AssBraham LinColon

How gLorious that Glee has finally arrived, and boy it's good to be back at McKinley High! The best show on television is back!!!

The glee clubbers, fresh off a summer break find themselves back at school and the target of Jew fro-Jacob's anti-glee club media blitz. In a hilarious video montage, he entitled "Gay News" Jacob berates, belittles and drags through the mud the good names of the Glee clubbers at McKinley. And nobody wants to join a club with a bad rep. Hell bent on beating Vocal Adrenaline, the New Directions know they need to recruit some new members to reach it's goal. Shue comes up with the idea of a "big song; song of the year" sung for the entire student body, so that everyone can see how cool and fresh the glee club really is and attract some new blood to audition.

The cast then throws down a seamless rendition of mega-hit, Jay-Z's "Empire State", choreographed in the school court yard. The ensemble piece showcases the endless talents of all cast members and makes us remember why Glee is a superstar in it's own right. But it doesn't work and only serves to bring students to deface the New Directions sign up sheet with names like "Buttface McBallnuts" and the aforementioned "AssBraham LinColon". Classic stuff.

A new football Coach is introduced to Sue and Shue by Principal Figgins. Ken has suffered a nervous break down and has been replaced by a woman interestingly named, Beaste. And yes, it's pronounced Beast. She starts talking to Figgins about budget cuts and the ridiculousness of a cheerleading squad with a bigger budget than the team they cheer for and she makes an enemy out of Sue. Not smart. What's surprising is that Beast brings Sue and Shue together as allies, and they agree that three is a crowd in their budget play ground. Sue gets in Beast's face and does mean things like sending her 25 pizza's unannounced and playing bully in the teachers lounge. She hopes it will send her packing and it almost does, after Will plays along and ostracizes Beast in the teachers lounge. It also costs Finn his position on the football team.

Finn and Rachel are still a couple but Artie and Tina have broken up because Tina and Mike are now an item after hooking up at Asian camp over the summer. Artie is heartbroken, and wants to join the football team to try and win Tina back so when Finn wheels Artie in to Coach Beast to tell her he wants to audition, Beast freaks out! After being embarrassed by Shue and Sue in the teacher's lounge, Beast tells Shue that she had heard about Sue and expected as much, but that people told her that Shue was decent and that they were wrong. You could almost feel the tension in Shue's struggle as he carries out Sue's plan. Beast goes back to the locker room and cries and soon after Finn wheels Artie in. Beast thinks this is all a ploy to make her look bad an she kicks them both out for good.

Rachel continues her self-absorbed journey through life as she encounters a new Fillipina exchange student in the girls room and invites her to come and "worship her while she sings" and audition for glee club. She gets the surprise of her life when newcomer, Sunshine, (teen pop star Charise), starts singing Lady Gaga's "Telephone" and Rachel is compeled to join in a feisty duet with the girl. Sunshine is amazing and Rachel is threatened but she's not the only one challenged.

Finn hears a new kid singing in the shower after football and invites him to try out for glee. Sam Evans comes and rocks "Billionaire" as the boy cast joins in. This was the song of the night. I dare say it was better than the original and I'm calling this my gLipod pick of the week. But there was so much good music this week, I'll just have to download it all!! Sam agrees to audition for glee club. He fails to show after he sees Beast kick Finn off the team and he then becomes McKinnley's quarterback.

Quinn wants back in on the Cheerios and Sue cuts her down without any chance, as well as Finn when he tries to audition for Cheerios. Funny audition for Finn, a la Will Ferrell "Old School" and the scene with Becky, the Cheerio with Down Syndrome is wonderful. But Sue's merciless tirade, filled with more cold, fake boob references than I could jot down, to Santana, after learning about her summer boob job, give Quinn the in she needed. Quick as a flash Quin is back in a Cheerios uniform and head Cheerio, much to Santana's dismay. The two have a bitter cat fight in the hallway and Shue breaks it up just in time.

Shue finds out that Rachel sent Sunshine to a crack house to audition and Rachel cops an "I did it for the team" attitude, never admitting that the truth is, she does not want to share the spotlight. Shue tells Rachel she has to make it right, and Rachel tells Sunshine to come to the auditorium to audition. Sunshine performs a powerful performance of "Listen", from "Dreamgirls" and she blows them away. I suddenly remember seeing this Charise singer on the Oprah show a few years back and she is super young and crazee talented. She is in the club.

Shue gets summoned to Figgins office where-and this is CRAZY-Sue and Brittney are lying about Coach Beast inappropriately touching Brittney. Shue immediately reminds Brittney the seriousness of an allegation like that and the repercussions of a charge like that on one's life and Brittney caves like the little school girl that she is. She utters that she made the whole thing up and then she utters something else completely inappropriate about "wanting to touch Beast's breasts herself". Sue is furious and I decide that this was a low blow, even for Sue.

