Glee - 310 - Yes/No

 Original air date: January 17, 2012

I am so happy we're done with the Christmas episode. I usually like holiday episodes, Halloween being my favourite kind of special but I quickly learned that with Glee, holidays are some of their worst episodes. Now let's pretend it never happened and also, I need to remind you what happened. No, not last episode or the one before, I'm talking last season. If you'll recall, season 2 ended on a bizarre, out of nowhere teaser that Mercedes and Sam might be dating but Chord dared to ask to be made a main cast member, for more money and so Ryan fired him. So, this season just had Mercedes coldly say she got over him and is now dating Shane. Well, Sam is back now, so we have to pretend they're a thing now and that suddenly everyone knows and is interested in finding out. 

The kids ask for details outside, even though it would be winter if they just had Christmas but whatever. They are split up in groups of boys and girls but Kurt is with the girls because he's gay? I know, he's definitely more friends with the girls but this always rubbed me the wrong way. Anyway, the boys are urging Sam for details while the girls are bugging Mercedes to tell them what's up. So, naturally they start singing Summer Nights from Grease. It should be noted that they got rid of the "did she put up a fight" line which is for the best. It also seems like Mercedes may be changing her mind on ditching Sam for Shane.

Next we get a narration from Becki Jackson, of all people. Helen Mirren is the voice in Becky's head and she's telling us that she's the hottest bitch at school and could snag any guy she wants but she's picky. She thinks Rory grins too much and it makes him look insane which I totally agree with. Puck's mohawk looks like someone taped a squirrel to his head, again, she is not missing. Then she gets to Mike and says the most racist thing ever "No, Chang do. I'm no Rice Queen" and I got physically repulsed. Did Brad Falchuk seriously just have a girl with downs syndrome spout a racist reason for not wanting to date Mike? I'm so sorry to Lauren Potter but this is why I can't stand Becky's character. The entire joke is, she's got downs but she's terrible and says horrible things and I don't like it. Anyway, she settles on Artie, of all people as the person she wants to date. She tells Sue about this who encourages Becky to just ask him out, though she says Becky can do better. Honestly, I gotta agree with Sue here.

Emma is in the staff room and avoids sitting with Will to sit with Shannon. Which is odd because normally, Will is sitting with Shannon and Emma always. Today, they need Shannon and Emma alone though. It's lunch time so, of course, they have to make fun of what Shannon is eating, two whole chickens. When they first introduced Shannon, they had this veneer of sensitivity about her where they pretended to care that everyone was mean to her because of how she looks but the show itself is literally putting her down for being bigger. She's not even fat, she's just bigger. I hate this. She tells us she's eloped so...I guess she won that whole fight with Sue over Cooter then? Love how they set up a plot point and then realize they don't want to do that so they just finish it off screen. Glee, you are a mess. Sue shows up and is surprisingly chill because again, the writers decided they didn't want to deal with that so they're making it clear it's ended and Emma starts to cry. Shannon asks her what's up and she admits that she thinks Will doesn't want to marry her. For some reason Sue is super supportive and tells her or "Amelia" as she refers to Emma, that if she wants to marry Will, she should ask him. Emma then launches into Wedding Bell Blues by The 5th Dimension which is a fun non-digetic number that reveals her desire to marry Will. She ends the song right in front of Will where he looks up at her baffled and asks if she just asked him to marry her. Emma gets flustered, denies it and bails. 

I love these songs that are only in people's heads. 
You can have so much more fun visually with them

Will takes this information and goes directly to his glee club where he tells them that he is going to propose to Emma and that they are his family. He puts it on his students to come up with the perfect proposal performance for Emma because he's not devoid of originality or creativity at all. The kids are pumped about being used in this way though so I guess Will has successfully brainwashed them.

