs that has made the Glee machine go and become so big over the last 4 years.  Even after the first wave of series regulars graduated from high school, Finn remained an important part of the show subbing for Mr. Shuester as head of the glee club for an extended period, being a mentor to some of the new "gleeks" like Ryder and Jake, as well as staying active in the life of Rachel who is off in New York.  There was even hints at the possible and probably inevitable flame between Finn and Rachel reigniting.  Now what?

Cory Monteith's tragic death changes the entire course of the show.  For those that don't watch Glee, let me put this in terms you can understand.  This is like half way through Friends, David Schwimmer needing to be written out of the show.  Or, perhaps a better comparison, this is like John Krasinski needing to be written out of The Office after four seasons of build-up in the relationship of Jim and Pam.  Even though The Office is an ensemble cast, the Jim/Pam relationship is by far the dominant story line.  It is the same with Finn and Rachel.  All the build-up and chemistry that has been built up over the last four years is gone.

So where does Glee go from here?  How do they honor their fallen star appropriately?  Over the last few days, I have been obsessing over what the answer to this question could be.  I can only see three options for Ryan Murphy and the other creators of the show: end the show, keep the character and replace the actor, or write the character off the show.

The first option I don't really see as a viable option.  The show must go on.  I doubt anyone would feel this is right way to go.  Not only would they feel it wouldn't properly honor his memory, but Glee has become such a phenomenon (not as much as a couple years ago, but still...) you can't just stop it.  So to me, cancelling the show is not an option.

The second option of replacing Monteith with another actor to portray Finn has its advantages.  The story arc already set in place by the creators would not need to change, and the show could continue on as planned.  However, I doubt any fan of the show, or any cast member for that matter, would embrace this decision.  It really would not allow the show to honor Cory Monteith's memory.  Instead, it would just forget he existed and move on.  That's not right.  This really isn't an option either.

That leaves the third option: writing Finn out of the show.  It would allow his memory to be honored by saying no one else would portray his defining and iconic character, but it also allows the show to continue and move on.  It's not a great option, but it's the best of the bad options.  All aspects of what was planned for this season and the rest of the series has to change forever, but it's the right thing to do considering the circumstances.  There are two ways to write Finn off the show: either just have his character move away and not ever come back, or kill him off.  The first option would be awkward.  The second option of basically acting out on the show what happened in real life would probably be best.  It is also not unprecedented.  Remember the show 8 Simple Rules?  In 2003, John Ritter had a heart attack and actually died on set of his popular sitcom.  The show took a short hiatus to regroup and came back having Ritter's character die of a heart attack on the show.  They brought in other actors, like David Spade, to try and be the father figure for the family, but the show never really recovered its momentum.  I think Glee will be different if they take this course of action.  Finn was a main character, but there are so many main characters that the show should be able to move on and continue to be successful.  Also, it allows the show to address something it hasn't addressed yet.

One thing that has been a trademark of Glee that I think has been a big part of its success is its fearlessness to address some major issues facing high schoolers today.  So far, they have talked about bullying, school shootings, catfishing, teen drinking, pretty much all aspects of LGBT, and so much more.  One thing it has yet to address is death.  It has come close with a classmate attempting suicide, a parent having a heart attack, and a character getting seriously injured in a car accident.  However, all of them made full recoveries.  Sue had her sister die, but she was sick and had only been on the show a couple episodes.  It is as if the show has been afraid to kill a character.  Now it has an opportunity to address it and let the characters grieve in a similar way to how all the cast, crew, and fans are currently grieving.  I also think the best way to do it is to use it as an opportunity to address a big struggle Cory Monteith personally had and what may have brought about this tragedy as well: drugs.

Here is where I would take the story at the start of the new season.  Everyone is continuing their stories from where they left off at the end of last season.  Will and Emma just got married, the glee club is going to nationals, and Rachel might be getting the role of a lifetime on Broadway.  Then their lives get interrupted with news of Finn's death.  The way I would bring this sudden news about is Puck talked him in to going to a party where there were drugs out.  Finn gets talked into trying some, OD's, and dies.  Puck is devastated and blames himself for his best friend's death.  He starts to spiral out of control, and then decides he wants to honor Finn's memory by making something of his life and doing what Finn wanted to do, teach.  He takes over as Mr. Shuester's assistant with the glee club trying to fix what he feels he broke.  He basically jumps into the role Finn had minus the love connection.  This brings about the least amount of disruption to where the series was going, and it will feel more genuine using an already-established character like Puckerman (and Finn's best friend on top of that).  It also keeps one of my favorite characters around after he was one of the original cast members scheduled to be removed from being a series regular.  I think Rachel takes a break from romance for awhile.  Either that, or she goes running into Brody's arms, but probably not.

This ruins the storybook ending the series was obviously building towards, but the latest lesson for the show is sometimes life can't be a storybook.  This weekend's tragic news proves that better than anything.  I think this would allow the show to grieve and honor their friend (I can see Mr. Shuester now singing a tearful "Can't Fight This Feeling" at the funeral) while still moving on and establishing the new tone that would need to be set. Anyone have any other ideas?  It is a tough topic to think about, but one that has to be considered as a fan of Glee.

RIP Cory Monteith

1982-2013

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