(S01E06) It occurred to me while watching Glee that this episode might have been called "When Worlds Collide" because that's what happened. Terri's insinuation into Will's world, McKinley High, was catastrophic on many levels. Sue Sylvester proved again that she has more on her mind than Cheerios and dreams of hovercrafts. More after the jump.
Sue's journal entry was a brilliant way to get into her diabolical mind. If there was any doubt that she's wound tighter than a golf ball, this scene removed it. Sue's new scheme to destroy glee club is more focused and laser-like now -- she's going to destroy Will. Step one in her plan was using Terri as a weapon.
Even Sue could not have anticipated what Terri would do as a fill-in nurse at school. Maybe she thought Terri would simply throw Will off his game. Instead, and almost accidentally, Terri's helpful vitamin regimen for Finn -- decongestant pills -- soon becomes her remedy for every problem.
I thought it was great that Rachel equated the ephedrine in the pills to performance enhancers. Finn gets that analogy, and balks at the idea of using them any further once he connects them to steroids. He doesn't want to be an A-Rod. And even though when on the stuff the two team mash-ups were excellent, Rachel doesn't like the idea of winning that way and neither does Finn.
Meanwhile, Ken pops two of Terri's vitamin pills and takes her advice to pop the question to Emma. If there was any wrong note in the show, it was Emma accepting Ken's cubic zirconium engagement ring. Yes, she set the terms which were no different than their dating status -- and that's so restrictive that they don't even touch -- but what's the point of a marriage to Ken at all? How does that keep her from being lonely and alone? Perhaps Emma accepted simply to give Will something to think about...
After a great scene where Rachel reached out to her, Quinn played right into Terri's hand about the baby. The fact that she wants to keep it secret from Will was perfect for Terri naturally. But Terri even managed to stave off Quinn's attempt to extort money from her for maternity clothes and medical bills. Of course, Terri doesn't have the money anyway, but still, she's crafty even without scissors and scrapbooking supplies.
I would have liked more music in this plot-heavy installment, but both mash-ups -- "It's My Life/My Confession" by the guys and "Halo/Walking on Sunshine" by the girls -- were very good.
The kicker at the end was that Terri's actions impacted Will's job. Will's reaction to the damage Terri's wrought was scathing: "Every time I light a fire in my life, you find a way to make sure it burns the forest down."
Sure enough, he loses control of glee, and the new co-director is... (wait for it) Sue.
[Watch clips and episodes of Glee on SlashControl.]
TV Squad Ten: Top Ten ESPN shows from worst to first
Andy Richter: The TV Squad Interview
Have any questions for Vik Sahay of Chuck? Ask them here!
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
10-08-2009 @ 12:10PM
Lorie said...
The boys' mash-up was awesome! I had to watch that scene 3x last night.
As she was writing in her journal, Sue said my favorite line "Here I am, about to turn 30...". Hilarious!
Reply
10-08-2009 @ 8:36AM
Homeslyce said...
As much as I love this show, I find the whole Emma/Will plot offensive and disturbing. What is the message that the writers are trying to send? It’s okay to cheat on your spouse? Yes she is shrill, and yes she is faking this pregnancy, but even before this “pregnancy” Will was having an emotional affair with Emma. Marriage is work, its not happy sunny go lucky all the time. It’s not ok to give up and forsake your vows at a whim. And that is the subtle message I think the writers are trying to give. Some of you might think I’m reading to much into this, but I think it’s worth mentioning (and discussing).
Reply
10-08-2009 @ 9:48AM
Adam said...
I think they are sending the opposite message......no matter how evil and manipulating Terri is and how perfect Emma is for him Will still won't cheat. This may put your mind at rest, Ryan Murphy stated that Will is not a cheater, so there will be no cheating going on.
10-08-2009 @ 9:51AM
Sarah said...
did i miss something? when was Will cheating? he never really talked about his relationship (problems) with Emma, nor was he unloading the bulk of his emotions on her. he was right to say to his wife he would have nothing to share with her if they spent every moment together and i find his friendship with Emma, and at one point Ken, to be perfectly normal. even though i am sure he has a little flame burning for Emma, he has never acted on it.
i liked this episode. the mash-ups were great!
10-08-2009 @ 10:09AM
Christina said...
