After covering controversial subjects like sexuality, body image, and pregnancy, the Glee cast will explore their spirituality (I’m predicting Sue will wear a habit?) in tonight’s moving episode, aptly titled “Grilled Cheesus.” In typical Glee fashion, things start out silly (Finn discovers a religious figure in his grilled cheese sandwich) and takes a serious turn when Kurt’s dad Burt (Mike O’Malley) is in the hospital. You’ve been warned: Keep your tissues handy.
After last weeks’ indulgent — yet fun! — Britney Spears tribute, we return to important plot points and the heart of the show. Tonight’s episode will be a turning point for the series, promoting tolerance across the board. “This episode starts off our arc about tolerance and respecting other points of view,” co-creator Ryan Murphy told EW. The soundtrack will include songs about faith, from R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion,” to Billy Joel’s “Only the Good Die Young.”
Will we see (or hear?) more from newbies Sunshine Corazon (Charice) and Sam (Chord Overstreet)? What about Coach Beist and Dr. Carl (John Stamos)? Do you prefer Glee‘s serious side or the frivolous fun of theme episodes? After you watch tonight, head back here to let us know what you thought of “Grilled Cheesus,” and look for Tim Stack’s full recap after midnight (UPDATE: Glee recap is now live.)
Read more:
‘Glee’ co-creator Ryan Murphy talks tonight’s controversial episode
‘Glee’ recap: Britney, Baby, One More Time
‘Glee’ duets: Yay for more ‘Chorus Line’
Very excited for tonight’s episode (had grilled cheese for dinner and everything)! My favorite episodes are the ones that blend the funny and the serious, like “Laryngitis” and “Dream On”.
LOVE Glee! Can’t wait!
I like the show a lot but this episode was just BAD. Heavy-handed and pretentious in it’s “message-y” fashion that it falls into too much. And the music was just plain forgettable. Even Rachel’s song, which I usually love, was nothing I want to hear again. This was, to me, everything that Glee does wrong occassionally all rolled up into one episode. Probably the worst overall episode of Glee yet aired.
I agree that this episode was bad. I don’t know about the worst though, that was last week’s plotless debacle. But I kept rolling my eyes throughout the entire thing when I think the writers wanted me to cry. It’s like they were trying too hard but the writing was sloppy and the pacing of the show was horrible! Where’s the Glee I fell in love with last year?
I can’t believe I’m agreeing, but I was bored and really not moved at all. What happened this week?
Agree. The message that those who choose not to be religious are somehow less open and tolerant was VERY off-putting. That it was sign of happiness/tolerance when people were OK singing about God/Faith was just nauseating.
I knew it was a bad sign when Kurt and Sue both made excellent points about the non-existence of God so early on. I knew they’d ‘come around’ on the issue by the end and I was right. Sad.
I don’t think Kurt came around at all. He just learned that allowing them to try in their own way to be there for his father & himself was more important than arguing about God’s existence
Really Larry, you need to curb your anti-enthusiasm for just about everything on this site.
Go away and let the rest of us enjoy it!
can we just talk about the fact that “losing my religion” isnt about religion? of course i guess a kid like finn wouldnt know that.
Chillax dude
it seems the serious side of glee is carried by Kurt and Kurt alone. I would love to see more of it across the casr. The teen pregnancy thing was played silly, as well as Rachels adoption and her feelings of abandonment around it. I dont know why Kurt being gay is the only think taken seriously, but more needs to be. I dont mind the sillyness at point but glee needs to get by on more than it music alone or it will die quickly
THAT WAS MY FIRST THOUGHT
Jenna,
A.) The name of the show is Glee. The music is kind of th whole point.
B.) It’s the third episode! People act like if all the questions and plot elements that they want are not addressed in the hour long episode, glee somehow lacks something. I don’t get it.
