Wow. Wednesday’s Glee proved to any skeptics that not only does this show’s caliber of comedic delivery and timing prove excellent, but it can kill with dramatic performances as well.
The glee kids are all worried about the upcoming photo for the yearbook seeing as the glee club’s faces have been defaced every year. Will and Rachel are the only ones pulling for the photo to appear after Sue convinces the principal to leave them out to avoid vandalization. Will is forced to pay for the space, which only leaves enough room for two students to appear. Worried about their reputations, they all vote for Rachel.
Rachel goes up and down the roster, trying to recruit someone to be in the photo with her and Finn finally concedes. She sings a little rendition of Lily Allen’s “Smile” to help him with his pose. I’m not the biggest fan of this song or this performance, but it was cute.
Finn ends up a no-show after being harassed by his football teammates and Rachel takes the photos alone. At the photoshoot, she meets a photographer who’s directing a mattress commercial and convinces him to include the glee kids. When Rachel tells everyone the news, they are much more confident about being in the yearbook seeing as they will be on television.
For the commercial, they perform Van Halen’s “Jump” as they roll around and jump on the mattresses in pajamas. Something I found a little dangerous for a pregnant Quinn. But nonetheless, it was an upbeat classic Glee performance.
Meanwhile, Will is searching for a tie for his yearbook photo when he finds Terry’s fake pregnancy “pad” that she wears under her shirt. He confronts her in the kitchen in a brilliant performance from Matthew Morrison. He shakes, cries and yells as Terry finally comes forth with the truth. In shock and anger, he storms out of the house.
Will finds the gift mattresses that the store owner leaves for the kids and ends up sleeping on one since he left home. The next day Principal Figgins and Sue break the news to Will that they are disqualified from sectionals because they got “compensated” for the commercial with the mattresses, which Will knew nothing about. Will takes the blame and disqualifies himself to let the kids still compete. He also reveals that he slept on the mattress because he is thinking of leaving Terry. Sue is unsurprisingly unsympathetic about the whole thing.
Sue is later blackmailed by Quinn to pay for a full-page photo for the glee club. Apparently, the Cheerios have accepted gifts in the past that would have disqualified them as well. I actually liked Quinn in this moment. For once, she is putting the Glee club first.
The final number is one of my favorites. It’s not a huge blow-out performance, but a simple rendition of Charlie Chaplin’s “Smile” as the glee clubbers get ready for their photo…without Will. Sad, but stunning at the same time.
Next Wednesday’s episode will be the last until April! Although I am sad about my lack of something to watch on Wednesday nights, I am pumped to FINALLY see how Finn reacts to the baby news. The preview looks really good and I’m excited that Emma is going to skip her own wedding to go to sectionals!
Sharon Tharp is a freelance writer who has contributed to a variety of publications including Hamptons magazine and the Web sites of both Marie Claire and CosmoGIRL!.
