What I’m Watching: Glee

Glee: Season 3, Episode 18 “Choke” (C+)

Those that don’t like it when this show feels too preachy will not be content with this episode at all. It boasted two deafening lessons in morality, one about domestic violence and the other about the importance of graduating high school. The casual jokes about Bieste’s injuries resulted in some deserved scolding from Sue and Roz, who finally got to agree about something, and the real kicker was the strong and shocking reveal that Bieste was in fact the victim of domestic violence, as spliced into the performance of “Cell Block Tango,” which was well-done but hardly appropriate for a high school performance. Finn’s elaborate plan to kidnap Puck and scare him straight was amusing, and it felt forced to have Puck’s father suddenly appear out of nowhere and teach him that graduation is crucial. Bieste moving in with her sister and Puck failing his test, coupled with Rachel’s botched audition, made for a horribly depressing episode. Kurt’s creativity proved effective as he wowed Whoopi Goldberg’s straight-faced judge, and it’s hard to believe that eternal performer Rachel would choke for the first time during the most important performance of her life. That twist throws a definite wrench in her future plans, and puts her path in serious jeopardy. The show’s characters seem fully aware that their time is coming, and graduation is only four hours away. It’s hard to tell what this show will be like once half the cast leaves, and, though I’m hardly impressed on a regular basis, I’m curious to see where it goes.