But Sue always has the last word. She makes a call to Vocal Adrenaline's new director, Cheyenne Jackson from 30 Rock. They steal Sunshine for the cheap price of a condo for Sunshine and her mom and green cards. Sunshine says she might have stayed, but Rachel was mean to her by sending her to a crack house. Rachel swears she did it for everyone else, but Finn gets her to admit she did it because she does not want to share the spotlight. Rachel then sings the classic, "What I did for Love" to close out the episode.

I want more. I love this cast. I loved this episode. I love Glee.
Next week: The Britney Spears episode.....I can hardly wait.

Pulling Out The Weeds

A few years ago I was sick with a terrible cold and left to bed for a few days. While channel surfing I discovered this thing on my cable system called On Demand. I quickly realized that I could watch full episodes of TV shows anytime I wanted. While scanning the menu I picked up on a show about a widow with two boys from a wealthy suburb, just in the throws of life after her husband had died. It was called Weeds. It chronicled the life of Nancy Botwin, a California housewife who was left in financial ruin by her husbands demise. Nancy, needing the steady flow of cash that it took to keep her idyllic suburban home running, teamed up with some ordinary people like herself and began running a successful pot dealing operation.

The show had me mesmerized. As you can imagine, being a pot dealer in suburban California, was never quite what it seemed. Nancy got herself into some sticky and dangerous situations and she got herself out of some dangerous and sticky situations. I have watched through 5 seasons of Nancy and her crazy family as they navigate through the life of a drug dealer. Tonite begins Season 6 of Weeds and I can't help wondering what will happen now that seemingly every bad thing that could happen to this crew has already happened. I wonder if the show jumped shark too long ago and I was just too "stoned" by the allure of the plot to notice.

But the show has yet to bore me. As a matter of fact it has done the complete opposite; it has shocked me and left me wanting more. Mary Louise Parker is the herione/villian, to which she plays to perfection, and her boys have grown into little villians in those past 5 years also. I am anxiously awaiting tonite's premier because I can't envision how this season could possibly play out. When we last left the Botwin's, Nancy had married a big Mexican drug cartel, politician man, who would have killed her but for the fact that she was pregnant with his son. So instead of killing her he married her.

Nancy's boys took to the family business like ducks to water. Her oldest boy, Silas, became a pot growing legend, creating his own chronic strain of dope and opened a medicinal marijuana joint only to be strong armed by some dirty cops. Younger brother Shane, we have watched morph from a young, super intelligent child who brilliantly helped the family navigate through a few on the run moments, to a school drug dealing, sex with 2 whore-y girls at once having, teacher threatening, killer. That would be Mr. Killer, because he successfully killed Nancy's nemesis in the season finale of Season 5.

So tonite begins the biggest pot of sh*t stew I have seen this crew in and I'm wondering where it will play out from here. The casting is superb, with Kevin Nealon, Elizabeth Perkins, Justin Kirk and a slew of shifty characters to round it out. If you haven't seen the show I highly recommend you start from the beginning seasons and work your way up to the present. You may find that you are just as enamored as I was. It certainly makes for interesting TV viewing, if nothing else.

I am cautiously optimistic about tonite's premier and looking foreward to getting caught up in the crazy drama of Weeds.

Weekend Recap

I'm off early today....a quick re-cap of the weekend events:

• the shower was FANTASTIC! Holy crap, I am an ass. It was in one of my most favorite places, the people, the food, the whole thing....one of the best day's of my life. The only thing missing was Frick, but she's having a great time in Italy right now.

• It wasn't your average shower. The theme was lingerie and I got so many beautiful things. Good thing the weight loss tally is at 19 lbs. My Guy is soooo lucky. hee hee.

• I eneded up staying overnight at the hotel where the the shower was held with my 4 good friends from high school. We had the best time, had wayyyy to many drinks and ended up sleeping in the same bed together. ALL FOUR OF US. Hugh Heffner would have been in heaven. I love those guys.

• Did I mention I'm still recovering?

• I'm beginning to enjoy this whole "wedding" process.

• I couldn't ask for a better family and friends to share this with. I am so grateful for their love and support.

"Lucky is the man who recognizes that his blessings out weigh his problems"........

That's me. Luckiest lady in the world.

Don't Stop Believing In Glee

OK, so, "Bohemian Rapsody" was so much better than "Don't Stop Believing"..... as a matter of fact, it might have been the best thing I have seen all season...I said might.

But let's not forget the Journey we took to get here. We never stopped believing in Glee. They sung their way into our hearts and left their mark on us and we believed. They took on Madonna and Gaga and still we believed. We watched Sue Sylvester scheme and blackmail to ruin the Glee club and we watched this group of misfits become popular. If only for a moment.