Mercedes thinks the whole thing is romantic so Sam asks her if she wants to get married some day. She confirms but after she wins a Grammy. Sam asks her if she has any idea who the guy will be and like, slow down buddy. You're in high school, how the fuck is she supposed to know how her life is going to go already? Mercedes tells him to back off because she's with Shane now. Sam asks if it's because he's white that she won't give him a chance and she asks him if he's insane. So, he asks if it's because Shane is an athlete. Mercedes doesn't even acknowledge this one and tells him that what they had was a summer fling but it's over now. Sam asks her about their tilt-a-whirl ride and asks if it doesn't make her smile. She says it was fun but summer's over now. Sam is rejected. I like Sam a lot as a character but I have to admit, this pursue a girl at any cost storyline doesn't sit right with me. She's telling him no, she's telling him she has a boyfriend, she's set her boundaries and he should respect that. I don't know if the show is sending the right message with this in affirming his pursuit of her later in the episode. I know this can be romantic, hell I rooted for Pam and Jim but this feels worse, in my opinion. 

Artie approaches Sugar to ask her if she wants to work with him on a proposal song but she stops him before he's even finished to reject him. She says some ableist stuff but I really hate Artie so I kind of took pleasure in him getting just trampled like this. Artie doesn't have long to feel bad before Becky runs up to him and asks him out. Artie looks extremely uncomfortable but we don't get his answer.

Sam approaches Shannon to ask if he can join the basketball team. Shannon tells him that all the teams are full and have been practicing for months. Sam really wants a letterman jacket and begs her for any opportunity in any sport. There is one but Shannon isn't sure he'll be interested.

We cut to Sam at a swimming pool because apparently this underfunded Ohio high school has the funds for a synchronized swimming team and a pool within their school. A pool. Ok. Sam is told he gets a letterman robe and that they need to know his nickname so they can have it embroidered on the back. Sam asks if Trouty Mouth would work which makes me chuckle at the call back but I'm pretty sure Sam hated that nickname and wouldn't want this as his nickname so it doesn't really make sense. We then meet a new character, Roz Washington, who is the swim coach. She was added because Ryan Murphy saw her and thought it would be funny to have a "black Sue" and no, I don't know if that's true, it's just speculation on my part but don't you just feel that that was the reason? 

Sam is super excited to be on the swim team but self-conscious Finn tells him it's lame, especially since he's already in glee. Sam thinks that swimming is sexy but Finn says it's not if it's synchronized. Sam's progressive and positive attitude is rewarded by being slushied. Mercedes goes to help him and I think this is supposed to be a moment but I'm going to be honest with you, I've never felt this ship. Shane pulls her away and she looks regrettable as she leaves him standing alone, covered in icy liquid. 

At least he has a towel to wipe himself off?

Artie corners Will and tells him that the girls will totally suck at their proposal song with a boring ballad whereas, he thinks Will should lead with his hips. Is it weird that a bunch of students are commenting on Will's "rock star" hips? Yes. Is Glee going to subject us to it anyway? Hell yes. And they're going to make you suffer through them singing Maroon 5's Moves Like Jagger while they do it. No woman would want this as their proposal song. No one wanted this as a song, period. They try to make it a bit better or interesting by mashing it up with The Rolling Stones's Jumping Jack Flash but I don't think it saves this. The moral of this story, and many others is, never listen to Artie. Will agrees and let's them down easy by making the excuse that he'd sweat a lot with all that dancing and Emma hates dirty things. Becky has been watching that performance as well and tells Artie that part one of their date was so much fun. Artie is confused because he assumed that this would be enough of a date for Becky...watching him perform. Becky is obviously not satisfied with that being the entire date and says that they're now going to Breadstix. Artie doesn't look happy.

Finn is actually helping Will pick out a ring for Emma and just brace yourselves, a man speech is coming and things are going to get creepier than a high school student being taken to a ring store by a teacher. So, Will asks Finn, his student, to be his best man at the wedding because apparently Finn has "taught him more about being a man than anyone he's ever known" and I just want to ask Will to step away from the teenager. Far, far away. Finn is very happy to be best man to his teacher but I'm still cringing at the fact that a teenager had to teach Will to be a man. Finn decides now is the best time to tell Will he wants to enlist in the military. He wants to do something great, like his dad did but with less dying. Oof. Will looks concerned but just nods along.

