Glee Recap: 500th Performance, Movies, Mash-ups, Confessions
This week's episode of Glee, where the show celebrated its 500th musical performance, was entitled "Girls (and Boys) on Film." It featured some of the best movie anthems of all time, even though most current high school students probably have never seen any of the classic movies referenced like Ghost, Risky Business, Animal House, Moulin Rouge, or Top Gun. Nevertheless, Glee's older audience who actually understood the movie tributes were entertained or maybe even disgraced. Although the movie throwbacks were mostly enjoyable, the producers are making us wait at least another week for answers to Rachel's supposed pregnancy. The big cliffhanger from last week was barely addressed in Thursday's episode, and the only new advancement is that Santana now knows.
The episode opens with black and white scene, inspired by Fred-Astaire, where Will and Emma are dressed in tuxes and are dancing on the walls to an old tune. This was not the most exciting opening scene, but it set the theme for the episode. Will wakes up from his colorless dream, which inspired him in choosing this week's lesson for glee club: songs from the students' favorite movies.
After Emma & Will's failed attempt at a wedding in the last episode, Will tries to go about his daily routine while waiting for Emma to come back to him when she's ready. Running out of unique ideas, once again the glee director tells his students that this week will be a boys versus girls competition, and they'll be singing movie mash-ups. Who doesn't love the Glee mash-ups though?
As the glee club prepares, Finn tries to comfort Will, despite his kissing session with Emma weighing heavy on his conscience. Finn decides to recruit Artie for a "lady man-hunt" where they will track the runaway bride down and reunite the couple.
In the first recognizable song of the episode, all of the glee club members perform Animal House's college party anthem "Shout" for their 500th performance. There was a lack of togas and kegs in the scene, but tons of skipping through the halls, library, and cafeteria (it's is still high school and not a frat house after all).
Next is a scene at Kurt and Rachel's apartment in New York, where Santana has made herself comfortable as she bunks with her new roommates minus Brody who is MIA once again. Santana proves she's a little too comfortable as she blows up Kurt's spot by bringing up Blaine & Kurt's scandalous activities at the wedding, while Kurt's new British boy is still in the dark about the fling. She also conjures up the theory that Brody is a drug dealer. The roommates and Kurt's new love interest are snowed in and decide to have a movie marathon. First on the list is Moulin Rouge.
While watching the movie, Kurt escapes into fantasyland where he and Blaine are singing "Come What May" together. Although it was an extremely dramatic rendition with memories of special moments that the couple shared flashing across the screen, Blaine & Kurt sang the duet beautifully, thanks to Kurt being able to sing the female parts so well. When Kurt snaps back to reality, tears roll down his cheek and his new man notices. Santana blows up Kurt's spot a second time by revealing that Kurt & Blaine wanted to sing that song to each other at their wedding one day.
Back at McKinley High, Finn & Artie put on wigs and pretend to be gingers in order to get Emma's red-headed parents to give them their guidance counselor's address so that they can track her down for Will. This scene pokes fun at gingers, and it's pretty useless in the episode.
The boys of glee make the next movie tribute to Tom Cruise's Risky Business & Top Gun. The males did a mash-up of "Old Time Rock & Roll" & "Danger Zone" as they dressed up like Tom Cruise in dress shirts, underwear, and high socks (and pasty thighs) along with race-car gear and helmets. It was an interesting performance, but a kind of disappointing mash-up since the songs don't go that well together.
When the girls' turn came to compete, they performed a mash-up of "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend" & "Material Girl," (another ode to Moulin Rouge). They attempted to dress up like Hollywood actress Marilyn Monroe back in the day and let Unique take the vocal lead. It was an okay performance.
In traditional Glee fashion, Will declares that it's a tie between the boys and the girls. The glee kids protest this just as much as the viewers watching. I guess it was hard to decide which mash-up was worse, but still pick a winner for once Mr. Schu!
Next, Will finally tracks down his run-away bride, who is crying in her bed and decked out in a heinous floor-length green night gown. Mr. Schu serenades Emma with "In Your Eyes" from Say Anything, while the Glee kids sing back-up (because he can't do anything without the glee kids.) Reenacting John Cusak's classic move in the 1980's movie, Will holds a boom box over his head outside of Emma's window. This is hands-down the cheesiest scene of the whole episode. Nevertheless, Emma swoons and finally comes downstairs to talk to her fiancé. She never confesses to kissing Finn, and pretty much blames Will for her not showing up to the altar. The couple decides that they'll try to work things out and "get to know each other" again.
Back in school, Jake dedicates "Unchained Melody" from Ghost to Marley, and yes they even bring out the spinning pottery wheel to go along with it. Now this may actually take the cake for the corniest movie reenactment of all, as Patrick Swayze rolls over in his grave. To make things worse, Marley pictures Riley, the other boy in the love triangle, while Jake serenades her. She then confesses to kissing Riley, and Jake is heartbroken.
One last confession is revealed at the end of the episode. Finn finally breaks down and tells Will about the kiss that he shared with Emma. Wills reaction was the worst thing possible: silence. He gave his "best-man" a look of disgust and walked away speechless.
The last musical performance in the movie-filled episode was "Footloose," from yet another 80's movie Footloose. It's much like the first group performance with the glee club dancing and hopping around to the upbeat tune.
Overall, the song selections were good, the movie references were cheesy, and the confessions were dramatic. The only thing that we really cared about, Rachel's possible pregnancy, was left unresolved. There's always next week Gleeks...