The kids knew they were doomed when Sue Sylvester was named as one of the judges of the Regional competition, so Shue went to Emma for some "guidance". She inspired him, but not before crushing him with the news of her "seeing someone" She informed Shue that she has been dating her dentist. Shue went back to basics and started with the club where they began, along the Journey. Inspired by their breakout hit, the New Directions took the Regionals by storm with their compilation of Journey hits. In a touching moment, just before they take the Regional stage, Finn tells Rachel he loves her. They belt out "Faithfully" for the crowd, and the goose bumps down my spine are only calmed by the mash up of, "Any Way You Want It" and "Lovin, Touchin, Squeezin." We then get what I know I have been waiting for all season, a new version of "Don't Stop Believing".

But I knew they weren't going to win. It was too early in the show for the New Directions to show all their cards. Lucky for us, this episode was not about winning. It was all about the Journey and they spun it beautifully. Quinn's mom shows up after 9 months of being MIA, and Quinn's water breaks. The entire Glee club rushes her to the hospital and Quinn takes Mercedes, Puck and her mother into the delivery room. We then are witness to a mash up of the delivery of Quinn's baby alongside the rhapsody of Vocal Adrenaline's, "Bohemian Rhapsody".

Rachel, who did not got to the hospital, decides that she needs more rejection from her birth mother, Shelby, so she goes to her and asks her to come teach at McKinley. What she is really asking is for her to come and teach her. Shelby tells her that she wants more and that she missed out on a life with Rachel, so she needs to find one for herself. Shelby is blind if she can't see how she is missing out on a life with this Rachel, in the here and now, but she somehow ends up turning the information Rachel gives her about the birth of Quinn's baby into her adoption of Beth. When Shelby showed up at the hospital and talked to Quinn and Puck, I thought she was going to talk them into keeping her, and about her own experience of how she missed out most of Rachel's life. But she didn't. Shelby is then seen adopting baby Beth.

The judges for the competition were celebrity Judges, Olivia Newton-John, Josh Groban, and that Rod-news-anchor-guy that broke Sue's heart in the beginning of the season. O-New-Jo, takes a turn as a meanie, and sorry, but it just didn't fit. She rips up New Directions and dubs them un-inspiring and poor, and then compares them to Sue. The group then discussed the fact that Sue is just a poor man's celebrity, she's nothing but a cheer leading coach from Ohio. But every once in a while,(and we have seen this before this season) Sue Sylvester, the Educator rears her head, and Sue defends the Glee Club kids and you know that underneath the track suit, there is a heart. You also know that she is going to vote for the New Directions to win.

And unpredictably, they don't win. Vocal Adrenaline wins, and New Directions don't even place. Dejected and sad, knowing their season is over, they return home without a future. Emma and Figgins have a shouting match and Shue curiously goes over to find out what all the fuss is about. Emma is livid that the Glee club is history and she tells Shue that he must fight for the kids. Shue asks her if this is just about the kids, and them he tells her he loves her and that they are not done, and he seals it with a kiss. Rachel then interrupts and asks Shue to come to the auditorium where Shue is serenaded by the kids with "To Sir with Love". Tears are shed by all. The kids tell him they really won, because they were part of something special.

And who was in the back of the auditorium with a tear streaming down her cheek? You guessed it, Sue-the Tin Man-Sylvester, fresh from her visit with the Wizard of McKinnley. She tells Shue life would be boring if she couldn't raz Shue about his hair and scheme ways to better the Glee club every day. She had blackmailed Figgy into one more year for Glee club and when Shue tells the kids, they are estatic. Then Shue and Puck sing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" the Israel Kamakawiwo'ole version complete with the ukulele.

I clapped.

Because even though the finale was not perfect, and they story lines weren't all tied up in a neat bow, I believe in the Journey.

I read all the reviews and comments about how Glee didn't really capture the glory of the first season. I still believed.

I know that there are those who think that even though, technically, this was still the first season, Glee has already lost it's lustre. I won't stop believing.

And I'll be back here in September ready for the next phase of this show I have come to love.

Because if this show has taught us anything it's that a true Gleek Never Stops Believing.

My Funky Gl-iPod

This is just what my iPod needed, a little funk to get me through my diet funk. Here's hoping it works...

Before I begin, I must begin by saying I hate to say I told you so, but I told you so. Jesse wears evil well, doesn't he? Waiting in the Glee clubs auditorium to funk-ify New Directions by "psyching" them out with a performance of Queens, "Another One Bites the Dust", evil Jesse and Vocal Adrenelaine club throw down more than a challenge. Jesse tells Rachel he was not happy about his treatment by the Glee club and that he is back with Vocal Adrenaline and ready to defeat them at Regional's.

