The Sue Sylvester Shuffle
Glee Episode Review
In which there is much ado about football. Glee crafts a strong post-Superbowl episode that focuses mainly on the tension between the football team and the glee club.
What Happened
Sue is bored with her routine for Nationals and decides to liven things up by shooting Brittany out of a cannon.
Bieste has led the football team to a championship game. Unfortunately, she has major teamwork issues with the kids - mostly due to Karofsky and the others picking on the glee club guys. Finally, Bieste and Will decide to have the whole football team join glee club for a week. And after Sue schedules regionals on the same day as the playoff - hence, no cheerleaders - they decide to have the kids do Michael Jackson's "Thriller" during the half-time show.
Initially resistant, the football players are loosening up - until they get slushied by the hockey team. Karofsky leads a revolt and refuses to do the show. Bieste tells them that if they don't dance, they don't play. All but five players walk.
The glee girls offer to make up the numbres on the field, but the team is still getting pounded by half-time. Deciding they need to do something else, Finn sends Puck to get the rest of the team back. Then, he talks Quinn, Santana and Britanny into walking away from Sue and regionals (and the human cannon) and perform at half-time.
The performance is a hit and the team wins the game. Sue loses regionals. Finn hopes that Karofsky's participation means he will be less of a jerk, but Karofsky still refuses to cut glee club any slack.
The Good
- Flamethrowing cheerleaders. But of course.
- Finn pointing out that Karofsky never has a girlfriend.
- Bieste and Will talking. He needs a friend now that Emma has dropped off the face of the planet.
- Sue trying to throw the hand weights in the midst of her temper tantruam. Funniest thing ever.
- Two PM ninja poops.
- Quinn, Santana and Brittany quitting the Cheerios.
- The game held my interest. And I guess Karofsky earned a little redemption - for a half-second until he became an asshole again. Dammit, boy!
The Bad
- Not sure if goopy pop rock is the key to winning over the footbal players, Will.
- The sudden appearance of the hockey team only reminds me that the high school ecosystem is underdeveloped. Where have they been this whole time?
The Cliche
- Losing in the first half, pulling out a last second win. (Finn figures out how to win the football game.)
Best Lines
Brittany: "I don't want to die yet. At least not until One Tree Hill gets cancelled."
What Did I Think?
A strong episode, but I'm still not the biggest fan of the Karofsky storyline. Perhaps I was just too oblivious to the whole Jock Thing in high school. I can't understand why no one hasn't just given him a good swift kick yet. He's an ass, even if you don't take into account the bullying thing. He can't be all that good of a friend. What does he do when he's not slushing nerds?
Karofsky's not being clever mean - he's just being mean mean, which is no fun to watch. It's all well-acted and I get that there is some true pathos there, but still... Karofsky has committed the ultimate TV sin: he's been boring.