The Gleek Critique: "A Very Glee Christmas" Episode

Santana and Finn decorating the tree.   Image property of Fox.

by Jack Garcia

It's Christmas at McKinley High!  The teachers are doing a Secret Santa amongst the staff, and Will draw's Sue's name out of the jar.  Oh boy.  What to get his enemy?  A robot dog?  A soul?  He decides on a fur-lined track suit, only to discover he isn't the only teacher to have drawn Sue's name.  Turns out Sue rigged the whole thing.  She hates Christmas, but loves presents.  When everyone tries to take their gifts back, she becomes a very literal Grinch and steals Christmas.

Meanwhile, to raise money for a charity, the glee kids go classroom to classroom singing Christmas carols.  They get a shoe thrown at them, so they give up pretty quickly.  Besides, they have more important issues to deal with.  Like the fact that Brittany still believes in Santa.  Artie doesn't want to tell her otherwise, and encourages the other club members to play along.  But when Brittany asks the mall Santa to make Artie walk, everyone realizes that "playing along" might be harder than they all expected.

However, all ends well.  Sue's heart grows three sizes, Will doesn't spend Christmas alone, and Artie walks... sorta.  It's a Christmas miracle!

The Pros:

• Black Santa.  Awesome.
• "Baby, It's Cold Outside" sung by Blaine and Kurt.  Adorable.  Can't these two fall in love already?  And I love how Kurt explains their relationship:  "We're just friends.  I'm in love with him but at least he's gay.  I call that progress."
• Sue Sylvester dressed up as the Grinch, while stealing all the presents and destroying the decorations at school was just spot-on hilarious.  Having Brittany enter dressed like Cindy Lou Who and catch "Sue the Grinch" in the act was also very funny.  Thank you, Dr. Seuss.
• Beiste's scene with Brittany was tender and sweet.  Dressed as Santa, Beiste let Brittany know that sometimes we can't get exactly what we ask for.  Sometimes we get patience instead.

The Cons:

• With Jewish students like Rachel and Puck I feel that they could have incorporated some Hanukkah into the episode.  Just saying.
• Everyone still hates the glee kids.  What's annoying, is that I don't exactly buy it.  I think high school kids would love having class interrupted for any reason at all, even if it's a choir singing Christmas songs.  It's not like the kids sound bad.  Geeks or not, their voices are impressive.  When will the other students recognize that?
• No more Glee until February...  :(

The Gleek Critique: "Special Education" Episode

New Directions performing together at Sectionals, even though they all hate each other.  Image property of Fox.

by Jack Garcia

When Ms. Pilsbury suggests to Mr. Schuester that he utilize some of the less-noticed glee club members, he decides that Rachel and Finn will not get any solos at the competition.  They will feature Brittany and Mike's dance moves, and give solos to Quinn and Sam instead.  Rachel, of course, is scandalized.

Kurt has his own troubles getting a solo with the Warblers.  Even with Rachel's help, he doesn't get it.  Blaine tells him he's trying to hard to stand out, when he needs to be fitting in.  Seems like this new school isn't as great as Kurt thought it would be.

To add to the drama, Santana decides to spill the beans about her and Finn, and now Rachel is madder than ever.  To get back at him, she makes out with Puck, and Finn breaks up with her.  No more star couple.  And the infidelity doesn't stop there.  Apparently Mike and Brittany are doing a little more than rehearsing together... leaving poor Tina and Artie heartbroken.  Or were they? And speaking of doomed relationships, Will's love for Emma will be forever unrequited.  She and Dr. Carl got married in Vegas!

The Pros:

• Rachel walking in with tape over her mouth.  Ha ha.  What a way to protest her lack of a solo...
• "I gotta say.  She kinda' rocked my world." 
• I loved when Blaine and the Warblers sang Train's "Hey, Soul Sister."  So so so so good!
• I finally like the Artie/Brittany relationship.  At first I didn't get it (and also doubted it would last more than an episode) but they were really cute together tonight.
• I enjoyed New Directions' performance of "(I've Had) The Time of My Life"/"Valerie".  Sam, Quinn, and Santana rocked it!  And speaking of awesome solos from the supporting cast, I'm glad Tina got featured heavily in "Dog Days Are Over" by Florence and the Machine.  She hardly ever gets a solo and this one made me quite happy!

