'Glee' recap: Gwyneth Paltrow brings back the 'Sexy'!
In the months since Gwyneth Paltrow first appeared on "Glee" as say-anything substitute teacher Holly Holliday -- making us love her, perhaps for the very first time -- the old feelings of resentfulness and irritation had started to creep back in. How absurd was that (widely ridiculed) blog post on her website, Goop, in which she cluelessly equated the lives of rich, famous, extremely successful women (like her and Stella McCartney and some venture capitalist) with the lives of everyday working mothers? Is it really fair that she's poised to follow her acting success with what may well be a promising (and, if recent reports are correct, extremely well-remunerated) musical career? And why must she continue to so brazenly challenge our firmly held belief that it's totally OK -- expected even -- to let yourself go a little after having a couple of children?
But on Tuesday night, Gwyneth was back on "Glee," bringing the sexy to "Sexy" (yeah, that was the name of the episode) and a smile to my face that I can only hope wasn't quite as goofy as the one smeared all over Will Schuester's face after she burst back into his life as he and Emma were in the middle of discussing the finer points of celibacy.
If I never like Paltrow for any other reason, I suspect I will always love her (at least a little) for Holly.
Then again, it looks like Paltrow may have further opportunities to either cement or chip away at that love: At the end of the episode, we learn that she and Will will try to fan those sparks of romance kindled by their torrid tango to Prince's "Kiss."
We learn a lot of other things in this episode, too. Among them:
2) Why Santana is such a pain all the time: It's because she has been hiding her true feelings for best friend and "lady kiss" partner Brittany under a thick layer of anger, afraid of what the world will label her if she acknowledges those feelings. Stirred by a trio (Santana, Brittany and Holly) performance of Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide," Santana confesses her love for Brittany, who -- another surprise! -- lets her down, albeit gently. "If Artie and I were to ever break up and I'm lucky enough that you're still single, I'm so yours." Oof! But I'm glad to see the Sapphic storyline -- which had just seemed tacked on for a laugh, in stark contrast to the far more serious treatment of Kurt's gay-teen issues -- given a little emotional weight. And also to see Naya Rivera, who plays Santana, get a chance to show some range.
3) Burt Hummel really is the best dad: At Blaine's urging, Kurt's father reluctantly sits an equally reluctant Kurt down for a heart-to-heart about sex, and what in any other hands would be awkward -- "We're both gonna be better men for it," Burt says -- turns out to be emotional perfection. Dispensing with the mechanics by handing Kurt a few pamphlets, Burt instead focuses on the emotional risks of sex, and in particular of sex between two men. Kurt is going to be tempted to think that sex is just empty, harmless fun, Burt warns, but "you gotta know that it means something" -- that it's doing something to his heart and his self-esteem. When he's ready, Kurt should use sex "as a way to connect to another person," Burt says. "Don’t throw yourself around like you don't matter. 'Cause you matter, Kurt." That's about the best message a parent can give a teen of any orientation. Incredible.
4) For a club whose members have switched partners almost as often as they switched keys -- and who have produced at least one child -- the glee club sure doesn't know a lot about the birds and the bees. Finn and the great hot-tub-conception deception was just the beginning: Brittany thinks storks bring babies. Mercedes and Finn think you can get AIDS from cucumbers. Kurt's sexy faces look -- at least to the object of his affection -- like nothing so much as gas pains. Somehow, however, that doesn't stop them from joining Holly Holiday for giving a raunchy rendition of the Gary Glitter/Joan Jett hit "Do You Wanna Touch Me." "Too much?" wonders Will. Hmmm ... what do you think?
5) That the topic of sex really sharpens "Glee" writers' pens. To wit, the episode featured some great lines. Just a few plucked at random off an overstuffed banquet table:
“A nooner’s when you have dessert in the middle of the day, right?” –- Emma
"The key is to use your curling iron in the bathtub to keep you from being burnt." –- Brittany
"I made out with a mannequin. I even had a sex dream about a shrub that was in the shape of a person." -- Santana
"My sex tape with J.D. Salinger was a disaster." –- Holly
"So just remember, when you're having sex with someone, you're having sex with everyone they've ever had sex with. And everybody's got a random." -- Holly
Really, there were so many good lines in this episode. Please share your favorites in the comments section. And let us know: Are you rooting for Will and Holly -– or for Will and Emma? For Finn and Quinn –- or Finn and Rachel? For Brittany and Santana –- or Brittany and Artie? And what did that line from Sam to Artie about wanting to be as close to him as their girlfriends portend: Will we one day discover that Sam is gay (a future romantic interest for Kurt, perhaps?) or is Sam just naïve?
