Glee S5 E2 – “Tina in the Sky with Diamonds”

Rachel waits tables as she waits for news on Fanny Brice.

Glee’s season five kicked off with a spectacle last week and episode number 2 takes it down a notch – well, at least a little bit. It’s prom time, seldom a feel good event at McKinley and things are afoot that may impact the New Directioners even after the glitter has been shaken out of everyone’s underwear. Jenna Ushkowitz gets some prime real estate at the center of all this – including her character name in the title – as Tina continues to try to find a swatch of happiness in this world. A few others are floundering with the L word; after the explosion of rose petals and romance last week, it’s not hard to imagine folks are taking stock of their own love lives. Sam and Santana both get new love interests, as Brittany is off at MIT being a genius, and our new Big Bad is officially crowned.

And we’re off!

Sam’s sprawled on the piano as Blaine tinkles a jaunty tune (more and more Darren Criss at the piano – highly approved of). They’re just gabbing; Sam has some questions on the gay marriage last name hyphenation issue, Blaine isn’t thinking about monograms just yet – he’s just happy. Also prom! Sam’s taking Tina, even though he’s not into her, and heavy sigh, he wishes that he was attending his senior prom with someone he really liked. Also? SO unlucky in love.

Blaine gives him doe eyes and tries to relate but technically he’s one for one so…

Mr. Schue is here and the kids settle into Beatles: Week 2. It’s time to be experimental, be daring – the Beatles took risks that could have ruined them but instead, it elevated them to new heights. Leave your comfort zone, kittens.

Interruption: Sue’s on the loudspeaker, announcing that all the proms have been combined into a BrundleProm (Ryder calls the “Fly” reference – ten points for you sir) and she will now announce the King and Queen nominees. They are: some guy, Blaine, Artie and Stoner Brett. And for the ladies:  Kitty (“but I’m a sophomore”), two Cheerios – including Neckbrace – and “inexplicably” Tina Cohen-Chang. Sam is hurt at being overlooked but Tina is elated, dancing and kicking around the choir room. Well at least Sam is her da…

Sorry Sam. Remember your lamenting from before? It gets worse. Tina’s going to the prom solo, to get the Wallflower vote.

This is her chance to be bigger than Jesus and can she count on everyone’s support? “Awkkkwaaaard,” says Unique as everyone sits in silent fear. Kitty breaks the silence – she has plenty of time to be prom queen so she’s on Tina’s team. There’s agreement, Tina says, “hit it!” and “Revolution” begins to play. Tina belts out a few lines and the bells rings and the students stream out of the room, interrupting her song.

You know, Tina is cranky for a reason.

Santana wins at everything. Life time supply of Yeast-I-Stat!

Back at the Diner of Dreams, Santana is making eyes at fellow waitress Dani (Demi Lovato) as Rachel laments the continuing silence regarding her Broadway dreams. If she was going to be Fanny Brice, she would have heard by now! And she wasn’t just auditioning for herself, she was auditioning for all the kids at McKinley, to prove they were all talented enough to make it in this crazy business (who is this Rachel Berry and can she stay forever?)! Well, in that case – Santana is delighted to announce she actually filmed a commercial for Yeast-I-Stat! It’s embarrassing but it’s work right? Rachel’s face does many things, only one of which is joy for her friend.

The Yeast-I-Stat commercial feels like something from Saturday Night Live, in the deadpan mockery of advertising. “I like yeast in my bagel, not in my muffin” is destined to be on a tee-shirt, mark my words.

Meanie Cheerio Bree – flanked by the squad – confronts Kitty in the hallway about her plan not to campaign for Prom Queen but instead throw her support behind Tina. This leads to a version of that wild Sorority Girl Meltdown email from earlier this year, as Bree smacks down the idea of a Cheerio deferring to a Glee Club loser. So Kitty will campaign and attempt to win and that is that. Kitty’s face does many things – agreement is not one of them.

Side note: Bree as a Jerk is coming on hard and fast. We get it – she’s pure evil. Now the question is, will she stay that way or begin to soften as the sheer power of adorably squishy friendship New Directions brings to the table wear her down?