This sends the club into a funk. And that's what this episode is all about; Funky funk.
The Glee club can't seem to shake the funk, so Shue assigns, what else, funk after a date with the devil. No not his date with Sue. The other guy, ex Glee club director and local smack dealer. Was Shue really trying to score some gangia, hooch, smoke, weed??? What he really scores is the key to defeating Vocal Adrenaline. Quinn comes up with a killer rendition of "Man's World" along with 6 or so other unwed pregnant mothers, (is this a club at McKinley? Where are we? Gloucester, MA?) regardless of it's shifty message, this was one of the best of the night. Kudos to Diana Argon for the soulful vocals. Who knew she had it in her?

Puck and Finn seemed to lay down the battle axes for the good of the club and retaliate against Vocal Adrenaline's antics by slashing the tires of the Adrenaline's...get this...Range Rovers! Can I go to school there? Cocherane/Rachel's mom gives them a pass on expulsion if they pay for the damage. They both score jobs at newly divorced Terry Schuester's linen store, and they bring it with not one but TWO funky rap duets!!! Oh happy downloads! And they both looked hot as heck singing them. More of that please! "Loser" was appropriate and awesome within the confines of the store, but "Good Vibration" stole the show. These kids got talent, and with Mercedes' (Amber Riley) vocals to round out the song, it was smokin' funky.

Shue got down and dirty with Sue. Which was hard to watch at times, and truly unbelievable. Although, there might have been some genuine chemistry thrown in there for good measure. "Tell Me Something Good" was a treat for any Matthew Morrison fan. Umm hmm. Shue ask's Sue to a date on (hilarious) HUMP DAY, to which Sue agrees. He stands her up, of course, and Sue in her track suit and pearls (brilliant. who writes this stuff??) lash out at Shue. It's Sue's turn to go into a funk and Shue is the only one who can pull her out of it. She brings home a record 6th National Championship, and brings the trophy to Shue's house with an ultimatum. Kiss her or turn his choir room into Sue's new trophy room. She's obviously back because after that nice hunk of man agrees to tongue kiss her, she slams the door on him and his mediocrity.

Jesse and the Adrenaline's do the meanest thing EVER to our poor suffering Rachel. He calls Rachel to the parking lot, to which she excitedly goes to meet him, and they egg her mercilessly. Jesse, of course, has the last shot, which he crushes on her forehead, but not before telling her he loved her. There's no turning back now. It's on!

The New Directions finish off Adrenaline by funk-ifying them right back with a special, funk-ay group performance of "We Want The Funk"which leaves Adrenaline speechless.

And that's just how it should be. Which sets up the big FINALE next week and the Regionals competition!!!

Here's hoping New Directions wipes the floor up with Adrenaline.

Gaga Glee Glee

Is this the face of a Lady that does not know who she is? Pop sensation Lady Gaga mortgaged her quick rise to super-stardom on catchy tunes and far out costumes. And it paid off, in triplicate. You can hardly turn your radio on today without hearing a Gaga anthem playing somewhere on the dial.

So how does this icon relate to the cast of Glee? In the world of show choir, "theatricality" can make you or break you. Gaga is the consummate example of theatrical "thinking outside and over the top of the box" and the weekly assignment for the Glee Club when they find out that their nemesis, Vocal Adrenaline, has taken on The Gaga.

Musical highlights:

• Rachel meets her real mother-Vocal Adrenaline's Director Shelby Corchrane after hearing her sing Barbara Striesand's "Funny Girl". Idina is pitch perfect as Fanny Brice, (and I now see why they had Idina sing the tribute to Barbara at the Kennedy Center Honors last year).
• "Bad Romance" is performed by the girls of the Glee club, and Kurt, in their outrageous Gaga costumes. This is the best performance of the episode.
• THANK GOD the guys decide that Gaga is not for them, so they pull out the all the stops with their version of "theatricality"; KISS. They perform, "Shout it out Loud" and rock it!
• The boys sing "Beth" to Quinn's unborn baby, and Puck decides he would like to at least name the baby before Quinn gives the baby girl up for adoption.
• Rachel and Shelby (Menzel and Michelle) turn "Poker Face" into a touching duet between mother and daughter. Certainly would not have been my choice for a sweet duet between mother and daughter, but the musical arrangement turns this into a ballad and with these two legendary Broadway veterans, nothing is not amazing once they get their hands on it. Although it was not my favorite musical number of the night, I will admit to goose bumps.

After Kurt and Tina are harrassed for wearing full-on Gaga to school by a couple of jocks, Finn is left to defend himself and the rest of the club from the haters. But not before the emotional pinnacle of the entire season this far.