The girls pull Will aside to ask him for details about his relationship with Emma. Weird. He tells them that he would never forget how he felt the first time he saw her. The girls have it covered and sing him The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face by Roberta Flack. While singing, we get to see each girl's first interactions with who they love, Rachel and Finn, obviously, Tina and Mike, Santana and Brittany, and Mercedes and oops, Sam. Mercedes confesses this to the other girls and they encourage her to see if the spark with Sam is still there.

We then cut to Will at home with Emma's parents who are the absolute worst. It just hit me that he thinks Emma would like that he asked for her parent's permission to be married when she fucking can't stand them. Why would she care about their opinion? Naturally, Will asks and they say no because they're horrible and think that Emma is broken and unmarriageable. They say she hates mess and therefore would be terrible at marriage and babies. They ask if that's what he wants for his kids and himself and Will looks thoughtful. Yeah, great Will. Listen to the toxic parents who clearly emotionally abuse her. Good job.

The glee club confront Artie about his date with Becky and how it was a little weird. This is a very delicate subject because, yes it is but I don't know if this show is addressing the same weirdness that I am. It's fine for Artie to hang out with Becky but she very clearly wants to date Artie and I don't think he wants to date her. Therefore, his hanging out with her might be leading her on but Artie gets indignant about how they all talk a big game about treating people who are different like everyone else but don't actually do it and I don't think that's what they're getting at. Or maybe it is and this is supposed to be Artie's big moment to be the bigger person but no, it's not fair for him to go out with her when she thinks they're dating and he thinks of her as a friend. 

Artie isn't the only one to be confronted though, Will has told Finn's parents about his plans and now they're wanting to talk with him. Finn is not happy that Will blabbed and doesn't this feel like such a huge power imbalance. One minute Will is treating Finn like an equal, a friend. So, Finn confides in him and now he's gone and acted like a teacher. I'm not saying Will was wrong for acting like a teacher because he should inform Finn's parents when things are wrong, I'm saying that he's messed with Finn's mind here. He shouldn't be acting like their friend, because he's not, he's their teacher. I want to really spell out here that sometimes, a student/teacher relationship can overstep boundaries even without a sexual component and this is one of those times. It's creepy. Anyway, Burt is upset because he wants Finn to run the shop while he's gone and Finn says he isn't enlisting tomorrow or anything which makes all of the adults a little more relieved. Finn then says he wants to see what kind of man he is, like his father and Carol gets an oh shit look and says she knew it was about him. She finally breaks down and tells him that his father was brave and true and great but that he didn't die in Iraq. Something happened there that broke him and when he returned, he wasn't the same person. He had a drug problem that he tried to overcome but just couldn't. He'd disappear for days at a time until one day, he didn't come back because of an over dose and oooooof. This hurts. This really hurts to listen to knowing what happens to Cory. I may not be a fan of Finn but I'm not heartless. Cory struggled with drug addiction and it is absolutely tragic that he left the world as young as he did; and only a little over a year after this episode aired. I'm so sorry, that is unfathomably sad. RIP. Finn doesn't take this news well at all. Carol tells him that she sees all the good in his father, in him and that his father was so much more than the last few months of his life. Finn doesn't think he would ever be ready to hear news like this.

Becky is narrating again as Helen Mirren about how she's going to seal the deal tonight so she'll have Artie as her date for the Special Olympics ball. She approaches Artie and tells him that tonight, they're going to do it and that she's sent him a picture for a preview. We quick cut to Artie showing this picture to Sue who says she has a cute little shape and this all feels gross because I think they're insinuating that she sent Artie a nude pic? I would think Sue would be a little more concerned about that. Ask Artie to delete it immediately, perhaps. She focuses instead, and not entirely wrongly, on what the difference is between Becky sending this or someone like Brittany. I would say, mainly that Becky might need a little more discussion on when it's appropriate to send something like that, it's not good that she's so freely doing it and I know that they're trying to say that she's like everyone else and she is but she's also still a minor. If I found out my kids were sending nudes to someone after one date, I'd probably have a talk with them about safety, consent, the threat of revenge porn, all that stuff. Like, do what you will as an adult, as long as you're aware of the risks but it's never a good idea for minors to engage in stuff like this. Please be safe with your nudes and be careful who you send them to. Also, as a teen, you're still a minor so sending out a picture like that is classed as CP. Woof, this episode got really heavy, really fast. Sue asks Artie if he wants to date Becky and Artie admits that he doesn't so she tells him to man up and tell Becky that. Good advice, please talk with Becky about sending nudes. Also, Sue mocks Artie's driving gloves and then Artie's button up shirt which I approve of because Artie sucks. Deal with it.

