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Glee Season 1 Episode 18

Laryngitis

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AIRED: May 11, 2010

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9.0

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EPISODE REVIEWS
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Episode Summary

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Rachel loses her voice and can't sing. Kurt attempts to impress his father. Puck tries to do whatever it takes to make him cool.

FAN RECAP

Fan Episode Reviews (5)

Unpopular Opinion: Didn't Love It

6.0

By thequietvoice, Dec 26, 2012

Not sure why I didn't love this one like everyone else, the story lines all seemed pretty average. They were good, but not spectacular. Rachel's was the strongest and she showed development, Mercedes made her way back to where she started, and Kurt was overly melodramatic and pitiful (not in a bad way, he just commanded For some reason even though my best friend and several others I know adore Kurt, I find him to be insipid and uninspiring at this point. Anyway, I'm hoping the show gets better by the end of the season, as this is supposed to be the best season of Glee!moreless
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Very good episode that makes you laugh and cry from a series that seems to finally find its voice, let's hope they don't lose it next week!

9.0

By Michelle_u2, Sep 21, 2011

I really loved this episode! Good storylines, especially the one with Kurt and his dad, and some very funny moments. It's starting to look like the show finally found a comprehensive way to deal with the songs, starting them in real time and following up in the overproduced section in somewhat of a dream sequence...it really felt like a solution that finally works!

Jessie's Girl was a long time coming for the Finn character and although I don't particularly like the actors voice it didn't sound as bad as some of his other recent tries to sing more rocky music (still trying to get over the whole the Doors cover!)

The duets between Puck and Mercedes and Mercedes and Santana were pretty good and had me laughing throughout...good to finally hear Santana sing! But the best song of the evening was definitely Kurt's rendition of Rose's Turn...now that is a show stopper! Amazing singing and shot quite beautifully with the black background I completely felt Kurt's doubts resounding in that song.

Being a huge U2 fan I hated how they completely butchered the always beautiful One at the end. After hearing that they were going to cover this song I really hoped that Lea Michele would get to sing it by herself without the auto-tune (a girl can dream right?) but with the rest of the Glee club on backing vocals, Finn's solo pieces, the ever present auto-tuner and the rather peculiar arrangements really messed up this song...on the other hand, the last shot with Rachel and that paralysed kid in combination with the way they sung did make me cry.

Al in al one of the best episodes of the season yet, the only thing that I really missed was the always hilarious Jane Lynch who had very little screen time...O, and when are Tina and Quinn finally getting more storylines?moreless
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Looking for the perfect record

9.0

By RobGrizz, Sep 21, 2011

I know the credits list everyone's names in alphabetical order to reflect that this is an ensemble show, but Lea Michele is the star all the way. Her rant about how off-pitch half the rest of glee club was is a reminder of how uniquely hilarious this character is written. She's annoying and arrogant, and yet one of the most interesting protagonists on TV. Seeing Rachel sing The Climb horribly off key was a thing of beauty! Lea continues to impress in her range as an actress. How many people can sing a song bad on purpose and make it look genuine?

Rachel had the titular laryngitis, and it was cute to see her freaking about her ability to sing over her general health. Finn stuck by Rachel which was nice to see, and even helped put her situation in perspective by introducing her to a football friend who was paralyzed. To lose the ability to move seems a lot more serious than a hiccup in Rachel's singing career doesn't it?

The second major storyline involved Puck trying to get back on top of the High School food chain. I got a real kick out of seeing nerds drop HIM in the dumpster for a change! Puck got the ill-conceived idea that hooking up with "that black girl" would up his popularity, but Mercedes saw right through him. It was a little weird that she still went with it, but I can understand that its nice to finally have someone like that interested in you. At least she knew exactly where they stood, and the situation helped her see what kind of person she really is. Result: she quits the Cheerios. The third plotline was probably the strongest of the three, as Kurt continued to vie for his father's affection. No, I don't think this has been overplayed yet. The trick is every time this story comes up, a new element comes into play. That's why this is the best subplot on the show. This week Kurt had a bit of an identity crisis and after a conversation with Sue Sylvester of all people, (favorite exchange: "Being in glee doesn't mean you're gay It just means you're awful." LOL!) he tried to act more boyish. I liked the take on what Kurt thinks it means to be more of a 'guy'. He's asking his dad about John Mellencamp, he's making out with the school bimbo, and he's wearing plaid shirts and baseball caps. This was amusing but also kind of sad in a way, just the right touch of commentary from the Glee creators on gender roles and inner voice. Brittany had my second favorite exchange of the night: "Let me know if you want to tap this.."

