The Gleek Critique: "Duets" Episode

Mercedes and Santana put aside their differences and make sweet music together in tonight's episode, "Duets".  Image property of Fox.

This episode begins like many others with Mr. Schuester giving them an assignment.  This week they need to perform a duet.  And the best duet wins tickets for two to Breadsticks (the only restaurant in town apparently).  Kurt wants to sing with Sam, who has just joined the glee club, but Finn doesn't think that's a good idea.  He's sure that if Sam sings with Kurt, he'll get teased so much that he'll want to quit the club.  Kurt thinks Finn is just being homophobic, but after a talk with his dad, realizes that it's not okay to make unwelcome advances.  He's just going to have to be alone for a while.

Meanwhile, Finn and Rachel realize that as far as singing goes, they are the "it" couple and will more than likely win the little competition.  Normally Rachel would be more than happy to win -- God knows she loves attention -- but she seems to think that in order for Sam to stay in the group, they might want to stroke his ego a little.  So she and Finn do everything in their power to make sure Sam's performance is the best... starting with having an awesome duet partner.  So they sabotage their own performance and make sure that Sam doesn't sing with Kurt, but instead sings with Quinn.  Little do they know that the two would become more than duet partners.

The Pros:

• Kurt sang "Le Jazz Hot" from Victor/Victoria and it was amazing!  He sang it as a duet with himself, which Santana called "vocal masturbation."  Ha ha ha... hilarious!
• Sam was in the shower several times this episode.  And when he wasn't in the shower, he was standing around in his towel.  I approve. 
• Lots of interesting relationship developments this episode!  Including, but not limited to, Santana and Brittany making out, Brittany helping Artie get over Tina and lose his virginity, and some very definite chemistry between Quinn and Sam (who is not gay... leaving Kurt crushing on a straight guy once again).
• Tina and Mike were completely adorable performing "Sing!" together from A Chorus Line.  It was nice to see Mike singing and not just dancing.
• Rachel and Kurt sang "Happy Days Are Here Again/Get Happy" to end the episode, and it was beautiful.  Sure it wasn't Barbra Streisand and Judy Garland (Get over it, Brian) but who doesn't love that mashup?

The Cons:

• Puck wound up in a juvenile delinquent center and was absent the entire episode!  Several of my friends have crushes on this bad boy, and were devastated...
• Sue was also strangely absent.  What is Glee without her vindictive comments?
• There isn't any Glee next week!!!  AAAAHHHH!!!!!