Glee Review: Showmance

Now that the show's season has officially kicked off, fans can be happy to know that the promising pilot from last spring was not a fluke, and Glee really could end up being the best new show on television. This episode had two distinct focuses: sexual tension and the need for more club members. Since glee clubs must have 12 members to qualify for regionals, the group must double their current amount of members, and they have a pep assembly performance to convince others to join. What the members eventually realize is that sex sells, and if they want to meet the 12-person requirement, they need to spice up their act.

Alongside this dilemma, several characters struggle with their feelings for each other. Emma (Jayma Mays) is still trying her hardest to snare Will (Matt Morrison), who is married but seems to be a little too flirty around her, possibly sending mixed signals. Rachel (Lea Michele) continues to pine for Finn (Cory Monteith), who is slowly starting to reciprocate these feelings, something his girlfriend is not happy about. The student's continual struggle to deal with raging hormones is what actually gives them the idea to give a sexier performance.

In the pilot, is was clear that Lea Michele definitely had the voice to play Rachel, as her Broadway talent shined. Monteith can sing, but he was way out of his league compared to her. This episode did a great job accounting for this noticeable difference, as they had Finn getting voice lessons from Rachel. The club's performance came about midway through the episode, and wasn't great, but still entertaining. What was great- check that, phenomenal- was Michele's rendition of Rihanna's "Take a Bow" that closed the episode. It was a wonderful showcase of how good of a singer she actually is, and the song served as a great summary of the episode's events.

Verdict: The episode delivered a handful of comedic moments into all of the sexual tension, and the episode highlight came at the end with an excellent rendition of "Take a Bow" by Lea Michele. Overall, the show is making great progress and is a lot of fun to watch. ☆☆☆☆