BWW Blogs: GLEE Episode Two: Showmance

GLEE begins tonight on UK TV, with Showmance airing on E4. Here's our resident Gleek's take on it - but be warned, spoilers ahoy!

What's going down?

Everything seems just peachy as Will walks into school for another day. However, Sue soon rains on his parade as she continues on her quest to have Glee disbanded. Pulling out the all important show choir rule book, she points out that to qualify for regionals he needs 12 kids - he only has 6. She tells him to do what she did to her mother - 'euthanise it' - and offers him a position as her assistant. As if Schue would give up so easily on 'his kids'! He tells her that Glee is here to stay.

How to recruit more kids? Through singing, of course. Will prepares the club for their first big performance in front of the rest of the school, but sends them like lambs to the slaughter as he tells them they'll be singing 'Le Freak'. After much protest he compromises, penning in 'Gold Digger' as a future number. Extra points to him for rapping the whole song and busting some moves; it should have been cringe worthy.

It's not getting any better for Emma and her unrequited love for Will. Have you ever liked someone so much you just want to lock yourself in your room, turn on sad music and cry? She sure has as we see her belting out the classic tear jerker 'All By Myself' whilst crying hysterically in her car. Relationship dramas continue: Rachel is determined to make Finn her leading man both on and off stage. Though it doesn't look like Quinn will be giving him up any time soon, offering to let him touch her breasts - 'over the bra', of course - if he quits the club. Luckily he keeps Rachel's dreams alive by sticking to his guns even if his girlfriend is now thought of as 'his big gay beard.'

Outside of school Terri continues on her psychotic path to create the perfect life. After house hunting for a bigger place now that the little bundle of joy is on the way she sets her heart on one that the Schuesters simply can't afford. Cue a little manipulation and an offer is put in on it.

Major drama occurs as Rachel and Finn break the 'serious bureaucracy' that applies to photocopies as they use the Cheerios-only copier to make posters to recruit new members to Glee. This scandalous act causes Sue to drip her protein shake. Even more shocking is the fact she'll have to clean it up herself as they've sacked half of the janitors. It's a recession, you know.

This, however, proves to be great news for Will who takes on a night shift as a janitor to fund his new home. Emma offers help to him and the two begin to grow closer. Though having realised that Will is married and has a baby on the way, she turns to Ken, who has always had a crush on her, to be her second choice.

In her continued attempts to snatch Finn, Rachel joins the celibacy club headed up by her arch enemy and her gang of cheerleaders. Here we learn that it's 'all about the teasing and not about the pleasing' as we see the teens comically grind with balloons in between them - "if the balloons pop the noise makes the angels cry." These efforts haven't gone unnoticed by Quinn who soon recognises Rachel has feelings for her man and promptly warns her to back off. She doesn't and the two share a romantic picnic on stage while rehearsing culminating in a kiss between the pair, though it doesn't go to plan as Finn ends up awkwardly running off, leaving Rachel crying.

Biggest shocker of the week is Terri's pregnancy isn't real, it's simply hysterical. Buying the house is off but the baby isn't as she chooses not to tell him. Has it ever been so easy to hate a character? I can feel myself lunging at the TV screaming, 'Leave Terri for Emma, Will!'

Rachel decides to override Will's artistic direction and tells the club they're going to give the other kids what they want - sex. Cue some second-hand embarrassment as they perform Salt n Pepa's 'Push It', with dance moves that leave little to the imagination. Sue's first thought is that the kids 'should be put into foster care' but despite her protestations the club still remains.

Sue does nevertheless get one over on Will as Quinn and her two best friends, cheerleaders Santana and Brittany ,sign up for Glee, as she tightens her grip on Finn as well as agreeing to help Sue bring the club down from the inside.

'It's not all about you' is the lesson of the night as both Will and Rachel are forced to face up to the fact that the club doesn't revolve around them. He can't relive his glory days through it and she can't expect to always to take the lead.

11 o'clock number

This week's comes courtesy of Rachel as she takes on Rihanna's 'Take a Bow' and in the process wipes the floor with her vocally. She is of course singing to Finn and the closing clips allow us to believe that there really is no chance of the two ever being together.

Quote of the week

Sue on the club's performance of 'Push It': "That was the most offensive thing I've seen in twenty years of teaching - and that includes an elementary school production of Hair."

Final Thoughts

I had high hopes after viewing the pilot and 'Showmance' definitely lives up to them. You can't deny that it has its moments of being over sentimental and cheesy but the fun, frolics and wicked sense of humour more than make up for them. 

This second episode has left us with some big questions that will no doubt continue over the rest of season. What is to come of the feud between Glee and the Cheerios? Will Finn choose Quinn or Rachel as his leading lady? How much longer can we all put up with Terri and how on earth is she going to fake this pregnancy?

Test and expand your Broadway knowledge with our new game - The Broadway Match-Up! How well do you know your Broadway casting trivia?	Play the Daily Game, explore current shows, and delve into past decades like the 2000s, 80s, and the Golden Age. Challenge your friends and see where you rank!
How well do you know your Tony Awards history? Take our never-ending quiz of nominations and winner history and challenge your friends.	Can you beat your friends? Play today’s daily Broadway word game, featuring a new theatrically inspired word or phrase every day!