While watching this week’s episode of Glee, I had a moment of total clarity about what the show’s biggest problem is … Ryan Murphy. Looking back on most of the episodes that have driven me to slam what was once one of my top favorite shows, I now see that those episodes were written by Ryan Murphy. Unlike this week’s episode which I thought was terrific and full of real, human emotion.
This week’s episode was all about the prom – junior prom I would assume or else there will be an entirely new cast next season – and all of the drama that goes with it: who to ask, what to wear, who to vote for Prom King and Queen (do junior proms even have a king and queen?). The episode really captured what it was like for the outsiders, the ones who either didn’t have a date or the ones who just didn’t fit in.
This week, Rachel’s softer, more human side came out as she asked Mercedes and Sam to go to the prom with her – and then Jesse St. James turned up out of nowhere to apologize to Rachel for the way he treated her and to ask her to be his date. In her own moment of clarity (and selflessness), she asked him to join her, Mercedes and Sam instead. I still don’t know what Jesse’s up to but I’m sure it’s no good.
I was surprised that we really didn’t see Quinn until about midway through the episode as she was getting ready for the prom. Poor Finn had been through the wringer with Rachel basically shutting him down (and then helpfully suggesting what type of corsage to get Quinn), but even after telling Quinn she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, seeing Jesse with Rachel set him off, causing all kinds of drama (Rachel’s powerful F U ballad probably didn’t help). More surprising than Finn punching Jesse in the face was Quinn slapping Rachel while blaming her for Finn’s behavior. Even though I’d seen that in the previews, it still made me gasp.
The best part of the episode was the Kurt/Karofsky/Santana story. We got to see that Santana really had no commitment to the Bully Whips. Her only reason for offering Kurt protection was to garner prom queen votes. Now that prom is over and she didn’t win, will she continue to “date” Karofsky or, with Brittany’s encouragement, will she finally embrace who she is and come out?
And what of Dave Karofsky? I think Max Adler gave a terrific performance as the tortured, closeted teen and his apology to Kurt was truly an emotional breakthrough for him (and thankfully, in writer Ian Brennan‘s skilled hands, Kurt was gracious and sympathetic to what Dave is going through). It was nice to see Dave and Santana having fun at the prom, and his win as Prom King showed that he was still a popular guy at McKinley even if he wasn’t in charge of the Slushee Brigade anymore. But Dave’s very being was put to the test when Kurt was voted Prom Queen (was it a big prank or did the students really accept him, as he thought earlier?). After Kurt’s humiliation, recovery and strength in accepting the title, he told Dave that now was his chance to make a statement … one that Dave could not handle and he ran out of the prom.
Now, as you might know, next week’s episode features a death and speculation has run rampant as to who it could be. We’ve been promised it’s not anyone from New Directions, Sue or Will (and why wasn’t he a chaperone at the prom since he booked the glee club to fill in for Air Supply?). Rumors are that it’s a female, but after what happened at the end of the episode I’m sticking to my guns that Dave is the one who dies because he just can’t deal with his feelings. Ever since he first started bullying Kurt, and then kissed him, I have had Dave pegged as dying by the end of the season. Will my prediction stick? It seems logical, but I hope that isn’t the message the show wants to send to kids who do look to programs like this for inspiration. Unfortunately, Glee is not known for handling “message” episodes with much success. Cast your vote below for who you think is going to bite the dust next week.
“Kurt, I think that you need a full security detail which the Bully Whips and I would be more than happy to provide you with. You know, like the Hell’s Angels when the Rolling Stones performed at Altamont Speedway. I think that went off without a hitch.” – Santana
“I thought this song was about a baby.” – Mercedes as Artie serenaded Brittany with Isn’t She Lovely
“Dude, that rocks. It’s like gay Braveheart.” – Finn complimenting Kurt’s prom outfit homage to the royal wedding
“You’re the worst P.O.W. ever. John McCain is rolling over in his grave!” – Sue interrogating Artie about spiking the punch
“As soon as we get to New York, I’m bailing to live in a lesbian colony … or TriBeCa.” – Santana after losing the Prom Queen vote
“They must have sensed that I was a lesbian, I mean they must have! Do I smell like a golf course?” – Santana
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Clacked by Chuck Duncan 
on May 11, 2011 @ 03:49 EST5EDT
Oh I so hope that it’s Terri. I cringe every time she is on the screen. (I didn’t like Jessalyn Gilsig on Heroes either)
I agree, I hope it’s Terri because it’s not Rachael.