And he dresses like a vaudeville performer

Will comes home and finds Emma cleaning off the Christmas decorations as she packs them away and he mentions that she started taking the tree down at New Years and it still isn't done. She assures him she's close and then asks him to sit down. She confronts him about wanting to get married and asks if he wants her as his wife. Will says he loves her but that he worries what will happen to her when they do get married and they have a house and a baby. She can't control another human or how they'll make messes and what if it's all too much for her? Emma looks crushed and she stammers that she's been taking her medications and while some days her better, some aren't but she's trying her best. Will acknowledges that she's trying but then he says it's not her fault that she has this "disease" and I actually crinkled my nose and grimaced. That is a loaded word and not what I'd call someone suffering from mental health issues. They're not diseased, they don't have a disease, they have a disorder. There is no cure for it, they can only manage themselves as best as they can. Will has every right to feel hopeless or frustrated or whatever because being a support person is exhausting at times but I don't like the way he's holding it over Emma's head and telling her this. It doesn't help, it only serves to make Emma feel like shit for being a burden that Will has to put up with. That's not productive. If Will feels this way, there are great support groups for people who are support for people with mental health concerns because they need support too. Emma does stand up for herself though and says that while she's managing herself as best she can, this is what Will gets and while she loves him more than anything, he needs to let her know now if he can handle it. She walks away to let him think. Good for her.

We find ourselves at Breadstix with Finn, Rachel, and Kurt. Finn thinks he has loser DNA and Kurt joins the pity party saying he has no chance to get into NYADA. Rachel says the letters have been sent out and while people are talking about getting theirs already she hasn't and doesn't think she will because of her suspension. They complain about how sucky it is that the future used to be fun to dream about but now that it's here, they have to face the fact that their dreams haven't come true. I kind of love this because it's not talked about enough on teen shows. Also the weight of trying to figure out what the hell you're supposed to do or want to do after high school. The only thing I knew was that University came next and there were a few things I might vaguely be into. It's hard. Finn wishes his mother hadn't told him about his father and wishes he had something special or something that made him feel special and then we get David Guetta's Without You sung by Rachel, to Finn. It's beautiful. It segues into her performing it for real to the whole glee club. Finn looks constipated while she sings it to him though and I don't know if that's what he was going for but at least he starts to smile or try to smile. They kiss at the end. Santana tells Rachel she knocked it out of the park (she did) and then makes a joke about how she totally nailed the assignment if it was to make everything about Rachel and force everyone to watch. I laughed, classic Santana. Will tells Santana to back off and that Rachel did a great job. Artie asks who he's going to pick but we all know Will was never going to pick a winner, that's not his style. Also, even if he was going to pick a winner, it would never be Artie and certainly not for singing Maroon 5. Also, Will probably doesn't want to tell the kids that he's potentially fucked up his relationship with Emma yet again.

Will watches Emma stress cleaning. He walks away sadly and you wonder if this is the end of them. He's approached by Sam who says that he has an awesome idea that is worthy of a proposal to Emma and we cut to commercial. When we come back, we find Emma putting up spinster pamphlets in her office. Will comes in and asks if she has a second. He leads her down the hallway where a bunch of teachers, I think each hand Emma a white rose, including Shannon and even Sue, of all people. Once she has a bouquet, she's lead into the pool area where the glee club is singing Rhianna's We Found Love in a Hopeless Place and the synchronized swim team doing a choreographed dance. Everyone jumps in even Artie.