Burt, Kurts dad, (Mike O'Malley) delivers, what I think may become one of the most important moments in TV history, when he defends his homosexual son. Finn makes a crucial error, using the word "faggy" to frustratingly describe the decor Kurt has chosen for new their shared room. What makes it so important are the words Burt uses to defend his son's lifestyle choices and he then chooses his boy over Finn and his new love, Finn's mom, by telling Finn he cannot stay in his house any longer. He unknowingly gives the world a text book example of tolerance and love.

So is that what Gaga's music is about? Tolerance? Love? Theatricality?

In last night's episode of Glee, although they tackled The Gaga, I don't really think the episode was about the music, as much as it was about people and the choices that they make.

Right or wrong, accepted or criticized, you can't be afraid to go Gaga once in a while. You may just find that the most unlikey person has got your back.

A Gleek's Dream

You've heard your friends say it to you.

You've probably said it to yourself once or twice.

It's that self deprecating phrase that brings us all right back to reality immediately.
"You're a dreamer..."

When Mr. Shue's ex-Glee club nemisis, Bryan Ryan (Neil Patrick Harris), shows up at McKinnley to complete an audit for the school board, he goes right after the Glee club's jugular.
Bitter that his high school Glee club success at McKinnley, which led to a professional singing career on a cruise ship has ended in complete failure, Ryan sets out to destroy the dreams of these McKinnley Gleeks. He asks them to write down their biggest, wildest, showbiz dream on a piece of paper, then walks over to Artie and crumples his paper up and throws it in the trash. A powerful representation of what Ryan believes will happen if they follow their dreams. He decides to cut the Glee club completely from the budget.

Will Artie ever dance?
Will Rachel ever know who her mom is?

Tina decides that she and Artie will perform a dance for the club and Jesse decides it's time to help Rachel find her birth mother. Artie wants to dance, but after he falls to the ground by attempting to walk with hand canes, he blames Tina for pushing him too hard. Jesse and Rachel make up and while looking for clues about her mom while going through her old stuff, Jesse pulls out (of his pocket...I knew he was evil) a cassette that reads, "from mother to daughter". Rachel tells Jesse it's too much for her, that she's not ready to hear it. "What if she sings and she's bad or worse, what if she's better than me?"

Tina gives Artie some research that shows new drug therapies that could help Artie to possibly walk again, and some renewed hope. And our hero, Mr. Shue, decides to save Glee by showing Bryan what he has been missing. Shue sets out to convince Ryan over a few beers that he needs music in his life, and Ryan folds under the pressure and admits to the misery of his life without music. He tells Shue he sneaks around going to shows on the sly and he delivers the line of the night, "I hide Playbills in my basement. They're like porn." The two sing "Piano Man" a tune Ryan sang in Glee club and Shue tells Ryan they are both going to audition for a local production of "Les Miserables" to which Bryan agrees.

And after all that drama, we are FINALLY treated to our first musical number of the night. (don't ever do that again please) At the auditions, the director, a local dry cleaner, tells the guys he's short on time. As their re-kindled rivalry heats up in the theatre setting, the director says to make their audition a duet. They perform the Aerosmith classic "Dream On" and Shue, (Matthew Morrison) sends shivers down my spine. Holy iPod, I loved it!! Especially the screamy, dreamy ending and I find myself distracted by Shue's (Morrison's) pecks. (sorry)

The real emotional pull here, is the dream Artie has to dance. While out with Tina at the mall, Artie reveals to Tina that his doctor has started him on the drug therapies she recommended and they are working!!! Atrie unbelievably gets up from his chair and begins to WALK! Yes, Artie is walking!! (you had to know it was a dream) and better yet, he is dancing! We get a killer dance number and Artie vocal solo in "Saftey Dance". This is the best production number of the night. Not only has Artie (Kevin McHale) got moves, but he's the vocal chops to pull it off effortlessly and the addition of the kid (Gleeks Brittany, Mike, Tina and lots of others) dancers, I predict, make this number a Youtube sensation. More Artie, please. Then it stops-and it is revealed that was indeed, just a dream. A crushing blow for Artie.

In a literal "quickie" we get a Sue Sylvester appearance. A newly rejuvenated Bryan decides to cut the budget for the Cheerios, and has a heated one on one with Sue about education vs sports. LITERALLY, because they are both so sexually turned on by the exchange that they go at it in Sue's secret upstairs room, "just like Letterman"(is this believable? it's possible). Ryan uses the money he shaved off the Cheerios budget and puts it into the Glee club, buying them matching jean jackets and Broadway sheet music. Sue menacingly announces to everyone that Mr. Sue landed the lead in "Les Mis" and Ryan scored a measly ensemble role with one line. This sends Ryan to yank the funds from Glee and tells them he's cutting the program. Shue resigns from "Les Mis" there bye giving the lead to Bryan, which saves the day for the Glee Club.A shameless Ryan accepts and we get the feeling that Bryan Ryan is back where he should be.