The Cons:

• Old people singing is just... weird.  I didn't enjoy that at all.
• Sue was absent this episode, and an episode without Sue Sylvester never really seems complete.  I need to hear her crazy rants!
• Oh, and a three-way tie?  That is the dumbest thing I've ever heard!  So mad about that.  I guess I should be happy that New Directions is going to compete at the next level... but come on?  A three-way tie?  Does that actually happen?  Ever?

The Gleek Critique: "Furt" Episode

Carol Burnett guest starring as Sue's mother Doris.  Image property of Fox.

by Jack Garcia

The episode starts with an exciting announcement:  Burt and Carol are getting married!  And when Sue Sylvester's only match on an online dating site is herself, she decides that the one and only person she can marry is herself.  And since everyone else is proposing, Sam decides to propose to Quinn.  But not really.  He gets down on one knee and presents her with a promise ring.

Love is in the air, it's clear, but so is fear and intimidation.  Karofsky is clearly not handling his suppressed homosexuality well at all, and he's bullying Kurt more and more.  The glee girls convince their glee boyfriends to do something about it, so Artie and Mike confront Karofsky, which leads to a fight where Sam joins in and kicks Karofsky's ass!  Things get even more heated when Kurt's dad Burt finds out and it almost leads to Karofsky's expulsion.

The Pros:

• Carol Burnett and Jane Lynch singing "Ohio" from the musical Wonderful Town was simply amazing.  A fun tune, with great harmonies, and Carol Burnett is just such a legend!  I was so so so happy!
• Burt and Carol's wedding was adorable, and she looked really pretty in her wedding dress!
• The glee kids' version of Bruno Mars' "Marry You" was really fun, showcasing all of the couples.  Equally catchy and cute was "Just the Way You Are," another Bruno Mars song.
• Finn's wedding speech dedicated to Kurt was very grown-up of him, and I'm glad that he's become a lot more accepting of Kurt, especially now that they are step-brothers.
• Yes, Sue's wedding dress is a track-suit dress.  How awesome is that?
• Sue, although still mean and condescending, actually sticks up for Kurt in this episode.

The Cons:

• Karofsky didn't get expelled (just a verbal warning from the superintendent) and since Karofsky's in, Kurt is out.  At the end of the episode he decides to go to the private school where Blaine attends.
• As Rachel points out, Kurt will be competing against them all at Sectionals.
• I kept reading everywhere that "Rachel and Finn take a big step," but they don't really.  Rachel still has no idea that Finn slept with Santana once.  If anyone took a big step, it was Quinn and Sam.  Or Burt and Carol.  Even Finn and Kurt.  But not Rachel and Finn really...

The Gleek Critique: "The Substitute" Episode

Gwyneth Paltrow as the substitute teacher Holly Holiday dancing with the rest of the cast to a mash-up of "Singin' in the Rain" and "Umbrella."  Image property of Fox.

by Jack Garcia

When Mr. Schuester gets so sick with the flu that he begins hallucinating toddler versions of his students, it's time for him to get some rest and bring in a substitute teacher.  And who do they bring in to temporarily fill his shoes?  Oh, just Oscar-winner Gwyneth Paltrow!  She plays Holly Holiday, a hip and fun substitute teacher who really knows how to connect with the kids (even a reluctant Rachel Berry).  But sometimes a teacher needs to be more than a friend...

Schue isn't the only one out sick.  Principal Figgins is gone too, and our ever-powerful Sue Sylvester has somehow managed to become acting principal.  Her first order of business?  Getting rid of all the tater tots in the school cafeteria, which just happens to be Mercedes' most favorite thing to eat.  And you should never incur the wrath of a proud black woman!  She will shove tater tots into the tailpipe of your car...

