Glee recap (1.09): "Wheels"

Glee is back! Oh how I missed you, Glee. And it was worth the wait. In my opinion, last night's episode was one of its best yet. It was well plotted, we got backstory on more of the characters, and Kurt really got to shine. Plus, the term "diva-off" was born. 'Nuff said.

I'll continue our drinking game, but I'm afraid we'll only get a little tipsy with this Gleecap. Is it my imagination or is the writing starting to get a little tighter, the stories less scattered? I think it was a smart move to focus on fewer subplots per episode.

So we start off with a Cheerios rehearsal. Quinn is in the stands watching and Finn goes to talk to her. She demands he start to help pay the medical bills. He's been looking for a job but can't find one. I know how he feels. In fact, more than 10% of the country knows how that feels right now.

The two of them will continue fighting about money for the rest of the episode, with Quinn demanding he man up and Finn more or less just whining about how hard it is for him. Yeah, it's as annoying as it sounds, so I won't bring it up again until it becomes relevant.

Speaking of money woes, Figgins breaks the news to Will that the school can't afford to pay for a wheelchair accessible bus just to accommodate Artie. He'll either have to ride separately or the Glee club will have to raise their own funds for the bus.

Um, wouldn't that be grounds for an equal access lawsuit? Which is especially ironic considering what happens later in the episode ... but we'll get to that. At any rate, take your first shot!

Will announces that they will be singing "Defying Gravity" from Wicked at sectionals. Love this song! He gives the solo to Rachel, but Kurt clearly wants it. Wouldn't you love to see Kurt and Rachel mud wrestle for the solo? Will also tells the kids that they'll be holding a bake sale to pay for Artie's bus, but they're not so keen on the idea.

None of them know how or have time to bake. Or apparently have much empathy for Artie. And recipes confuse Britney. Am I the only one horrified by the thought of her near an open flame?

Artie gets to sing a fantasy solo with "Dancing With MySelf," and there's a nice montage of him wheelchair dancing through the school. We learn that he has a crush on Tina. Will overhears Artie's rendition, causing him to put his foot down about the bake sale.

Kurt declares that he wants the solo on "Defying Gravity," but Will shoots him down, saying it's a girl's song. That seems like an awfully weak argument since there's nothing exclusively girly about the lyrics. I mean, granted it's pretty darn high, and maybe it's just because I end up at karaoke at gay bars a lot, but I've heard lots of guys sing this song. I call shenanigans. Take a shot.

Will makes the kids spend three hours a day in a wheelchair to give them a glimpse of what it's like for Artie, and setting up some great subtle humor for the rest of the episode. But first we start with a very unsubtle montage of Finn getting hit in the face a lot while wheeling down the hall and Rachel getting gray glop in the face in the lunch room.