Jesse is finally revealed as the spy-that-he-is, because he secretly meets his Vocal Adrenaline coach Shelby Corchran (Idina Menzel). I'm thinking he's been sent there to mess with the New Directions a la Rachel, but we learn that Corchran sent him to lead her to her DAUGHTER, Rachel.(this was also the worst kept secret in Hollywood) Jesse admits that although he was sent to seduce, she says, befriend Rachel, he has real feelings for her. And now I'm pissed, because I now have to see the legitimacy of the Rachel/Jesse union. (and no Finn? At all last night? Yeah, that sucked) It would have been so much easier if he was evil. We learn that Corchran's only regret was giving up Rachel. Jesse follows his orders and sneaks into Rachel's bedroom (where are her two dads?) and plays the cassette of her singing then leaves Rachel alone to listen.

"I Dreamed a Dream" is performed by Corchran and Rachel. This was truly a Broadway purists dream. I couldn't help but think; here is Lea Michelle (Rachel) singing a duet with arguably one of Broadway's most legendary voices, ever, Idina Menzel (Corchran) and she, Michelle, is Blowing. Her. Away. I could hardly believe it myself. I never would have believed that Idina's vocal could be reduced to "ordinary" by another voice if I had not heard it for myself. As powerful as that song and it's implications for the story line was, I was left in awe of Lea Michelle's "once in a generation" voice.

After Artie's heartfelt talk with Ms. Pilsbury about experimental therapies, he realizes that he may never dance and bows out of the performance with Tina, but agrees to sing lead vocal. In a bittersweet rendition of "Dream a Little Dream", we get another Artie solo that leaves us wanting more for him.

Dreamers...we all have our dreams. I say, if you give up your dreams you die.
Never give up and Dream ON.

I Am Glee, Therefore I Am

For starters, I don't see how this gorgeous man/boy could loose his "juice" by shaving off anything, but in last night's episode, Puck looses his social status when he is forced to shave off his signature Mohawk because his mother spies a mole on his head. This sets off a chain of events that show us what the Glee clubbers stand to gain when they loose something about themselves they value.

Puck looses his King Intimidator status, and sets out to re-gain his popularity by hooking up with McKinley High "it girl" of the moment, Mercedes. "Hey black girl, whose name I can't remember right now." Mercedes, who cannot believe Puck's proposal of a quick hook-up, delivers the blow to Puck by letting him know it would never work out, "You're top 40 and I'm rythm and blues."

Rachel looses her cherished voice and is diagnosed by a doctor with laryngitis, who then suggest a tonsillectomy. A fate worse than death, according to head Drama Queen Rachel. She also rats out her fellow Glee Clubbers for not pulling their weight in rehearsal by letting her carry the vocal load. Finn admits to Shue that he hasn't been singing because he is tired of the Rachel and Jesse show and Shue has been assigning all the male lead vocals to Jesse anyway. Shue explains that in order to be a show choir they must all be voices in unison, and he hands out the weekly assignment to find a solo song that demonstrates who they really are. Last night's episode was packed with many good musical numbers, it's going to be an expensive itunes week for me.

Finn rocks the house with the Rick Springfield classic, "Jesse's Girl" and I think it is the best of the night.(and not just because I'm Team Finn) Not only does it demonstrate that Rachel's relationship with Jesse is consuming his thoughts right now, it successfully showcases Finn's rock chops, which get better and better, and sets the stage for the romantic tension building between Rachel and Finn. Then Puck pulls a black rabbit out of his hat, so to speak, inspired by Rat Pack legend Sammy Davis Jr., and lays down a smooth version of "The Lady is a Tramp".

The Lady, in this case is Mercedes. She buys it, hook, line, and sinker and rounds out the song with her vocals. Mission accomplished. Mercedes buys into Puck. McKinley's new power couple leaves Quinn in the surprising position of wanting to protect Mercedes. Mercedes admits she is aware that Puck is using her, but that she is enjoying the ride for now. Quinn tells Mercedes that it is Santana she needs to beware of. "The Boy is Mine" is executed to perfection between Mercedes and Santana. Who knew that Santana (Naya Rivera) had those chops? This is what I love about this show. Mercedes later decides to loose her Cheerio status and delivers her uniform to a shocked Sue Sylvester, when she realizes that Cheerios is not who she really is and she then decides to loose Puck too.

