User:HorrorFan121/Blaine Anderson

Blaine Anderson is a recurring fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series, Glee. The character is portrayed by actor Darren Criss, and has appeared in Glee since its second season episode titled "Never Been Kissed", first broadcast on November 9, 2010. Blaine was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan. He is the captain of the Dalton Academy Warblers in Lima, Ohio, where the show is set. Blaine is first introduced in the onset of the show's second season. The media speculated that he would be the love interest of current glee club member, Kurt Hummel. This role was originally meant for Chord Overstreet, but was changed by the producers as a result of chemistry between him and Diana Agron. Criss had previously auditioned for the role of Finn Hudson, prior to the show's premiere.

The character has received mixed to favorable reviews from critics. Jessica Ronayne of Zap2It commented:"Thankfully three things saved the show from being too overly sweet. The first moment I actually enjoyed was Kurt and Blaine's "Baby It's Cold Outside" duet. I am not one to jump on bandwagons, but that Darren Criss is kind of awesome. He is a much better addition to the show than Chord Overstreet who plays Sam in my opinion." However, the character received criticism for his appearance in the episode "Blame It on the Alcohol". Amy Reiter of the Los Angeles Times commented of the character during the episode "Blame it On The Alcohol": "Blaine's sudden confusion over his sexual orientation: We're with Kurt: So much of Blaine's charm has been his certainty about who he is. Saying "bye" to the Blaine sexual-confusion storyline wouldn't make us angry at all."

Development
Blaine is regularly portrayed by actor Darren Criss. Rumors began swirling before the production of season two that glee club member Kurt Hummel would be receiving a love interest in the show's second season. Chord Overstreet who plays Sam Evans was originally intended to be Kurt's love interest, but a decision was made to pair him with head cheerleader Quinn Fabray as a result of the chemistry the producers found between Dianna Agron (Quinn) and himself. In September of 2010, it was confirmed that Criss would join the show as a "much-talked-about new gay role". The media began to speculate him as Kurt's new love interest. Blaine's original character description was: "Blaine—a cute and charismatic gay student from a rival Glee club named the Dalton Academy Warblers—will maintain a strictly platonic friendship with McKinley High’s most out and proud pupil. But could that change as the season progresses? Yes, it could." Criss has previously starred in ABC's Eastwick, and a guest-starring role in Cold Case. Criss had auditioned before for the show; he had auditioned to play Finn when the show was initially created.

Glee creator Ryan Murphy stated, "Darren has a major, major arc... He sort of becomes Kurt's mentor and then maybe love - Kurt had to leave his own school because of bullying and goes to an all-boys academy and finds acceptance because that school has a zero-tolerance no-bullying policy. So Kurt really admires him and respects him. He plays someone who's one year older than Chris' character, so he's the old pro." Due to popularity in the role, Criss has been confirmed as a regular for the remainder of season two and for season three of Glee. In December 2010, Ryan Murphy announced that the cast of Glee would be replaced at the end of the third season to coincide with their graduation. TV Squad has said that "Lauren can deliver a zinger with the bite of Sue Sylvester and the humor of our beloved Brittany." Ryan Murphy said: "Every year we're going to populate a new group. There's nothing more depressing than a high schooler with a bald spot." He also revealed that some of the original cast will leave as early as 2012: "I think you have to be true to the fact that here is a group of people who come and go in these teachers' lives."

Storylines
Blaine Anderson is first introduced at the onset of the second season of Glee, as the captain of Dalton Academy Warblers musical group. He is first seen preforming with the Warblers "Teenage Dream" by Katy Perry. It is revealed early on when glee club member Kurt Hummel visits the Dalton Academy that Blaine is gay, and was bullied in his high school years, which is why he originally transferred to the Dalton Academy. He befriends Kurt, and encourages him to stick up for himself against Dave Karofsky, a bully at his high school. The next time he is attacked by Karofsky, Kurt confronts him in the boys' locker room, and as the argument intensifies he is kissed by Karofsky, leaving Kurt stunned. Kurt later confesses the situation to Blaine, who tries to help. Blaine and Kurt try to encourage and talk to him about accepting his sexuality without being afraid of what others may think, but Karofsky denies that anything happened and returns to bullying Kurt. Blaine is later seen attending dinner with Kurt and his fellow glee club member and friend, Mercedes Jones.

