Should Sue Stay or Should Sue Go?

But Sue’s role has been reduced to just zingers, and as the other characters make deep connections and forge stronger relationships with one another, Sue hasn’t done that at all. Mercedes resents her former glee compatriots because she feels she doesn’t get the recognition she deserves. Sue hates the glee kids because … well … it’s not clear anymore.

via Glee’s Sue Sylvester Problem — Vulture.

5 thoughts on “Should Sue Stay or Should Sue Go?”

Me again—I’ve been thinking this for a while. The show has developed a new villain with a heart in the form of Santana. Her comic timing is on par with Jane Lynch’s and could easily take her place, she also has the bitch factor and all the aching vulnerablity that Lynch can do so well. Maybe just ease her out and the writers can sit up and find other sources of conflict

I think there always needs to be a Sue, because there needs to be at least one teacher who will look out for kids like Kurt and Becky and Brittany and Santana, and sneakily and secretly actually *care about* all the kids and help them. A teacher who will tell Quinn “smoking kills” as opposed to “so now you’re a trainwreck, congratulations”, who will resign as principal to try and protect the gay kid and try and get SPED classes at McKinley, who will always try to call Will Schuester out on his almost constant bullshit.

Beiste is already running Student Council/football/the musical/everything, there’s only so much she can do. So I think there will always be a need for a Sue. It doesn’t always seem like she cares, but really, even when she’s being “evil” she’s often doing more good for students than Will when he’s *trying* (her first aim as Principal was combating obesity, too.)

Sue in season 2 sort of lost her way in the big plots. As Green notes below, she had important bits to play that had nothing to do with marrying herself or faux torturing Artie at the prom.

I think she’s great, but like chili powder, to be used sparingly.

As much as I love Jane Lynch’s Sue Sylvester, her character development is too uneven. At first, when the show was really written as a one season event, Sue had a reason to hate everyone: She was queen of the world and in charge of the Cheerios who were being defunded to help the glee club. She didn’t get her way and she was pissed.

Then, after many quick zingers and hilariously mean rants, she was given a touching back story relative to her sister and Becky. While I love the way the show turned Becky into Sue’s Mini-me, the story line softened Sue. Meanwhile, we were left without much reason for Sue to hate the glee kids.

It dawned on me when Sue gave her rant about Burt in the McKinley hallway that we haven’t seen anything new from her in too long. She hates the glee club. Got it already. She’s quick with the zingers. Check.

But now what?

Either they need to give Sue a reason to stay mean or they need to come up with a new villain on the show.