Kurt decides to loose his gay to try to win back his father's attention, complete with a truckers cap, flannel shirt and a vest, and sings a surprisingly good, butch version of Mellencamp's "Pink Houses". Everyone is left a bit confused, except for Brittany who is turned on by Kurt's new hetero-status and offers herself up, "Let me know if you want to tap this." Kurt uses Brittany to get his father's attention away from Finn when he invites her over for a make-out session, so his dad can see he's just one of the guys. His dad isn't really buying this new Kurt, but he tells him he's good "either way". Kurt is then crushed when his dad chooses Finn over the new Kurt, and it sends him into a show-tune singing, scarf wearing, Broadway tizzy,who belts out "Rose's Turn" which is altered to be "Kurt's Turn" on McKinley's stage. Kurt's dad is in the audience and tells Kurt he cancelled with Finn because he realizes that he needs to spend some time with Kurt.

Rachel, depressed over loosing her voice, all that she is, confides tearily to Finn (since Jesse is away with his Vocal Adrenaline friends and isn't really talking to her anyway because of the "Run, Joey Run" debacle) that without her ability to sing for an audience, she is nothing. Finn takes her to meet a friend of his, a former football star who was recently left paralyzed in a football accident, and she sees how ridiculous she has been behaving. A humbled Rachel returns to his house alone, complete with her healed voice, to offer up singing lessons to this guy who wishes he had the nerve to try out for his Glee club when he had the chance. They sing the musical finale, U2's "One", as it segways into a full Glee Club stage version of the song and finishes sweetly with the boy and Rachel holding hands and a single tear streaming down her cheek.

So who are we really if we loose what we think makes us who we are? Hopefully, the message here is we find out we are so much more than we thought.

Black GLISTing

In last night's episode of Glee, Sweet Polly Purebread meets Simon Bar Sinister. Sort of.

Kurt finds/steals a secret video of Sue Sylvester busting a hilarious dance move to Olivia Newton John's hit "Let's get Physical". The kids decide that payback's a bitch and Finn posts it on You Tube. The result makes Sue the laughing stock of McKinley High. Molly Shannon guest stars as a drug addicted, whore teacher who makes it her job to torture Sue in the teacher's lounge. These two make great hate between them and the laughs keep coming with lines like, "Don't start with me Castle or I swear I will kick you square in the taco." Sue takes retribution in Principal Figgins office with Mr. Shue, as she produces a "Glist" that has been circulated throughout the school ranking The Glee Club members "hotness" quotient. Figgins tells Shue to put an end to this "Glist" and find out who the culprit is or he will put an end to the Glee Club. (not like we haven't heard THAT one before)

Shue assigns the kids a rehab assignment. Take a song with a bad rap and rehab it. He hands out sheet music and the kids groan over his song choice of "suck". But hello, Mr. Shue got game people, and he successfully brings sexy back to the Vanilla Ice classic, "Ice Ice Baby". Suck never looked so good and once again the Glee choreographers showcase why this show is the hottest thing on TV.

Meanwhile the Glist is causing a stir. At the top of the Glist are the kids one would expect, Finn, Puck, Quinn... and at the bottom, with a negative ranking, sits Rachel. According to Tina, Mercedes, Artie, Kurt and Brittany,(fast becoming the best comic relief) who either didn't make the list or scored too low on the list, a bad rap is where it's at and they set out to que up thier badass quotient. They decide to cause a commotion in the library, Glee style. "U can't touch this" was by far my favorite of the night, showcasing Artie's (Kevin McHale) golden pipes and some badass dance moves. Props to the kids, this one is going on my ipod as we speak.

Sue's quest to bring down Shue continues as she sets out to counsel Emma, Shue's love interest with the worst intentions possible. She drops the bomb about how she bribed Shue's super to let her put baby monitors under his living room sofa and under his bed, and tells Emma that Shue has been playing tonsil hockey with the director of Vocal Adrenaline and sleeping with April the grifter. She convinces Emma to stop being Will's doormat and coaches her on her revenge strategy. Emma is devastated and delivers up her angst in a loud, embarassing speech declaring, "you are a slut!" loudly, in the teacher's lounge in front of all of his colleagues. Shue later apologizes to Emma with flowers, but she does not accept his apology.

Poor suffering Rachel and her quest to be popular, brings about a "musically promiscuous" side to Rachel and she sets out to cast her assignment, enlisting hunky Puck as her male lead. She asks for the help of Artie and the AV club, with Artie uttering a classic line, "you had me at sex tape. How can I help?" and records the song, "Run, Johnny, run". She, unbeknownst to any of them, casts Puck, Finn and Jesse as her male lead in an "artistic interpretation" of her song. It pisses all of the guys off and results in Jesse breaking up with Rachel, but not before telling her she broke his heart. I'm not quite sure he's not sincere here. But see ya-I'm sure he will run into the loving arms of Vocal Adrenaline, and some serious deception is poised to take place in the future.

