Glee Review: Easy A

This week on Glee, three characters that have regularly played periphery roles got the chance to shine. Mike Chang tackled his feelings of confliction between choosing the path his father would prefer over his own. Mercedes, feeling overlooked, stood out on her own and up for herself. And Emma faced her unique parents, with the support of her boyfriend Will.

MERCEDES
Mercedes viewed Mr. Schue’s incessant pushing as being too hard when she was late to Booty Camp and almost puked after attempting three steps. (This theme of stomach grabbing continued throughout the episode. Did anyone else think the writers were setting up another student for a pregnancy scare? Let’s hope not.) Santana also returned, though she hadn’t told Sue yet, and provided a persistent thorn in Mercedes side with her biting comments. Mercedes swore she was doing her best, but Schue said she wasn’t, and “it’s about doing better.” Later on, Mercedes’ boyfriend Shane chastised her when he glimpsed his girlfriend hugging Rachel before her audition. He thought that she didn’t believe that she’s the best. “You always make me watch Dreamgirls. You say you’re Beyonce but on the inside you feel like Effie White.” She got dreamy-eyed when he told her that she’s better than Rachel, something she swears no one at school has ever told her. So we segued into Mercedes sings Jennifer Hudson’s “Spotlight” with a little backup from Tina and Brittany. Though Amber Riley made the song sound like it was her own, I don’t know if it was as empowering as the writers wanted it to be. It’s such a low-key number with a subtle power. I think the true effect would have been reached with a punchier number. Rachel watched in fear from the wings, while the directors were in awe of Mercedes’ new glamorous-ness, and she let them know that she’s ready to be a true leading lady. The directors were so surprised by Mercedes that Emma and Beiste commended Schue who attributed it to his pushing. The directors couldn’t decide between Rachel, who is the essence of Maria, and Mercedes who had appeared to come into her own. Time for another diva off or, as Rachel notes they call it in the biz, a callback.

At Booty Camp, Mercedes flipped out when she’s the only one who couldn’t conquer a move. In an outburst, she told Schue that she’s always known Rachel was his favorite and that she’s outgrown everyone before storming off. He warned her that if she leaves, she’s out of glee club, and we got a glimpse into Mercedes brain. To her, the gang is turning against her with Schue at the evil helm and, like her boyfriend said, she proved she does feel like Effie. The group sang Dreamgirls’ “It’s All Over” in one of the most theatrical, fun numbers Mercedes has ever been at the forefront of. Not to be deterred, Mercedes was still ready to take on Rachel, and both auditioned with “Out Here On My Own” from Fame. The ping-ponging number proved both are different but equally talented, and each could successfully tackle the lead West Side Story role, but in the end, the directors still couldn’t make a decision. (Something I’d be upset about also. Grow some cahones, guys!) Mercedes and Rachel were double cast in the play, each getting one week of performances, though Rachel had already admitted to Finn that she felt Mercedes was better in her audition. Still, she does not stand up when Mercedes and her pride turn the opportunity down. By episode’s end, Mercedes decided to join Shelby’s fledgling group believing she would be allowed to be a star there.

MIKE
I would be remiss if I didn’t start by applauding Harry Shum, Jr.’s portrayal of Mike Chang’s pain in this episode. He displayed acting chops well beyond his usual quippy one-liners and adorable confused faces. You see, Dad (Keong Sims) isn’t happy with Mike’s declining grades; he got an A-, an Asian F. At first he thinks it’s drugs and pulls him into Figgins’ office for a drug test, but Figgins confirmed Mike is an ideal student, so his father quickly turned to Tina and glee club as the problem. Mike begged for one last chance to do it all: school, football and glee, and get a tutor to help on his path to straight As. Unfortunately, shortly after, Beiste commanded her footballers to learn to dance in a few days for the musical. With a daunting task in front of them, the team turned to Mike for help. Poor stressed boy. Mike confided to Tina that his dad is displeased, but she wants to pump him up for his audition as Riff, his “chance to break out and show everybody that [he’s] more than just a fleet-footed dance ninja.” So Mike headed to the dance studio no one ever uses to practice. Was he going to go to his audition or would he choose his tutoring appointment instead? While he practiced, he visualized his dad telling him that he’s one accident away from having nothing and Tina reassuring him that his passion is what she loves about him. Not only did Harry kill it as he flipped and spun and slid across the room, but he also managed to convey the emotion of the moment.

The writers played a slight trick by making us believe Mike would skip his audition, but he just showed up late. Singing “Cool” from West Side Story, he turned in one of my favorite numbers of the season so far. (And this boy isn’t even a singer’s singer! He’s definitely had some lessons as of late.) The football players helped him out by playing the Jets and filling out the number. (Mike’s a very good teacher.) And how refreshing to see a full production centered just around him. He realized performing is truly what he loves to do, and it will never be a waste of his time, but he wasn’t off the hook yet. Mike’s mom (Tamlyn Tomita) stopped by the studio to ask Mike why he missed his chemistry tutor. He confessed his desire to be an artist, and she supported him, saying that her job is to encourage his own dream, not his parent’s. (Finally, another model parent! Say hello to your new friend, Burt.) She said if he gets the part, they’ll tell his father together. She then admitted that she once gave up her own passion because of her parents’ expectations, and she doesn’t want the same for Mike. I am brought to tears just from the look the two shared. It could have been so cheesy except it was just enough. When he asked what dream she gave up, he learned his mother loved dance too but was never allowed take lessons. But he told her it’s never too late and began to ballroom dance with her. AWW!