C.) It’s a musical COMEDY with dramtic elements. Kurts sexuality is important and is portrayed often but did you forget about Quinn’ s preganancy? What about Finn dealing with having a single mother or Atie’s paralysis? What about Sue’s handicapable sister? Come on…don’t feel so disappointed. I think people choose to focus on Kurt’s sexuality more than those other things. I think the show will progress, you just have to be patient.
It’s the third episode of the SECOND season. I think she was referring to the show as a whole.
Thought the same thing…Kurt’s episodes seem the most “real” than the others.
Several critics have said that tonight’s episode is quite possibly the best episode of the series. (can’t imagine how may ppl will respond to this: “well that’s not saying much!” save it.) I for one cannot wait and I agree with you Jenna; I think Glee is best when they take on issues seriously, but also hold onto the light, fun writing that makes Glee great. Either way, stoked for tonight! I LOVE ME SOME GLEE!!!!!!!! : )
Also, Lea is gonna take Barbra’s “Papa Can You Hear Me?” song and absolutely KILL it. I mean that in a good way of course. If anybody can make Barbra proud, Lea can. GLEE FTW!
Just saw/heard it.
The performance may not have been as splashy as “Don’t Rain on my Parade”, but Barbra fits that girl like a GLOVE.
I fast forward on my DVR whenever Lea Michelle sings. I’m totally over her, especially since she really isn’t the biggest talent on the show. Her character is completely obnoxious, with zero redeeming human characteristics.
That’s nice.
I hate the themed episodes.
I thought they were all themed?
Its the whole 90210 thing because teens are too hormonal for complex story lines.
I love Glee, but I feel like important issues are being forced down my throat.
Well get ready, b/c another is on its way due to all the gay teen suicides lately.
How many hetero suicides have there been lately? (Not being a prick, seriously wondering.)
Lucy–most heteros that commit suicide have other reasons than their heterosexuality that depress them. These gay teen suicides are all because of the bullying or other factors leading to depression based on these kids being gay.
All suicide of course is an awful thing, but I have yet to hear of a hetero killing himself because he is straight.
Glee needs to be character driven for it’s overall success. The tribute episodes are interesting, but should be limited to 1 or 2 per season. i.e Britney Spears and Rocky Horror should be the limit for this season.
Only the Good Die Young!
Only the Good Die Young?
Then Glee will last forever! I LOVED this show when it first came out, but the lack of plot and self-indulgence have ruined it for me.
Agreed! I think this was actually my last Glee episode. This season has just been a disaster. They’re too full of themselves now and it shows in the writing (or lack thereof).
Everything else is gravy after the music! That’s what makes it unique and the greatest! It’s still experimenting with themes and drama, and there will be ups and downs. Shakespeare didn’t write a Hamlet every time. It’s the vocals, arrangements, staging, dancing, etc. that makes it the most entertaining show on TV – by far!
Glee tackles religion? I’m sorry, but can you say “train wreck?”
Don’t knock it off unless you watch it. It isn’t that bad at all.
not that bad… it was horrid! One of the worst episodes since the bad 80′s song episode.
No, it wasn’t that bad. It wasn’t amazing/excellent either.
It was pretty bad.
Hated it. Except for Kurt singing “I wanna hold your hand and Rachel singing “Yentl”. Plot-wise, major suckage.
Actually it was perfection!
Thank you imo this was the best episode ever. The music was amazng the writing was amazing and the acting besides finn was superb. I love to see the dramatic as well as the silly but this one needed to be more dramatic. Chris, Amber, and Jane carried this episode the whole time and showed why Jane won her emmy and Chris should have won his.