Of course, Sue comes out of this smelling like a rose, because after some touching scenes, visiting with her disabled sister in a nursing home, she gets a call from big Olivia herself, asking her to help re-shoot the Physical video. I have to give Glee credit. While it may have been too soon after the legendary Vogue video, to cast Sue in another full length music video, I thought the Physical video was brilliant. Sue's voice being distorted and the full on shots of the beefy man-cakes, all sort of made the fabulous Ms. Newton John's appearance obsolete. But, Olivia added authenticity.(and she looks great)

Now that Emma hates Shue and he feels horrible about it, Shue has some sort of ethereal revelation when he sees Quinn in the hallway(at first I thought they were going to hook up) and realizes that she was the author of the Glist. He gets her to admit to it, but also protects her from Figgins when he inquires about the Glist.

The show ends with a engaging rendition of, "Total Eclipse of the Heart" with Rachel and her three paramours; Puck, Finn and Jesse, singing, and I wonder, is there any song this girl can't cover? Seriously, this version is better than the original and gives me goose bumps. I know Leah Michelle is poised to become the next big voice ala Barbara, Mariah and Celine. I love to be blown away, and that's exactly what happens here.

Not Much Glee

Glee was strange last night.

In last night's episode, they went all drama on us. I'm not saying it didn't work, I'm just saying it was strange.

In what I will call Drama #1, we get to learn a bit more about Kurt, (Chris Colfer), whose story line gets some major play. We learn that Kurt successfully plots to fix up his dad (Mike O'Malley) with Finn's mom (Romy Rosemont) so that he can become a "family" with his boyhood obsession, Finn (Coey Monteith). Kurt gets a derserved solo, "A House is not a Home", which is a sweet and soft ballad he sings to a visibly uncomfortable Finn. We also find out that while Kurt thinks he wants to merge the two families, he soon realizes that his father and Finn just may have more in common than he and his father, putting Kurt's own relationship with his father in jeopardy. Some of the best dramatic moments of last night come when O'Malley and Colfer are alone discussing that despite their differences, they still love and care for each other. And we believe them.

"Could you leave please? I am a half hour behind on my moisturizing routine and now I'll have to get up early, " was a priceless, gem of a line Kurt delivers to his father after their talk.

In Drama #2, Mercedes (Amber Riley) is told by Sue (Jane Lynch) that in order to stay on the Cheerios she must loose 10 pounds in a week. Mercedes is left to worry and wonder about whether or not it's all worth it. She nearly starves herself, and when Artie (Kevin McHale) and

Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz) express concern, Mercedes looses her cool and her vision, as they both begin to resemble junk food. She passes out, to wake up in the nurses office and Quinn (Diana Agron) is there to explain to Mercedes she knows exactly how she is feeling, as she has been there. The two share a nice bonding moment. Riley then delivers the performance of the show, and possibly the year? when she sets McKinley High and Sue Sylvester straight with her mind blowing rendition of "Beautiful". This girl got pipes and she knows how to use em'! I was almost on my feet at the end. Bravo on the message and the song. It doesn't get any better than this.

Drama #3 gives all us Kristen Chenoweth fans a healthy dose of her beautiful voice. Chenoweth returns as April Rhodes, a former schoolmate and paramour of Mr. Schuster (Matthew Morrison), who is owner/operator of a roller palace. What a delicious and prophetic setting, Rinky Dinks Roller Rink, for the alcohol abusing, shifty grifter that is April Rhodes. We also find out that April has a heart. April and Shue sing a duet to "Fire" that leaves me wanting more. Seriously, where has this sexy hunk of man been all my life? And Chenoweth and Morrison exhibit their smokin chemistry when April invites herself to Shue's house for a sleepover. In "One Less Bell to Answer" we feel sorry for both of these adults who find their lives are void of any real love. April end's up "full-time fancy" when her rich, married, boyfriend dies and his widow pays for her silence to the tune of two million $$!! She finds philanthropy and buys the auditorium for the Glee club, which she christens with a wonderful rendition of "Home" complete with an evening gown, Hollywood lighting and the Glee club as back-up. I hope we see more of April/Chenoweth and I would LOVE to see a Idina Menzel/Kristen Chenoweth reunion in the future. It would be so WICKED!!

The men in my household, who have no choice but to watch, dubbed this episode as "weak". I explained to them that a true Gleek does not care what Chenoweth sings, as long as we can listen to her sing and that it takes a great show to dig deep and pull out some emotional depth. I think it worked, but I may need to watch it again to be sure.

And no Lea Michelle solos? At all? This new alliance with the Devil, Jesse St James, is making me sick, as all episode they were like two dogs in heat. I hate them. But I was too mesmerized by the golden pipes of Chenoweth to really notice Michele's absence. I hope Finn bitch slaps St. James back into Vocal Adrenaline obscurity soon. Now that would be some good TV!

All in all, I'd have to say Glee was different last night.

It was about being different last night.

And about the different choices we are sometimes forced to make.

And I liked it.

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.