EMMA
Emma woke up to find out that Will had found her wedding magazine stash. (I guess these two have really moved in with each other.) She tried to blame it on Terri, but Will saw right through it. I guess that autographed photo of Vera Wang advising her to “marry up” did her in. Unlike some men, he isn’t scared of her “inner bridezilla,” but he wants there to be no secrets between them so he showed her his porn collection. Porn before 9 a.m. is unacceptable, but at least it kept him off Craigslist during his bachelor days. He was more worried that she hadn’t introduced him to her parents yet. They’re dead, she said, though she spoke with them only last night. So they’re dead and ghost and she’s crazy, but truthfully, she doesn’t think the time is right. Later on, Shelby popped by the teacher’s lounge to complain that no girls have auditioned for her glee club, a problem you now know is already rectified by the end of the episode. The other teachers definitely could have cared less. Will confided to Beiste while she loaded on carbs that he thinks Emma is ashamed of him and that’s why he hasn’t met her parents, so Beiste gave Will the horrible advice of introducing himself to them.

Schue ambushed Emma with a surprise dinner with her mom and dad, played by Valerie Mahaffey and Don Most. (These are the reasons I’m not so fond of their relationship. He always tries to push her when he needs to help her make choices, not force them. It’s clear that he loves and supports her but c’mon. Will doesn’t always know best.) He quickly found out that she’s not embarrassed of him; she’s embarrassed of her parents who are “ginger supremacist.” Their desire is to keep the red hair gene alive since the world will be ginger-free in 30 years at the rate their integrating. In a flashback, we see how Emma’s OCD may have started. Her parent even forced her to sanitize wipe cups held by non-ginger waitresses. It’s enough to scar a child for life. But Will stands up for her and himself, who’s clearly not a ginger, chastising the two for the narrow-minded ways and picking on Emma’s OCD ticks. Before bed, Will told Emma that he wished he could help her because she’s clearly struggling. She’s so lost that she gets down to pray, the one thing she can find comfort in, and he joins her even though he’s completely lost with the whole prayer thing, but it’s the only thing he can think of that might help her. And he’ll do anything. The episode closed with Will singing “Fix You”  (When did those Coldplay fools give in?) before sharing the stage with the glee club.

In other news, Kurt didn’t seem daunted that Brittany’s running against him since it’s more like him running while Brittany whimsically skips and hops alongside. He even seemed to be up in the polls at first, but after Brittany’s Presidential Rally where half of the McKinley ladies join Santana and her in “Run the World (Girls),” she looked like the clear favorite.

On the up side, Kurt adorably gave Blaine flowers to show his support that his boyfriend deserved the role of Tony. Blaine was thankful but also looked embarrassed when Kurt didn’t want him to show his affection in the school stairwell. Of course Kurt can’t stay up for long, and at the end of the episode, he learned that his new bestie Rachel had thrown her hat into the Presidential race out of fear that she’d lose the Maria credit on her NYADA application. She’d hope he would understand her ruthless ambition, but she evidently hurt Kurt’s feelings and potentially alienated Finn who’s been put in the middle.

I know we’re barely out of the Glee gate, but this week’s episode was the best of the season so far and definitely up there on my favorite 10 episodes ever. It was chock full of songs, dance numbers and character development. I laughed, I cried and I rejoiced in a very high school appropriate, truly self-defining and consistent storyline.

THE SONGS
“Spotlight” – B+
“Run the World (Girls)” – A -
“Cool” – A
“It’s All Over” – A
“Out Here On My Own” – A-
“Fix You” – B+

THE CAST LIST
Riff – Mike
Anita – Santana
Tony – Blaine
Maria – Rachel
Officer Krupke – Kurt

MEMORABLE MOMENTS
“My grandmother knew three English phrases: Coca-cola, kiss my grits and Harvard University.” – Mike’s dad

“Excuse me from gym all year or I’ll drain your spicy curry blood.” – Vampire Tina

“I kicked a fire hydrant when I found out Ace of Cakes was canceled, hence the crutches.” – Beiste

“So you’re cool with flushing McKinley High’s future down the magical poop-stealing water chariot?” – Brittany

“Kurt looks like Jimmy Fallon’s butch daughter, but a vote for him would only empower yet another frank and beans.” – Santana

“Kid’s never late. He runs like an expensive Swiss watch reproduced cheaply in China.” – Artie about Mike

“Singing is just musical talking.” – Beiste

“I’d really love to hear about your heritage. I have to say, your hair’s a little wooly for my taste, but those beautiful blue eyes are a very good sign.” – Emma’s mom

“It was one of the hardest decisions of my life. And that includes when I had to sell one of my prize donkeys to pay my gas bill. I sold Kim, but kept Khloe.” – Beiste

For another opinion on this week’s episode, check out Diva Face-Off by Alana D.

Season 3, Episode 3: “Asian F” (originally aired October 4, 2011)

Glee airs Tuesdays at 8 ET/PT on Fox.

Images courtesy of Mike Yarish and Fox.