Testing… testing… yes this week Glee is testing relationships. (More than Rachel’s usual obnoxiousness obviously). Oh and providing an excuse to dress Brittany in Lady Gaga’s silver lobster hat. Bravo!
So, Kurt and Finn’s relationship is tested to the point of destruction by Finn’s mum moving them both into Burt’s house – and crucially, making the boys share a room.
Finn’s protest is countered by a promise from Kurt to redecorate: “This palette is totally unflattering to your skin tone…”
The spurious plot device of the week (Figgins’ fear of Twilight fever and vampires) leads to him banning Tina (“My mom won’t even let me watch Twilight. She says she thinks Kristen Stewart seems like a bitch”) from wearing her usual Goth outfits. This in turn leads to Tina complaining that she looks like an Asian Branch Davidian and when it is revealed that Vocal Adrenaline are planning to do Lady Gaga for Regionals, Will sets Gaga as the week’s project.
This leads Rachel to sneak into VA’s rehearsals where she hears Shelby sing Funny Girl and immediately realises she’s found her mother. Having blurted this out, we cut to a poignant scene where they sit on different rows and two seats apart (so fiercely theatrical – as Rachel observes) and attempt to forge a relationship. I loved Rachel explaining “When I was little and I was sad, my dads would bring me a glass of water. It got to a point where I didn’t know if I was sad or thirsty.” Bless her.
Puck is also testing his relationship with Quinn – by wanting to name their baby Jack Daniels. (Quinn:It’s a girl. Puck: Okay, fine. Jackie Daniels.) At least, this is quickly cleared up by a bit of a ballad from Puck and the boys – and Quinn agrees that they can call the baby Beth and that Puck can be at the birth. Ahhh.
Things go very badly wrong for Kurt and Finn – when Finn reacts badly to Kurt offering him a moist towelette to clean off his Kiss make-up (suffice to say the boys don’t embrace the Gaga project and get to do their own thing) Kurt makes a ‘peace offering’. For him this is redecorating the shared bedroom a la Lawrence Llewellyn Bowen. You can’t help but sympathise with Finn’s “Are you freaking insane?” even if his dismissal of the throws and rugs as ‘faggy’ is unacceptable. God bless Burt for stepping in and making it crystal clear why Finn is wrong and why he can’t stay in the house – even if it costs Burt the love of Finn’s mum. Sob! I love Burt. The scenes with him and Kurt are always so powerful – a killer combination of writing and great acting.
It’s not going much better for Rachel and Shelby. Bad, bad Shelby, having manipulated this whole situation, she quickly decides it’s a bad idea. She wanted her baby back – but Rachel’s grown-up and doesn’t need a ‘mom’ apparently (to which I say wtf? – but perhaps that’s just me). Having accepted that things aren’t going to work out, we get the inevitable duet (Rachel and Shelby are on the empty stage, talking across the grand piano.Rachel: “Brad!” Shelby looks puzzled. Rachel explains: “He’s always just around.” Genius.) and a beautiful stripped-down version of Pokerface. Double-genius.
Other highlights:
The jock bullies complaining that Kurt and Tina’s weirdness makes their eyes tired.
- The jocks telling Kurt that doing football and Glee “does not make you versatile, it makes you bisexual.”
- The same bullies coming face to face with Finn dressed a la Gaga in a full length red rubber dress (made from a shower curtain) and red glittery eye make-up and stepping in to stop them beating up Kurt (again).
- Tina’s vampire revenge on Figgins!
- Rachel’s first homemade Gaga outfit – a lot of cuddly toys stapled on to a dress (“My dads can’t sew”).
- The excellent performance of Bad Romance. (You can’t have too much Bad Romance. See Popjustice.)
- Finn: “We live in Ohio, not New York… or some other city where people eat vegetables that aren’t fried.”
Full marks guys – now let’s win at Regionals!
Posted by Jo the Hat.
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