And while Mr. Schue is home sick--being cared for by his ex-wife Terri--he's watching his favorite movie Singin' in the Rain which causes him to have some groggy dreams of himself and the glee kids singing songs from the film such as "Make 'Em Laugh"   And Terri decides to take advantage of his weak and vulnerable state, pushing herself on him until he caves in...

The Pros:

• Holly Holiday's Spanish class lesson about Lindsay Lohan's rehab.  Ha ha ha!  Hilarious.  Yet nothing compares to her fabulous first day with the glee club singing Cee Lo's "Forget You."  Paltrow sure can sing!
• Holly saying "Hoarders and red wine I'm buzzed!!" while bonding with Sue.
• Lots of great jokes teasing Mr. Schue's (and the show's) obsession with Journey songs.  Made me smile every time.
• When Kurt said, "I opened my mouth and a little purse fell out," and a little pink purse actually fell out!  So funny.  Oh, and it looks like things are going well with Kurt and Blaine.  Maybe they will fall in love after all...
• The "Singin' in the Rain/Umbrella" number made me absolutely gleeful!  I loved this mash-up, and I'm always a sucker for big flashy rain numbers!

The Cons:

• Terri is always a huge b****, and I hate to see her show up.  She just needs to get over Will...
• Karofsky threatened to kill Kurt if he ever spills the secret of their kiss.  He's scary.
• As much as I like Chicago, I wasn't a fan of their production of "Nowadays."  Paltrow's dancing was a little off and the number just kind of felt unnecessary. 

The Gleek Critique: "Never Been Kissed" Episode

Kurt's surprising first kiss!  Image property of Fox.

by Jack Garcia

So Glee decided to skip a week again.  Lame.  I'm getting tired of this every other week thing.  I need my Glee fix on a weekly basis, thank you!

This week, the Glee kids are getting all hot and heavy with their make-out sessions, and in order to calm themselves down, they decide to start thinking about Coach Beiste because she's, let's face it, not sexy.  Beiste finds out though, and is so hurt by it that she quits.  It's up to Will to get her to come back.

Puck is back from juvie and needs to do community service or he'll be sent right back.  So he decides taking care of a "cripple" is good enough, and spends all his time wheeling Artie around.  Puck also takes it upon himself to teach Artie his bad boy ways to get girls... specifically Brittany who Artie still has some feelings for apparently.

Then there's Kurt, who's being bullied relentlessly for being gay and nobody seems to care.  So he decides to check out a nearby private school for boys, where he meets Blaine.  Kurt obviously wants to go to school there, where they have a zero-tolerance policy on bullying, but Blaine advises him not to run away from his problems but to meet them head on.  To have courage.  So Kurt decides to stand up to his bully, and lo and behold, the bully is a little gay too...

The Pros:

• Puck and Beiste are back!  My friend Rebecca's theory is that the two of them secretly ran away together on some romantic vacation.  Ha ha!  But no matter why they've been absent, we're sure glad they are back. 
• Darren Criss is on Glee now!  Yay!  I've loved him ever since he played Harry Potter in A Very Potter Musical and A Very Potter Sequel (with songs written by him I might add)... so to see him join the cast of my favorite show is just like Christmas coming early!
• When Beiste said, "You crap on my leg, I'll cut it off!" to Quinn I laughed so hard I almost crapped... but not on her leg.  Just in my pants.  That's embarrassing... but I really did laugh really hard.  
• Seeing Beiste all dressed up in lingerie and cheerleading uniforms was pretty hilarious as well.
• Oh, and Will kissed her!  Oh yes he did.

The Cons:

• They revealed who they are competing against at Sectionals...  what happened to the glee clubs from last year?  No bad girls?  No deaf kids?
• Happy about Darren Criss, but sad that he had to cut off all of his hair.  I liked his curls.
• Karofsky, the football player who bullies Kurt kissed him!  He kissed him!  Kurt's first kiss was with a guy who he doesn't even like... how sad is that?  And what's worse... I have a sneaking suspicion that he'll actually end up being the boyfriend Kurt's been rumored to have this season.  Ryan Murphy said he'd be a regular guy struggling with his feelings, and this guy fits that bill.
• Unless I'm forgetting one, there were only four musical numbers this episode... and only one of them was good.

