GLEE - Episode 7: Throwdown

What's going down?

Will and Sue are not happy. Most noticeably with each other, as we witness a slow motion argument with angry voiceovers. While Will is concerned that he's turning into the male version of Sue Sylvester, she is rather enjoying it as "it finally feels good to pop that zit known as Will Schuester."

We flash back to a few days before when Sue and Schue are called into the principal's office to find out how the club is getting along with both of them in charge. Cue much fakery and niceties. Figgins wants to make sure that the leaders aren't trying to get one over the other or pit the kids against one another. As if they would ever do a thing like that. Will asks the kids what music they want to sing: "something a bit more black" is Kurt and Mercedes' response and so Sue realises that the chink in Glee's armour is that the minorities feel unrecognised. She plans to "create an environment so toxic that no kid will want to be part of that club." The meeting ends as Figgins makes the pair hug. "I'm about to vomit down your back" Sue tells Will.

Finn and Quinn go for a check-up on the baby and discover that the bun in the oven is in fact a girl. The couple are still undecided however on what to do after the birth. Finn confides his worries in Will as he knows that ultimately it isn't up to him whether they put the baby up for adoption or not. Though Quinn and Finn will soon have more to worry about as our favourite nerd Jacob tells Rachel he's going to reveal the pregnancy to the school through his blog. It looks as if Miss Berry may save the day as she bargains with him not to run the story.

Back at rehearsals to decide who will perform their number first at sectionals, Sue and Schue flip a coin. Though in typical Sue style, it's a double-headed one ensuring she wins. When picking her half of the club "Sue's Kids", instead of picking her footballers and Cheerios she picks all the minority students, in what has to be the most politically incorrect line yet: "Santana, Wheels, Gay Kid, Asian, Other Asian, Aretha and Shaft", thus making it look as if Will have kept them from being in his group. Very sneaky indeed.

Already in a bad mood after the day's events at Glee, Will returns home and has a go at Terri. About time, if you ask me. He's upset because he has no involvement in the decisions made about their baby; he hasn't even felt it kick yet. Panic sets in as he tells her that he's coming to her next doctor's appointment. Please, Will, do us all a favour, wise up and realise there is no baby.

In the hallway Rachel proudly tells Finn that she's stopped creepy Jacob from revealing all about the baby, though she also admits that her fathers are going to have to dip "into her college fund to pay for intensive therapy." Her reason for doing so? They're all teammates after all. After he leaves, Jacob returns and demands more "Rachel Berry panties."

Sue continues her quest to have Will fired on "Sue's Corners" as she speaks of her love for minorities. In fact, she "loves minorities so much she's planning on moving to California and becoming one." Back at Glee she gives "Sue's Kids" what they want; "Hate On Me" by Jill Scott and soon Mr Schue is forgotten about. Extra points to Mercedes: my God, the girl can belt.

Will's unhappy that she's undermining him in front of the rest of the kids, as it looks like the two are heading for a smack down in the middle of the corridor as she's sent away the piano for cleaning and binned all his sheet music. The reason behind her personal vendetta? "I don't trust a man with curly hair. I can't help but picture little birds laying sulfurous eggs in there, and it disgusts me."

When Sue turns up at Cheerios practice, most of her girls are missing. They can't compete in the team if their academics aren't up to standard. Turns out Will's flunked them in his Spanish class in retaliation. Sue drags him into Figgins' office declaring him sexist, deluded and anything else she can think of. However the principal sides with Will when he realises that most of the cheerleaders are virtually illiterate. She pulls the threat of the YouTube video out the bag again but he tells her that he's already uploaded it. Looks like for once Will's won this round as Sue storms out, taking down innocent children in her way.

Drizzle is "the best baby name of all time" according to Finn. Quinn on the other hand is less than impressed. She promptly reminds him that it's not down to them what the child is called as they're giving it away. Finn tries to reason with her saying that they're going through it together, but as she's the one carrying the baby Quinn just doesn't see it that way. Finn puts his foot in it as he tells his girlfriend that she should try being more like Rachel who selflessly surrendered her knickers to the nerd. Quinn declares that if he has to cheat on her, then do it, just not with Rachel at least.

The two halves of Glee come together for an impromptu jamming session with their take on "Ride Wit Me" by Nelly in what is one of my favourite musical numbers so far, despite its shortness. Though Kurt breaks up the love fest as he reminds them the two are not supposed to mix together. To oppose "Sue's Kids" singing about hate, quite literally, Will gives his group "No Air". Though not everyone is happy, as Quinn complains about Finn and Rachel singing lead - it's hard not to notice their chemistry. With her, Brittany and Puck all stuck in back-up, "swaying there like props", she comes to the absurd conclusion that Will really is racist and so Puck and Brittany, with Jewish and Dutch heritage respectively, decide to join "Sue's Kids."

Having stood up to Sue, Schue now feels able to control all areas of his life and books a baby check-up for Terri. So off Terri and Kendra go to Mr Woo's office and threaten to sue him unless he helps them fake this pregnancy. They also force him to admit that it's a girl to keep in line with Quinn's pregnancy. After seeing the faked scan Will couldn't be happier as we see a single tear fall down his face.

At school Will continues his rampage as he confronts Sue about taking Puck and Brittany. She bargains with him; he can have them back if he passes her cheerleaders through Spanish. Though he tells her she'll "have to pry those Fs from his cold, dead hands." Quinn also has some harsh words for Rachel, as once again she tells her to keep her hands to herself. However Rachel turns it back on her as she reveals she knows she's being a mole for Sue and forces her to realise the club is all she's going to have once everyone finds out she's pregnant. Cue a rather splendid montage with cheerleaders as Quinn bursts into song with "You Keep Me Hanging On"; while she's no Rachel she has a pretty enough voice to hold the song.

It's time for the two clubs to showcase to other what they've come up with. Sue tries to get her side to walk out when Will's, consisting now of only Rachel, Finn and Quinn, perform and so we come full circle back to the argument at the start. However this backfires on her as all of the members walk out, stating that they just want to be together again, with Rachel taking the opportunity to "show them how a real storm-out is done."

Surprisingly Sue decides to do the right thing for once as she goes to the principal's office and tells him she's standing down as co-director of Glee, though she still wants to have some involvement in the club. Inspirational message of the week: while Sue may have brought the issue of minorities to the forefront all of the kids in the club are minorities but that's what makes them special.

We end as Sue lets Quinn know that she knows about the pregnancy and just how disappointed she is in her. She's told Jacob that he can run the story and soon everybody will find out and she'll have to turn her cheerleading uniform in. As Quinn cries into the arms of her boyfriend Rachel is left simply watching from the sidelines. The episode closes as we see the club sing Avril Lavigne's "Keep Holding On" as a clear sign of support for the couple.

11 o'clock number

The ending number of the show "Keep Holding On" fits perfectly with the episodes narrative. While I wasn't a fan of the song when it was originally released, Glee's take on it and new arrangement make it more than bearable. I have to admit that I was as close to tears as Quinn was.

Quote of the week

Sue, on what's really important in education: "Should they learn Spanish? Sure, if they want to become dishwashers and gardeners. But if they want to be bankers and lawyers and captains of industry, the most important lesson they could possibly learn is how to do a round-off."

Final thoughts

The biggest question from this week's episode is what is going to happen once everyone finds out about Quinn's pregnancy? Can her and Finn's relationship last through the trials and tribulations of what's to come. You've got to feel a bit bad for Rachel; she gave a creepy nerd her knickers, for goodness sake. And is Terri really going to be able to keep up with the fake pregnancy?

 

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