Three really good stories, and great music to boot? That's all I ask, folks!

"Jessie's Girl" by Rick Springfield.

I love this song. Finn still pines for Rachel now that he gets how awesome she is. He did fine by the song, and they were wise not to mess with it too much. It basically sounds just the same.

Grade: A-

"The Lady is a Tramp" by Sammy Davis Jr.

This is the number Puck won Mercedes over with. It was total pandering to her interests, but also funny to see him doing something so clearly out of his element just to show how "black" he can get. A toe-tapping swinging good song.

Grade: B+

"Pink Houses" by John Mellencamp.

Kurt solidly belted this one out, carrying some great subtext on his face. It was brief, it was simple, but it was good.

Grade: B+

"The Boy is Mine" by Brandy ft. Monica.

Holy damn, they dusted this one off! I was like, "Oh man, I haven't heard this in forever!" (I'm flashing back to MTV circa 1995!) Mercedes and Santana faced off, fighting over Puck in a surprisingly great sequence. These two rocked the cat fight!

Grade: A

"Rose's Turn" from Gypsy.

I applaud. Contrasting his earlier number, This one was big, it was stagey, and even more emotional. If you know Kurt, this is so his inner voice, and if you know me, I have a bias for theater. As I said before, Kurt is emerging as the sleeper star of this show. This was awesome!

Grade: A+ "One" by U2.

Well come on, this song is excellence. Even with Glee turning it all grand and perform-y, its going to take a lot more than that to damage it. Besides, the context in which it was used was nice, with Lea and the paralyzed guy. Still not cry-worthy or anything, but it hit the message home. Great number.

Grade: Amoreless
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Tears - Chris Colfer - you are amazing!!

10

By CosmoCramer1, May 05, 2011

Perhaps because my own brother is gay this episode really hit hard. But even if it weren't such a close to home story, I'm sure this ep would have struck a very emotional chord. (Oh! I just made a pun, what a nerd.)

The desperate need to rate in the top number, the desire to be looked at a certain way, respected for things you don't even respect yourself, and pretending to be smeone other than who you are - a theme at least 99% of us can relate to.

Mercedes story was just as chilling and Quinn becomes my hero again. (Can that girl get any more beautiful??)Finn makes a comeback after being in the boring shadows for a while, adn is reminding me why I liked him in the first place - the jock with more brain and heart than fits his place in the cliques of high school.

Kurt's (Chris's) final preformance, and the following dialohue with his father STOLE the show.moreless
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Good episode..

8.0

By sequoa84, May 17, 2010

Now I am finding it hard to figure out the zone this show falls into. While Glee is in the process of finding its identity, I must admit the quality of storylines hasn't gone down even a tiny bit.

Also, I found this episode to be a refreshing change, focusing more on other characters and giving them a fitting back story and adding another dimension to their character. Kurt trying not to be gay to find a common ground with his dad, started off in a funny way and ended on a very touchy note. We already saw a similar storyline just a few episodes back, but I am not gonna complain. I also loved Puck's storyline this time around. And to see Rachel in different dimension as someone who needs a paralyzed guy to tell her the harsh realities of life, just added more substance to her character. And Brittany still continues with her one liner magic.

Good episode.moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

EDIT

Matthew Morrison	Will Schuester
Dianna Agron	Quinn Fabray
Jane Lynch	Sue Sylvester
Jessalyn Gilsig	Terri Schuester
Jayma Mays	Emma Pillsbury
Lea Michele	Rachel Berry

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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Zack Weinstein	Sean Fretthold	Guest Star
Eve Gordon	Mrs. Fretthold	Guest Star
Rizwan Manji	Dr. Gidwani	Guest Star
Mike O'Malley	Burt Hummel	Recurring Role
Naya Rivera	Santana Lopez	Recurring Role
Heather Morris	Brittany	Recurring Role

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Episode Photos

Kurt (Chris Colfer) has a heart to heart...