The Gleek Critique: "The Rocky Horror Glee Show" Episode

Finn dressed for the role of Brad.  We think he looks hot in glasses.  He should keep them.  Image property of Fox.

by Jack Garcia

Sadly, there wasn't a new episode of Glee last week.  So instead, my friends and I all got together to watch the DVD of The Rocky Horror Picture Show to get ourselves prepared for tonight's episode.  Some of us have seen it already and just needed a refresher.  Some had been living under a rock, and needed an introduction.  The movie is such a bizarre cult classic that I find to be absolutely fantastic!

Now, I was worried when I heard Glee would be doing a homage to the film, mostly because the media has been making a stink lately over the immorality of the show.  After the girl on girl make-out session in the "Duets" episode, people were outraged saying that it was a "sex romp" on a family show.  Then of course, there's been all the talk about the Glee photo shoot in the new GQ Magazine.  Sherri Shepard had a cow over it on The View, claiming that ten-year-old boys who watch Glee are going to run out and buy the magazine so they can drool over Lea Michelle in her booty shorts.

Oh brother, people.   If you think Glee is a "family show" suitable for ten-year-olds...  you have a problem.

However, as risque and envelope-pushing as The Rocky Horror Picture Show might be, the Glee episode based on it was handled with great taste.  At least in my opinion.  Basically, it taught a lesson about freedom of speech and the value of art.

A basic summary of the episode:  Mr. Schuester is extremely jealous that Emma is dating Dr. Carl.  And it doesn't help anything, that she seems to be extremely happy with him.  In fact, she's getting over some of her OCD issues... I mean, she was able to go to a seedy theater to watch a midnight showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show with crazy, noisy people dressed in costume.  So how can Will one-up that?  By having the New Directions kids perform the musical of course!  And to get even closer to Emma, he asks her to help him with the costumes.

Casting proves to be a problem.  Kurt refuses to play the transvestite Dr. Frankenfurter (Tim Curry in the movie version), Mike then decides to take it on but is forced to quit the show when his mother objects, until finally Mercedes agrees to do it.  Dr. Carl wants to get involved and play Eddie, mostly to keep an eye on Will and Emma.  Sam is going to play Rocky, but in the end, the role is decided to be too sexy for a student and Will decides to take it on.

In the end, it's discovered that Sue has been secretly writing an expose using the show as an example of the secularization of America's schools (all to win a local Emmy) and Will realizes that his intentions were not good in the first place.  He shouldn't put the kids through so much just for his own personal gain.

The Pros:

• The show opened up exactly like the movie does, with Santana's red lips on the black background singing "Science Fiction Double Feature."  Same lettering and everything.  Great opening!
• Sam makes one sexy Rocky!  Woohoo!
• Speaking of sexiness, the scene where Emma sings "Touch A Touch A Touch Me" to Will, ultimately seducing him and ripping off his shirt, was amazing!  So hot!
• Becky saying "Give me some chocolate or I will cut you" to Will.  Ha ha ha.  I love that girl.
• "Time Warp" was a great way to end the episode!  So much fun!

The Cons:

• Still no Puck!  Luckily though, the preview for the next episode shows that he is coming back!
• I love Mercedes.  You know I do.  But a girl playing Frankenfurter is just lame lame lame.
• In the end, they didn't perform the show for anyone but themselves.  LAME!  I would be so pissed if I was one of those students and had spent all that time rehearsing...

The Gleek Critique: "Duets" Episode

Mercedes and Santana put aside their differences and make sweet music together in tonight's episode, "Duets".  Image property of Fox.

by Jack Garcia

This episode begins like many others with Mr. Schuester giving them an assignment.  This week they need to perform a duet.  And the best duet wins tickets for two to Breadsticks (the only restaurant in town apparently).  Kurt wants to sing with Sam, who has just joined the glee club, but Finn doesn't think that's a good idea.  He's sure that if Sam sings with Kurt, he'll get teased so much that he'll want to quit the club.  Kurt thinks Finn is just being homophobic, but after a talk with his dad, realizes that it's not okay to make unwelcome advances.  He's just going to have to be alone for a while.

