By LTG
It's back, babies. And better than ever. So let's break it down. First, the Glee kids are certain that their victory at Sectionals will lead to newfound popularity. But they just get more slushie facials. And then Will reminds them that they'll have to face Vocal Adrenaline at Regionals -- and if they don't place, Glee is over. So he thinks they need a new beginning, which leads to lots of songs with the word "hello" in the title. It all makes sense in Will's squishy brain.
And then there's all the relationship drama. Rachel is now dating Finn, but he's still kind of hung up on Quinn. Sue decides to take advantage of Rachel's fragile ego by getting Santana and Britt-Britt to steal Finn away from Rachel, with the hope that this will lead to her humiliation and resignation from New Directions. But Santana and Brittney's sapphic machinations aren't really necessary, because Rachel meets Jesse St. James (played by the delightful Jonathan Groff), the star of Vocal Adrenaline. It's a match made in pushy, neurotic heaven. So Finn and Rachel are over, for now. Of course, nothing's ever easy for Rachel -- the other members of the Glee Club are concerned that Jesse's interest in her is actually some plot to undermine New Directions, so they demand that she dump him or quit the club. She's certainly not going to break up with the delightful Jonathan Groff, but she does make him agree to keep their relationship secret so she can stay in Glee.
Let's not ignore the adult relationship drama. Will and Emma are tentatively exploring their new kissy status. But there are complications. First, Emma's a virgin, which kind of slows things down. And then Terri confronts Emma and clues her in on the fact that the song Will picked as their song was the song at Terri and Will's prom. Which makes Emma realize that Will has spent his entire adult life in a relationship. She decides that he needs some time to figure out what it means to be alone before she jumps into a relationship with him. Of course, this doesn't mean Will is completely without prospects, because he meets the director of Vocal Adrenaline (played by the formidable Idina Menzel) and they almost immediately start making out.
(Did you like how I glossed over the fact that Sue is back? It turns out she slipped Figgins a roofie, put him a compromising position, took a picture, and blackmailed him into giving her back her job. I missed you, Sue Sylvester.)
Watch the episode here, discuss it in our forums, then see the show's worst musical moments. And check back soon for the full recap!
See the cast of Glee before they were stars.
Read interviews with Glee co-stars Jessalyn Gilsig and Harry Shum.