The episode had Will getting the Glee clubbers to expose their wacky, freaky sides to aid Tina, using Lady Gaga as a reference point. All of the girls and Kurt went, you guessed it, "Gaga" over the idea, but the men were less than thrilled. Instead, they took their cues from legendary rock band KISS.
Yet, with all the makeup, glitter, and bubbles, the show proved to be more about accepting the freak inside instead of actually expressing it. The show successfully toed the line between powerful and preachy, thanks to some stunning performances and surprisingly frank and honest writing on Murphy's part. The episode was also able to wrap up some seriously loose strings very nicely, and push other stories further as Regionals approached.
The prevailing plotline of the night featured Kurt and Finn, who were forced to share the basement after their parents decided to move in together. Already uncomfortable with his mom's new relationship, Finn was pushed to the edge as Kurt tried to make the new arrangement work for the both of them. Finn criticized Kurt for not being able to blend in with the crowd, choosing to put his sexuality on display and attracting the bullying. There was considerable truth, if not a full on commentary on middle America, in this quip: "We live in Ohio, not New York or Ohio or some other place where they eat vegetables that aren't fried". Finn recoiled when Kurt tried to help him remove the KISS makeup for which he was made fun of by those bastard jocks in the bathroom earlier. Things hit a shocking pitch when Kurt's efforts to redecorate the room are rebuked and Finn basically loses it. He finally confronts the elephant in the room; that Kurt has a crush on him and that it is so uncomfortable that he has to put on his underwear in the bathroom so Kurt won't look. When Kurt says they can change the room, Finn unleashes the slur "fag" twice describing the room. This didn't sit well with Kurt's dad Burt, who gave Finn one of the biggest verbal smackdowns I have ever seen, ultimately throwing him out in defense of his son. The whole scene was intensely and beautifully acted by all three, but Mike O'Malley was an absolute revelation, and if he (and the show for that matter) are not nominated for Emmys next year, there is no justice. Finn, realizing his grievous error, stood up to Kurt's bullies wearing his own type of a superhero outfit: Gaga's infamous red rubber dress from meeting the Queen. It was spectacular character development for Finn, who has been hesitant about his role in the club since day one, to finally let go and accept that being normal isn't everything.
Rachel finally got her wish when she discovered her mom was Shelby (played by Idina Menzel) as she sang Barbra Streisand's "Funny Girl". Unfortunately for her, it wasn't the slow motion run into each other's arms, as Shelby put it, that either was hoping for. It turns out, despite her machinations, Shelby wanted her baby back, not a 16-year old with an ego the size of Texas. While it did seem rushed, it was pretty smart of them to wrap up the storyline quickly. I mean, how many more Barbra duets can we hear before we get bored? To close the door on their story, the two women sang a great, stripped-down version of "Poker Face".
Another story approaching a conclusion was the Puck/Quinn baby drama. Puck, who's gaining more and more interest in playing daddy, wanted to name his daughter Jackie Daniels, to the utter refusal of Quinn. Realizing his error (or the utter stupidity of that name), Puck sang a tribute to his unborn daughter to the tune of "Beth", KISS's power ballad. "Beth" also served as the name Puck wanted to give the baby. This was my second favorite Puck performance after "Lady is a Tramp" and I find myself looking forward to Mark Salling doing solos.
For the first time really, the show's plot really took precedence over the sparkly musical numbers. There was serious plot and character development, and the actors (O'Malley, Monteith, and Colfer in particular) were really able to shine. But of course, the show had to have some pretty epic music and costumes, right?
I got the greatest kick out of all of the Gaga costumes, which looked impressively amateurish (which was the point; I don't think McKinley High can afford those McQueen crazy shoes). It goes to show just how iconic Gaga has become in her short career. My favorite is actually a three-way tie with different reasons for each one. Quinn looked stunning in Gaga's Grammy red carpet dress, Santana looked ridiculously sexy in the full black lace outfit Gaga wore around London earlier this year, and Finn just looked ridiculous, and hilarious, in the red Queen dress. To be fair to the guys, the KISS costumes were kick-ass, although the only ones I could really discern from were Finn (on the drums) and Artie (in the wheelchair).
The best performance, by far, was "Bad Romance". Everything, from the choreography to the costumes to the vocals, was spectacular, and my favorite Glee performance so far. Rachel and Shelby's "Poker Face" was great. As for the KISS songs, "Beth" proved to be the emotional core of the show, while "Shout It Out" was properly rockin'.
"Theatricality" was arguably the best show of the season so far. My only gripe was the missed opportunity of having Sue Sylvester and Emma Pillsbury not involved in the Gaga episode. Other than that, it was an emotionally resonant spectacle, and easily one of the best hours of television I've seen all year.
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