Meanwhile, Finn and Rachel realize that as far as singing goes, they are the "it" couple and will more than likely win the little competition.  Normally Rachel would be more than happy to win -- God knows she loves attention -- but she seems to think that in order for Sam to stay in the group, they might want to stroke his ego a little.  So she and Finn do everything in their power to make sure Sam's performance is the best... starting with having an awesome duet partner.  So they sabotage their own performance and make sure that Sam doesn't sing with Kurt, but instead sings with Quinn.  Little do they know that the two would become more than duet partners.

The Pros:

• Kurt sang "Le Jazz Hot" from Victor/Victoria and it was amazing!  He sang it as a duet with himself, which Santana called "vocal masturbation."  Ha ha ha... hilarious!
• Sam was in the shower several times this episode.  And when he wasn't in the shower, he was standing around in his towel.  I approve. 
• Lots of interesting relationship developments this episode!  Including, but not limited to, Santana and Brittany making out, Brittany helping Artie get over Tina and lose his virginity, and some very definite chemistry between Quinn and Sam (who is not gay... leaving Kurt crushing on a straight guy once again).
• Tina and Mike were completely adorable performing "Sing!" together from A Chorus Line.  It was nice to see Mike singing and not just dancing.
• Rachel and Kurt sang "Happy Days Are Here Again/Get Happy" to end the episode, and it was beautiful.  Sure it wasn't Barbra Streisand and Judy Garland (Get over it, Brian) but who doesn't love that mashup?

The Cons:

• Puck wound up in a juvenile delinquent center and was absent the entire episode!  Several of my friends have crushes on this bad boy, and were devastated...
• Sue was also strangely absent.  What is Glee without her vindictive comments?
• There isn't any Glee next week!!!  AAAAHHHH!!!!!

"Glee" Speaks Out

by Jack Garcia

My friend Rebecca posted a link on her Facebook page this evening, which directed me to an MSN article about our favorite show Glee.  She and a few other friends come over every Tuesday night and we make a party of it.  We all cram around the TV and watch the latest episode, stuffing our faces with yummy treats and clapping our hands in excitement whenever they cover a song we like or say something funny.  We are true Gleeks.

The article in the link talked about Ryan Murphy's recent announcement to devote an entire episode on the issue of teen bullying, specifically towards gay teens.  I know my last few posts have been focused on homosexuality and bullying, and if you are getting tired of it, I don't apologize.  These issues have been on my mind for a while now, and I need to get them out into cyberland.

With the recent outrage over a certain religious leader's less than hopeful message for gay teens (this is me biting my tongue), I'm glad that at least the cast members of my favorite show have decided to say something positive and speak out against these tragedies.  Here are a few of my favorite statements made by the Glee cast in regards to teen bullying and the recent suicides in the news:


Cory Monteith (Finn):  "It's really important for a show like Glee, with all the exposure that it's getting, to start to bring important causes like this out in the open."

Kevin McHale (Artie):  "It's sad that it's taken these past few weeks and horrible tragedies to really let people know what's going on.  Hopefully we can move the general public and let the kids and the parents watching the show know that everybody deserves to be loved."

Heather Morris (Brittany):  "I just saw the tragedies on the news the other night.  I think people need to be aware of what the internet is doing for so many people... it's disgusting."

Iqbal Theba (Figgins):  "It's just beyond me why would anyone, anyone, dislike or hate anyone who's different, who's gay or different in any other way?"

Jessalyn Gilsig (Terri):  "Just as it's important to send this message to the kids about bullying and the effect it can have, we have to send it to the parents.  We have to send it to the teachers.  It's the adults who have to start taking responsibility and managing this behavior and educating youth on acceptance, empathy, and compassion."

Jane Lynch (Sue):  "It's way too many [deaths].  We adults, I don't care if you're homophobic or not, you've got to tell your kids that no matter how different anybody is, you don't bully them.  You just lay down the law there, you just don't do it."

