(S01E04) Lies, lies and damn lies. There are plenty of them on Glee in between the musical numbers, but in a truly fine episode like this one, at least one major truth emerges and that's what you take away from the show. Still, it's that darn song I'm humming and one more reason Glee keeps me coming back.By the way, before we go on, how great is it that Glee has been renewed for a full season? Way to go, Fox! Yes, maybe it was a given that this show would be given a chance, but there are no sure things, and I think the network deserves a thumbs up when they take a chance. Anyway, more on tonight's show and all the plot developments after the jump.
The Kurt story was the finest of the night, perhaps of the season. Kurt had been lying about his sexuality, even to the point of having to get himself onto the football team to back up the tale he told his father. Ultimately, in a really great scene, Kurt told his father the truth. Mike O'Malley as the dad underplayed perfectly. He said he'd known about Kurt being gay since his son was three, and he loved him just as much. The final touch, Dad saying, "Thanks for telling me, Kurt ... You're sure?"
As good as the Kurt plot was, it would be nice if the other situations weren't so contrived. As the title suggests, pregnancy is a big theme on the show. Terri confided to Kendra about the hysterical pregnancy, and now they're both plotting like a pair of soap divas!
I know, I know, there must be drama, but Will would have to be a real idiot -- and he's not -- to have not caught on to the fake baby bump. Did Terri buy that at Wal-Mart, by the way, or was it a craft project? But, seriously, Will sleeps with his wife, he touches her; they hang out in the bathroom together (brushing teeth). She can't avoid him for seven months and continue having a good marriage.
Speaking of dumb, Finn is not a biology wiz, I get it, but how could he believe that Quinn is preggers based on the hot tub incident? Of course, Quinn's lie may not last for long if Puck makes good on his threats. Or if Erica Kane -- I mean Terri -- figures out how to pull off a baby switch. I'm really hoping they find a better plot than this because it just reeks.
The building of relationships stands out to me, especially when Finn turned to Will for comfort and trusted him about Quinn's pregnancy. There was also Kurt bonding with Finn about getting onto the football team. Would they ever be friends in real life? Probably not, but would you ever expect to see a high school football team do a choreographed dance number before running a play? Hell, no, but what a terrific scene. It didn't matter that it was the third time they played Beyonce's "Single Ladies"! I still can't get that song out of my head!
Other points of interest
• Sue's Corner. The coach's new career on WOHN-TV, and the pressure to win the nationals in order to keep her spot, is a much better motivation for her destroying glee club than jealousy of Will. I loved her editorial about caning: "Yes, we cane."
• Sandy Ryerson taking over the arts department also gets Stephen Tobolowsky back on as a regular and gives Will some major competition for glee talent. Will Rachel stick with Cabaret or return to Mr. Schu?
• Tina's "Tonight" was lovely. It's nice to see the other students getting a chance to shine.
[Watch clips and episodes of Glee at SlashControl.]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
9-23-2009 @ 10:14PM
Derick said...
My picture froze right in the middle of the kicker tryouts! It's STILL STUCK.
WTF
I want to watch this television show.
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9-23-2009 @ 10:21PM
MCW said...
How'd you get a recap up so fast (2 minutes after it ended)? It would suck to have to write while watching, because you miss everything.
I very much enjoyed the choreographed football field scene tonight. Very funny stuff.
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9-23-2009 @ 10:28PM
Parl said...
Oh boy. Ryan Murphy is letting all the crazy out of the bag quickly on this one, huh? Football team dancing in the middle of a game? Love triangle + pregnancy? Fake pregnant woman stalking actual (maybe) pregnant girl so she can steal her baby? If I didn't know any better I'd say I was watching Sean and Christian fight over Julia.
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9-23-2009 @ 11:09PM
Schwack said...
Man,
This is show is going downhill pretty fast. It's like a dumb soap opera: Finn really thinks he can get a girl preggers in a hot but without...well, you know? Then you have Terri preying on the cheerleader for the unborn baby??? Ugh. I had hopes for this show but it's getting kinda weird. Oh, and the dance number with the football team during the game???? I expected better! C'mon Glee, turn it around!
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9-23-2009 @ 11:20PM
Eliz said...
So at first I was really annoyed by the "soap opera" elements of the story line... i.e. fake pregnancy, love triangles galore... etc...
But tonight I watched with a different thought in mind... parody... Who watched that epi and seriously thought Quinn could get pregnant from a hot tub adventure? This isn't the case of an evil twin... This is a case of teenage misconceptions...
Perhaps the point is not to be overtly dramatic but overtly humorous... with of course an important message mixed in.
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9-23-2009 @ 11:32PM
mblum42 said...
You mean "reeks," not "wreaks."
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9-23-2009 @ 11:39PM
Impsy said...
I really loved this episode and adore this show. I don't care how campy and silly the pregnancy plot is - I don't watch this show because it's deep, I watch it because things are gonna be ok, then something bad will happen, then at the last second they'll be happy again. Everybody knew the team was gonna dance and that Kurt would kick the winning goal, but it didn't make it any less enjoyable to watch. I love the character interactions, I love the songs, I really love everything about it. It's just so nice to have such a happy show in my TV lineup!
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9-24-2009 @ 2:03PM
Age-K said...
