The Gleek Critique: "Heart" Episode

Jeff Goldblum and Brian Stokes Mitchell guest star as Rachel's gay dads!  Image property of Fox.

by Jack Garcia

Happy Valentine's Day!

The crazy, tone deaf girl Sugar is suddenly super popular in the glee club.  Not only did she give enough money to the group for them to perform at Regionals next week, but she is also throwing a huge "Sugar Shack" Valentine's Day party and they are all invited.  But who will be her arm candy?  Both Rory and Artie are fighting for her attention, and Artie thinks he has won when he sings her a super romantic song.  However, Rory gives Sugar a sob story about having to return to Ireland and she feels bad enough for him to be his date.  But is he lying?

Rachel's gay dads are very supportive of her plan to get married to Finn.  In fact, maybe a little too supportive.  They invite Finn and his parents over for a special Valentine's Day dinner where they toast the happy couple.  They also tell Rachel and Finn that since they are going to be married soon anyway, they might as well just spend the night together!  The kids are shocked (and so was I), but it's all done in the hopes that the two will realize they aren't ready to be married.  Sure enough Finn and Rachel are arguing faster than you can say "Stephen Sondheim," but they are still determined to make their relationship work.

The school's Celibacy Club is now called the God Squad (perhaps because none of them are actually celibate?), and Mercedes, Sam and Quinn are all in it.  Their newest member is Joseph Hart, a formerly home-schooled hippie who Quinn describes as a "teenage Jesus."  They decide to sing "vocal valentines" to raise some money for their club, but face a moral predicament when Santana pays them to serenade Brittany for her.

Meanwhile, Kurt is receiving valentine cards, candy and "gorillagrams" from his "secret admirer" who he assumes to be his ailing boyfriend Blaine.  But in the end, it turns out the man in the monkey suit is actually... get ready for it... KAROFSKY!  Yes, Karofsky finally admitted what we've known since the beginning, that he's in love with Kurt.  Kurt, of course, is dating Blaine so he had to turn Karofsky down... but not before one of Karofsky's classmates overhears the whole conversation.

The Pros:

• Who wouldn't dream about Tony Danza?  Ha ha!  I loved Jeff Goldblum and Brian Stokes Mitchell as Rachel's gay dads!  They were funny and likable and the best part of the episode in my opinion.
• The Glee Project winner Samuel Larsen debuted tonight, and I enjoyed his vocals on "Stereo Hearts" by Gym Class Heroes (along with Sam and Mercedes and Quinn).  I also liked the God Squad's mash-up of "Cherish/Cherish."
• Mike and Tina's first duet as a couple (as far as I can remember) was super cute!  Their rendition of Nat King Cole's "L-O-V-E" was great and I liked how it was intercut with Rory and Artie's battle over Sugar.
• Even Principal Figgins knows Finn and Rachel are known as "Finchel."  He is down on the lingo.
• Artie's "Let Me Love You" by Mario had me swooning!
• Still not a huge fan of Rory's character, but I really thought he sounded great on Michael Buble's "Home."  He does well with ballads!
• Although the song was a last-minute decision to pay tribute to the late Whitney Houston, I really loved Mercedes' rendition of "I Will Always Love You."  Her voice is so beautiful... and so is she!  She rocked that red dress at the end!
• "We're going to have dessert... and then we'll commence with the teenage love-making."  Ha ha... Parent of the Year goes to Jeff Goldblum!
• Blaine's triumphant return (in a super awesome heart-shaped eye patch) made my heart happy.  And "Love Shack" was phenomenal!  That song by the B-52s is already awesome and fun, and their rendition of it at the Valentine's Day party was filled with so much gleeful energy!  I would pay good money to go to a party like that!

The Cons:

• Sam was a male stripper... why is he on the God Squad?
• Why is Mercedes all self-righteous all of a sudden?  Kurt is like her best friend, but she can't serenade Brittany and Santana?  At least they all got over it by the end.
• And Mercedes, why would you say no to Sam?  That boy is cute!