Chris Colfer (Kurt):  "I know what it's like to be bullied and teased every single day, and I know that it may seem like there is no chance of happiness left, but I promise you there is a world full of acceptance and love just waiting for you to find it."  Watch his video for The Trevor Project.

Ryan Murphy (Producer):  "The core of the show is really about tolerance.  I think that's the legacy of Glee more than anything else."

Harry Potter is My Big Gay Hero!

 by Jack Garcia

Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe isn't gay (and I know I just shattered a lot of gay boys' dreams with that statement) but he is doing quite a lot lately in support of the gay community.  He's been involved with The Trevor Project for some time now and even spoke of it in a recent issue of Out magazine.  And with the recent outbreak of teen suicides among gay youth, his work with The Trevor Project seems even more important than ever, seeing as its mission is to stop just that. 

Just yesterday he spoke exclusively with MTV News, expressing his feelings about these recent tragedies:

"Learning about the suicide deaths of Tyler Clementi, Seth Walsh, Asher Brown, Billy Lucas and Justin Aaberg has been heartbreaking for me.  These young people were bullied and tormented by people that should have been their friends.  We have a responsibility to be better to each other, and accept each others' differences regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, race, ability, or religion and stand up for someone when they're bullied."

Anyone who knows Brian and I, know that we are huge Harry Potter nerds.  We are obsessed with it.  And it's inspiring to know that while Harry Potter battles the evil of Lord Voldemort, Daniel Radcliffe is battling the evils of hate and discrimination.  And he's not the only one. 

Another one of our favorite people is comedienne and talk show host Ellen DeGeneres.  A lesbian herself, Ellen knows personally what it's like to be bullied for one's sexual orientation.  She recently made the following statement:

"I am devastated over the death of 18-year-old Tyler Clementi... This needs to be a wake up call to everyone that teenage bullying and teasing is an epidemic in this country, and the death rate is climbing.  We have an obligation to change this."

Growing up I was bullied for a lot of things.  In middle school, kids in the lunch line would tap me on the shoulder and then ask if I was girl or a boy.  They made fun of my voice, my short stature, my athletic inabilities.  I was interested in all the wrong things.  I liked singing in choir or acting in drama, and I was once shoved into a locker for it.  A few times I was thrown into trash cans.  I was given wedgies, Indian burns, titty twisters, and knuckle sandwiches.  I was called a Fairy, a Homo, a Fag, a Queer, a Girl, a Sissy...  even my given name led to nicknames such as Jack MeHoff.

Brian came out early in life, age 12 to be exact, and growing up was even harder for him.  His parents forced him to attend therapy sessions through LDS Social Services to help cure him of his homosexual feelings.  After a few years they gave up on the therapy, and he lived out his teenage years as an openly gay teen.  While he says that he didn't really care about the bullying, the one thing that hurt him most was being kicked out of his youth theater group Acting Up because a parent had an issue about his homosexuality.

Recently, someone close to Brian texted that he was in town and Brian asked if he had time to come and visit.  Turned out the young man was with his mother, and she did not like the idea at all.  His next text read, "She said 'Why would I bring you down here?  So you can hang out with someone who is living that life?' and she said it with so much hate.  How am I ever going to come out?"

I worry about this young man.  And I wish I could do more for the GLBT youth of America, who need to know that life is worth living and that their happiness is worth fighting for.  If any young person is reading this who needs help, call the Trevor Lifeline at 866-4-U-TREVOR where you can speak to someone at any time.

And thank goodness we have Harry Potter on our side!

The Gleek Critique: "Grilled Cheesus" Episode

I love grilled cheese sandwiches too... but you won't find me praying to one.
("Glee" image property of Fox.)

by Jack Garcia

In a TV Guide article I read online earlier today, Glee creator Ryan Murphy commented on tonight's episode on religion.  He said, "We know some of it is comedic, and we laugh.  But we also know the episode could touch a lot of people... it's a very honest take on how we think about religion today.  Some of the kids don't know yet what they believe."

