Season 2, Ep 4 - Duets
As the Glee Club works on a competitive duet assignment, Finn and Rachel conspire to help a new member win; meanwhile, a love triangle develops between Mike, Tina, and Artie.
After informing the club that Puck has been arrested, and will be out of commission for an indeterminate amount of time, Mr. Schuester introduces newest club member Sam to the others. Kurt’s initial impression is that the new kid is a member of “team gay,” based in part on what Kurt considers to be Sam’s obviously dyed-blond hair. Will gives the club their assignment for the week: a duet competition, the winners of which will get a gift certificate to local eatery Breadstix. In the hallway Kurt approaches Sam, and suggests they pair up for the competition. Sam is a little apprehensive: he thought duets were supposed to be between a girl and a guy. He also denies coloring his hair. Santana approaches Mercedes about pairing up; despite their mutual dislike of one another, they agree they would make a formidable team. In the cafeteria Finn tries to convince Kurt not to sing his duet with Sam; he says it will garner the new kid so much crap, he’ll quit Glee Club within the week. Kurt thinks Finn is being unnecessarily homophobic, and stands his ground. In the choir room Rachel and Finn rehearse their duet: the Elton John and Kiki Dee classic “Don’t Go Breakin’ My Heart.” They’re great, but in an uncharacteristic moment of selflessness, Rachel thinks they need to throw the competition and help Sam win so he will feel like he belongs.
In the library Mike and Tina argue about their duet: he’s uncomfortable with singing, and would prefer to just dance while she sings. Aas they argue it becomes clear the couple has other relationship issues at play. Brittany approaches Artie, and asks him to be her duet partner… and her boyfriend; not seeing any downside, he agrees. In the locker room Finn tries to talk Sam out of singing with Kurt, but Sam has already given his word, and refuses to back out. The prideful newbie gets a dose of things to come when he is Slusheed by the jocks. In the bathroom Quinn helps Sam clean himself up; there seems to be some heat between the two. At the Hummel home Kurt cares for his recovering father; they talk about Sam. While Burt continues to be supportive of his son’s life choices, he urges Kurt to not take advantage of Sam: who may not be gay, and may not know how to respond to “unwanted advances.” Kurt says it is frustrating for him to be the only openly gay kid at school; he wonders when he will be able freely express his feelings for another boy. Burt says that until his son finds someone as “brave and open” as himself, he may have to get used to doing things alone. The next day Mercedes and Santana sing Tina Turner’s “River Deep Mountain High”; they kill it, and have become the team to beat.
A fully clothed Kurt enters the locker room, where Sam showers; after the initial discomfort abates, Kurt says he’s decided to let Sam off the hook. Kurt says he needs to sing with someone who can match his “passion and talent level,” and as such, has set Sam free to sing with a partner “the world deems more appropriate.” Kurt recommends a shampoo for colored hair; Sam again denies the assertion. That night Rachel and Finn try to figure out how to throw the competition; seeing as how their talent and chemistry are clearly so superior to the others, they decide the only way for them to lose is to choose an offensively bad song. The next day Tina tells Artie she wants them to be duet partners; he breaks the news that he has already committed to (and begun dating) Brittany. Kurt steps in front of the class to do his duet with “the most talented member of Glee Club”: himself. What begins in the choir room instantly transforms to a full-blown performance of “Le Jazz Hot” from “Victor/Victoria” with Kurt singing (and dressing as) both the male and female parts. Later Sam tries to convince Quinn to sing her duet with him; while there are obviously some sparks of romance between the two, the head Cheerio thinks better of it, and turns him down.
In the choir room Tina and a clearly nervous Mike perform “Sing” from “A Chorus Line”; while she does the vocal heavy lifting, he takes care of the spoken portions of the song as well as providing some amazing dance moves. They are a hit; Artie shows some remorse at his decision. Later, both Finn and Rachel talk to Sam and Quinn (respectively) and try to convince the pair they need to do the duet assignment together; the ploy works. Sam approaches Quinn again; he promises not to flirt with her if she will agree to sing with him. She accepts the conditions. That night Artie and Brittany rehearse; he is shocked to discover she is a terrible singer. Spurred on by Brittany’s lack of talent, he confesses that he still has feelings for Tina; in an attempt to help him get over his ex-, Brittany offers to take his virginity. He gives in.
The next day Artie is on cloud nine; the others notice his marked change. Rachel and Finn perform their duet; much to the other Glee Clubbers’ dismay they sing Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder’s “Ebony and Ivory.” Finn dons sunglasses and sways back and forth while he sings; the performance hits all the right notes but the prevailing opinion is that the song choice is inappropriate and disappointing: mission accomplished. Next Sam and Quinn perform Jason Mraz and Colby Caillat’s duet “Lucky”; the song is simple and elegant and they sound great together. Everybody loves it, and it is clear that something more is blossoming between the two singers.
Artie finds Brittany, and breaks up with her; he says he knows (thanks to Santana) that she was using him (and had sex with him) only to win the free dinner, and to get the “super choice parking” his disability provides. As a result Artie tells Will they are dropping out of the competition. The club votes on who will win the dinner; while the tally is close (with almost everyone voting for themselves), Sam and Quinn emerge victorious. As they collect their gift certificate, Quinn reminds her disappointed partner: “this is not a date.” While almost everyone in the class seems pleased with the outcome, Rachel notices that Kurt seems crestfallen. Later Rachel approaches Kurt, and tries to raise his spirits; she says she knows how difficult it must be for him to feel so different and isolated from the others. She assures him that while he may feel lonely, he is not alone. She asks him to sing a duet with her; he notes that the competition is over, but she says this duet is “just for us.” In between awkward dinner silences, Sam and Quinn begin to open up. They share secrets, including Sam’s confession that he dyes his hair, and a bond begins to form between them. Eventually Quinn retracts her earlier statement and decides to let the meal serve as their first date; Sam beams. Back in the choir room, Rachel and Kurt sing a mash-up/duet of Judy Garland and Barbara Streisand’s “Get Happy / Happy Days are Here Again.” The song is beautiful, and the two embrace.
Become a fan of TV3 on Facebook
,
on Twitter .