'Glee' Recap: Episode 10, 'Ballads'

Love is in the air, Gleeks! While last night’s episode was called “Ballads” it could have very well been called “Crushes” or, more fittingly, “Crushed.” Not to say that the evening wasn’t chock full of ballads (because, oh, was it ever), but unrequited love seemed to be the show’s recurring theme last night.

While Mr. Schue taught New Directions about just what a ballad is, (“Glee” also seconds as “Music for Dummies” most weeks) it seemed Rachel derailed her crush on Finn (Kurt will take it from here, thanks) and focused it on her oh-so-dreamy glee club teacher. As Mr. Schue paired up the McKinley High crooners (Puck with Mercedes, Artie with Quinn, Finn with Kurt and Tina with Other Asian) he got saddled with the saucer-eyed Rachel. Taking over for Diana Ross and Lionel Richie, a visibly uncomfortable Mr. Schue and Rachel set the tone for the evening.

You see, this isn’t the first time Mr. Schue has dealt with a student crushing on him before (can you blame them? Is it me or is Matthew Morrison resembling Justin Timberlake more and more each week?) Look no further than Suzy Pepper, whose red-hot love for Will Schuester literally put her in a coma. Suzy comes around to warn Rachel about the dangers of being “mildly attractive and extremely grating” and loving such an unattainable man. While Rachel eventually comes around, she really should have went to visit Emma, who looked more unphased by Will’s “Don’t Stand So Close To Me”/”Young Girl” mash up about inappropriate crushes.

While Will had to ward off Rachel’s advances, he should have been thanking his lucky stars he’s not in Finn’s shoes. Finn finally reached his breaking point with the pressures of becoming a future papa. (I don’t know what’s more heartbreaking, Gleeks: how endearing Finn is about the desire to be a good dad or that we all know he’s not the actual father.) Between his sonogram serenade of The Pretenders’ “I’ll Stand By You” (admit it, you found it a little creepy, too!) and finally telling his mother and Quinn’s parents, I don't know how he didn't have a major meltdown. When Finn announces the pregnancy to the Fabray’s through the cheesiest of cheesy ballads, Paul Anka’s “Havin’ My Baby,” her parents turn their back on her and kick her out.

As Quinn moves in with Finn and his mom, Kurt got a little closer to Finn this week. Kurt reveals he’s been “madly in love” with the football star since he stood up for him against a bully. As Kurt drops some subtle (and, ok, not-so-subtle) hints that maybe Finn should give those troublemaking gals the boot, the two form a rather lovely friendship along the way. Even though it’s hard to see these two making it is a pair (after all, Finn is supposed to be with Rachel, right?) you’ve got to give Kurt major props for keeping his crush under wraps for so long, but more importantly, putting his feelings aside to be a good friend to Finn in his time of need.

It’s too bad Puck doesn’t have the same hush-hush skills as Kurt, who spills the beans that he’s the actual baby daddy to a stunned Mercedes. She, in turn, did what she does best, and drops some knowledge onto Puck about being there for Quinn in her time of need, even if he can’t be with her. Sing it, sister. So, she, Puck and the rest of New Directions band together to show their support for their struggling friends and belted out Bill Withers’ classic “Lean On Me” to lift their spirits.

The final number was a perfect way to cap off this episode, which really was about facing your blues and sending them out on a high note. Case in point, Finn who had the worst night of all the characters (well, maybe second to Quinn), still managed to spit out the best one-liners (I had to pause my TiVo from laughing so hard at the line “I have to go, they’ll think I’m pooping” when he was hiding in the Fabray’s bathroom.)

But, what did you think of it, Gleeks? Which crush crushed you the most? Were you just as peeved to have Terri back? Are you already counting down to next week’s new episode?

Tags Amber Riley, Chris Colfer, Cory Monteith, Dianna Agron, Glee, Jayma Mays, Jenna Ushkowitz, Jessalyn Gilsig, Kevin McHale, Lea Michele, Mark Salling, Matthew Morrison, TV Recap