You assume it’s junior prom? They said it was junior prom at least once on the show.
I really enjoyed the episode except when Kurt talks. I really can’t stand him. Blaine deserves a lot better.
I love the “teeth cleaning” part with Sue, so over the top.
*POST AUTHOR*
1. I already stated it wasn’t anyone from New Directions, so Rachel is definitely out of the running.
2. Thanks for the correction. Sometimes when I’m furiously scribbling notes and transcribing quotes, I might miss a little something.
3. Yes, you do hate Kurt.
4. In the hands of a good writer, Sue can be tolerable and funny. And at last the issue of her possibly going to prison for physically assaulting someone was addressed (still waiting for the cops to haul her away for punching the mayor’s wife in the face)!
Chuck, I’ve never more agreed with you on the Glee Death (You predicted, IIRC, way back around episode 5 of this season).
Ugly Betty already did the “gay boy voted Prom Queen by his cruel classmates” thing.
At my high school (this was back in 2003ish), the Juniors and Seniors both went to the same prom. I’m pretty sure we had Junior princesses and princes, but there was only one Prom King and Queen.
*POST AUTHOR*
Katie, thanks for making me feel positively ancient!
I’m pretty sure there was a junior prom at my high school while the senior prom was at a banquet hall — but that was so long ago I barely remember any of it (I know I did not go to my junior prom, though). I don’t even remember choosing a king and queen at ours.
High Schools in my area had a Ring Dance for Juniors, and Prom for Seniors. Your class ring was given to you at Ring Dance (Natch).
*POST AUTHOR*
Now that you mention it, I think there was a Ring Dance at my high school instead of a junior prom. I didn’t go to that either! LOL Thanks for jogging my memory!
I’m thinking Sue’s sister, since she is somewhat peripheral yet a source of some of Sue’s humanity. She’s been a bit of a cardboard character lately, don’t you think? The death of her sister could cause her to have a bit more dimension. The jokes about the hair and the chin only work for so long, and I think the writers need to move her in another direction (as they did to Dave’s character) to keep her interesting. She can still be caustic. The character of House, even when he is healthier, is still filled with humor and sarcasm and I think Sue’s biting tongue could be kept even if she no longer was Will’s brutal enemy.
*POST AUTHOR*
Yes, you can sift through my posts this season and see my utter disdain for what they’ve done to Sue this season. If the character who dies is indeed a female, as the rumor mill suggests, I am totally on board with it being Sue’s sister. I mentioned elsewhere that that could be the perfect catalyst to bring back Sue’s humanity (even Becky’s death could do the same). On the other hand, if Principal Figgins dies (sorry, Michael!), then Sue could possibly become principal again, setting her up with a little more compassion like she showed with Kurt when the bullying escalated. They definitely need to do something with Sue before she brings down the whole show. This week, she was fine because the writer knew just how far he could go without tipping her completely over the top. Other writers don’t know such restraint. But if Sue became principal, that would put her in a much better position to be a real nemesis to Will again.
I like the character of Principal Figgins, though in Monday night’s episode his lack of reaction to Kurk being upset, then returning, was a bit lacking in explanation. Actually, I thought the reference to
“Marathon Man” type behavior was a bit too much and Artie’s passivity…well… a bit weird. It’s almost like the writers (in these two instances) had cardboard characters, or cartoon drawings, suggesting behavior and then just let the scenes sit flat.
I bow down humbly in the presence of such getrnaess.