Glee: "Silly Love Songs"

I'll be honest -- I was fed up with Glee after its fall run, and my feelings only compounded by reading story after story about what a horrible person Lea Michele is in real life. The only reason I kept watching every episode was the same reason Lauren ate Puck's crappy chocolates -- I had to make sure they all sucked. A long break and a post-Super Bowl DVR mishap later, I was ready to cut my ties for good. Sure, I'd have a small Glee-shaped hole in my heart (right next to the larger wound from Arrested Development's cancellation), but I knew someday I would wax nostalgic about the good old days of Mr. Schue and his crazy gang of misfits. However, this all took place before I had an hour to spare and didn't want to watch another rerun of Top Chef. I thought I'd give Glee another shot, you know, because my DVR recorded it anyway and I wouldn't want all that effort to go to waste...right? Two watch-throughs and three pages of notes later, I'll admit that I'm as addicted to Glee as Will Schuester is to vests. Oh well. I'd join a 12-step program with him anytime. Now for the Good, Bad and Ugly.
*Hover over the pictures. I dare you.*

The Good:

• PLauren. Not as much of a ring to it as Puckleberry, but I actually liked the Puck/Lauren storyline. I was skeptical at first. I mean, the chances of a guy like him liking a girl like her are, well, about as good as the chances that Finn will give Becky more than a kiss on the cheek. Couples like that just don't happen in real life. But the writers gave me enough witty banter and plausible explanations to stop questioning the relationship and start enjoying it. The "Fat Bottomed Girls" serenade was one of the best songs in the episode, but thankfully Lauren was not flattered by the backhanded compliment. After all, it takes more than just a song to get her juices flowing. And since Puck didn't deliver an envelope of cash or a muffin basket, it appears that some good old-fashioned honesty did the trick. I hope that we get to see more of PLauren in the very near future.

• Kurt. Speaking of honesty, I admired Kurt's openness with Blaine about his feelings. He's right -- in high school, singing duets and smiling at someone can often be taken as "something more." I'm still confused about their relationship status since it seemed like Blaine kind of left it up in the air, but no matter where the writers decide to take it, any storyline with Chris Colfer is a good storyline, in my opinion.

• Santana. It's hard to like someone who looks so darn good in a candy striper's outfit, but Santana was a girl after my own heart this week. I too keep it real and am also hilarious (actually, maybe I'm just a bitch) but when you've got insults that good, it's a crime to let them stay pent up inside of you. I, for one, hope Santana lets the Lima Heights Adjacent in her shine through a little more often.

• Rachel. For the first time in a long time, Rachel wasn't an egotistical diva or a moping whiner! I truly felt her pain when she talked to Finn in the nurse's office about feeling special when he chose her over Quinn because Quinn is prettier. It came from an honest and genuine place, not one that was seeking attention like she normally does. And, to top it all off, we got a fun rendition of Katy Perry's "Firework" instead of the usual tear-filled ballad. Props to Mercedes and her onesie for inspiring Rachel to harness her pain and turn it into something good!

The Bad:

• PYT. Would it be too much to ask for Artie never to rap or narrate the beginning of a song in a "sexy" voice ever again? It's just too much. I know Kevin McHale got his start in a random boy band, but there's got to be a better use for his voice (which is actually really good). And wow, what a surprise -- Mike Chang is dancing. What else is new? I happily fast-forwarded through the Pretty Young Thing duet during my second viewing.

• The Cheerios' sense of style. Now that they've quit the squad, even the guy in the "Previously on Glee" segment reminded us that we'd get to see Brittany, Santana and Quinn in plain clothes. Santana's outfits were okay, but apparently Brittany has a penchant for knee socks and Quinn has a closet full of plaid skirts and cross necklaces. I've never understood why they wear their Cheerios uniforms EVERY DAY in the first place, but now that I've seen how they dress otherwise, I'll be happy when they inevitably re-up with Sue's minions.

• High-school "love." Teenage crushes are a dime a dozen, but I think being truly in love in high school is pretty rare...unless, of course, you go to McKinley High. Finn loved Quinn. Then he loved Rachel. Now he loves them both. Quinn loves Sam (or thinks she does). Blaine loves the GAP manager who he's had coffee with twice. I know it's a Valentine's Day episode, but high-school kids pick their future mates based on what percent discount they'll get to their favorite store or whether hockey or football players are more reliable, so I'd be happy if they toned down the love thing just a tad.

• Glee's take on Christianity. I don't want to get into a religious debate, but Glee's treatment of Quinn's Christianity REALLY bothers me. For a show known for breaking down barriers and dispelling stereotypes, I hate the way they create a caricature of a supposedly religious person. I already mentioned the cross necklaces, and they also did a lot with Quinn's parents in season one that bothered me, but another example from this episode is when Quinn walked into the auditorium and immediately said she had been at church. I know it set up a ridiculously cheesy line about "praying not to come," but she asked Finn to meet her "tomorrow afternoon," so I really doubt she skipped fifth period to squeeze in a quick visit to Lima's local parish.

The Ugly:

• The Warblers' GAP attack. Not only was Blaine's crush tremendously underwhelming, but the song choice, the venue -- all disappointments. Then to have Jeremiah say he got fired for Blaine's public display of affection? Please! The whole scenario was not quite as bad as when the Spirit of St. Louis overshot the tarmac and plowed through seven Warblers, but it sure was close.

• Tina sings/sobs "Funny Valentine." The only good part about this incident, as I'll call it, was seeing the rest of the Glee club's reaction. While the constipated look on Lea Michele's face made me chuckle, I could have done without Tina's painfully awkward attempt at professing her love.

Miscellaneous Tidbits:

• Finn's Christmas/Valentine's gift to Rachel was cute, but has he been carrying it with him at all times for the past two months? How convenient that he had it stashed right there in the middle of the hall at his kissing booth.
  

Quotable Quotes:

• "I just try to be really, really honest with people when I think they suck."
• "Can I be honest? Just with the hair, I think they do." (Kurt in response to Jeremiah saying no one at work knew he was gay)
• "Michelle, I've been covering your section for 15 minutes. Your break is over. And your husband called."
• "I used to think you were smokin', but a lot of that had to do with the fact that I thought you were mixed race, and that never fails to get me going."