He's dead now

Just kidding, they show him somehow on top of a floaty toy. Don't ask how they got him up there when he'd essentially be dead weight and everyone else was focused on dancing pretty. Magic. Will emerges wearing all white and walking on water when he jumps off the invisible platform and swims to Emma. He tells her she is the one and he feels like he had to stop himself from asking her this from the second he first saw her. He tells her that life is messy and that he'll help her with that but she also helps to balance him out. He loves her more than anything and asks her to marry her. She says yes and it's honestly really sweet. We'll come back to this because the moment is nice. I also want the girls's swimsuits.

Artie finally approaches Becky and tells her that while he likes being her friend, he's not interested in dating her and that he's sorry. Becky asks if it's because she finds him intimidating and he says that's it. She gets it and walks away but her narration says that she wanted to ask if the reason he didn't want to date her is because she has Downs. She says some days it sucks to be her and that this is one of those days. Becky tries to fight back tears and go to Sue's office. Sue offers a comforting ear and ice cream. She says they'll get through their heartaches together (Sue getting dumped by Cooter, I guess). It's also sweet.

Finn has Rachel come to the auditorium because he wants to talk to her. He makes her promise not to say a word until he's done. Finn says that he used to worry about living up to who his dad was and now he's up at night wondering if he'll become who his dad was. Ouch...this hurts. I'm so sorry, Cory. Finn says that Rachel is his ray of hope and that loving her makes him feel special. He pulls out a box and says this is a promise for him to keep loving her and then asks her to marry him. I wish I could be happy for the Finchel shippers but I hate this. Look, I'm not against young love and hell I'd have probably melted if Pacey asked Joey to marry him right out of high school (though he'd never have done it because he would never want to feel like he was trapping Joey) but this is not a relationship I can get behind. I don't see young/first loves that will last a life time with these two, I see disfunction and drama. I really hope this didn't spark a lot of young teens to do the same with relationships they weren't fully able to see they might outgrow. For every 1 couple that are true loves of their lives that will make it to 80 and still be as in love as ever, there are probably another 100 that break up. You have your whole lives ahead of you at 18 and while, legally, you're an adult, you still have so much to learn and a lot of growing and maturing to do. You are not the same person at 18 as you will become at 25 or 30. Finn shouldn't be putting this much pressure on Rachel when she should be focused on either going to NYADA or finding an alternative. This is not it, for me. Happy for you if you love it though.

Honestly, this was my face watching him propose too

Speaking of proposals, Will's proposal to Emma was nice but I do feel like they had a very serious issue that needed to be discussed. Look, way back in the day, I might have accepted his proposal speech as a hopeful and beautiful thing that paved the way to happiness but, speaking from personal experience, they needed to have a very frank and very serious discussion before this. I know they briefly touched on it but in reality (which this is not and I get why some licenses can be taken) they've got a lot of work and a lot of struggle and heartache ahead of them. Not saying it can't work but I wonder if Will is mature enough for it, a person like Will. I mean, we are talking fiction so Emma is only as affected by her OCD and Will is only as stressed by her condition as the writers want them to be. Reality is much harsher, much messier, much less perfect. I can't speak for what it's like for people who are struggling through serious mental health disorders but I can say that as a caregiver to people who are suffering, it's hard and it can feel lonely. I really want to stress that support systems are extremely important. Will needs to realize that Emma has no support, her parents are awful, so he will be her sole support system. If he wants to do that, great but he also needs to realize that he needs a support system too. There's a lot of great resources out there, here is one place in Canada for family and friends. One thing I found incredibly helpful to remind myself when I attended a support group for family and friends through ADAM was the three Cs (which they took from Al-Anon) I didn't Cause it, I can't Control it, and I can't Cure it. Please take care of yourselves, whether you're suffering from a disorder or whether you are a friend or family member of someone with it, there is help out there. You are not alone.

I'm sorry this episode got so dark. I really wasn't intending to have it be but Glee seems to have a habit of tackling subjects that are maybe a little too much for them to handle and it's certainly too much for me but I try. I try my best and that's all we can do. Let's hope we have a little more fun with next episode, Michael.