Before the opening credits are even done scrolling along the bottom, Finn has found the face of Jesus in his grilled cheese sandwich (the sort of phenomenon you find in the National Enquirer) and Kurt's father has a heart attack and winds up comatose in the hospital.  These two events cause everyone to start discussing and questioning faith. 

In order to help a struggling Kurt, several of the students with Christian backgrounds tell him to just trust in God.  But Kurt doesn't believe in God, and neither does Sue.  In fact, Sue is quite upset when she finds out that Mr. Schuester is thinking about doing a lesson on spirituality.  Should religion be in schools?  Is there a God?  Are prayers answered?  Do things happen because God wants them to, or because they just do?  All these questions and more are tackled in this episode with heart, warmth, and barrels of laughs.

Oh, and Finn gets to touch Rachel's boob. 

The Pros:

• I always love hearing Mercedes sing, and tonight's cover of Whitney Houston's "I Look to You" was gorgeous!  And, wait, what's this?  She sings twice this episode!  That's right.  She sings "Bridge Over Troubled Water" in the second half hour with a full gospel choir and clapping congregation.
• Um, get a load of Kurt's hat when he goes to church with Mercedes!  Fabulous!
• Although a little strange to have Rachel singing to Kurt's father, I loved when she sang "Papa Can You Hear Me?" from Yentl.
• Kurt's "I Want to Hold Your Hand", originally sung by the Beatles, had me in tears.  Kurt's love for his father is so strong and sincere.  Their father/son relationship is admirable.
• Finn's whole side plot, involving three wishes made in prayer, was quite entertaining... especially when all three things came true!
• Sue's sister saying, "God never makes mistakes.  That's what I believe."  Just perfect.

The Cons:

• Honestly, I can't think of any this week.  I thought it was the best episode so far this season.  I kept thinking to myself, "Yes.  Glee is back."

The Gleek Critique: "Britney/Brittany" Episode

Brittany and Britney Spears, image property of Fox.

by Jack Garcia

In an interview I read online, Heather Morris who plays ditsy cheerleader Brittany said, "When we were on tour this summer, Ryan [the show's creator, duh] pulled me aside and told me they were doing this episode and that the title would be 'Britney/Brittany' ... but Ryan didn't really get into it; he just said get ready, make sure your voice is ready, take some voice lessons.  So I was like, 'Okay, I'm ready!'"

She wasn't lying!  How exciting to see Brittany become a fully-developed character, and not just non-sequitur filler.  And we've always known she could dance, but who knew she could sing too?

The plot this episode basically involved Will meeting Emma's new dentist boyfriend Dr. Carl and feeling totally threatened by him.  Meanwhile, the kids all want to sing Britney Spears music and not the lame music Mr. Schuester wants them to sing.  Oh yeah, and the kids all need some major dental work, and while under the anesthesia they have some pretty vivid hallucinations... giving the show an excuse to bring in the real Britney Spears and fill the episode with non-stop chart-toppers.

The Pros:

• Britney Spears was a guest star!  How fun is that?  And she didn't look crazy!
• Now that I can't swoon over John Stamos on Full House, I can swoon over him on Glee...
• Tons of fun Britney Spears covers, all wonderful in their own way, but my favorite one was "Toxic."   It was a very unique variation of the original (kind of like last season's "Poker Face" in the Lady Gaga episode)
• Rachel and Finn's relationship seems to be maturing... well, for high schoolers.  I enjoyed Rachel's version of "The Only Exception" dedicated to Finn.

The Cons:

•  Naked Jacob = yuck!
• Close-up on the butt-stain he left on Sue's chair = yuckier!
• In order for Brittany to shine this episode, some of our old regulars have taken a back seat.  Like Kurt, Mercedes, and Quinn...
• Why didn't John Stamos or Britney Spears sing?
• While completely fun, I feel like the story progression took a back seat this episode in favor of a celebrity cameo.  Oh well, next week's focus on faith and religion might ground things a little better.

The Gleek Critique: "Audition" Episode

Glee Season 2 promotional photo, image property of Fox.

by Jack Garcia

My name is Jack, and yes, I'm a Gleek.