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Kurt (Chris Colfer) has a heart to heart...

© 2010 Fox Broadcasting Company
Kurt (Chris Colfer) struggles with his i...

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Kurt (Chris Colfer) performs on Glee fro...

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (3)
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- Music featured in this episode:
  "Jessie's Girl" by Rick Springfield "Rose's Turn" from Gypsy
  "The Boy Is Mine" by Monica & Brandy
  "Lady Is a Tramp" by Frank Sinatra (Sammy Davis Jr. version)
  "One" by U2
  "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus
  "Pink Houses" by John Mellencamp
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- Puck mentions Super Mario Bros 3 having star worlds. Super Mario World is the only game in the series to have a star world.
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- The sign on the dumpster in the episode says 'Waste Managment' instead of the correct spelling 'Waste Management'
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QUOTES (7)
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- Sue: So, you like show tunes. It doesn't mean you're gay. It just means you're awful! You know, there is only one person in this world who can tell you what you are.
  Kurt: (he smiles) Me.
  Sue: No, me. Sue Sylvester and she hasn't quite made up her mind about you.
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- Mercedes: Look Quinn I could never see myself being into a guy like Puck, especially since he's your baby's daddy but something just happened between us.
  Quinn: I say go for it.
  Mercedes: What?
  Quinn: Look, I screwed up by letting Puck get me pregnant. He's an idiot and his mother won't let me eat bacon. I'm stuck living with him right now but at least if you guys are dating I won't have to spend so much time listening to his insane theories on how Super Mario Brothers changed civilization. But you do realize he's using you and your popularity so he won't get tossed in a dumpster.
  Mercedes: I know he's using me and in a way it's almost better. I'm not you. I've never had a guy like me for anything. But now I'm such a steaming mug of hot chocolate that one of the studliest guys in school wants to use me to harvest some mojo.
  Quinn: I just don't want you getting hurt.
  Mercedes: I know what this is. My hearts safe.
  Quinn: Oh I'm not worried about your heart. I might be okay with this but not even Puck is going to be able to call off Santana.
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- Narrator: So here's what happened last week: Kurt found a video of Sue, and the glee club posted it online. Then somebody made a "glist" of who in the glee club was the naughtiest, so Rachel tried to seem like a bad girl by doing a video with Finn, Puck and Jessie, but mostly it just hurt their feelings and the song was really, really bad. Like maybe the worst song ever written. Also, Sue spilled the beans that Will sucked face with Shelby Corcoran and that one time, April Rhodes spent the night, which totally hurt Emma's feelings. And that's what you missed on Glee.
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- Rachel: I'm like Tinkerbell, Finn. I need applause to live.
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- Puck: I'm a sex shark. If I stop moving, I die.
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- Puck: Hey, sugar. Listen. I got a proposition to make. I did some research. Blacks and Jews have a history of sticking up for each other. And Wikipedia says that King Martin Luther loved the Jews.
  Mercedes: Okay, you just said like ten offensive things.
  Puck: My point is, you're popular now. And I got to be honest...I need to spice up my image a little.
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- Brittany: (to Kurt) So you're pretty much the only guy in this school that I haven't made out with, because I thought you were capital-G gay. But now that you're not, having a perfect record would mean a lot to me.
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NOTES (3)
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- International Episode Titles:
  Czech Republic: Laryngitida (Laryngitis)
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- Although credited, Jessalyn Gilsig (Terri Schuester) does not appear in this episode.
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- Original International Air Dates:
  Canada: May 11, 2010 on Global
  Republic of Ireland: May 12, 2010 on TV3
  United Kingdom: May 17, 2010 on E4/E4 HD
  Australia: May 27, 2010 on Channel Ten
  Sweden: July 11, 2010 on TV4
  Latin America: August 12, 2010 on FOX
  Slovakia: April 17, 2011 on JOJ
  France: May 4, 2011 on W9
  Germany: May 9, 2011 on Super RTL
  Bulgaria: June 26, 2011 on bTV Comedy
  Czech Republic: July 16, 2011 on Prima LOVE
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ALLUSIONS (0)
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