And hold onto your bobby socks -– next week, regionals (and more Gwyneth)!
-- Amy Reiter
Photo: Will (Matthew Morrison) and Holly (Gwyneth Paltrow) share a moment in the "Sexy" episode of "Glee." Credit: Adam Rose / Fox
Photo: Emma (Jayma Mays) performs in the "Sexy" episode of "Glee." Credit: Michael Yarish / Fox
Worst Glee episode ever. Gwyneth's cameo was way below wath she did on the substitute, that all Finn/Quinn thing whas whafull, and the only pplote line that made sense was the all Burt-Kurt-Blaine scenes. I love Cory and I thing I deserves better, but I'm hating Finn more and more by the minute (wicth used to be my favorite caracter). FOX, please can you take Ryan Murphy of the show, is clearly ruining it. This used to be a show that I saw with my nice, and now I'm ashamed to even let her see it. Did anyone notice, for the first time, the parental advice before the episode???
Posted by: Anonimous | March 09, 2011 at 11:06 AM
Love this show, but don't really like the turn this season's episodes have taken. When I imagine the writers of this show, I see a room of 8 smug LA 20-somethings. This show is utterly lacking in any kind of truth or depth - and has turned into glitzy nonsense.
Posted by: Rob Philly | March 09, 2011 at 11:48 AM
@ Anonimous: You should also be ashamed to show your niece your awful spelling. Good lord. You lose all credibility with all your misspelled words and then to top it all off, to call out the creator of the show??? Goodness, I'm ashamed that you're allowed to watch tv. You should be doing spelling drills or multiplication tables. The public school system screwed you over by letting you graduate.
The show may have had a slow start but geez, it can't always be razzle dazzle.
Posted by: O-town | March 09, 2011 at 12:22 PM
You ignored the whole thing about teen boy/girl friend sex films being identified a child porn. One of several important topics that were touched
Posted by: dickt_cal | March 09, 2011 at 01:27 PM
Best show!!! Loved it and watched it twice...it's also the talk of the office and received two big thumbs up!!
Posted by: Rob | March 09, 2011 at 01:35 PM
I really loved this episode. Glee can get pretty ridiculous and it's all in good fun, but when they get serious and get it right, they really get it right -- I mean wow. For one thing "the talk" was probably the best discussion of sex I've seen on primetime television, gay or straight, and my heart was breaking for Santana. The vulnerability Naya displayed as she delivered that confession was devastating. Wow. Also Gwyneth's Holly was the perfect conduit for all of this to go down with her substitute status - smart planning.
Posted by: Lori | March 09, 2011 at 05:22 PM
This episode was awful! The plot lines were poorly conceived & written. The idea
That members of the glee club are that ignorant about sex is ridiculous. Emma's
Story is contrived & obvious. No group of 12 kids could possibly have all of the
"sex/romance" problems that this Glee Club does. The only scene that resonated with any sense of reality & compassion was the father-son talk.
The last two episodes of Glee have been so convoluted that I really don't want to
Watch it live anymore. In the future, I'll DVR & zip to the songs, though last night I would have blitzed through those as well.
Lighten up, writers! A few relevant plot lines are good, too many are a joke.
Posted by: CAmom9 | March 09, 2011 at 08:49 PM
Terrible episode - First off: Boring Boring Boring! I couldn't wait for it to be over. The cookie-cutter characters are ridiculously simple. The Celibacy club is mostly populated by angst-ridden ignorant loser women who secretly want to be sexually active? The "cool" teacher is a tramp - but she's really really having fun? Men love/want to be with women who put out, but women who don't get dumped? Gay guys are mostly smart and hip, but gay girls are unhappy and mean? All this stereotypical portraiture makes me want to vomit.
Secondly, the singing lacks anything fresh, new, or inventive. The dancing - wimpy!
Thirdly - Gwyneth P. 's singing is acceptable, not great. Her dancing - not even close. They had to cut away from her so many times I was getting dizzy. Although, I suppose we'll see her in a dance video in the not-too-distant future - she's marketing herself better than Coca Cola right now!