I don't know what it is about that quirky little group of teenage misfits, but I can't help but fall in love with New Directions.  Oh, and because of Chris Colfer's interview with Jimmy Fallon every time someone says "New Directions" I hear "Nude Erections."  I know, totally inappropriate.  Perhaps that's why I can't find it on YouTube anymore.  Tee hee... ha ha... sorry, I'm still giggling like a schoolboy over here.

Okay, in case you've been living under a rock, New Directions is the fictitious name of McKinley High's Glee Club from the Emmy-nominated and Golden Globe-winning comedy Glee on Fox.  Season One followed the group from their initial auditions to their devastating defeat at Regionals, and every song the kids sang became an instant hit on iTunes.  In fact, Season One had 25 singles on the Billboard Hot 100.

Well Season Two started tonight, and every Tuesday I'm going to be doing my brand new feature... drumroll please...  The Tuesday Night Gleek Critique!

I know... you're amazed right now.

So the first episode this season was titled "Audition" and basically, the Glee Club decides to hold auditions to recruit some new members.  However, they lost at Regionals in last season's finale and that makes them... well... losers.  Even more so than before.  Surprise, surprise, nobody new wants to join!

And there are some new people this time around!  First off, there is the bull dyke football coach Shannon Beiste (it's French).  She's played by Dot Jones and everything I had heard about the character before the premiere led me to believe she would be this big meanie rivaling Sue Sylvester.  However, this episode had me feeling sorry for her the entire time.  Sue and Schue gang up on her immediately and it's really quite sad.

I guess she is a little mean, I mean, she did kick Finn off of the team!  How mean!  And what's more, Finn's been replaced by a kid named Sam!  Yes, Sam is a newbie at McKinley High - explained as a transfer student - and was found singing in the shower just like Finn was in the first season.  He showed some interest in the Glee Club, but once he realized how uncool they were, he figured he'd rather be the quarterback instead.

Well, at least Finn has Rachel's shoulder to cry on.  Except that Rachel's a little busy sabotaging the third new character, Sunshine Corazon.  Sunshine is the new Filipino exchange student who happens to be an awesome singer.  Rachel, of course, gets very jealous and insecure and completely insane.  She sends Sunshine off to a crack house!  What!?  Yes.  Apparently, Filipino exchange students feel uncomfortable in crack houses, so she also doesn't join New Directions... and instead goes off to join their glee club rival: Vocal Adrenaline.

So we end with Sue and Schue hating each other as usual, everyone in the club hating Rachel as usual,  and the school in general hating on the glee club... as usual.

The Pros:

• Mike Chang is seen bare chested with his shirt billowing behind him as he leaps and bounds with new love Tina... but who cares about Tina.

• New guy Sam (rumored to be Kurt's future boyfriend) is pretty cute and I like his voice.  His performance of "Billionaire" was very good.

• Sue had some great zingers as usual.  Ha ha, loved when she barged in on Rachel and Sunshine singing in the bathroom and yelled "SHUT UP!"  Not her most witty retort, but still very funny.  Oh, and the comment she made about Santana's fake boobs acting as air bags in case the cheerios pyramid collapsed almost made me pee my pants.

• Quinn is back in her cheerleading uniform and looking fierce!  I had forgotten what the sassier, intimidating Quinn was like.  Now that the baby's gone, it looks like she might become her former self.

The Cons:

• Not enough Kurt.  However, I'm sure he'll be featured more heavily in other episodes... and I can't wait.  I love this kid.

• Artie and Tina have broken up.  I guess it's a pro for Tina, since she's with dancer Mike now.  But poor Artie!  If goth girls won't date a kid in a wheelchair, who will?

• It was called "Audition" and nobody auditioned!  Grr!  I guess I'm just really anxious to see this group grow... (Actually, I guess Sunshine did audition.  Thanks for the reminder, Rebecca!  Not sure how I forgot her rendition of "Listen."  That should be on the Pro List for sure.)

• Emma Pillsbury wasn't in this episode at all, and I really want to know what's going to happen with she and Mr. Schuester... but rumor has it, I'll find out more about that next week.