I'm sorry, but I didn't know it was TV's job to be sending us messages of any kind, good or bad.
10-08-2009 @ 12:23PM
spenn said...
So if we look at this from a different angle
Will realises that
1) Terri is not a nice person and very shallow -- total opposite of what Will is
2) Emma is a much better person. She treats others better than Terri. She treats Will better than Terri.
3) Emma probably cares about him more than Terri does.
Yet he still stays with Terri. Does this make him weak and unrealistic?
10-08-2009 @ 9:03AM
grumpiestoldman said...
In real life, Glee clubs are about vocal prowess. On the show, the songs are so obviously pre-recorded and so badly lip synched, it takes away from the performances.
Reply
10-08-2009 @ 12:20PM
spenn said...
The dubbing could be better but their performance was made for video not the stage.
Go watch Chicago, Dreamgirls, Moulin Rouge, West Side
Story even and you will see that all the performances on there are dubbed or voiced-over with their own voices.
This is the same for Glee. Those actors are singing their own performaces.
10-08-2009 @ 10:11AM
Sigma982 said...
Best line of the episode (and possibly the series...or any series for that matter...) Sue, at the end of her diatribe at Will and Emma in the teacher's lounge, getting up, looking at Emma, and, dead-panned, saying, "Emma, that dress is insane..." and walking away..... man, is Sue just great. I have a feeling that was absolutely improv'ed as well....
Reply
10-08-2009 @ 10:12AM
Sigma982 said...
any series this season, I meant to say....
10-08-2009 @ 10:44AM
pinsleric said...
I think she said, "Irma, that blouse is insane."
Sue's constantly getting her name wrong, which makes it even funnier!
10-08-2009 @ 11:24AM
David said...
"Every time I light a fire in my life, you find a way to make sure it burns the forest down."
That's a relationship-ending statement in the real world. I can't believe they just treated it like a one-off comment.
Reply
10-08-2009 @ 12:43PM
Natrino said...
Will won't cheat, and he's committed to Terry and the baby he thinks she is having.
I'm halfway expecting Quinn to miscarry, which screws Terry over and Will finds out. Now, faking a pregnancy, that's a marriage ending situation.
10-08-2009 @ 1:07PM
Denise said...
I agree, there should have been just a bit more singing, but I loved the anti-drug message throughout. I blogged about it http://parentingteens.about.com/b/2009/10/08/a-choice-was-made-on-glee-vitamin-d.htm
Next week is going to be awesome. I can't wait to see what Sue cooks up. All in all, they did a good job of building up with this episode.
Reply
10-09-2009 @ 2:04AM
Dan Buckley said...
Uh oh, anti drug message? They must have the same people from the DEA who approve House scripts looking over Glee. :)
10-08-2009 @ 2:43PM
Canadianfoodiegirl said...
The boys' mash up was awesome.
When Terri first broke out the Sudafed I thought of Jessi Spano at Bayside, high on caffeine pills. I have to wonder if the writer's were just a little inspired by that. Had the girls sung "I'm so excited" I'd have had no doubt.
I'm not usually a Jane Lynch fan - as much as I want to be - but the diary scene was the most enjoyable Lynch scene for me ever.
Reply
10-08-2009 @ 5:35PM
Matt said...
When Sue called Emma a "bush baby," my friend and I laughed really hard.
Then I pulled up a picture of a bush baby on my computer and freeze-framed Emma on the TV to compare, and we laughed even harder!
Reply
10-08-2009 @ 7:09PM
Sarah said...
I thought this was a great show, the only pet peeve I have with it is that one girl's stutter. My boyfriend has had a stutter since we were kids and I'm familiar with how stutters sound and when/why it occurs. But that girl's stutter is awful. It's obvious that it's fake; with as much production costs wrapped up in this show you would think that they could hire a speech therapist to give her some coaching.
Reply
10-09-2009 @ 2:06AM
Dan Buckley said...
The auto tune on the "It's My Life/My Confession" was ridiculous. Yes it's pre-taped, but they are supposed to be non professional high school students. I think it would be ok it they sounded more natural.
Reply
10-09-2009 @ 3:44AM
Ryan said...
I enjoy the show a lot, but the student male lead can barely sing and has no dancing ability whatsoever. Its painful to watch actually and I can't see why the show's creators chose him.
Reply