...Set: Glee 1x17 "Bad Reputation"

This was the week of the Glist - a ranking of the glee club members, based on their reputation and hotness factor, apparently. It was never really said what the point system meant, but at the top of the list was Quinn, and at the bottom - Rachel. Principal Figgins, along with one Sue Sylvester, tasked Will with figuring out who put the list together, because that person would subsequently be expelled.
While all of that was going on, there was also drama over a video that Kurt and company found in Sue's desk of her recreating the Physical video by Olivia Newton John. They decided to post it up on youtube, and soon enough, the entire school had seen it and were laughing in Sue's face. Sue decided maybe it was a kind of retribution for her always being terrible to people, so figured she should give back. Her version of giving back was to go to Emma under the guise of a counselor and tell her that she needs to yell at Will in a public setting for making out with the Vocal Adrenaline coach, as well as for having April sleep over. Emma was reluctant at first, but then eventually made a scene with Will. He later tried to apologize to her, but she wasn't really having that either. Things aren't going to be sunshine and roses for these two for a while.

Meanwhile, Rachel was upset at having been given the lowest ranking on the Glist, and decided the best way to combat that was by giving herself a bad reputation. The best way to go about it? Making a video out of Run Joey Run, featuring not just one, not just two, but three of our erstwhile gleekers - Jesse, Puck and Finn - none of whom were happy to have been included in something with the other two. Jesse was particularly upset over it all, and decided to break things off with Rachel. This led to a cool cover of Total Eclipse of the Heart at the end of the episode.

While Rachel was doing that, Kurt, Artie, Tina, Mercedes, and a drugged up Brittany decided they also needed to up their rankings on the list. Kurt, Artie, Tina and Mercedes, because they weren't even on it, Brittany because she was only number four. They staged a little group sing in the library to U Can't Touch This, then when that only made them seem cute to the librarian, they decided to confess to Sue for posting the Physical video. Little did they know that, by that time, Sue had been contacted by Olivia Newton John herself to make an updated video with the both of them. Sue was not angry at all!

In the end, Will figured out who put the Glist together - Quinn. She's had a lot taken away from her recently, and stood the most to gain from the list. But instead of turning her in to be expelled, Will told Figgins that no one would budge. Aw, how sweet.

And that's pretty much it, except for the Ice Ice Baby number at the top of the hour, where Will was demonstrating how you can take something with a bad reputation and make it into something cool. We were also introduced to Brenda Castle, played by Molly Shannon, as a new teacher at the school, who was apparently fired from her past position when she was caught with booze and such. She didn't have a big role in tonight's episode, but she probably will have more in the future.

Quotes:

“You guys need to stop being asses and start being badasses.” - Jesse

“Will, I may have to buy a diaper for your chin, because it looks like a baby’s ass.” - Sue

“The man in this video looks like the champion cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester.” - Quote about Sue’s video

“But now I know the white hot shame of public rebuke. The pain is indescribable.” - Sue

“I'm a delinquent, sure. I like setting stuff on fire and beating up people I don't know. I own that. But I’m not a liar.” - Puck

“This is not happening. The cruel, slow motion laughter is just in your imagination.” - Sue’s voiceover

“You had me at sex tape. How can I help you?” - Artie

“I’ve been here since first period. I had a cold, and I took all my antibiotics at the same time, and now I can’t remember how to leave.” - Brittany

“Besides, Jesse will never fully understand what it means to be a Jew.” - Puck

“Don’t start with me, Castle, or I will kick you straight in the taco.” - Sue

“I don’t know guys, I’m starting to get cold feet.” - Artie
“Do you even feel your feet?” - Brittany

“And why does everyone assume I’m angry all the time? It’s called Sassy, Mr. Schue.” - Mercedes

“I don’t know how to turn on a computer.” - Brittany

“We have to do what we’ve been dreading. Something even more terrifying than Rachel’s personality.” - Artie

“Do me a favor, if we end up next to each other on the bar at ballet club this week, just do your arabesques and piques in silence, don’t talk to me.” - Jesse

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