The Glee Gauntlet

Attention Gleeks: I'm throwing down my Glee gauntlet, and making Wednesday's at the Daily Dandy about all things Glee. Maybe we will change some of my readers minds about TV's newest phenomenon, and possibly add some new devotees to the already millions of frustrated theatre geeks who are vicariously living their personal "moment in the spotlight" through this TV dramedy/musical genius.

In last night's episode, the most highly anticipated episode of this second season, McKinley High School is transformed by the music of Madonna.

Glee's Sue Sylvester, a hilarious Jane Lynch, resident villain and coach of the much decorated McKinley High cheer leading squad, "Cheerios" decides to channel her inner power through pop icon Madonna. She utilizes her blackmailing prowess with the school principal Figgins to infuse the high school with the power of Madonna. She demands that Madonna be played through the school PA system, at "earsplitting volume" continuously throughout the day. She unwittingly inspires her arch nemesis, Will Schuester, a super hot Matthew Morrison, head of her academic budget rival Glee Club, to tap into the power of the Material Girl.

Mr Shue, as he is known, stumbles into the gymnasium to catch the Cheerios as they rehearse a red hot dance number on stilts, to Ray of Light. Sue calls the performance "sloppy and sad" and screams through her mega phone that "somewhere Madonna is in a well appointed English country house, weeping". Some hilarious, obligatory comments about Mr. Shue's hair then send Shue on his way. Mr Shue, in turn, assigns Glee Club to come up with Madonna material to promote strength and power in a positive way.

The girls immediately take the reins first as they perform Express Yourself, which starts out in McKinley's choir room and morphs into a multi-colored, corseted version of Madge's original and ends up as a full on stage version. (was it me or did Quinn's baby belly disappear?) Our Glee heroine, Rachel, a supremely gifted, Lea Michelle, who the producer of the show called, "a once in a generation voice", and her romantic lead, Finn, hot newcomer Corey Monteith, then perform what is fast becoming a Glee signature, the "mash-up" of Madonna's Borderline/Open Your Heart. This is my favorite of the night, as it illustrates the youthful angst of their passion for each other and the obstacles their newly appointed love triangle is to face. Goose bumps kiddes. More on that later. I also think both Michelle and Monteith can pretty much write their own ticket right now when it comes to Hollywood. "Glee is hawt, Dog!"

In a surprise twist of turns, Shue finally makes a "wilding diss" on Sue's dikey doo in front of the kids and hits a nerve with the usually unshakable Sylvester. Moved by their social outcast status, Kurt,(Chris Kolfer) and Mercedes, (Amber Riley) approach the enemy and join forces to produce what will some day become TV history, the Glee Vogue video starring Sue as Madonna. The fast become "frenemies" and before you can say Benedict Arnold, Kurt and Mercedes are front and center, dressed as Cheerios at the assembly performance of Madge's 4 Minutes. Mercedes and Kurt explain to a flabbergasted Shue that since he is "always relegating them to second lead status" in the Glee club, they are now doing both Cheerios and Glee Club so that they too can soak up some spotlight.

Then in a WTF kind of moment, rival show choir leader, Jesse St. James (Jonathan Groff) shows up at McKinley and announces to the entire Glee club that he has quit Vocal Adrenaline, the New Direction's/Glee club's biggest competition in show choir competition, and moved into McKinley's district so he can now attend McKinley and prove his love to Rachel by joining Glee club.

And I'm pissed.

Even though this Jesse St. James is dreamily adorable, he is no Finn, and he is so obviously using our innocent but opportunistic Rachel. Needless to say, my face was contorted into a chagrin for the rest of the episode. The boy is most certainly up to no good and most certainly in cahoots with Vocal Adrenaline's director, a sneaky and sexy Idina Menzel. This story line is not over and the fight for Rachel's affections continue.

Rachel decides that sex is what she need to do to keep Jesse, as Finn is simultaneously seduced by Dakota, the resident ho, who advises Rachel to "never say no" like she does when Rachel inquires to the girls about what to do when your man gets pissy over stopping the romantic momentum. The pheromones must be wafting from the moths that reside in Shue's hair (inside joke) because innocent Emma Pillsbury (Jayma Mays), McKinley guidance councilor and love interest of our Mr. Shue, is inspired by her Madgesty's take charge reputation and announces that she is going to take charge of her virgin status and "do the nasty" with Shue.

The trio of virgins, Finn, Rachel and Emma then perform a seductive dance around the bed with their partners to Like A Virgin and out of the three, guess who goes through with it?

Does it always have to be the guy?

The nothing-ness Finn feels after only serves to confirm the fact that he would be better served actually liking his partner. The club rounds out the night with a group performance of Like a Prayer and always leaves me each episode, wanting more.

So here's a bit of what will become TV history, in case you missed it.

Last night Glee was brilliant, epic and just plain fabulously entertaining.