Totally disagree. I think they did a very credible job with out. I teach teens. This was right on. You can’t expect any program or writer to do an in depth presentation of a serious issue in an hour. With the time they have and the music they choose they do very well. Perhaps you would be happier watching documentaries.
oops. Meant this reply for Sam
Blech, blech, blech. Glee’s numbers were so jarring and weird tonite; the grilled cheese schtick was godawful and all the “I have a song to sing that explains my feelings” mess got old fast. It made it hard not to cringe whenever the young ernest gleers broke into song. Rachel fauxing Yentle with mosquitos and poor Finn as a prop was just painful to watch. Songs like Boy is Mine and Safety Dance rocked because they occur organically as part of the scene instead of shoehorned in with chatty set ups in that blasted rehearsal room; I swear if I see that sh#$% rehearsal room one more time….Cheese Jesus!
No wait, let me express myself in a song that best explains why Glee hurts my head, ahem, mi mi mi mi mi…
Exactly what I was thinking. I actually liked the majority of the performances tonight, but it took until halfway through the songs for me to forget the weird and talky setups and enjoy what was going on. Also, it kind of bugged me that no one asked Kurt what he needed–they all just jumped on the prayer thing, which made him uncomfortable and distant. When they were at the lockers I kept waiting for Mercedes to say, I’m here for you, forget God and faith and prayer and let’s just go hang out. Instead, like everyone else, she wanted him to see things her way. Sure, she was nice about it, but it amounts to the same thing. It just kind of left a bad taste in my mouth.
Very well said. When she invited him to church? UGH. Just offensive.
Teens don’t think about asking what someone else needs. They are self-centered and self-absorbed. So they do what would make them feel comforted. That is actually quite realistic. Adults would think to ask how they can help. Kids not so much.
I agree flipart, i can only take “sing my feelings” so much. I know its Glee, but they can tone down the songs when it comes to serious issues. Im sorry, but if I am going through a crisis, I will punch the first person that sings to me because they cant say their feelings.
Hahahahaha! I totally agree!
Good then don’t watch it next week easy fix! I don’t get why people chose to bash a tv show on a blog. Its simply just easier to not watch the show that “hasn’t been good in months”. Just deal with it and leave the bloging to those who don’t try to put everything down because thier lives are so sad that they have to take it out on a tv review on a website blog.
Yes, how horrible and jarring it is that a show about a group of high school students taking part in a high school Glee club would actually be shown singing in the high school’s rehearsal room.
Look. I was Rachel when I was younger and when you eat, drink, sleep music that it exactly how you express yourself. Even today at almost 50 years old if I am feeling depressed singing can raise my spirits.
I get your point, but I do wish they’d have more moments like last year where the songs actually come out of the action. It’s like Glee sometimes is embarassed to be a musical so they cover it up by having them sing in a normal context–ie at rehearsal. But to me that just comes off as cheesier, and gets boring when 5 songs are done in that context. Glee is all over the map anyway–they should just embrace the cheesiness and go full out.
I’d like it better if someone was going to sing Depeche Mode’s “Blasphemous Rumours”.
That would have been so perfect! After the “Home” episode, I’ve given up hope that Ryan Murphy has ever heard of Depeche Mode.
I kept hoping somebody would do that one!
I think “God” by Tori Amos would’ve been good too. And “Divine Intervention” by Matthew Sweet, as well…
How about “Dear God” by XTC?
I was just going to add XTC to the list. Great minds…
They did do the Tori Amos song, it was alright. Now that Prunella mentioned it, I can’t believe they didn’t do “Blasphemous Rumors”. Now that would have been organic to the plot!
“How about ‘Dear God’ by XTC?”
Good one!
“They did do the Tori Amos song”
No, that was song by Joan Osborne. Amos’ song is very different from that.
I liked the arrangement for “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” better when I heard it on “Across the Universe.” Oh wait…no I didn’t. Great job by Colfer!
Not better than The Beatles though…
Well…duh.
Ditto the well, duh. It’s the Beatles for goodness sake. They’re the one thing I believe in,
Good! For a minute there I was worried!!!!!!
It was one of the better Colfer moments (his voice sounded less autotuned) but I admit, that’s one of my fave moments from Across the Universe and this didn’t top it by any means (and I know it’s bad to say, but I found the lyrics slightly creepy sung to his dad).