After a confrontation with Mercedes about her feeling left out, Kurt is approached by Karofsky, who threatens to kill him if Kurt reveals his closeted homosexuality. Kurt's father, Burt Hummel and his wife Carole use their honeymoon savings to transfer Kurt to Dalton Academy, an all-male school with a zero tolerance policy against bullying. Blaine takes Kurt under his wing after he transfers to the academy. Blaine suggests that he try to fit in rather than stand out after he fails to get a solo. At Dalton Academy, Blaine sings a duet of "Baby, It's Cold Outside" with Kurt, who is auditioning for Kings Island's Christmas Spectacular. New Directions glee director Will Schuester visits Kurt seeking advice on a gift for cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester, and Kurt reveals that he has fallen in love with Blaine. In the Valentines Day oriented episode, Blaine announces his intention to sing a love song to his crush. Blaine's crush turns out to be Jeremiah (Alexander Nifong), the assistant manager at a local Gap store. The Dalton Academy Warblers accompany Blaine as he serenades Jeremiah with Robin Thicke's "When I Get You Alone". Jeremiah is subsequently fired and rebuffs Blaine. Kurt confesses his feelings to Blaine, who tells Kurt that he cares for him but is terrible at romance, and does not want to risk damaging their friendship. In an attempt to get inspiration to write a good song for Nationals, Rachel throws a party for the glee club only. Puck convinces her to serve alcohol, and the entire glee club gets drunk, with the exception of Finn and Kurt. They all play a game of Spin the Bottle resulting in Rachel and Blaine kissing, making him question his sexuality. After their kiss, Rachel and Blaine drunkenly perform the song "Don't You Want Me" on karaoke. Because Blaine is drunk, Kurt finds this as an excuse to take Blaine home. With Blaine still drunk, they share a bed fully-clothed. Burt is not pleased about this level of gay intimacy and speaks to Kurt about it. Aware that Kurt is worried about his lack of sexual knowledge, Blaine visits his father, Burt, and prompts him to give Kurt "the talk" about sex.

Reception
Blaine has received mixed reviews from television critics. Kristen from daemontv commented about the episode "A Very Glee Christmas: "I absolutely loved Kurt and Blaine’s “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” (it’s my favorite version of this song since Zooey Deschanel sang it in Elf). After the song, Kurt even confessed his crush on Blaine to Mr. Schue. It looks like there will be some romance for Kurt in the New Year, which is good since the romance is officially over for Rachel and Finn." Jessica Ronayne of Zap2It commented: "Thankfully three things saved the show from being too overly sweet. The first moment I actually enjoyed was Kurt and Blaine's "Baby It's Cold Outside" duet. I am not one to jump on bandwagons, but that Darren Criss is kind of awesome. He is a much better addition to the show than Chord Overstreet who plays Sam in my opinion. I am really enjoying the way the show is slowly building to Kurts first relationship. But I digress...back to Christmas talk we must go."

Amy Reiter of the Los Angeles Times said of the episode "Silly Love Songs (Glee)": "Yes! The Warblers get a real storyline! Plus, they get to sing with a purpose and a new locale, released from the pretty, pretty practice room in which they’ve been confined like, as we are not-so-subtly reminded, birdies in a gilded cage. And where do they go? The Gap, that cauldron of teen-image-creation angst, where they do flips off the sweater tables as Blaine serenades/stalks his well-coiffed and deeply embarrassed assistant manager crush with Robin Thicke’s “When I Get You Alone.” Alas, the guy rejects Blaine, telling him he’s too young, but the crush’s crushing blow paves the way for Kurt to confess his true feelings for Blaine, and for Blaine to confess that, despite the image he projects, he, too, is just a kid trying to figure things out as he goes along." Robert Canning of IGN said of the episode: "Filling out the episode were Kurt and Blaine, who finally solidified what their relationship actually is. Kurt was heartbroken when he realized the boy Blaine wanted to serenade was someone else entirely, but he went with it. The over-produced numbers from The Warblers generally annoy me, and their version of Robin Thicke's "When I Get You Alone" was no different. Plus Blaine's hand singing is getting to be as bad as Rachel's vocal pain face. But I love that the whole thing blew up in Blaine's face. The character has always come off to me as annoyingly arrogant, but "Silly Love Songs" humanized the guy.  Guess I may have to like him now."

The character received criticism for his appearance in the episode "Blame It on the Alcohol". Amy Reiter of the Los Angeles Times commented of the character during the episode "Blame it On The Alcohol": "Blaine's sudden confusion over his sexual orientation: We're with Kurt: So much of Blaine's charm has been his certainty about who he is. The Blaine and Rachel storyline ("Your face tastes awesome!") was fun -- and their song together, Human League's "Don't You Want Me" was a musical highlight -- but Blaine's overwrought speech in the coffee shop after Rachel asks him out just felt off-key. Saying "bye" to the Blaine sexual-confusion storyline wouldn't make us angry at all." Todd VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club went on to write a mixed review about the storyline, writing, "It got out of the genuinely complicated Blaine/Kurt/Rachel triangle [...] by having Blaine realize he was gay and having Rachel not be mad because the experience was “songwriting gold!” [...] The storyline started out as something that seemed like it might be an interesting, complicated look at teenage sexuality and how it can seem formed but might be more fluid than most teens would give it credit for, then lost its nerve and took the easy way out."