Review of Episode 21 of "Glee"

It was certainly a heart-wrenching night on Glee, as some unexpected and ultimately tragic romances develop, and the feud between New Directions and Verbal Adrenaline takes a decidedly more vicious turn. It was certainly a fitting lead-up to the season finale, which will air next week, and which will see the conclusion of the Regional Competition. It was also a fantastic night, due to the fact that the group performed funk and, pleasingly, performed it quite well.

Of course, the most exciting (and delightful) part of the episode was the faux romance between William and Sue. Naturally, the entire thing was a plot hatched by William to help him recover from the depression as a result of his divorce. However, to his surprise (and, no doubt, some in the viewing audience,) Sue, somewhere in that stony dark heart, discovered that she also had feelings for William. Unfortunately, those who might have wanted some sort of consummation were denied that, as Sue ultimately decided that her victory at the Nationals was more important than here mere feelings. Truth be told, it's just as well that nothing ultimately happened between them. If William and Sue were to begin dating, it would see the end of one of the most vicious (and therefore most delightful) relationships in television history. I'm sure few would be surprised, however, if something didn't emerge between them sometime in the future.

The other heart-wrenching part of the show was the ongoing (and extremely twisted) relationship between Rachel and Jesse St. James, leader of the rival group Verbal Adrenaline. Again, although there were some tenuous signs that consummation might be at hand (Rachel even went into the parking lot to meet Jesse,) it turned out that he was merely tricking her into an unfortunate egging experience. It was truly a heartbreaking scene, for if anyone deserves romantic happiness, it is surely Rachel. On the other hand, one could not help but feel a sting of anger for Jesse's betrayal, and a trill of pleasure when he was shown up by New Directions' powerful and blasting funk performance.

It is precisely this kind of musical performance that makes this episode so incredibly powerful and appealing. Although funk might not seem to be the best choice for the darling and daring teens of Glee, it actually worked out quite well. Quinn's performance of "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" was particularly noteworthy, not only because it showed the funky side of a stereotypical white girl, but also because of the raw emotion. This, coupled with Mercedes kind and generous offer of friendship and a safe haven, helped to flesh out and further develop the character of Quinn.

All in all, the twenty first episode of Glee was one of the best aired so far, and it whetted the appetite for even more. That, it seems, is the true power of the series, that it manages to keep the audience interested throughout the episode and makes it even hungrier for another episode. There is no doubt that the season finale will be a resounding success.