Its odd that most of the Glee kids have such a deep relationship with religion. I work with teenagers and after many deep and sometimes frightening conversations I have yet to hear them discuss religion so intensely. It has come up but nothing has been this complex and spanning days at a time even in the face of death. And when it did we were about 50-50 in the belief vs. belief not category. That was thought number one. Two, I wish that the discussion of religion or faith did not come about based on Kurt’s sexuality. I am glad that Sue expressed herself but that was for about 4 minutes of the show. Gay people are not the only people who suffer with/for their lifestyle. Three, everytime people say “God doesn’t exist” its followed with “because if He did bad things wouldn’t happen to good people.” Well we still have free will (with or without God) so you can’t exclaim that He doesn’t exist simply because things didn’t go well for you. Some people are still @$$-holes and they may not believe in God either. So when they do f-ed up stuff to you I know it can’t be from God or anyother religious figure. That’s just man being man (flawed and foolish unfortunately). That’s just like people who only say good things about Him when good things happen to them. That door swings both ways.
Four, the music rocked. I loved all of the songs and covered a lot of emotions. Continue on with the themes or the emotional episodes but are my Tuesday entertainment!
“Its odd that most of the Glee kids have such a deep relationship with religion.”
To be fair though, the “Glee” kids pretty much always have a deep relationship with…whatever that week’s theme is.
that’s funny. and true.
well its not weird for me. i live in the south. i’m not sure how it would be anywhere else but everyone i know doesn’t hide their religion. now obviously they don’t go preaching or anything but everyone’s religion is accepted. i don’t think this was actually too far off from real high school.
that’s because, in the south, everyone has the same religion… whether they like it or not.
I grew up in Ohio and this definitely was not far off from how kids in high school were with religion. I am pretty sure most of the guys on my high school football team would have prayed to a Grilled Cheesus. LOL!
Great episode all around in my opinion!
If God exists as an omniscient being (as most religions believe) then free will is impossible. I’m not saying either way as I don’t know, but a God who knows everything precludes choice for mankind as He would know every decision we make before we make it, thus making our choices already set in stone.
there’s a difference between knowing our decisions and controlling them. He knows what we will choose before we do; He doesn’t cause us to make the choice.
He may not make the choices, but he knows what those choices will be. Why let someone be born when you know ahead of time they are going to hell?
That’s the fallacy Jason… just because God Knows all doesn’t mean that HE controls all actions. People have free will to make the choices that they do, God can see where things go, but doesn’t necessarily intervene… so it’s not contradictory to free will.
Frankly, I’d prefer if the Glee kids never ever ever ever did a show on religion ever again. I dislike being preached to by fictitious characters. I dislike having people who choose atheism turned into soulless devils who make catty remarks about evil dwarves in teacups on the dark side of the moon. I dislike the overall message of a show that I watch to have a nice giggle be that if you don’t believe in something other than reality, you’re doomed to an empty unfulfilling existence, and end up incapable of finding support in times of trouble. The subject matter of the show was very near to me – I almost lost my newborn daughter to a heart defect. I’m non-religious, my family is super-religious, and having prayer crammed down your throat when you’re angry, sad, terrified, and feeling completely hopeless isn’t a welcome comfort, it feels like emotional rape. I’m disappointed in the show this week. I prefer pointless Britney-fest to what we got this week.
Val, I couldn’t agree more. I was very disappointed in the episode, almost depressed even! I’m hoping next week Glee will get back to the light, fun show I fell in love with.
Val, I respect your right to believe or not believe as you wish. And I thought that was clear last night as well. When Kurt complained about the religious songs, Mr. Shue backed him up. I know that in some areas of the country teens would not be talking religion so intensely but in other parts of the country it would be exactly what they do. And don’t forget that this high school had a celibacy club last year.