Posted by: 7again | March 09, 2011 at 10:06 PM
How can anyone hate Finn in this episode? He was barely in there!
I love the Finn/Quinn storyline and I hope they continue with it because those 2 have feelings for each other, always had and they could really have a wonderful relationship if the writers give them a chance.
We all know it's gonna end up with Finn/Rachel, so let us enjoy this while we can!
Posted by: cynthia | March 10, 2011 at 01:50 AM
To be honest, this was my least favorite Glee episode thus far. Although I love Santana & Brittany's characters and their rapport with one another, I feel like the (up until now) secret bi-sexual Santana storyline is forced. The only good thing (in my opinion) was Holly Holliday's character, who delivered some hilarious one-liners. Other than that, I just really wasn't all that excited about this episode. Which is a bummer because I was so looking forward to it.
Posted by: cl22 | March 10, 2011 at 11:58 AM
Best lines:
My lips are sealed. (pause) Just like your legs-Holly to Emma
I've seen some of those movies and all I could think about is...they have mothers and...what made you get a tattoo there?-Kurt
C'mon folks lighten up and enjoy the show for its entertainment. You have to admit it handled the sex issues well in explaining it on a level the kids could relate to. And yes Kurt and Burt's scene is enough to snag the Emmy later this year.
Gay guys are smart and hip; gay girls are unhappy and mean. Don't let one example of a tv show represent the whole GLBT community. Don't forget Karosky's anger toward gays and himself; Santana's genuine concern about how Kurt was treated can become her treatment; with the straight kids so clueless about sex someone has to have some intelligence like Curt and Blaine and their discussions. Overall and considering, it pretty much rang true.
Posted by: Seattle Gleek | March 10, 2011 at 06:42 PM
I'm guessing Gary Glitter isn't as infamous in the United States as he is in the UK? This episode is still weeks away from airing here in Britain but is already causing a huge storm in the press because Glitter will get royalties from the episode and particularly the release of the cast recording of the track, which usually sell very well. It's hard to describe just what kind of a figure Glitter is in the UK, except to say that he is probably the most notorious sex offender and paedophile in the country, a once-popular 1979s glam-rocker who is now thought of by the public and portayed by the press as a monster. While round a decade or so ago you would have heard his music regularly on the radio, now there would be huge numbers of complaints if one of his songs was played, which explains why there is such a outcry in the UK over this episode already.
As I said, I guess from a lack of mention of this in the article, this isn't known as much in the US, but I would have thought the producers would have been more careful, especially in the context the song was used in the episode.
Posted by: Dave | March 11, 2011 at 08:02 AM
“You don’t want any of this. I’m damaged goods. Yes, it makes me terrific in bed but it also means I tend to break nice guys like you into Wasa Crackers.”
Posted by: Kelly Gonzalez | March 11, 2011 at 02:26 PM
One of my favorite Glee episodes. Naya Rivera was awesome and her scene near the end was so heartbreaking! Gwyneth was cool, but Naya should've sung more on Landslide. And the Kurt/Burt storyline was great.
Posted by: Anonymous | March 14, 2011 at 12:45 PM
Fantastic episode!!! It had beyond great lines and people's faces were priceless. I love Rachel and Puck's face when Brittney was describing how she knew she was pregnant. I loved Artie's face when 'Afternoon Delight' was being performed. Which, I 100% agree...that it was the best moment ever!
Kurt's dad really is amazing. Any scene that they do together shows not only the character's fantastic relationship, but the actor's relationship too. It's priceless and so believable. Parents really should that bond with their kids.
I love Gwyneth and I hope she stays on the show for a bit. I want her and Will to get together. They would be a cute little couple and if Emma does still have feelings for him, then this will be a perfect catalyst for them to get back together. I am interested in what's going to happen with John Stamos's character..I want him on the show more!
Posted by: tarylelizabeth | March 14, 2011 at 03:44 PM
To all the haters out there, be for real! This was the best ep of Glee by far (and I haven't really been a fan of the show that long). Gwyneth Paltrow was really great and the Kurt/Dad sex talk was awesome. But the Santana storyline--giving credibility to her feelings and making her and Brittany's 'pairings' really mean something and just not male sex titallation--was really incredible.
Way to go Glee!!!
Posted by: lsmith | March 14, 2011 at 04:53 PM