Dear Tina,
Tonight when Mr. Schuester told his students that because Coach Sylvester had taken control of the auditorium for the entire week they would have to find a new space to rehearse and make their HOME, I suspected that this overemphasis of the word home might lead to a breakout musical number. Maybe even the song “Home” by Michael Buble, which if listening to it 90 times on my iTunes is any indication, I wouldn’t have minded. Instead Matthew Morrison (Will Schuester) was trying to prepare us for an episode dedicated to answering some of social culture’s biggest questions: what makes a house a home? Can a home only be defined by four walls and a roof with a mortgage paid for by your parents? Or is a home simply a safe haven where you are accepted for you who are and the space and family within it are something you create for yourself? It was an emotional roller coaster of an evening dealing with cliche teen problems that felt fresh and sophisticated thanks in large part to supplemental musical numbers that reminded us of their superior talent. Think the opposite of the Saved by the Bell episode featuring “Teen Line” where Zach Morris learns the value in treating people with disabilities nicely. They’re people too!
First we learn that Finn’s mom is dating Kurt’s dad. Thrilling news for Kurt who has had a long time crush on Finn and begins immediate plans to redecorate the bedroom he is sure they will eventually share. Although, even if Finn were gay and interested in Kurt, the union of their parents would make them step brothers so…ick. The only show I can think of that ever pulled of the stepchildren romantic relationship is Gossip Girl and that show pulls off underage cleavage on a weekly basis so it’s kind of in a league of its own. Anyway, Finn doesn’t take this new relationship well and berates his mom for trying to get rid of all tangible memories of his father in the house as a result of this new relationship. When the happy couple and the two boys go out to dinner, Kurt’s dad Burt (yikes) bonds almost instantly with Finn over sports and Kurt realizes that the only one with anything to gain here is his father, getting the son he always wanted.
Meanwhile, after Mercedes and Kurt joined the Cheerios last week as a slight to Mr. Schuester for undervaluing their talents in glee club, the realities of this decision begin to set in. What Mercedes didn’t anticipate was the wrath of Sue Sylvester. After being awarded “Cheerleading Coach of the Last 2000 Years,” with a photo shoot and cover story to follow, Sue is on all the Cheerios’ cases to be in the best shape of their life or risk being pulled from the picture. She talks to Mercedes privately, who up until that point has donned uniform track pants instead of the usual skirt, and tells her that she has to lose ten pounds and “put on a gender appropriate uniform” or she will be kicked off the squad. Feeling pressure on all sides, Kurt also hounding Mercedes out of fear she’ll screw this up for them and they’ll be forced back into the life of misfits, she stops eating and winds up fainting in the school cafeteria. While Mercedes waits in the nurse’s office for her mom to get her, Quinn (whose general absence has been felt up until this point) comes in and offers moral support. Quinn herself had gone through the wringer as a Cheerio before she was kicked off when Sue discovered her pregnancy. In one of the most sensible explanations I’ve ever heard for overcoming an eating disorder, Quinn tells Mercedes “when you start eating for somebody else so that they can grow and be healthy, your relationship to food changes. What I realized is that, if I’m so willing to eat right to take care of this baby, why am I not willing to do it for myself?” Leave it to teen pregnancy to bring out the practicality in our youth. Though the writing was a bit contrived (if I had written a play in seventh grade about anorexia it would have included the line, “I was scared, hating myself for eating a cookie.”) the emotion in these two young girls felt sincere and it was heartbreaking to be reminded of how hard it is in high school to embrace and enjoy who you are. When Quinn reminded Mercedes that she had always been proud of her body before joining the Cheerios, Mercedes tearfully asks “How did I become this person?” I almost cried. If I was still in high school, I probably would have.
In the end, Finn learned that although no man would ever replace his father, his mom had a right to move on and find happiness with a man again. Mercedes defied Sue’s demands and showed up to the pep rally where the magazine reporter was observing and belted out a show-stopping rendition of “Beautiful” by Christina Aguilera, inviting all those in the gym who had ever felt less-than to join her in singing. Kurt’s pining after Finn has always felt a little beneath him but the scene when Kurt confronted his father after their outing with Finn and his mom, brought this story back to the real issue at hand: Kurt feeling unworthy of his father’s love and attention. Burt is somewhat sympathetic in his ignorance–a father trying to do his best with the hand he was dealt without the emotional support of a wife (who died eight years prior). When he reminds Kurt of the deal they made when he first came out of the closet, “I don’t try to change you, you don’t try to change me”, it is clear he means well but has unfortunately mislabeled complacency for acceptance. It’s hard enough for gay teens to get through high school without daily ridicule, but to feel equally out of place and judged in your own home is tragic.
Briefly, Kristin Chenoweth returned as April Rhodes, a former classmate of Will’s who had a passion for singing and alcohol, the latter leaving her without a high school diploma. Her appearance as an unrecovered alcoholic, mistress of a strip mall tycoon, and operator of a roller rink felt a bit unrelated to the direction we saw the show going in these past two episodes. Like maybe Ryan Murphy and the writers just wanted an excuse to bring back Broadway bombshell Chenoweth to sing the Streisand medley hit “One Less Bell to Answer/A House is Not a Home.” But she looked stunning at the end of the episode hitting a glass-shattering high note in “Home” from The Wiz, so not a bad decision there Mr. Murphy. Rachel was almost nonexistent in this episode and I found that…distracting. So, let’s not have a repeat of that. Next week Sue is confronted by what to do now that the reporter writing a piece on her, after watching Mercedes’ performance, has commended her for embracing all body types in cheerleading. Anytime you hear Christina Aguilera’s “Beautiful” on a television show, rest assured social reform is coming.
Song of the Night:
Beautiful by Christina Aguilera
Mercedes rendition was poignant and in comparison even reminded us that despite her talent, yes, Christina Aguiera’s voice is a little bit annoying. Also, Artie’s very subtle “roof raise” to Mercedes’ riffs got my biggest laugh of the night.
Brittany Line of the Night:
Girlfriend only had two lines (shame on you Ryan Murphy) but anything out of her mouth is pure gold. Tonight:
I’m pretty sure my cat’s been reading my diary.
30 Rock Quote of the Day:
Liz: Can I share with you my world view?
Jack: I’d rather hear you sing Rock of Man again.
Liz: All of human kind has one thing in common: the sandwich. I believe that all anyone really wants in this life is to sit in peace and eat a sandwich.
Jack: What a surprise your world view is food based.
Dear Tina 
Cher and Josh from Clueless?