This was an unexpected episode for me, even though sectionals — competition episodes in general, actually — tend to be filled with drama, I wasn’t expecting what we got. There is just so much stuff.
Now, a few thoughts:
- Sam’s return was also one of those things that caught me off guard — not in the episode but when I heard the news initially. He was never a character I fixated on, but now that he’s back, the show feels more complete again. And Mercedes, oh Mercedes! She feels wanted, which is all she’s been looking for since season 1, and that feels all kinds of good. Red Solo Cup was really great fun and Kurt’s expressions were priceless. Also, “White Chocolate”? REALLY?
- Quinn makes the inevitable decision to report Shelby for sleeping with one of her students, because she hates that Shelby has Beth, but also that she has Puck. Quinn feels like she has nothing. And of course, this is all a huge mess of agendas. While it would certainly be the right thing to do, to report a teacher having an inappropriate relationship with a student, Quinn’s reasons were not exactly concern for Puck’s welfare. And Rachel is understandably empathetic to her birth mother, and while their relationship isn’t what one would call close, she probably really likes having her around.It’s like the possibility of something happening. So Rachel convinces Quinn that this is a bad idea, and Quinn ultimately accepts that, although she seems to think the way to catch a teenage boy is to offer him a ready made family. Can’t see that working.
- I linked to Racheline’s post about a possible Blaine backstory that would go a long way to explaining a number of things, including his whiplash overreaction to Sam’s dance moves. While Blaine is usually so level headed about most things, he becomes super judgemental. Blaine’s never been bratty/judgemental rich kid. The first time Kurt meets him, he isn’t being an asshole when he says that not everyone can afford Dalton. So yeah, something’s afoot.
- More Blaine: “When I was seventeen, I did what people told me.” “I want to be in control”. Was he crying in the heavy bag scene?
- “I Will Survive/Survivor” is about Quinn, even if Mercedes is singing about Sam a little bit in it.
- Lindsay Pearce playing Harmony (GERBER BABY) is one of my favourite things about each episode she’s in. Interesting they’ve made her a sophomore, huh? Also, didn’t the “Buenos Aires” performance remind you of how New Directions did things in Season 1? There’s a stark contrast between the Unitards’Â performance and the team performances of New Directions and the Troubletones.
- She’s not my favourite in this episode, however, because that is all about Mike and Tina and how amazing they are (Also, Tina going to Mike’s dad re: important stuff about your son, flashback!). When Mr Chang walked into the auditorium, I came unfashionably close to weeping. And that was on the second watch.
Deconstructing Glee 
I cried a couple of times in this episode, I’m not even ashamed to say! Mostly, though, for the closing number, which — yes, of course, it’s Glee — wrapped everything up into a nice “it’s all good” package and put a Finn/Santana hug on it as a bow, but I’ll put that under the tree. It’s Glee. I don’t want conflict and pain all the time. I want some impossible warmth in there, too!
How many times did Quinn say “my girls” in the bathroom, talking the Trouble Tones into coming aboard ND again? GirlPower!Quinn should happen — all the badass without the 90s eyeliner. Go Quinn.
I really liked the eyeliner. Can it stay?
Sigh. I liked the pink hair but not the eyeliner. If she goes back to pink hair, she can have eyeliner. Deal?
deal. I liked the pink hair too. WIN.
I’m going to miss the Trouble Tones a lot. I really liked Mercedes as a leader – I think she’s the best example of one in the entire show. Also, they were fantastic.
Tina is a total badass. Also, apparently, she’ll get to sing lead as long as the only other girl present is Quinn. How about that.
I liked the Troubletones too, but I much prefer them all being together. It was sad with them all being apart!
I liked them together back in season 1, but I feel like they’ve lost that “we’re all a big, happy family”-feeling. Loved them all preforming We Are Young at the end, though. If they’re happy and friendly and all feelgoody, I guess I’ll survive.
Also, what is the deal with Finn in this season? I think he’s supposed to have matured and started dealing with conflicts in a better way, but it seems off. I feel like everyone forgives him way too easily.
Agreed, she looked awesome. I want Quinn to start performing Riot Grrrl songs and learn to play guitar. Why is it that not one single girl member of ND seems to know how to play an instrument that when pretty much all the guys do?
Pink hair, eyeliner, the punk clothes–I loved it all so much more than her usual styling. I vote for all of it staying.
@Alice, everyone forgives Finn so easily because, as a society, we tend to forgive white, cis, hetero guys the most easily. They always get the passes and the benefit of the doubt. Glee is just doing it’s best to remind us who really matters: white dudebros.
What is off about Finn’s approach to conflict ‘resolution’ is that his method involves deflecting all blame from himself and making it seems as if everyone else has problems, but not him.
I had a love-hate relationship with the Mike’s tough father story line piece… I thought it was a nice plot piece… but horribly written… The father went from cold to hot too quickly… It felt rushed, like too sudden a change, and like they just wanted to get that story done and out of the way.
I bet $1000 that the conditional return of the Troubletones members rejoining glee (that they will get to perform at least one song every competition) will be totally forgotten. I loved Glee, but the near complete lack of continuity or thoughtful writing is killing me.
The only reason Glee does well is because there is a huge gap in TV for this type of a show… and they have a monopoly on it.
It will finally be the shoddy writing that kills Glee though.
I used to not be able to wait to watch the next episode, now often times I don’t watch it until two weeks after its aired. You never know what plot they are going to stick with and which story-lines will be totally dropped.
Finn gets forgiven far too easily, but I don’t think it has anything to do with his gender, sexuality, or race. I’d argue that ALL the characters with the possible exception of Rachel get forgiven too easily in the narrative most of the time. It’s not just the straight, white, males.