Couldn't have said it better myself, Impsy.
9-24-2009 @ 12:34AM
mkzj said...
I don't understand why they have to make Rachel so unlikeable. I was rooting her for her, but her temper tantrums are starting to be a bit much.
The way she reacted to Tina being given the solo, and how horribly she acted. I get that the girl wants to succeed, but acting crazy will not make it happen. And she pretends to be nice to Tina and be all friendly when Tina is below her on the glee ranks.
Rachel is really starting to annoy me, and that shouldn't be the case with your lead character.
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9-24-2009 @ 10:05AM
Gill said...
She may be unlikable, but her honesty in the face of television convention is refreshing. Her line about "I get why you want to build up other people, i just don't see why you need to tear me down to do it" was a fantastically underrated moment that points out the problem of most cliched storylines about the underdog succeding.
9-24-2009 @ 7:09PM
horsenbuggy said...
I don't remember the exact line, but Rachel said something to the effect of, "It's great that joining Glee has helped but other people on the social map, but when it hasn't done a thing for me."
Here's my assessment on what she's going through:
Singing (and performing with Glee) has been Rachel's whole life, what she has sacrificed her social life for. She's probably always thought that if people could just see her for her talent, then she would shine. She was probably thrilled when a popular boy joined because he would raise awareness for Glee and make people realize that talent matters. But what it has turned out to be is another arena where she has to fight for her place and right now it looks like she's not winning. Her ONE place where she could get away from all the pettiness of high school social status/coolness has been overrun by the very people she's been trying to get away from.
I'm sure this will all be worked out, but I see her being a little bratty until it does.
9-24-2009 @ 12:46AM
Hill said...
I just adore this show! I believe I love it so much because it reminds me of the show Popular. Anyways, this episode was great and I look forward to the upcoming show next week.
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9-24-2009 @ 12:49AM
Sam said...
Last week Kurt came out to the black girl, this week his dad.
Next week he comes out to Tina and the guidance counselor.
Two weeks from tonight he comes out to the kid in the wheel chair, who actually has a crush on Kurt. Four weeks, Kurt comes out to the old Glee club teacher, but has second thoughts about being after seeing his doll collection. Five weeks from now Kurt becomes gay again. Six weeks Kurt continues his coming out party by telling Rachael who is completely oblivious to the whole conversation, he tells her 20 times in that episode.
Finally in 10 weeks, it's time for Prom --- he comes out to Finn, but realizes his mistake after he forgot to tell the mohawk dude first, who is actually in love with Finn too. Talk about awkward.
The season ends with Kurt coming out to the principle in a cliffhanger.
Seriously though, they choose the same exact storyline in back to back episodes. Couldn't they have expanded on other things?
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9-24-2009 @ 1:11AM
shamon said...
I really enjoyed this one the boy who loves beyonce , the best friend who banged his boy girl and could be the father and a wife who lies to keep her man .
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9-24-2009 @ 2:17AM
matthew barnes said...
best episode yet... and best line...
"i often find myself yelling at homeless people... 'hey! how's that homelessness working out for ya?'"
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9-24-2009 @ 2:58AM
killer_twinkie said...
I must be in the minority because I could not stand this episode. From the start by just having the single ladies song and watching Kurt dance I was lost. I watched most of it but I also spent a good chunk of time watching Law and Order. Trying out as the kicker for the football team is one thing, asking to dance before the kick is another. Between that and the football team dancing it just felt like something I would see in a Disney movie. I like that Kurt has come out but do we need every episode to concentrate on that? Add in the whole baby swap plan and I just don't really know what to expect from the show anymore. It feels like the glee club is more of a side story to the members personal lives than the members personal lives being a side story of the glee club. I'll still watch since I've liked every other episode but this one fell completely flat for me, and I am so tired of hearing that damn Single Ladies song.
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9-24-2009 @ 3:01AM
Mariah said...
I'll admit it's a bit of a reach, but it's a pretty common myth that you can get pregnant in a hot tub. Moreover, for all their hormones, high schoolers are idiots when it comes to sex. If they weren't, I don't think we'd have quite as many teen mothers and fathers.
The Terri/Will plotline, however, is completely stupid and needs to end fast. It's only a means to break them up so he can get with Emma. Clearly.
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9-24-2009 @ 3:40AM
LeRoy said...
They kill "Pushing Daisies" and put on a show that's a poor regurgitation of "Fame." "Glee" has already "jumped the shark" for me. What weak plots ... the obviously gay kid admits to being gay ... all the male teachers who hang around the staff lounge are talented and start a pro singing group ... the cheerleading coach gets away with absolute crap and eats human flesh ... the fluffy teacher who loves the glee club head has OCD in spades ... and there's a massage therapist who thinks she's the top of the social order and is faking a pregnancy. Who writes this nonsense? It reminds me of the wild plots on the afternoon soaps in the '70s ... with gangsters living in the police chief's basement and other ludicrous notions.
The music is excellent, but it doesn't make up for the writing.
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9-24-2009 @ 10:06AM
Gill said...
Let me introduce you to the concept of comedic parody...
9-24-2009 @ 12:11PM
scott said...
ABC killed Pushing Daisies... not sure of the relevance either way, though.
If you don't like outlandish plots, this probably isn't the show for you.